Hello, Geeks! 👋

I’m still picking my jaw up from off the floor after reading Facebook’s rebuttal of Netflix’s ‘The Social Dilemma’ documentary.

A source pointed out the 2-page PDF to me after noticing it had seemingly gone unnoticed by most people, even though it had been accessible online for a few days prior. Suffice to say, once I tweeted about it, a few people (1,200 quote tweets!) shared their opinion about Facebook’s fairly weak arguments addressing some of the film's core themes.

I gave my thoughts on all of this in a chat with Geekout podcast co-host and good friend Martin SFP Bryant about it earlier this week.

Quick question for regular readers of this Geekout Newsletter...

I always intended for Geekout to be a comprehensive and jam-packed weekly newsletter, giving social media managers a one-stop resource for ALL the week’s news, new tools and features, and longer reads…

HOWEVER

Gmail and other email apps truncate the newsletter if it exceeds a certain length, leading to you (the reader) having to tap a link to view the rest of the email in full, which often messes with the layout and formatting.

• Is this a problem for you?

• Would you prefer I cut some of the content in this newsletter to reduce its length, thus preventing this from happening?

Reply to this email (or drop me a Twitter DM) and let me know your thoughts?

Right… Let’s jump into what went down in the world of social media this week.,,

— Matt

PS. My Geekout podcast will be back soon for a third season!

In the past, we've interviewed senior staff from Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, and Pinterest, plus top tech journalists and more. The new season will bring much more of that to your ears.

BUT I need your help ❤️🙏

We need a new sponsor.

• Would your employer have an interest?

• Know someone that might?

If so, drop me an email at: [email protected]!

🚨 Everyone's talking about...

House Democrats say Facebook, Amazon, Alphabet, Apple enjoy 'monopoly power' and recommend big changes — www.cnbc.com

In a big step forward for possible antitrust action against big tech companies, Democrats in US Congress published a report recommending action that could have a big impact on Facebook and YouTube.

The report sets a political tone that could eventually lead to big tech companies being broken up, or making it harder for them to acquire smaller businesses.

The report includes examples like how Facebook strong-armed Instagram into an acquisition, to make its case. While Facebook is set to resist any attempt to break it up by claiming it would be illegal, costly, and harmful to consumers [$$$], there's no escaping the fact that the mood music for action to curb big tech's power is louder than ever. Politicians may disagree on the right action to take, but it seems some form of action will be inescapable.

Twitter is building ‘Birdwatch,’ a system to fight misinformation by adding more context to tweets — techcrunch.com

In last week's newsletter, I speculated about what Twitter's mysterious 'Birdwatch' might be. Further digging by TechCrunch led to the revelation that it is indeed some form of crowdsourced reporting of misinformation.

We still don't know exactly how it will work, and how Twitter will prevent this system from being abused, but anyone who's ever tried to report misinformation on the platform will know how the current reporting system is in desperate need of an upgrade.

TikTok passes Instagram as second-most popular social app for U.S. teens — www.cnbc.com

In news that will have Facebook looking on nervously, TikTok overtook Instagram in popularity among US teens. Snapchat remains on top, according to the study by Piper Sandler.

But looking beyond teens' stated preference to their actual usage tells a different story that will be more reassuring to Facebook. CNBC reports: "Instagram remains in first place with 84% engagement [among teens], followed by Snapchat at 80% and TikTok at 69%.". However, that 69% is up from 62% in the spring, meaning Instagram shouldn't rest on its laurels too much.

On the blog: How top brands craft their IG bios — skedsocial.com

Discover top tips for small and large brands for making the most of your Instagram bio.

👀 ICYMI...

Stories you need to know about:

Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp:

Facebook Just Forced Its Most Powerful Critics Offline — www.vice.com

Facebook used its clout to get the website of the unofficial 'Real Facebook Oversight Board' taken offline

• Facebook has outright banned QAnon Pages, Groups, and Instagram profiles. [Facebook Newsroom]

• Facebook removed a Trump post that claimed Covid-19 is less deadly than the flu. Twitter, meanwhile, kept it up but labelled it as misleading. [CNN]

• Instagram claims EU privacy rules are to blame for its failure to tackle self-harm and eating-disorder images. [The Telegraph $$$]

• Instagram turned 10 (see last week's newsletter for my thoughts). It celebrated with a new Stories map and calendar, to relive your past adventures, and an Easter egg that lets you change the app's icon to classic designs from its history. [The Verge and TechCrunch]

• Facebook Groups also turned 10 this week. [Bob Baldwin]

• Workplace is coming to AR and VR. The news was snuck into a piece marking Workplace turning four. It was a big product birthday week at Facebook! [Tech@Facebook]

• An ad attacking Mark Zuckerberg for Facebook's handling of hate and misinformation aired during the US vice-presidential debate coverage this week. [CNN]

• Instagram's chief has spoken out against Trump's war on TikTok, saying it may have done irreversible damage to the digital world. [Axios]

• Facebook banned a beauty therapist's ads for nipple tattoos for people who have had a mastectomy, saying they were classed as sexual content. [BBC News]

• And Facebook even thought onions were sexual. 🤔 [BBC News]

Twitter:

Twitter accused of double standards over ban on tweets wishing death on Trump — www.theguardian.com

Twitter took action against people wishing death on Donald Trump after his hospitalisation last weekend, but many people who have suffered threats of violence and death via the platform wondered why the company seemed less bothered about their plight over the years.

TikTok:

TikTok is asking creators about its biggest weaknesses as competition for talent grows — www.businessinsider.com

TikTok wants creators to share their frustrations with it.

• A preliminary injunction hearing in the TikTok case has been set for 4 November — that's a day after election day. The app will remain fully available for now. [Social Media Today]

• But the US government is appealing the ruling. [New York Times $$$]

• Voting for three Billboard Awards will be held on TikTok. [AdWeek $$$]

And the rest:

YouTube apologises for mocking long videos — www.bbc.co.uk

Creators on the platform were offended by a tweet that appeared to make light of their habit of creating long videos... something they're incentivised to do because YouTube rewards it.

• YouTube now restricts experimental features to paying subscribers. LinkedIn announced a similar move last week. [Android Central]

• Triller is paying big money and perks to steal TikTok's hottest talent [New York Times $$$]

• Triller has been accused of inflating its user numbers. [Business Insider $$$]

• The Social Dilemma's producers have been accused of including social videos in the film without gaining permission first. [The Verge]

• Games platform Roblox is going big on virtual music events. [The Verge]

• Twitch's market share was boosted by the closure of Microsoft Mixer, as streamers shunned Facebook Gaming. [Bloomberg $$$]

• Spotify is striking deals with influencers to launch podcasts. [Fast Company]

• UK-based PureGym has apologised for a Facebook post that made light of slavery. [The Drum]

• Fleetwood Mac's Dreams broke streaming records after a TikTok video went viral. [Mobile Marketer]

• And the viral video has now become a TV ad for Ocean Spray. [AdAge]

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View this newsletter online and SHARE it with colleagues + friends

🐣 Tweet of the week

❓ Question of the week

'Social Media Manager' must be one of the most misunderstood jobs out there. I asked my Twitter followers about the biggest misconceptions about the role. Click though, read the answers, and add your own! 👇

🔨 Tool of the week

📲 Quick hits

Updates, experiments, and useful info snippets:

• Facebook Portal now supports Netflix, Zoom, new AR features and a remote control. [Facebook Newsroom]

• Facebook is killing its 'Notes' feature for Pages at the end of this month. [@MattNavarra]

• Facebook has launched new mental health initiatives to connect people to supportive resources. [Facebook Newsroom]

• Facebook Ads lookalike audiences now use the locations from your ad sets, rather than requiring you to enter locations. [@mbilalimtiazali]

• Facebook has updated its bug bounty programme as it approaches its tenth anniversary. [@alexvoica]

• Facebook and Instagram have a new AR effect that lets you dance with LeBron James during the NBA Finals. [AdWeek $$$]

• Facebook and Instagram are marking National Coming Out Day with themed stickers, guides, and other activities. [AdWeek]

• Instagram Reels will get shopping features, and IGTV is getting them worldwide. [The Verge]

• Instagram Reels has new audio features: save audio, share audio pages, and audio browser. [@Mosseri]

• Reels may also get a layout feature. [@alex193a]

• You can now message any Instagram user via Threads, making it more like the old Direct app. [TechCrunch]

• Instagram is working on a TikTok-style 'appearance' tool. [@alex193a]

• Instagram now labels state-controlled media accounts on the platform. [TNW]

• Instagram could soon let you view insights from the past 30 days. [@alex193a]

• Instagram will also start automatically hiding comments its algorithms deem offensive. [CNN]

• Instagram appears to be working on a 'Photobooth' camera mode. [@Satyam_sinha_]

• Instagram is working on the ability to switch to your last-viewed account with a double-tap. [@alex193a]

• Messenger is adding Halloween-themed stickers, AR backgrounds and 360-degree backgrounds throughout October. [@Messenger]

• Messenger appears to be planning a more Instagram-like colour scheme for its icon. [@alex193a]

• WhatsApp has improved its media search features. [@WhatsApp]

• Twitter now lets you follow stock tickers, making it easier to find information about listed companies. [CNN]

• Twitter is testing new 'Suggested Follow' listings on Android. [Social Media Today]

• Twitter is testing making quote tweets the default retweet action. [Social Media Today]

• TikTok has been spotted showing which videos you've watched on a user's profile. [@KenSchillinger]

• TikTok is testing hyperlinked call-to-action buttons in live videos. [@MattNavarra]

• Snapchat’s 'First Commercial' ad option has moved out of beta. [AdWeek $$$]

• Snapchat has launched two mental health-focused 'Minis' in collaboration with Headspace. [AdWeek $$$]

• YouTube is testing a new pop-up to deter users from leaving offensive comments on videos. [9to5Google]

• YouTube is testing integration with Shopify for creator merchandise. [Bloomberg $$$]

• YouTube's line-art icons are coming to Android. [Android Police]

• LinkedIn is working on the ability to see the analytics of your page directly from the mobile app. [@alex193a]

• LinkedIn is also working on the ability to view content suggestions for your pages from the app, too. [@alex193a]

• LinkedIn has been spotted highlighting employee engagement with company posts. [@andreacruz92]

• Spotify is working on the ability to share 'lyrics cards' with other users. [@wongmjane]

• Newswhip has published its latest Facebook Publishing report, packed with data about the top publishers, stories, formats, and reaction types on the platform. [NewsWhip]

• The new version of Apple's mask emoji has a smile, reflecting the fact we're all wearing masks a lot more now, and we've got to smile some time, right? [The Verge]

• Apple has another customer emoji for the hashtag accompanying its event next week. [MacRumors]

• Slack is getting Stories. Because every app gets Stories in the end. [The Verge]

📖 Weekend reading

Why Conspiracy Theories Are So Addictive Right Now — www.nytimes.com

"QAnon, #TrumpCovidHoax and other conspiracy theories may be part of a larger authority crisis created by the internet." [$$$]

• ‘Social Dilemma’ star Tristan Harris responds to criticisms of the film, Netflix’s algorithm, and more

• Influencers don’t see Instagram Reels’ expansion to 30 seconds as a threat to TikTok [$$$]

• Instagram’s birthday: Pushing culture forward (Adam Mosseri's letter to users)

• The real first post on Instagram

• Instagram turns 20 on this day in 2030: speculative fiction from The Verge

• Who at Facebook is deleting Donald Trump's posts?

• Why do media formats like Stories and TikTok music videos become hits? They're in the 'Goldilocks' zone

• Inside the program teaching influencers to talk about mental health

• Twitter ad examples: A Moments catalogue of products and formats

😳 And finally....

US Army trials augmented reality goggles for dogs — www.bbc.co.uk

"The US Army has shown off augmented reality goggles for combat dogs, designed to let them receive orders at a distance." 🤯

📅 Back next week...

Hot diggity dawg, you are done my friend!

Social media news update. COMPLETE.

Here’s the usual yadda yadda from me before I lose you… :)

- Join the Geekout community on Facebook. Seriously, you’ll love it!

- If you have read ALL the newsletter and see this bit, confuse the F out of people on Twitter by hitting this link 🤪

Goodbye geeks 😎

— Matt

❤️

This newsletter is edited by Martin SFP Bryant.

Copyright 2020: Matt Navarra Media Ltd