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Hello, geeks!
This week has been all about the start of Meta’s subscription era.
Zuckerberg’s product team has smashed the copy/paste button once more, launching a suite of Snapchat+ style premium plans across nearly all of its core apps…
Meta officially launched Instagram Plus, Facebook Plus and WhatsApp Plus, with more paid plans coming for creators and businesses.
As well as a new premium Meta AI subscription, which I leaked details about a couple of weeks ago.
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The perks are classic platform upsell bait: Extra Story controls, profile customisation, premium reactions, more pinned chats, stickers, app icons and other tiny dopamine buttons…
Much like Snapchat+
And it hasn’t gone unnoticed by Snap, who couldn’t resist firing shots at Meta on X:
Fair. Snapchat+ proved users will pay for status, novelty and power-user toys. Meta has now seen the receipts, copied the homework, and rebranded it as its own subscription strategy.
But the bigger story is Meta’s shift from “free forever” social apps to paid layers for expression, AI, reach, credibility and business tools.
More on what’s inside the plans, and what it means for Meta Verified, creators and brands, coming up in a moment in this week’s Geekout..
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Scary on Sky News… 😳
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On Wednesday night, I was about to shut my laptop, pour a glass of wine, and unwind.
But Sky News had other ideas…
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A producer from its prime-time ‘The UK Tonight’ show asked if I could join a live interview about the UK Government’s social media ban plans.
Studio wasn’t possible, so I did it from home via Zoom.
Cue the panic: gym gear off, shower, frantic note skim reading to make sure I didn’t freeze like a deer in headlights on live TV.
I’ve done 100+ live tv interviews over the years, but they still fill me with fear. Especially when the presenter opens with brutal questions along the lines of:
“I’ve spoken to parents of teens who took their own lives after experiences on social media. They want a ban. What do you say to them?”
Ooof!!
Thankfully, I’d seen it coming and had a response ready, plus responses for a few other curveballs i suspected she may throw at me.
How did it land? Who knows.
But as always, I could rely on the trolls on X to keep me humble 😂 👇
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If you’re curious what it’s like just before going live on Sky News, I shared a few BTS clips in the comments on my Facebook post.
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1 cool thing…
Which creators are talking about your brand on TikTok? And what they’re saying?
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Most social listening tools were built in the Twitter era, when "social" meant text you could index — captions, hashtags, @mentions. Tidy. Searchable. Easy.
Problem is, that's not where the conversation lives anymore.
The brand mention happens out loud in a TikTok… The product gets held to camera in a Reel. The complaint sits 30 seconds into a video nobody bothered to tag.
Your tool sees none of it — so you end up doing its job for it:
📹 Watching TikTok manually — spoken mentions and on-screen products, invisible to caption-based indexing.
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Meta launches Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp subscriptions, with more to come, including AI plans
YouTube will now automatically label videos using AI even when creators don't [DISCLOSING]
X’s ad revenue revealed, and it’s still significantly down on pre-Musk Twitter [STRUGGLING]
TikTok strikes new licensing deal with Universal Music for the AI era [MUSIC-MAKING]
UK Government to announce crackdown on social media for teens within weeks [RESTRICTING]
Meta Subscriptions are here, but who will rush to sign up?
As of this week, Meta has truly entered its subscription era.
I won’t list all the details here, but tap here for a recap of what’s on offer for a few bucks a month each across Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Meta AI.
Details of most of these offerings have dribbled out in tests over recent months, but now it’s all official and quite frankly, I still don’t think most of them are going to be a big business for Meta.
Sure, some people will pay for things like 48-hour Stories and Story watch insights on Instagram and Facebook, premium stickers on WhatsApp, and better-quality Meta AI. But my sense is that the market here isn’t huge.
That said, when you operate at the scale Meta does, even a small sliver of the market can mean big revenue. And in the eternal push for growth, and as the company spends endless billions on AI development, any source of fresh income is worth exploring.
Yes, Snapchat did it first and arguably better, but Snap needs subscriptions like this to be a big part of its business more than Meta does.
The uncertain part of the story here is what happens to Meta Verified, the existing subscription aimed at creators.
That will continue as it is for now, but a ‘Meta One’ subscription is set to be tested in a handful of countries. This offers the verification element for $14.99, while most of the truly ‘pro’ features like links in Instagram posts and higher prominence in search, are part of a $49.99 per month ‘Meta One Advanced’ plan.
If you look at current Meta Verified pricing, it looks very similar indeed. My guess is Verified will ultimately be replaced by Meta One, which depending on the details, might turn out to be cheaper for some creators if everything in the current $149 per month Premium subscription is part of Meta One Advanced.
Creators: watch this space.
Meta
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Facebook
Scam protection for World Cup fans [Image: Social Media Today]
Meta has failed to get the US Supreme Court to kill a child addiction lawsuit
Meta has repeatedly snubbed an EU watchdog over user ban disputes. It almost never replies to case investigations.
Meta plans to embed experts within enterprises to boost their AI usage
Meta is rolling out enhanced FIFA World Cup 2026 protections for fans, targeting fake tickets, bogus accommodation, and other scams
Meta may be gearing up to launch another wave of AI smart glasses, according to regulatory filings
Meta might rent out any spare AI computing power to other companies
Messenger now lets you enable Nudity Protection, automatically blurring photos in chats if nudity is detected
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Instagram
Instagram’s ‘Add interests’ to profile feature [Image: @oncescuradu]
Instagram is now testing an ‘Add interests’ feature. Reels are recommended based on the interests you add
Instagram now lets you remove reposts of your posts shared by others
Instagram is testing a new feature for Stories similar to one available in Edits that allows you to reuse elements from a Reel
Instagram is testing a new way to display the music, filter, and layout used in Stories
Instagram has brought the teleprompter from Edits to the main app
Instagram is testing a new recommendation card in DMs that shows creators both you and the other person follow when starting a conversation with them
Instagram updated the Subscriptions settings page in Accounts Center, adding a new Creators section that recommends creators to subscribe to
Instagram enhanced its Search section with NBA Playoffs content
Instagram now offers a Repost option on the web
Instagram Edits updated the Ideas tab with advanced filtering options
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WhatsApp
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Threads
WhatsApp’s new FIFA World Cup 2026 Hub [Image: WABetaInfo]
WhatsApp is rolling out the FIFA World Cup 2026 Hub for Channels
WhatsApp is working on support for spoilers in text, like Threads
WhatsApp is rolling out a Channel Status feature, to share temporary updates
WhatsApp is testing status updates at the top of the Chats tab
WhatsApp now limits broadcast list messages to 35 per month. Want more? Pay for the Business app
WhatsApp is testing a feature to log out of the app without deleting it or losing data
WhatsApp is refining its Liquid Glass design on iOS
WhatsApp is testing a new navigation system for the group chat info screen
WhatsApp could replace Tenor with Klipy as its GIF provider
WhatsApp is testing a new splash screen for its translation feature, presenting it more like an integrated in-app translator
Threads has added suggested stickers in the post composer
Threads now allows users to share posts to Telegram
Threads now displays membership and recent post totals when tagging a community in a post
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X / Twitter
X’s New sharing card designs [Image: Ahmed Ghanem]
X is cracking down on big accounts stealing smaller accounts’ content
X launched pre-registration for the Android version of the XChat app
X updated its explanation of the blue checkmark for EU users, after pressure from the European Commission
X is working on a new sharing card on iOS, in two different styles
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TikTok
TikTok Story Highlights [Image: Jonah Manzano]
TikTok is playing catch-up with Instagram by rolling out Story Highlights
TikTok has been spotted offering a new Story style called Flip Story, letting users show another side of their story by capturing a flipped perspective from the opposite side
TikTok is testing an option to manage search keywords for photo posts, letting you edit keywords automatically added based on popular searches
TikTok has updated its Subscription Account Policy. Accounts that violate it could lose access to subscription benefits
TikTok Shop now has a Live Diagnosis page for sellers wondering why streams aren’t converting
TikTok is testing a new Creator Search Insights tool that provides personalised data on topics people are searching for
TikTok has added a Drafts folder for Stories
TikTok now lets you customise DM alert tones
TikTok will now allow creators to show on their profile that they’re open to collaborating with brands
TikTok has added a ‘lyrics’ sticker and automatic ‘Add Lyrics’ feature for certain songs when editing videos
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YouTube
New podcast features for YouTube [Image credit: YouTube]
YouTube is adding new podcast features for Premium subscribers, like AI recommendations and Auto-Speed, as it chases Spotify and Apple
YouTube is testing videos only the top 1% of creators’ fans can watch
YouTube is testing a new ‘Memberships’ tab in the main app menu
YouTube is pushing creators like Sean Evans, Brittany Broski and Michelle Khare for Primetime Emmy nominations
YouTube is updating its Unique Reach calculation so creators can better sell their audience reach to potential brand partners
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Snapchat
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LinkedIn
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Reddit
Snapchat’s new FIFA World 2026 bitmoji merch [Image: Snap]
Snapchat is rolling out FIFA World Cup 2026 activations, including US soccer jerseys, Bitmoji merch, And AR try-ons
Snapchat now requires users to add music to photo Spotlight posts
LinkedIn now lets users easily turn on or off the use of their data for training the content creation AI model
LinkedIn now makes it easier to switch feed views directly from the Home tab, without needing to go into Settings
Reddit is adding video replies inside comment threads, alongside text, images and GIFs
Reddit’s Shopify integration is now available to merchants worldwide
Bluesky is adding support for longform articles, similar to X
Discord is launching official integrations for Roblox hits like Grow a Garden and Brookhaven RP
Spotify is making it easier to share podcasts clips
CapCut is bringing desktop-style editing to Android tablets
CapCut is introducing Design Studio 2.0 — a reimagined design experience for CapCut Web, with 20 free generations per day
Instagram is testing a new Stories sticker for social media’s AI era.
The new ‘Before/After’ sticker lets you showcase the difference between the original and modified image, when using Meta AI.
For example, an AI-generated mock up of a living room glow up — how it looks now vs. after Meta AI’s makeover suggestions
Image credit: Ahmed Ghanem
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Also spotted this week…
WhatsApp is testing the ability to add documents to a conversation with Meta AI
Meta is testing an AI business assistant in Meta Business Suite on desktop, helping admins better understand their business and ask questions about performance, insights, and more.
YouTube is testing AI-generated custom feeds based on whatever you ask the algorithm for
xAI has added Grok AI Imagine Agent to Grok’s iOS app
xAI has added new Grok connectors for Box, Canva, Gamma, and GitHub
I spoke to BBC News about how social media has become anti-social.
Ofcom says UK users actively posting fell from 61% to 49% year-on-year.
Gen Z is especially passive now: watching, scrolling and consuming far more than posting.
Platforms are turning into personalised video channels, with ads squeezed between every few swipes.
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Also this week:
I explained to The Guardian how potential UK Prime Minister, Andy Burnham's social media strategy compares to rage-baiter Nigel Farage:
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If you use Google apps, you’ll probably have noticed the new logos the company has slapped on them all in the past couple of weeks.
But that could just be the start. As Business Insider explains, it started with a pair of (YouTube) shorts…
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Google boss Sundar Pichai (or his social media team) paid attention:
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And before you know it…
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Also this week:
Pope Leo’s Encyclical sparks ‘anti-AI’ memes
TikTok’s “text to song” trend is turning private chaos into AI-generated pop hits.
AI music-making app Suno is the big winner, with app downloads reportedly quadrupling week over week in April.
One mum turned her daughter’s texts into a song and gained nearly 200,000 followers.
Another viral AI text-song hit 23mn views and became audio for 28,000+ videos.
AI music might win first as a meme tool, not a Spotify replacement….
@justicetheexplorer My 11 year old daughter is literally an ICON #preteen #kids #mom #music #parenting
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@space_frogz DEEEEJAAAAHHHHHHH!!!! 🤣🤣 #VIRAL #TRENDING @a3r1n #helphelphelp
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Also viral this week:
Google’s big AI Search upgrade is already being trolled by people asking it to spell. One viral example: Google’s AI reportedly said “Google” has two Ls, then helpfully spelled it “Google.”
“Whimsy” is emerging as a Gen Z and millennial response to burnout and endless bad news
Pinterest says sport is summer’s new style code
"We’re temporarily off Facebook while we explain irony to a f**king algorithm"
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Also quoted this week:
“Social media should be treated like tobacco – it’s extremely addictive, bad for our health, and big tech is borrowing the big tobacco playbook to avoid regulation. We’ve got to give our children their childhood back”
- Former UK health secretary Wes Streeting talks big on social media harms as he vies for the chance to become Prime Minister in coming months
Excessive social media 'negatively impacts wellbeing’, Oxford researchers say.
The World Happiness Report says under-25s in Western countries are being hit hardest.
Girls appear especially affected, because comparison culture remains social media’s nastiest growth hack.
Freedom of speech…?
The US Department of Justice is reportedly asking Reddit and X for the identities of anti-ICE users. 😮
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More WTF this week:
AI guardrails can be stripped from Meta and Google models in minutes, leading to thousands of “decensored” AI models
Instagram reach is increasingly controlled by sends and shares.
The platform now rewards content people actively share with friends, not passive scrolling bait.
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Also this week:
Instagram explained why reach can vary between Reels
YouTube launched a brand deal explainer series for creators
LinkedIn says creators should aim for 2 to 5 posts per week, including 1 or 2 video posts. Also: stop overproducing and start having actual opinions
LinkedIn offered guidance on B2B product launches
$100 MILLION
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More social stats:
AD IT UP: Meta’s ad revenue is expected to grow 24.1% in 2026, versus Google’s 11.9%
DEDDIT?: Reddit shares fell 6% after Meta launched its Facebook Groups spin-off app, Forum
MEME BUDGET: Reform UK spent £252,000 on Facebook ads in two weeks ahead of this month’s elections in the UK, almost matching Labour’s £276,000 main-page spend
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Also spotted this week…
Meta is about to overtake Google as the world’s biggest advertising company [TNW]
Meta unexpectedly saved its Oversight Board with a $13m funding boost. [Platformer]
Meta and X have both made deals to monetise AI projects. [Social Media Today]
Meta and Snap have been accused of blocked Saudi dissidents’ accounts. [The Guardian]
More than 40 US state attorneys general are opposing Congress’ latest child safety bill. [The Verge]
The mother of boy who may have died in a TikTok challenge has urged the UK government to ban social media for kids. [The Guardian]
…but campaigners are split over an under-16 social media crackdown in the UK. [The Guardian]
Malaysia’s under-16 social media ban officially takes effect on 1 June. [Engadget]
TikTok Shop will expand to Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Poland from 15 June. [Social Media Today]
TikTok has launched season 2 of its live artist interview show, TikTok In The Mix. [TikTok Newsroom]
America is getting its first microdrama festival. [Deadline]
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New features and tests:
TikTok is testing a new Stories insights UI that shows both the total number of viewers who saw your Story and how many of them are your followers. [@theahmedghanem]
Meta Business Suite has added Passkey support. [@theahmedghanem]
Gen Z job hunters are turning Instagram, TikTok and even dating apps into career tools.
LinkedIn recently revealed global hiring has hit a five-year low, with applicants per job up nearly 30%.
Young candidates are now making “hire me” decks, video résumés and personality-led posts to bypass the void.
One viral Instagram résumé got 500k+ views, 52 coffee chats, 20 referrals and one job offer…
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Also worth a read:
Meet Mark Zuckerberg’s right-hand man who’s unleashing AI at Meta
A final thought from me…
…I REALLY miss Twitter!
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Time to wrap things up…
I’m heading off to get hyped up about the Champions League final taking place in Budapest this weekend.
I’m hoping Arsenal can pull off incredible double, after just being crowned Premier League champions.
The opposition, Paris Saint-Germain, are favorites. And rightly so. But I’m hopeful Rice, Saka can do some magic on the pitch to steal it.
Meanwhile, my fiancee Sarah is not impressed that this weekend will be dominated by football.
And her dad and I screaming at the TV 🤬
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Image: Giphy
Goodbye, geeks!
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P.S. This newsletter is edited by Martin SFP Bryant
