Can Zuck make Meta ‘superintelligent’?

... And the UK wants to switch off social for teens 🚫

Author

Matt Navarra
June 13, 2025

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Hello, geeks!

Well hello again… Welcome to this week’s Geekout.

Grab a drink. Get comfy. Flick on ‘do not disturb’ mode.

This week it’s all about Zuck’s ‘Superintelligence’ plans to keep Meta in the fight to dominate the AI era.

Meanwhile…

Trump is set to stall the TikTok ban (again) 🙄

The UK Government wants to switch of social media at 10PM for teens, and set a 2-hour limit (good luck enforcing that!) 😬

And Elon Musk's Mafia-style protection racket at X is back in the headlines. Advertisers? Pay up or get whacked. 🔫

But before we get into it. These are click-worthy: [ad]

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Burn After Reading 🤐
-

I’ve been sworn to secrecy over the specific details of what I got up to in London earlier this week.

But if you want a teaser… There’s a hidden link in this section that can be tapped to give you a sneak peek.

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🔥 GEEKOUT HOT 5

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

Zuck Is Personally Recruiting New ‘Superintelligence’ AI Team at Meta With $14.3 Billion Investment in Scale AI

Meta is making its first major minority investment in an outside company as it tries to catch up to a growing field of artificial intelligence rivals.

  1. President Trump is set to stall TikTok ban — again [DITHERING]

  2. UK government is considering 10 PM social media curfew and 2-hour daily limit for teens [OVERREACHING]

  3. X threatened lawsuits to pressure advertisers into returning [RACKETEERING]

  4. WhatsApp is backing Apple in UK encrypted data fight [ALIGNING]

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🚨 EVERYONE’S TALKING ABOUT…

Meta AI’s AWKWARD public feed

PSA: Get Your Parents Off the Meta AI App Right Now

One of the strangest decisions in tech history was when US payments app Venmo added a public feed. Even in the 2020s, people are getting caught out for things they paid for via the PayPal-owned app.

Meta has fallen into the same trap with its Meta AI app, which gives users the chance to interact with the Llama-powered chatbot in a dedicated app (the app also manages your Ray-Ban smartglasses, natch 🤷‍♂️).

But while most AI apps like ChatGPT, Claude, or DeepSeek keep everything private, socially-minded Meta has added a ‘Discover’ feed. And it appears many people don’t realise their chats are visible to other people.

Medical and tax records, details on court cases, draft apology letters for crimes, home addresses, and confessions of affairs have reportedly all shown up in the feed.

Posts should only show up in the Discover feed if you tap the ‘Share’ or ‘Post’ buttons, but perhaps users don’t understand what those buttons do ,because there’s clearly a whole load of yikes going down on Meta AI.

The wholly avoidable (surely they must have seen this coming?!) controversy has arisen at a time when Meta is struggling to get an upper hand in the AI race.

Despite having its own homegrown Llama models, it’s having to turn to rival models for a core internal goal: getting AI to handle a large chunk of the coding its teams need to do.

The news this week that Mark Zuckerberg is personally recruiting a ‘superintelligence’ team, while Meta is investing in Scale.ai and poaching its CEO as a key new exec, shows just how important Zuck sees AI being to the company’s future.

Whether it’s auto-generating ads or auto-generating content, Zuck sees the future of social media as requiring a lot fewer humans. All he needs is to auto-generate the users too, and we can all put our phones down and touch grass forever! 😀

If you’re part of the Silicon Valley elite and you’re not all in on pumping billions into AI, how can you look your friends and rivals in the eye without feeling shame? Still, in the race to lead, mistakes like the Meta AI app’s Discover feed show how users can be the ones who get left behind.

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✨ NEW & NOTEWORTHY

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

Meta / Facebook 👥

  • Meta sued a ‘nudify’ app that keeps advertising on Instagram, and added new counter-measures to block similar ads

  • UK campaigners warned Ofcom over Meta’s reported plan to automate up to 90% of risk assessments

  • Four US senators blasted Meta after its AI Studio bots posed as licensed therapists

  • Meta was caught having siphoned Facebook and Instagram users’ data through a digital back door for months

  • Meta’s 2026 headset could pack micro-OLED displays, automatic IPD adjustment, and iris unlock.

  • Meta added “Be My Eyes” support to Ray-Ban AI glasses for vision-impaired users

  • Facebook and Messenger now let you show Notes for less than 24 hours

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Instagram ✨

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WhatsApp 🟢 / Threads 🧵 

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Twitter (‘X’) 🤡

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YouTube 📺

YouTube’s new in-app promote ‘Promote’ button | Image: YouTube

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TikTok 📱

TikTok’s Addison Rae Summer Challenge in-app experience | Image: TikTok

  • TikTok now allows you to send voice messages in DMs

  • TikTok now has a ‘creator score’ as part of TikTok One, a new platform that connects brands with creators

  • TikTok is testing a new ‘New group’ creation’ button for DMs

  • TikTok will now enable advertisers to measure the carbon emissions of their campaigns

  • TikTok added an Account Check feature that ensures all functions and features are working properly on your account and that you have no violations

  • A leaked TikTok doc has revealed how the company scores employee performance

  • A new study found TikTok skincare routines could harm young skin

  • TikTok launched an Addison Rae summer challenge, with a chance to complete tasks and win exclusive profile frames

  • TikTok Shop rolled out ‘Official’, Star, and ‘Top Brand’ seller badges for merchants

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Snapchat / Pinterest / LinkedIn / Reddit / More… 👻

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

Just head to the ‘More news’ section below!

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🤖 SOCIAL A.I.

The newest social media A.I. features spotted this week:

Meta Launches AI Video Restyling Tools in Edits and AI App

Meta's got a new AI video editing tool which can reimagine the context of clips.

Also spotted this week 👀

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💬 YOU CAN QUOTE ME ON THAT

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

Use of X’s Community Notes has plummeted in 2025, data shows.

As I told NBC News: “When users stop seeing notes… trust dies. Volume absolutely matters.”

Use of Community Notes on Elon Musk's X has plummeted in 2025, data shows

Also this week:

  • I spoke to Barrons about a new tech investment show on X, where two stars are under investigation over past investor losses

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😆 LOL

ChatGPT went down globally for hours earlier this week. The world discovered it had a new problem:

Apple’s WWDC 25 event was all about ‘Liquid Glass’. 

But this YouTube fail gave it a snappier (stinkier) name: 😬

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📈 MEMES

Trump v Musk might have calmed down and ended with Musk apologising (😆)…

…But the memes kept flowing well into this week.

Check here, here, and here

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🌡️ VIRAL

“A new trend on TikTok uses a CapCut template and AI to animate your photo — and it's so absurd.

“The trend morphs a regular photo into something out of your most illogical dream, turning a moment from your real life into something that quickly falls off the deep end…”

An absurd TikTok trend lets AI finish your photo

Arrest that dog!!!

I mean… 😳

@emporter4

I am shooketh. #CapCut #husband #dog #police #arrested #fyp

Also:

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🪧 BRANDS

“With TikTok’s future uncertain, brands see Substack as a rising channel—but success hinges on genuine engagement.

“…But not every brand should be on the platform, warn experts.”

Why American Eagle, Hinge, and The Real Real Are Betting on Substack 

Also:

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🙊 WHAT DID YOU SAY?!

“I regret some of my posts about President @realDonaldTrump last week. They went too far.”

- Elon Musk walked back his attacks on Trump, showing who has the real power in that broken relationship

Also overheard this week:

  • Meta CTO Andrew ‘Boz’ Bosworth thinks smart glasses won’t replace smartphones soon:

    “Smartphones are incredible and it's not just they are great devices and they are convenient. We are used to them.” 

  • Google has taken a swipe at Meta’s idea that mobile app stores should be responsible for age verification:

    "Billed as ‘simple’ by its backers, including Meta, this proposal fails to cover desktop computers or other devices that are commonly shared within families. It also would be ineffective against pre-installed apps, as Meta’s often are."

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👀 MY FAV READS

Gen Z’s latest power move? Swapping emojis to confuse you. 💀

Gen X and Older Millennials weep.

Gen Z’s Chaotic, Ironic Emoji Swapping Meme

TikTok users are ditching “mainstream” emojis for often absurdist alternatives in meme-ified movements designed to confuse, amuse, and divide the in-group from the rest.

Also:

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😮 WTF?!

ICE ICE LAME: As part of US immigration enforcement body ICE’s massively ramped-up activity lately, TikTok star Khaby Lame was detained and then released.

An ICE spokesperson said he "overstayed the terms of his visa".

He’s since left the USA voluntarily.

Khaby Lame: World's biggest TikTok star leaves US after being detained by ICE

Also this week 👀

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👔 YOU’RE HIRED!

Hot new social media jobs worth checking out this week:

More top social media jobs spotted this week 💼

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🪦 RIP

Social media features heading for the graveyard:

NASA is axing 29 mission-specific accounts, including fan-favourite @marscuriosity.

Mars updates will move to @nasamars to cut platform clutter.

It is understandable though… NASA says it manages a mind-boggling 400+ accounts across 15 platforms.

NASA is shutting down some official social media accounts, including the Curiosity rover's handle

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🏆 RECORD BREAKER

MrBeast just became the first YouTuber to surpass 400 MILLION subscribers — a historic platform milestone.

His channel now leads by over 100 million subs versus second-place T-Series.

MrBeast Makes History as First-Ever YouTuber To Surpass 400 Million Subscribers

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👌 PRO TIPS

Building a B2B brand on social? LinkedIn has some insights to help you…

LinkedIn Shares Insights Into How To Build a B2B Brand

LinkedIn's latest report provides some key notes on effective B2B brand building.

More pro-tips worth checking out ✨

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📊 SOCIAL STATS

$376.6 BILLION

- Content creators’ revenue through ads, brand deals and sponsorships by 2030, according to analysis by WPP Media

AND 

Social media creators are set to overtake traditional media in ad revenue this year!

Even more social stats: 📈

  • FEUD EFFECT: Active US app users on X spiked 6%, with a 54% surge during peak afternoon hours on June 5 as the Trump-Musk feud unfolded

  • NO LINKS: 97.3% of Facebook U.S. views exclude external links—highlighting Meta’s preference to retain users on its platforms

  • REDDIT BOOST: Reddit drove 34.4 million pageviews in May 2025, a 15% YoY jump across 4,500 sites, according to Chartbeat

  • REDDIT INSIGHTS: Reddit says 88% of users consult it for purchases

  • TUBE ECONOMY: YouTube powers 490,000 jobs and $70 billion creator payouts, according to a new report

  • BIG WITH BRITS: TikTok now has 30 million+ UK monthly users — nearly half the population

  • MONEY TALKS: Facebook’s ad load is highest for users 45+ (22% ad load), thanks to higher spending power. Teen users see far fewer ads (4.3% ad load) as Meta shifts strategy on Reels and Stories.

  • SNAP HAPPY: Snapchat saw 2.5 billion voice notes, and 40 billion Snap Map opens in Q1 2025.

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📈 CHARTED

The Wrap published a State of Social 2025 mid-year review… 📈

Some highlights:

  • Meta’s dominance holds: Facebook tops 2.11B MAUs; Instagram 1.54B — outpacing TikTok’s 1.16B

  • Threads leapfrogged X (338M vs. 294M); X lost 5.3% MAUs this year

  • Snapchat (900M) struggles with monetisation; LinkedIn saw fastest YoY growth (+17.1%)

  • New contenders: Lemon8 (12M), Bluesky (11M), VSCO (11M), Letterboxd (3M) — targeting niche communities as platform fragmentation grows

More charted social insights spotted this week: 👀.

  • TAKEDOWNS: Growth in the total number of YouTube video takedowns over the years, with 8.6M takedowns in Q1 2025 alone.

  • TOP APPS: The most downloaded apps in the world In May reveals ChatGPT hitting #1, with Instagram re-taking #2, edging past TikTok in the #3 spot

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MORE TIKTOK NEWS

Chinese Managers Take Reins at TikTok Shop in US as Sales Miss Goal

ByteDance Ltd., TikTok’s parent company, has been replacing US-hired staff near Seattle with managers connected to China, aiming to replicate its e-commerce success in Asia after sales fell short in America.

New features and tests:

  • TikTok added a Content Library under TikTok Studio. [@jonahmanzano]

  • TikTok is testing a new ‘Suggested accounts’ page with two buttons: Not interested and Refresh. [@oncescuradu]

  • TikTok added a sort option for the Following list. [@theahmedghanem]

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💥 EVEN MORE SOCIAL MEDIA NEWS & UPDATES

4chan and p**n sites investigated by Ofcom

Nine companies are under investigation by Ofcom, using powers of the Online Safety Act.

  • VidCon’s new owner has big plans for the creator economy’s flagship convention. [Hollywood Reporter]

  • France wants X, Reddit and Bluesky to slap strict age checks on p**n — or get fined, blocked or scrubbed from search. [Politico]

  • French President Macron plans to ban under-15s from social media after recent school stabbings. [Politico]

  • …but the EU told Macron it won’t back a bloc-wide social media ban for kids. [Politico]

  • Telegram CEO Pavel Durov says he still can't travel freely almost a year after being arrested. [Business Insider $$$]

  • Paraguay’s president was hit by an X account hack as part of a Bitcoin scam. [Reuters $$$]

  • US Congress launched the bipartisan Creators Caucus to support the creator economy. [TechCrunch]

  • Lowe's announced a new Creator Program with 17K+ creators enrolled already in its beta launch, MrBeast is involved. [@liahaberman]

  • Meta and TikTok told the EU’s General Court that their supervisory fee under the Digital Services Act is unfair and lacks transparency. [Reuters $$$]

  • Brazil’s Supreme Court ruled social platforms must take down illegal content without waiting for court orders. [Bloomberg $$$]

  • Russian MPs approved legislation to develop a state-run messaging app integrated with government services, taking on Telegram’s popularity in the country. [Reuters $$$]

  • Pinterest hired ex-Amazon ad leader Chip Jessop to lead its programmatic push. [DigiDay $$$]

New features and tests:

  • Facebook added a new design for the long-press menu on comments. [@oncescuradu]

  • Messenger now shows your Facebook username in the app menu. [@theahmedghanem]

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📰 WEEKEND READS

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

Turns out stirring up outrage online isn’t always a well-paying job….

He’s a Master of Outrage on X. The Pay Isn’t Great.

An online creator went from a “nobody” to a conspiratorial sensation on X. What he gets in return is less clear.

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😳 AND FINALLY…

Sick of swiping through endless red flags 🚩 on dating apps?

Browser Dating ditches curated profiles — it matches you via your unfiltered browser history instead 😳

“Users upload their 5,000 most recent searches, which are turned into a “browsing personality profile" by AI.”

What could possibly go wrong? 💀

An Experimental New Dating Site Matches Singles Based on Their Browser Histories

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📅 BACK NEXT WEEK…

Alrighty… It’s time to get the hell outta here.

I’m heading off see if Elon's deleted his Trump apology post yet.

I can’t imagine he’ll be able to resist tapping out more toxic tweets aimed at the orange dude for much longer.

Especially if hits the Ketamine, or lights one up in another 3am binge session.

Have a great weekend!

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

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