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Hello, geeks!

It’s been another packed week of social media news (when isn’t it?).

In this edition of Geekout, I’ll tell you all about…

…How Meta’s big-money AI hiring drive is stirring up drama (and memes)

…How Elon’s new automated fact-checks could backfire on X

…How AI is helping some truly awful stuff go viral

…How Meta is still banning users by mistake (and paying for support might not help)

…How influencers can transition to a Hollywood career

…and lots more, plus LOADS of new features and apps you need to know about.

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🔥 GEEKOUT HOT 5

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

2. Trump says he has a US buyer for TikTok, reportedly including Oracle Blackstone, and a16z [BUYING]

3. Facebook and Instagram users are STILL getting banned without warning or clear explanation [BANNING]

4. X admits its new AI tool for creating Community Notes might spread lies [BEFUDDLING]

5. Meta wants teens under 16 to need parental approval to download any app—not just social media–in the EU [BARRING]

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🚨 EVERYONE’S TALKING ABOUT

Zuck’s big-money ‘superintelligence’ push takes shape

A few weeks ago, news broke that Meta was realigning its AI efforts around a push towards ‘superintelligent’ tech. This week, with the announcement of a new Superintelligence unit within the company, we know more.

The New York Times reports that Mark Zuckerberg realised Meta was going the wrong way with AI after its Llama 4 model flopped this spring, prompting Zuckerberg to take serious action.

Meta has been reportedly offering up to $300 million over four years to entice AI experts from companies like OpenAI to join the new unit. Some OpenAI staff are said to have received offers exceeding $100 million for their first year. Zuckerberg is also promising limitless chips and resources for these people to work with.

Even as the first batch of hires were revealed in an internal memo to Meta employees this week, the big hires continued.

Meanwhile, Meta is seeking $29 billion from private lenders to fund investment in AI infrastructure.

The rush of developments around Meta’s AI efforts this week has been bad news for Sam Altman and OpenAI. How must he feel? The launch of ChatGPT in late 2022 kickstarted this whole public race to “AGI”, and it’s become increasingly cutthroat, with Elon Musk and Zuck both looking to take on Altman… or take him down.

Meanwhile, there’s been a sense of mourning at OpenAI, which reportedly shut down for the week to help staff adjust to the loss of key staff.

But just because he’s grabbed some prize hires doesn’t mean Zuck can win the race to superintelligence. Heck, we don’t know if superintelligence is even possible with large language models.

And as that whole sojourn into the metaverse as the future of the company a few years back showed, as successful as he is, Zuck doesn’t always have all the answers.

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✨ NEW & NOTEWORTHY

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

Meta / Facebook 👥

• Meta's next-gen Ray-Ban 'Hypernova' glasses have leaked in render form, including a gesture bracelet

• Facebook Reels now has a built-in copyright check tool that scans for rights violations before you publish

• Facebook added a new option to add music to text posts, but only with coloured or generated backgrounds

• Facebook is rolling out the ability to create GIF notes to more users

• Meta now allows WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram ad campaigns can now be created and managed in one centralised Ads Manager hub

• Meta could face daily fines if it doesn’t fix pay-or-consent model, the EU has warned

• Meta is building a social VR cinema inside Horizon Worlds

• Meta claims the EU now demands it runs worse ads for free—slashing relevance and killing performance.

• Meta has bought over 1 GW of renewables to power its data centres

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Instagram ✨

• Instagram now lets users share Spotify songs to Stories with sound, not just a link

• Instagram has updated the ‘song suggestions’ feature for Instagram Stories with play and pause buttons

• Instagram is now showcasing trending songs in the “Add music” section of the post composer

• Instagram Edits has added new features to the Insights tab, including Reach and New Follower metrics, plus the ability to sort Reels by most likes, comments, and saves

• Instagram has added a new font called Rosalia

• Instagram has added an additional Messages button on desktop

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Threads 🧵 / WhatsApp 🟢

• Threads has launched native DMs, letting users aged 18+ send DMs to mutual followers across Threads and Instagram

• Threads has rolled out new in-stream markers for trending topics

• Threads has expanded spoiler tags to include media like photos, videos, and GIFs

• Threads Insights has been updated with new features, including ‘View Source’ and ‘Interaction Type’

• Threads is rolling out a new design for some interface elements

• Threads has updated the Like button with a new effect when you tag your post with the ‘Threads’ topic

• Threads has a new animated splash screen upon launch

• WhatsApp has added business voice calling

• WhatsApp is testing a long-awaited multi-account switching feature

• WhatsApp is testing the ability to create status updates from the share sheet

• WhatsApp is working on a feature that allows users to filter subscriber updates in channels

• WhatsApp is testing the ability to create and share status updates in group chats

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Twitter (‘X’) 🤡

• X has hired Nikita Bier—the man behind viral apps tbh and Gas—as its new head of product

• X has won a legal battle in Australia over a post criticised as abusive

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YouTube 📺

• YouTube’s mobile video editor, Create, is coming to iOS, chasing CapCut and InShot

• YouTube is tightening monetisation rules starting July 15, targeting “inauthentic” videos that are mass-produced or repetitious.

• YouTube has rolled out comment filters and channel loyalty stats

• YouTube is pushing the UK government to appoint a minister for creators

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TikTok 📱

• TikTok has begun a third round of layoffs in its struggling Shop department

• TikTok’s new Brand Consideration ads target users in the mid-funnel stage

• TikTok has announced two new shopping events to boost in-app sales

• TikTok Shop has launched in Japan

• TikTok will stream the Tomorrowland 2025 festival globally with ‘nonstop access and exclusive behind-the-scenes footage’

• TikTok added a new ‘Auto-check sound copyright’ setting for videos

• TikTok is replacing ‘People who open or send links to you’ with ‘Display profile when sharing links’

• TikTok is inviting creators to become the next top Education LIVE creator

• Tech startups are ditching LinkedIn for TikTok to announce funding rounds

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Telegram / LinkedIn / Snapchat / More… 👻

• Telegram has launched in-app checklists and a paid post system

• LinkedIn’s Link Engagement feature now shows the number of link clicks for any links included in a post

• Snap has teamed up with Lumen to help advertisers track real ad engagement

• Tumblr’s move to WordPress and its fediverse integration are ‘on hold’

• Reddit now offers in-stream ad tips via a new ‘Optimisation Score’ inside Ad Manager

• Reddit has a new Refresh animation on mobile

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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 AI

The newest social media AI features spotted this week:

Facebook is asking to use Meta AI on photos in your camera roll that you haven’t yet shared…

Also spotted this week 👀

• Meta is training its AI chatbots to send unprompted messages to boost engagement and AI monetisation

• Instagram has started showing AI summaries of search results

• Instagram can now generate backgrounds for your story.

• Instagram has added the ability to restyle your photos in Stories

• Instagram now lets you write captions using AI

• WhatsApp has added AI-powered product recommendations

• TikTok is launching new AI-powered advertising features

• YouTube Premium members in the US can now access the platform’s latest AI discovery features

• YouTube has added a new ‘Answer found in video’ search results feature

• X is launching a pilot to let AI bots write Community Notes on posts.

• Reddit’s new “Answers” tool uses AI to summarise real human posts

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💬 YOU CAN QUOTE ME ON THAT

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

I spoke to BBC News as X announced its new head of product. I warned that product revamps might not being enough.

To truly grow, X must add safer environments, fresh formats, and better monetisation for creators.

Also this week:

• Is the ‘Sky’ falling? The Telegraph’s report on declining engagement with Bluesky included my analysis, explaining that the app can’t scale without defining its own identity beyond being “not X.”

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😆 LOL

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📈 MEMES

Meta’s talent-poaching AI strategy became potent meme fodder this week.

After all, wouldn’t we all want $100 million for our first year in a new job?

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🌡️ VIRAL

Ugh. Not everything that goes viral deserves to…

Google’s realistic AI-generated video tool Veo 3 is being used to create racist and antisemitic content that is generating millions of views on TikTok.

Also going viral this week: 🔥

• The “Man of the Year” trend on TikTok uses Lorde’s new song to highlight abusive male behaviour

• YouTube is overwhelmed with AI-driven “Diddy slop” — fake trial videos using deepfakes, AI voiceovers, and clickbait thumbnails

• A viral TikTok video reignited debate over “princess treatment” in relationships.

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🪧 BRANDS

Amtrak’s viral ‘Train-tacular’ video—styled like a ‘90s monster-truck ad—earned 400K+ shares and 50K followers. It’s been credited with reigniting interest in train travel.

Here’s a look behind the scenes…

More brand news this week: 👀

• From E.l.f. to Olive Garden, brands are betting on Labubu to generate their next viral social media moment

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🙊 WHAT DID YOU SAY?!

“Like someone broke into our home”

- OpenAI’s Mark Chen describes the feeling of Meta poaching key staff for fat salaries

Also overheard this week:

• "I thought people were going to be pretty excited about it but I definitely missed the mark”

  – MrBeast, after he removed an AI video thumbnail generator feature that got real-life, human creators very annoyed

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👀 MY FAV READS

Here, Rolling Stone breaks down the modern path from influencer to entertainment star…

Viral hits alone won’t sustain a career anymore. Talent needs strategy: enlist a smart team, treat your work like a business, and protect your contracts.

Also:

• To tap into 'dark social,' brands must act like community members

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😮 WTF?!

A digital ‘life after death’ debate has been sparked after social media users were stunned last week when US politician Gerry Connolly's social media accounts shared a post…

…weeks after his death 😳

Also WTF this week: 👀

• Colombian gangs are using TikTok and Facebook to recruit children with promises of cash, bikes, and cosmetic surgery

• A ‘nudify’ app empire has a plan to dominate deepfake p**n, with a strategy hinged on Reddit

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🤦‍♂️ FAIL

Meta users say that paying for Verified support has been useless in the face of mass bans.

A 25,000+ signature petition demands the company fixes the chaos.

Also:

• Not every one is thrilled with Threads’ new DMs feature. Many women say the feature invites harassment and lacks proper safety tools.

• Mark Zuckerberg walked into a top-level Oval Office meeting on new F-47 jets… without warning or clearance. Maybe he just wanted a taste of the Elon treatment?

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📲 NEW APPS

New social app ICEBlock is trending on the App Store in the US. It lets users report ICE immigration enforcement agent sightings in real time.

Due to the way Android works, it’s current iOS only to product user anonymity.

Also new this week: 👀

• Flashes is a new app in beta, which makes visual content from Bluesky act more like Instagram

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👔 YOU’RE HIRED!

Hot new social media jobs worth checking out this week:

Microsoft is looking for a Creative Lead - Social Media [Remote, USA]

More top social media jobs spotted this week 💼

• Nestlé needs a Social Media Team Lead (12 month FTC) [Gatwick, UK]

• Joy Peddlers is hiring a Social Media Producer & Editor [Hybrid, London, UK]

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🧪 SOCIAL SCIENCE

New research worth knowing about:

“A study shows that people on TikTok tend to follow accounts that align with their politics, creating echo chambers among users.”

Also:

• Teenagers as young as 13 could view misogynistic Andrew Tate videos on YouTube, research found

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👌 PRO TIPS

TikTok now recommends a maximum of five hashtags for all types of posts for more views

More pro-tips worth checking out ✨

• TikTok recommends adding captions via CapCut for more views

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📊 SOCIAL STATS

56%

– The percentage of creators who feel unheard in government policy discussions, despite contributing £2bn to the economy. That’s according to YouTube’s new UK Creator Consultation

Even more social stats: 📈

• SNAP PURCHASE: Snapchat claims it’s a major driver of consumer electronics discovery, with 78% of users finding new products via social

• DISTRUST: Consumers trust influencers less than ads. Only 11% distrust ads vs. 26% for influencers

• TIKTOK STYLE: 70% of TikTok users have spent £1,000+ on fashion items.

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📈 CHARTED

Online news platforms and newspapers still edge out social media when it comes to how decision makers get their news.

…in the UK, at least.

More charted social insights spotted: 👀.

• GAME ON: Gamers prefer watching VTubers over game devs and esports

• THE BRIT PACK: New data has revealed the UK’s most-visited online platforms in 2025

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💥 EVEN MORE SOCIAL MEDIA NEWS & UPDATES

• Non-citizen influencers in the US are being warned: avoid political content or risk immigration trouble. [Bloomberg $$$]

• The EU has kicked off a review of its controversial Big Tech rule book to assess if it’s working. [Politico]

• Apple has joined Threads, but is staying silent (for now). [Mashable]

• TikTok has teamed up with Japanese wrestling league Sukeban for Anime Expo 2025. [Social Media Today]

• Denmark plans to use its EU presidency to push for strict age checks on social media. [Politico]

• Meta and TikTok face a wrongful death suit from a mother who says their platforms promoted deadly “subway surfing” videos to her son. [Ars Technica]

• UK content creators are demanding formal recognition from the government [Sky News]

• Amazon is doubling affiliate commissions for influencers during Prime Day’s new four-day format. [Adweek $$$]

• An Australian consumer watchdog issues public warning about ‘ghost stores’ and urges Meta and Shopify to crack down. [The Guardian]

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📰 WEEKEND READS

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

“VTubers first gained traction in Japan in the 2010s. Now, advances in AI are making it easier than ever to create VTubers, fueling a new wave of virtual creators on YouTube.”

More great weekend reads:

• How Instagram built (and potentially restricted) the link-in-bio industry

• Faceless creators now dominate UGC and affiliate marketing, with some earning $40K/month

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😳 AND FINALLY…

Has Mark Zuckerberg just entered his ‘rich dad fashion’ phase?

His evolving fashion style has seen him trading hoodies for luxury watches, including a $254,000 F.P. Journe model.

Mark, you know you can just check your phone for the time, right?

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📅 BACK NEXT WEEK…

There you go, you are officially filled in and geeked out for the week!

It’s going to be a busy weekend for me.

Tonight, I’ll be at maybe the most hyped and exciting event in music this year… the first big Oasis reunion show, in Cardiff.

…but I’ll have to turn down any offers of partying with the Gallagher brothers afterwards, as I have to be up super-early tomorrow morning to head off for a couple of days at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone! 🏎️

With all those loud guitars and cars, my ears are going to be begging for mercy by Monday morning, but it’ll be worth it.

Goodbye, geeks!

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