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Hello, geeks!

Well, my weekend was wild. But not in a good way. 🤒

Following a cheeky Nandos takeout on Saturday night, I ended up spending 2 days hovering near a bathroom after being struck down by food poisoning.

To complicate matters, BBC Breakfast called me, asking If I could come to the studios in Manchester to appear on the show to discuss the latest Ofcom media report.

The thought of me being on live TV and vomiting on air 🤮… or worse 💩… was not a risk I wanted to take.

Thanks BBC, but no thanks!

__________

The best things I spotted this week…

  • 📊 The BIGGEST Social Media Study of the Year is out. 2026 insights. Analysis of 39 MILLION posts. Love this
    -

  • 🚨 This WILD viral 441-slide deck every social media manager actually enjoys skimming
    -

  • ❤️ Social teams deserve tools that don’t SUCK! This ONE doesn’t — I use it. It’s seriously good. Try it FREE for 14 days. [ad]
    -

  • 💀 This post by the consistently brilliant @BeyondMeat…

__________

Geekout Wrapped 2025

First up — a massive THANK YOU from me (and Martin!) for letting us hijack your inbox every Friday.

We still can’t believe so many of you show up every week to scroll Geekout.

We love writing it for you. (Even if it still takes us about two full days a week to put together 😅)

Some juicy Geekout stats for the nerds (we know you’re here!)

In 2025…

  • 5 “Best newsletters for social media pros” lists featured Geekout (thanks Buffer, Planable, Brand24, Metricool, Loomly)

  • 34 brands sponsored Geekout (thanks Measure Studio, Semrush, TikTok, Sked Social, Emplifi, Metricool, and more!)

  • 47 Geekout issues landed in your inbox (incl. final editions in Dec)

  • 6,000+ headlines, platform updates, new features, viral trends, and more were covered.

  • 189.000+ words were written in Geekout.

  • 376,000+ clicks/taps were made on links in Geekout.

  • 1,500,000+ total impressions were generated by Geekout Newsletter.

The core newsletter health metrics revealed Geekout’s open / click rates are 2-3x the industry average (still!)…

That’s thanks to you lovely lot!

And we want to give a shoutout to a few people that keep Geekout filled every Friday.

The OG social geeks who spot all the new features before the platforms even announce them.

They help make Geekout what it is — go follow them if you don’t already:

Ahmed Ghanem, Lindsey Gamble, Radu Oncescu, Jonah Manzano, Alessandro Paluzzi, WABetaInfo.

You lot are all absolute legends.

__________

Geekout’s Christmas Holiday 🎄🎅🏻

Geekout will be taking its annual Christmas break shortly.

There will be NO Geekout on Friday 26 December and Friday 2 January 2025.

But it will be back in your inbox on Friday 9 January 2026.

It will be stuffed full of everything that went down in social, from over the Christmas period, to bring you back up to speed as you return to work.

Next week’s final edition of Geekout for 2025 will be in your inbox as usual.

P.S. Don’t miss the very end of this week’s Geekout…

Scroll to the bottom to see a very special Christmas surprise I’ve lined up for my kids in London this weekend. 🎄 👇

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🔥 GEEKOUT HOT 5

Geekout’s pick of the hottest headlines in social this week:

Teens outsmart Australia’s social media ban within hours of launch

Some Australian kids are already outsmarting the government and the tech companies.

  1. Elon Musk declared “war” on the EU after X’s €120m fine [RAGING]

  2. US plans to ask tourists to share 5 years of social media history to enter country [OVERREACHING]

  3. Meta may charge for a future AI models in a shift of strategy [PAYWALLING]

  4. Meta struck AI licensing deals with news publishers including CNN, Fox News, and USA Today [BROKERING]

SPONSORED - 2025 SOCIAL STUDY - FREE REPORT

The BIGGEST Social Media Study of the Year Just Dropped 🔥

Metricool’s largest social media study EVER just dropped!

Based on analysis of 39 MILLION posts across every major social platform, it gives you the clearest picture of where social is headed in 2026.

Here’s a sneak peek at the insights shaping 2026 social strategies: 👀

  • 📲 TikTok continues its domination
    Highest reach average (28,482 impressions/post), strongest interactions, AND the best growth potential of any platform analysed!

  • 📉 Instagram Reels take hit. But it’s not all bad
    Reels are down 35% in reach, but feed posts and carousels are slipping back into the spotlight, thanks to repeat (+ repost) visibility.

  • 📈 Is this Facebook’s redemption era?
    Average reach jumped +51%, making it one of the biggest comeback platforms of the year in 2025.

  • 😮 LinkedIn Video? Think again
    While brands leaned on images + videos the most for their strategies, Polls delivered highest reach, and carousels drove 247% more interactions than average.

This FULL report is stuffed with surprising charts, wild stats, smart insights, and practical tips you’ll want to know.

🔥 Download The 2026 Social Media Study… It’s free!

👀 Reveal 2026 Insights

🚨 EVERYONE’S TALKING ABOUT

Australia’s teen ban has a messy start

‘Grand social experiment’: Australia’s social media ban turns heads globally, with mixed results

If you’ve been reading Geekout closely for the past few months, you’ll have known it was coming, but this week it arrived and the world REALLY took notice.

Australia’s ban on under-16s using social media is a world first, but it won’t be the last of its kind.

Bans like this have growing support around the globe, with plans across the EU, and a Malaysian ban looming in 2026. In the US, MAGA Republicans back a social media ban on kids and young teens

But any countries looking to introduce a ban can certainly learn from Australia’s… wobbly experience.

A 15-year-old boy beat Snapchat’s age test ahead of Australia’s under-16 ban. Oops. And teens have been openly bypassing restrictions, proving that a complete lockdown on kids using social media will be incredibly difficult to police.

Meanwhile, Reddit has launched a High Court challenge against the ban. The company argues that the new law violates political speech and forces privacy-invasive ID checks. Reddit says the majority of its users are adults, with no child-targeted ads, and fewer social media type features.

Oh and X has been very quiet on the whole thing. Elon Musk turning a blind eye to the law?! Who could possibly imagine such a thing!

One country NOT planning to follow in Australia’s footsteps (as least for now) is the UK. The government has no plans for a teen ban, despite polling showing the public support the idea. The UK does have mandatory age checks to ensure teens see the right kinds of content, but they had a similarly messy launch this year.

Perhaps the biggest problem with banning kids is that for all its problems, social media has plenty of things to offer that benefit young people. And there’s a troubling lack of conclusive data to support the idea of a ban.

What are we taking from teens when we try to keep them safe? And is the trade-off entirely fair?

✨ NEW & NOTEWORTHY

Everything else you need to know from the past seven days…

Meta   Meta  /  Facebook  Facebook

Image: Meta

  • Facebook announced a big bunch of design changes to make it suck less. The redesign prioritises friends, photos, and Marketplace visibility (and make it a lot more like Instagram!)

  • Meta upgraded its Partnership Ads Hub with integrated Facebook and Instagram content listings, and expanded partnership opps

  • Meta banned or restricted 50+ abortion rights and LGBTQ+ organisations globally

  • Meta is planning a price hike for its VR devices, a leaked memo revealed

  • Meta offered to update its EU pay or consent ad model, with a new less personalised targeting option to avoid fines

  • Meta has been accused by Massachusetts of intentionally creating addictive Facebook and Instagram features to profit from teens

  • Meta acquired AI startup Limitless, known for its voice-recording pendant device

  • Meta delayed its ‘Phoenix’ mixed reality glasses to 2027 for quality assurance reasons.

  • Meta and iHeartMedia are bringing Coldplay’s record-breaking tour to Horizon on 30 December, with an immersive Wembley VR event

  • Facebook re-added its ‘Music’ Story composer

  • Messenger added birthday Notes

__________

Instagram  Instagram

Instagram’s new ‘Your Algorithm’ feature rolling out | Image: Instagram

  • Instagram launched ‘Your Algorithm’, letting you tune which Reels show up in your feed

  • Instagram now lets you re-share any public Story to your own Stories, not just ones you’re tagged in (finally!)

  • Instagram Edits has added improved storyboard functionality and expanded templates

  • An internal argument about Instagram data being used for AI training has been dismissed as gossip by Meta

  • Instagram launched a new ‘Carversations. content series to spark real talk between parents and teens (maybe it’s a bit cringe and over-produced?)

  • Instagram now informs you that audio from your Reels could be used by people on the Meta AI app and website to create videos.

  • Instagram is now showing the Templates section in the main app menu

  • Instagram shared a nostalgic look back at the design history of its nav bar, following recent changes prioritising DMs + Reels

  • Instagram has made changing Notes colours easier by introducing a colour picker

__________

WhatsApp  WhatsApp   /   Threads  Threads

WhatsApp’s new ‘Missed Call Messaging’ feature | Image: WhatsApp

__________

X / Twitter  X (Twitter)

AI-generated product placement from xAI

  • xAI says it can now stuff AI-generated product placement into any scene of your favourite movie (but people aren’t liking it much)

  • X deactivated the European Commission’s ad account, seemingly in retaliation for the fine it received from the EU

  • X is preparing to launch a new Rare Handles feature within its Handles Market, which will make previously unused rare handles available to the public

  • X is testing the ability to generate videos or animate photos with Grok AI straight from the post composer

  • xAI’s Grok now lets you extend or upscale videos using Imagine AI

__________

TikTok  TikTok

TikTok’s new ‘Shared Feed’ feature | Image: TikTok

__________

YouTube  YouTube

  • YouTube added new ad tools for Shorts, to boost brand performance for holiday campaigns, including enabling comments on Shorts Ads, and the ability for creators to add links on branded content

  • YouTube TV will launch over 10 cheaper genre-specific plans in early 2026, covering sports, news, kids, family, and entertainment

  • YouTube TV is adding C-SPAN, giving viewers direct access to congressional proceedings and America 250 programming. It’s also adding new seasonal gifting stickers

  • Adobe launched a content creation hub in Premiere mobile for YouTube Shorts creators

__________

Reddit Reddit   /  LinkedIn LinkedIn   /  Bluesky Bluesky

Reddit’s new grey checkmark verification on profiles | Image: Reddit

__________

🔥 Want to see more hot NEW features spotted in the wild this week?

Just head to the ‘More news’ section below!

🤖 SOCIAL AI

The newest social media AI features spotted this week:

Instagram has been spotted secretly generating SEO-style headlines for users’ posts appearing on Google.

And because they use generative AI, they’re not always accurate. Ewww….

Instagram Is Generating Inaccurate SEO Bait for Your Posts

Instagram is generating headlines for Instagram posts that appear on Google Search results. Users say they are misrepresenting them.

__________

Also spotted this week 👀

💬 YOU CAN QUOTE ME ON THAT  BBC

When I’m quoted in the news, you’ll find it here:

BBC News asked for my analysis of the EU’s enforcement action against X.

Check out the full story to read what else I had to say Elmo and X’s latest war of words with the EU

💀 LOL

🌡️ VIRAL

TikTok has been blissing out on the dancefloor with Jon Hamm…

Here’s why he is showing up in everyone’s FYP

TikTok's Jon Hamm 'Turn the Lights Off' meme, explained

@makoandkonasmom

How can I describe this feeling

@kylephilippi

Let’s start this journey.. #lotr #lordoftherings #jonham #lotrtok

__________

Also going viral this week: 🔥

🪧 BRANDS

McDonald's has pulled an AI-generated Christmas ad after a social media backlash.

Viewers branded it creepy, tone-deaf, and “unfun,” with backlash against the AI-generated visuals.

Not lovin' it: McDonald's pulls AI-generated Christmas ad after social media backlash

__________

More brand news this week: 👀

👀 MY FAV READS

In this new series, The Verge investigates how influencer culture morphed into mass-market commerce…

Content is no longer king; consumerism is swallowing the internet whole 😳

How the creator economy destroyed the internet

__________

Also:

🗓️ BEST OF 2025

Looking back at the year:

All together now…. Six-Sehhhvehhhhn….

(…actually, please stop it now, it’s REALLY annoying)

The 25 Best Memes of 2025

Also:

🙊 WHAT DID YOU SAY?!

“This will be one of the biggest social and cultural changes our nation has faced.”

– Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on the country’s ban on under-16s using social media

😮 WTF?!

Twitter reborn? Probably not, but someone is trying…

A US startup called Operation Bluebird wants to reclaim Twitter trademarks 'abandoned' by Musk’s X.

It hopes to claim “Twitter” and “tweet” for its new platform, “twitter. new” 🤔

US startup seeks to reclaim Twitter trademarks 'abandoned' by Musk’s X 

__________

Also WTF this week: 👀

🤦‍♂️ FAIL

Should brands post with a first-person voice…?

Or can it completely ruin their brand authority?

It certainly feels like it in this case, spotted via Rachel Karten’s Link In Bio newsletter…

TikTok is under fire as AI‑generated sexualised child videos have racked up millions of views…

Videos of sexually suggestive, AI-generated children are racking up millions of likes on TikTok, study finds

More fails:

  • YouTube creators are reporting surprise bans for spam with instant appeal rejections. Several channels only returned after viral X and Reddit posts drew public attention.

  • An Instagram safety loophole lets unflagged adults reach teens

  • Instagram’s new repost button is sparking widespread mis-taps because its placement disrupts established habits

🧪 SOCIAL SCIENCE

Hmmm…. A study of 8,300 US children suggests social media may be contributing to a rise in ADHD diagnoses.

“…No link was found between ADHD-related symptoms – such as being easily distracted – and playing video games or watching TV and YouTube…”

“…However, the study found that social media use over a period of time was associated with an increase in inattention symptoms in children…“

Social media use damages children’s ability to focus, say researchers

__________

Also:

👌 PRO TIPS

A useful read to get you ready for the new year: the 2026 trends brands should watch, according to Pinterest…

From FunHaus to Glitchy Glam: the 2026 Trends Brands Should Watch, Per Pinterest

__________

More pro-tips worth checking out ✨

📊 SOCIAL STATS

100 MILLION

– The number of verified profiles on LinkedIn

__________

Even more social stats: 📈

  • NO BAN PLEASE: 42% of UK adults say teens must stay online, pushing demand for safer, curated youth experiences

  • BRIT HABITS: YouTube hits 94% adult reach in the UK; FB + Messenger hit 93%; WhatsApp hits 90%

  • FAKING IT: Meta says fake accounts on its platforms remain 4% of users. That’s over 140 million profiles

  • OLDER TUBE: 55–64s are driving 20% of US and of 14% UK YouTube growth

  • MAN TUBE: YouTube is the go-to platform for men, with 86% using it weekly, according to a new study

  • STREAMING HOT: The Streamer Awards reached 965,000 peak viewers, setting a new series record.

  • FOR SHAME: Snapchat has been exposed as the worst app for child abuse reports in the UK, featuring in 54% of online abuse cases (11,912) child abuse cases reported.

📈 CHARTED

How the UK uses social media…

New insights from Ofcom’s latest Online Nation report revealed:

  • UK adults spend 4.5 hours online daily, with Google + Meta now control 50% of UK screen time

  • YouTube has hit 94% UK adult reach; Facebook and Messenger hit 93%; WhatsApp hits 90%

  • Children spend nearly 3 hrs/day online, with YouTube (48 mins) + Snapchat (45 mins) dominating

  • 15–24% of UK kids’ activity on top social apps happens between 9pm–5am

__________

Even more social charts: 📈

  • MAPPING THE ALGO: Topic clusters on TikTok exposed

  • TIKTOK USA: The importance of the USA to TikTok ad revenue

  • COOL FOR KIDS: Popularity of social apps among US teens, charted

  • TEEN CHAT: The most popular AI chatbots among US teens

💥 EVEN MORE SOCIAL MEDIA NEWS & UPDATES

State AGs warn Google, Meta, and OpenAI that their chatbots could be breaking the law

A letter from the National Association of Attorneys General called AI “a danger to the public”.

_________

Also this week… 🚨

  • X deactivated the European Commission’s ad account, seemingly in retaliation for the fine it received from the EU. [Gizmodo]

  • TikTok job scams are draining people’s money by exploiting economic desperation in Kenya. [The Guardian]

  • Snap plans to make 2026 its biggest year yet by automating ad creative and enhancing tools for small advertisers. [DigiDay $$$]

  • Former top Meta exec Nick Clegg is now a venture capitalist, and outgoing Meta AI guru Yann LeCun will be his adviser. [Financial Times $$$]

  • A new documentary will probe how social media failed Molly Russell — and sparked a movement. [Deadline]

  • Social Media University, a free platform by Unlocked Branding, has launched to guide the next wave of influencers. [Fast Company $$$]

  • TikTok is welcoming bestselling author Mel Robbins for a LIVE show airing Dec 13 at 5pm ET. [TikTok Newsroom]

  • Pinterest is to acquire tvScientific, expanding its performance advertising to connected TV. [Pinterest Newsroom]

New features and updates:

  • Threads is testing a new design for the buttons displayed in the share sheet. [@oncescuradu]

  • Messenger added a new Drafts feature for Notes. [@oncescuradu]

  • Instagram is refining the icon for its recently launched Shots feature. [@theahmedghanem]

  • Meta Verified now displays detailed information about how its enhanced support works, based on your selected tier. [@theahmedghanem]

  • TikTok now supports left-swipe access to notification settings. [@jonahmanzano]

  • X has added Creator Studio in its app. [@jonahmanzano]

📰 WEEKEND READS

Geekout’s pick of the best longer reads to sink into over the weekend:

This is a great long read on “how the systems that fight misinformation and disinformation became misconstrued and dismantled”

But it’s well worth digging into over the weekend…

The disinformation wars are here

How Joe Biden’s administration caved to the right in the battle for truth.

__________

More great weekend reads:

😳 AND FINALLY…

The fightback against cringe memes starts here!

US West Coast burger chain In-N-Out has channelled the rage of parents across the world 😂

It’s dropped ’67′ from ticket orders after the viral ‘6-7’ trend got out of control.

It’s also dropped 69 for obvious reasons… 🤣

In-N-Out Officially Removes Number '67' from Its Ordering System After Viral '6-7' Trend

📅 BACK NEXT WEEK…

That’s the penultimate edition of Geekout for 2025. Done. ☑️

I’m heading off to pack for a weekend in London with my kids.

They think we’re just going to soak up the festive vibes and do some sightseeing.

But I have a surprise planned for them.

I’m taking them to see this at the Royal Albert Hall.

@jessiica_rose_

How long until you guess what film it is? 🥹🎄🎅🏼🎶 #royalalberthall #christmasconcert #johnwilliams #vlogmas #christmascontent #homealone #ph... See more

I’ve been dying to take them for years, but tickets sell out so quickly.

@izzyheyburn

❤️ #homealone #royalalberthall #london #orchestra #liveorchestra #concert #christmas #xmas #fyp

I’m hoping it will kickstart a magical Christmas for them.

Goodbye, geeks!

P.S. This newsletter is edited by Martin SFP Bryant

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