|
Hello, geeks!
It’s been a weird week for tech billionaires.
Elon struggled to buy Lego. Zuck struggled to drink a pint.
Elon showed off Grok buying him Lego Star Wars kits, in a screenshot showing his order number, email and card digits. 🤦🏻♂️
An X user then claimed he’d cancelled the order through Lego’s own support bot.
Allegedly he’s a genius. But can’t blur a screenshot.
Zuck went on the Cheeky Pint podcast and sipped a Guinness like he was testing human food.
-
-
Zuck defended himself on X, replying “That’s just my face.” 🫠
But Zuck did get one win this week. The Social Reckoning bombed.
It opened to just $5.3m in the US, a quarter of what The Social Network made.
Why? Lukewarm reviews, none of the original cast, and Facebook just isn’t the hot topic it was in 2010.
Nobody’s queuing to watch a film about their mum’s favourite app.
Coming up in this week’s Geekout…
👂 Meta’s glasses may have been listening without permission
🍎 Elon Musk’s X is forbidden fruit, but big names are going back
😳 Meta says Muse is allowed to sext you. One-way only
💼 LinkedIn now lets you sell paid advice sessions from your profile
🎛️ Facebook lets you tune your algorithm. Finally
🐔 Muse lost its App Store crown… to a chicken sandwich
But before we get into it...
2 cool things…
🫠 Creator admin, solved: Briefs, contracts, payments and usage rights, all in one place. I don’t chase creators in DMs and invoices in email → I use this*
🧰 Your social media toolkit: 100 LinkedIn hooks, a viral post breakdown tool, 8 Claude skills and more. Free for Geekout readers → Help yourself
*sponsored
SPONSORED ▶︎ CREATOR COLLABS
Social Media Managers: Fresh creator content for your paid ads, every week 🙏
Paid social burns through creatives fast…
One-off creator collabs can't keep up - every batch means a new search, a new brief and a new negotiation.
That’s why I use Insense. It turns creator collabs into a repeatable system, minus the admin chaos:
Find new faces fast. Source the right creators from 115,000+ vetted profiles within seconds.
Rehire the ones who deliver. Keep top creators on a roster, so the next batch is a decision, not a new search.
One brief, organic and paid. License content for Meta Partnership Ads and TikTok Spark Ads.
Scale without more headcount. NutraChamps ran 322 creator collaborations with a two-person team.
↪ P.S. Book a free strategy call by October 30th and get $200 towards your first campaign.
The Social Reckoning bombs at the box office in its opening weekend [BOMBING]
Meta’s new Muse Wonder AI models wow Wall Street [BOOMING]
Turkey and Greece ban under-15s from social media, as Florida’s ban gets the green light [BANNING]
Meta challenges UK Ofcom’s power to impose billion-pound fines [BATTLING]
X feels like forbidden fruit these days
If you made the decision to quit X back when Elon Musk turned it into his own personal bully pulpit, you could be forgiven lately for wondering whether it’s time to go back.
Prominent tech voices like Casey Newton and John Gruber have this week shared why they have returned to X. The short answer: for certain kinds of conversation, it’s the only show in town.
If you care about the cutting edge of AI, or getting the attention of certain parts of the media, it has to be X.
…and as someone who gets a massive ick from the thought of using anything to do with Elon, I have to admit, I know where people like Casey and John are coming from.
When I occasionally venture onto X and post something, I find the impact it makes and the inbound requests I get for media appearances are far greater than those I get from posting on Threads.
X feels like forbidden fruit: full of sweet, juicy rewards you can only have if you drop your principles completely.
It’s a bit like using Tesla’s really good public chargers if you drive a non-Tesla electric car, or probably what it feels like to use Starlink-based tech if you’re defending Ukraine from Russian missiles.
Sometimes, you REALLY have to swallow your gut reaction to Elon if you want an advantage.
But unlike Casey or John, I’m really not sure I could get past the ick factor to use X full-time again. Sometimes you’ve got to look beyond what’s best for you right at that moment and keep a focus on the bigger picture.
Meta
/ Facebook
[Credit: Meta]
Facebook has introduced ‘Your Algorithm’ tools, letting you manage what shows up in your feed
Meta is adding new ways for brands to dominate your feed, including ‘Ads Super Burst’ and ‘First Impression Ads’
Meta is rethinking how short-form video attention is measured
Meta’s camera-free Ray-Ban Meta Audio glasses are now available from $349
Meta's new commercial terms could let it scrape news websites for AI training
Meta’s TikTok ad ban is also impacting other advertisers who send users to TikTok
Meta says hackers took code and personal data of 1,500 people in a breach of one of its GitHub repos
Meta is making a VR push into live sports with 180-degree, 8K ESPN streaming of college football games, and more to come
Meta now uses its idle AI computing power to improve which ads people see
Meta removed 3.7 million accounts, Pages and Groups as part of a crackdown on scam operations
__________
Instagram
Instagram’s ‘Use as reference’ for Reels feature [Credit: Meta]
Instagram now lets you play another Reel beside your camera while filming, making trends and recreations easier to nail
Instagram livestreaming got a behind-the-scenes tune-up for faster streams with fewer glitches
Instagram now has a dedicated Games shortcut in the DM menu
Instagram will remove the ‘Linked Reels’ feature on 28 October. Instagram wants to “simplify the overall Reels viewer”
Instagram Edits has added Audio Links, Popular Topics, Kits to save branding, and 50+ video effects
Instagram Edits is testing a new ‘Sync Video Effects to Music’ feature
Instagram Edits has added a new option to reorder editing tools in the app
Instagram Edits now offers 10GB of storage to each user
__________
Threads
Threads working on a new AMA post feature [Credit: @alex193a]
Threads is working on Ask Me Anything posts
Threads has adjusted its feed to show more posts from accounts you follow. Creators’ posts may finally get seen by their fans
Threads is rolling out new thread connector lines to help you better follow conversations
Threads is widely testing a ‘Reply with this’ shortcut for posts with images
Threads is testing a new ‘More threads for you’ section for each post on iOS
Threads now lets parents see who their teens have blocked
Threads now has some advanced content filtering options for the ‘Not interested’ button
__________
WhatsApp
WhatsApp’s Guest Calling feature [Credit: Meta]
WhatsApp is taking on Zoom with account-free video calls with no time limit, and more meeting-style features
WhatsApp Plus subscribers can now automatically silence work chats after hours
WhatsApp is rolling out the ability to schedule messages
WhatsApp is working on a button to let you request someone share their location with you
WhatsApp is working on sound stickers that will play a short audio clip when tapped
WhatsApp is finally bringing custom chat themes to the web
__________
X / Twitter
X Premium’s new monthly subscription bundle [Credit: X]
X is bundling Grok, Cursor, and Premium into one new monthly subscription
Elon Musk has been accused by France of online harassment campaigns against European leaders
Elon Musk has promised to reimburse users for Grok's AI shopping screw-ups
X is bringing official live NFL data directly into its feeds
X removed 13,000 accounts over suspected US election meddling
X is testing a new Calls tab on desktop
X has added a Call Scheduling feature
X is trying to win developers back with a rebuilt API showcase
X now allows non-Premium users to change the colour of the main UI
__________
TikTok
[Credit: TikTok]
TikTok has signed its second major microdrama deal, partnering with Made By Us to produce creator-led vertical series for both TikTok and the PineDrama app
TikTok US appears to still have close links to ByteDance in China, although staff are warned not to share US user data
TikTok Shop has added subscriptions, automated ads, and LIVE shopping tools
TikTok now lets you receive notifications from your other logged-in accounts without switching between them
TikTok is rolling out a Liquid Glass visual refresh on iOS
TikTok has been spotted using a new tt.site short URL
__________
YouTube
YouTube testing custom app icons [Credit: Android Authority]
YouTube might soon let you choose a funky custom app icon, but will it be a Premium-only perk?
YouTube has changed what counts as ad engagement. In-stream ads now need 10 seconds watched, not just five
YouTube now lets brands block ads from appearing beside AI slop
YouTube is reportedly negotiating with publishers to launch an official audiobook service
YouTube is testing a new homepage layout for videos, displaying the Like, Comment and Save buttons on each one
YouTube is rolling out GIFs in comments
YouTube is bringing automatic background playback to Android Automotive, letting you listen to videos as you drive
BBC News is launching a 24/7 livestream on YouTube
__________
LinkedIn
/
Bluesky
/
Substack
LinkedIn’s new ‘Advice Sessions’ feature for creators [Credit: LinkedIn]
LinkedIn is rolling out its Advice Sessions feature (previewed earlier this year) that lets users sell paid consultations directly through their profiles
LinkedIn is testing a ‘Network’ feed without algorithmic recommendations
LinkedIn is bringing back the ability to pin comments on posts
LinkedIn has introduced a new Duo plan, offering discounted Premium subscriptions for two accounts
Snapchat tops the list of apps named by UK kids seeking help over online sexual abuse
Reddit won’t ban AI election content for the 2026 US midterms
Bluesky plans to introduce payments for creators, sellers, and fundraisers in the coming months
Bluesky is testing a feature to add up to 10 links to your bio
Substack now lets creators set up multiple group chats for their subscribers
Bumble is adding social media-esque @ handles in a big shift to how the dating app works
Instagram is testing a new AI-powered shopping assistant.
-
[Credit: Radu Oncescu]
__________
Also spotted this week…
Meta’s Muse AI appears to favour live shopping websites over its own catalogue, making it harder for retailers to know why they get picked
Meta’s Muse AI can now plug directly into small businesses’ ad accounts
Meta has launched new frontier-class AI models, Muse Wonder and Muse Wonder Full, as well as the open-weight Muse Spark Open
Apple worked with Meta to optimise Muse Spark Open for Mac Studio
Meta is taking more ad placement control away from advertisers as AI takes the driving seat on placement
Threads has added AI-powered support
YouTube has added Likeness Detection directly to its mobile app so you don’t have to go to desktop
WhatsApp is working on adding Meta AI Studio on iOS
WhatsApp is testing a new “Scheduled tasks” feature for Meta AI
Grok Bot can now get a custom @mail.grokbot.com email address to help it do more for you
YouTube’s AI search assistant is coming to mobile in the US
Bluesky’s Attie app can now build websites, games, quizzes, polls and social experiences
Mark Zuckerberg attempting to drink Guinness predictably went viral earlier this week.
He tried the fine Irish delicacy during his ‘Cheeky Pint’ podcast interview with Alexandr Wang.
His face says everything about how much he's enjoying the taste of Ireland’s most revered stout 😆
Find more reactions here.
As for Zuck, he shrugged the whole thing off (I wonder how many layers of approval this went through in the Meta social team?)
__________
Also viral this week:
Private equity has become social media’s latest villain, as creators turn private-equity tactics into viral skits, memes and parody songs
No, Ukraine probably didn’t wipe out Russia’s social media bot army, despite what you might have seen in viral social posts
The memes are flying about AI employee honeypots and spy seductions
Google’s top trending Halloween costumes for 2026 include ‘Obsession,’ ‘The Odyssey’ and ‘Descendants’
Disney has signed a huge creator deal for original content with sports-focused creators Dude Perfect.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, “the deal, which the company is framing as a ‘company-wide creative partnership,’ will span entertainment, sports, consumer products and experiences.”
__________
More brand news and views:
YouTube’s next big bets are brand deals, affiliates and AI
Meet the European creators YouTube thinks are shaping entertainment
Channel 4 is making its first-ever TikTok-style microdrama, launching across TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook
How media buyers are navigating higher ad prices on Meta
TwitchCon is turning into one massive brand activation for e.l.f., Honda, Amazon, Reese’s, and more
"There were a few tweets where I just didn't think that much about it and just said, 'f**k it, post'"
__________
Also quoted this week:
“I remember the visceral feeling at the time was like, this is a f*** ton of risk.”
- Meta AI boss Alexandr Wang (who seems to swear a lot!) on his feelings before Meta AI launched
__________
“We need to adapt urgently – we need to be where they are, with journalism made for them. To do that we need to be clear about how we can improve, we need to test new ideas, and we need to judge our success on outcomes, not just activity.”
- BBC News boss Rachel Jupp on the need to update news broadcasting for the TikTok generation
__________
“I just didn’t want to be associated with that guy again and go around and do a year of press, where I’m talking about something which I know nothing about, because I’m not on that platform as a user, and I’m not interested in that kind of technology as a person. I just don’t want to be a representative of it. But, no, I’m sure the movie is wonderful.”
- Jesse Eisenberg opens up about why he didn’t want to play Zuck again in The Social Reckoning
__________
“The genie’s out of the bottle, the monster’s out of the cage — it’s running rampant, and it’s out of their control.”
- Jeremy Allen White of The Social Reckoning is no fan of social media
Meta says its Muse AI is allowed to sext with you 😮
Wired got Muse to generate explicit sexual roleplay from simple prompts.
Meta says Muse allows legal adult conversations because it’s strictly 18+.
Its system prompt explicitly treats adult sexual content as legitimate expression.
Wired says rival agents Dots and Grok Bot refused similar requests.
Given what the default Muse mascot looks like, this is REALLY weird.
Oh, and you can’t be sexy back to Muse. This is a one-way thing.
But people are already forming romantic relationships with Muse!
__________
More WTF this week:
Meta’s Muse AI app lost its US App Store crown to… Dave's Hot Chicken?!
Instagram accidentally spent days trying to make everyone listen to Creed. Users kept getting the song ‘Higher’ recommended for completely unrelated Stories and posts
Meta won’t say if AI-generated crying-kid engagement bait videos break its rules
Elon Musk proudly showed off Grok shopping for Lego this week…
…but then someone cancelled his order!
I can’t imagine this happening at any other big tech company.
When Elon can go off and impulsively post marketing, presumably without any checks, it can be dynamic and fun… or an epic fail that shows a real lack of attention to detail.
Canva is hiring a Head of Social with a VERY impressive-looking salary of up to $282,000 per year…
…Although that might not get you far with the cost of houses in San Francisco these days!)
-
__________
More social media jobs:
Sidemen Entertainment is hiring a Social Creative Producer [London, UK]
The BBC is looking for a YouTube Entertainment Channel Lead [Salford, UK]
The UK Government Digital Service needs a YouTube Channel Manager [Bristol, London, or Manchester, UK]
Want to get cited by AI more often? Everyone does!
LinkedIn has some tips for your content on the platform, to help you focus on the right things and get the attention of AI.
__________
Also this week:
Pinterest’s new marketing playbook urges brands to inspire action beyond endless scrolling
€8.4 BILLION
__________
More social stats:
HOLI-YAY: TikTok says Shop sales smashed $500 million over Black Friday weekend 2025
NEWSTUBE: YouTube is now Americans’ top source of news, leading at 16.5%, narrowly ahead of TV news at 16.1%
DISCONNECTED: Only 18% of young Americans feel very close to people in their main online community
A-MUSE-ING: Muse already accounts for 33% of AI browser traffic
SNAPPY: Snap says 450 million people now use its social map every month
How long should your YouTube videos be to maximise engagement?
There’s no right or wrong answer here, but this data suggests shorter is better, with 1 to 3 minutes coming out on top.
-
__________
Also charted this week:
FALLING: YouTube engagement is falling across every major brand-content category
REALLY ONLINE: Nearly half of young Americans now belong to online communities
Social platforms have dodged having to make a first-of-its-kind moderation decision after Donald Trump cancelled Pete Hegseth’s planned livestream of a military execution by firing squad.
Bet there are some sighs of relief at social media HQs!
__________
Also spotted this week…
The UK could extend the TV Licence to cover all streaming content such as YouTube. [Independent]
Ofcom says it has already forced UK changes to X like tighter controls on explicit content [Ofcom]
Meta is pushing back against fears over its giant AI data centres. [Social Media Today]
Meta is simplifying app approvals for developers after years of tightening data access. [Social Media Today]
The EU wants more time to fine Google and Meta over AI. A new draft lets Brussels restart its five-year AI fining clock. [PPC Land]
Meta has been accused by advocacy groups of censoring posts about the Cornell 7 case. [Mashable]
Meta has bought hundreds of VR patents from Sony. [Road to VR]
Meta is quietly winning big from the microdrama boom, with some microdrama apps spending up to 75% of marketing budgets on its platforms. [Business Insider $$$]
UK student ‘super app’ ZyMix faces questions over Chinese links. [The Guardian]
Meta’s stock jumped as its new AI models impressed Wall Street. [Quartz]
Aura wants to be the social network for people you love, not just a gift for grandma, with a digital picture frame developed by ex-Twitter staff. [Adweek $$$]
Meta has picked 12 finalists for its first India-wide Edits Film Festival. [Meta Newsroom]
Sony has put a YouTube veteran in charge of its horror label, Screen Gems. [Deadline]
Florida can now enforce its social media ban for under-14s. [Reuters $$$]
Turkey has banned social media for under-15s. [Politico]
Greece has moved to ban social media for children under 15. [Euronews]
Mexico has given social platforms 30 days to protect kids from harmful content. [Reuters $$$]
BuzzFeed is expanding its creator network from social content into film and TV. [BuzzFeed]
The Influencer Project turns creator culture into a very online horror movie. [The Guardian]
LinkedIn has shared a nerdy look at some of its AI inner-workings. [LinkedIn Engineering blog]
New features and tests:
Meta will enable Product Browsing on existing Facebook and Instagram ads from 28 October. [PPC Land]
Meta is rolling out changes to the WhatsApp Business Platform, allowing businesses to use the same phone number across multiple solution providers and Meta services simultaneously. [@jonahmanzano]
Meta has added a new “Theme” setting on Meta AI apps. [@oncescuradu]
WhatsApp can now block logins on phones running outdated software. [WABetaInfo]
WhatsApp is redesigning its Android navigation bar… again. [WABetaInfo]
WhatsApp is softening its iOS 27 redesign based on user feedback. [WABetaInfo]
Google has expanded Search Profiles for creators to Canada and India. [@lindseygamble_]
Singapore super-app Grab is adding microdramas and games to enjoy while you wait for a taxi. [Bloomberg $$$]
Hinge is sending badly behaved daters back to flirting school. Offenders must complete a short etiquette lesson before using Hinge again. [Hinge]
Substack is giving users more control over its algorithm. [On Substack]
Creator degrees are officially a thing…
Arizona State now offers a BA focused on content creation.
Stanford’s creator economy course drew a 110-person waitlist this year.
Syracuse launched a dedicated center spanning research, policy and production.
Courses increasingly train strategists and operators, not just future influencers.
“As more young folks seek to enter the creator economy, universities are offering classes covering every layer of the still-growing ecosystem.”
__________
Also worth a read:
The rise of the IRL influencer
‘Musk’ review: Alex Gibney's near four-hour doc is a scathing look at Elon Musk
Smart glasses are becoming an HR and security nightmare
At the movies, tech founders like Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk are in their villain era
Parents fear YouTubers are bringing ‘brain rot’ to Netflix. But are kids wising up to ‘slop’?
Are you ready for everything to look like TikTok?
Substack’s influencer marketing era has arrived
Signal’s president Meredith Whittaker really put the BBC in its place when a journalist tried to get her to answer some quick-fire questions for social media 😂
You’ve made it to the end of this week’s Geekout.
I told you it was a weird week.
I’m heading off for some laughs.
I got given tickets to watch my favourite comedian Kevin Bridges on stage in Cardiff.
Here’s one of his funniest, and brutally relatable observations about social media:
Goodbye, geeks!
-
P.S. This newsletter is edited by Martin SFP Bryant
