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Hello, geeks!

Welcome OG Geekout friends, and the 1,000+ new readers joining us this week!

This week’s news is (unsurprisingly) dominated TikTok, as the ban deadline approaches in the US

Meanwhile, the EU has been busy dishing out €Millions in fines, Zuck bought a new mansion, and I risked being sued by Steven Bartlett 🤪

All that a lot more, in a moment.

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__________

Please don’t sue me, Steven Bartlett 💀

This is what happens when my ADHD brain, intrusive thoughts, and boredom converge.

OpenAI rolled out it’s AI-Generated image creation tool in ChatGPT this week. And it’s a lot of fun! Over 130 million ChatGPT users have already created over 700 million images in the past couple of weeks!

Whilst it has endless practical applications, predictably, most people went rogue creating highly convincing fake receipts and flooding the timelines with AI-generated memes in the style of Studio Ghibli.

Me? I was supposed to be tackling work I'd skilfully dodged all week. But one glance at ex-Ryanair social legend Michael Corcoran’s brilliant AI creation and my ADHD brain abandoned ship:

The minute I saw it I knew I was about to lose half a day writing pointless AI prompts to pump out my own version.

I couldn’t get ChatGPT to get mine as plastic perfect, and the resemblance to me is a little off… but 😆

Undeterred, and after wasting another hour, I got it to make something far more amusing. Sorry Steven “Diary of a CEO” Bartlett. Check out the top features 💀…

The AI even threw in an absurdly convincing fake product information leaflet… Worth a read 😆:

Thankfully, Steven took it well. I shared it with him over WhatsApp. No cease-and-desist letter... Yet.

Want the AI prompt I used to create this? Just hit reply and i’ll send it across.

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🔥 GEEKOUT HOT 5

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

2. Amazon makes last-minute bid for TikTok [SCRAMBLING]

3. Elon Musk’s xAI firm buys X for $33 billion [REPURCHASING]

4. TikTok faces €500M+ EU fine over data transfers to China [PUNISHING]

5. EU to hit X with $1 billion fine over DSA breaches [RULE-BREAKING]

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It’s the inside scoop from journalists who don’t pull punches. Think: scoops on Silicon Valley giants, unfiltered analysis of Hollywood’s power players, and fearless reporting on the platforms we all obsess over (hi X, Meta, TikTok).

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🚨 EVERYONE’S TALKING ABOUT…

Will the TikTok sale saga end this weekend?

….aaaaaaand we’re here again. Another deadline looms this weekend, with TikTok’s American future in the balance.

Donald Trump says deal to bring the US operation under American control is “very close”, with Oracle, Blackstone, and Andreessen Horowitz involved in what is reported to be the leading bid.

There are a couple of interesting things built into this bid to help keep it legal and get it over the line…

ByteDance would reportedly lease TikTok’s algorithm to the US spinoff, and the Chinese company would retain just under 20% ownership, to comply with US legal limits on foreign control.

But will China approve a deal like this? Trump says he’s hoping the newly announced 54% tariff on imports into the US from China will help, giving him "great power to negotiate" a TikTok sale, and hinting the tariff might be reduced if China approves a deal.

On the plus side for a new owner of TikTok US, brands seem to be keeping their options open and feeling calmer about TikTok’s future in the US. They’re not ditching their ad dollars yet. Indeed, despite all the uncertainty, brands such as Coca-Cola and Comcast have increased their TikTok spend this year.

On the downside, the new owner will inherit 1,500 lawsuits and billions of dollars in legal risks 😬.

This is all very last minute, as we’ve come to expect from the long, chaotic process of separating TikTok USA from the rest of the world.

This saga has been going on for four and a half years, and quite frankly I can’t wait for it to end. It seems Chinese leader Xi Jinping is the one who ultimately gets to decide whether I have to keep writing about this crisis from the rest of my life, or whether we can move on.

Elon’s X shuffle-me-do

Late on Friday last week, Elon Musk announced he’d done a deal with himself to fold X into the younger, hotter xAI, his OpenAI rival.

The deal itself was unorthodox and would raise alarm bells in many cases, but Musk can seemingly get away with anything, and it absorbs X’s painful debt burden into his more valuable, and potentially more successful AI company.

“It’s funny money,” Andrew Verstein, professor of law at the University of California told the Wall Street Journal. “It’s like using Monopoly money to buy Pokémon cards.”

The deal doesn’t matter day to day, if you’re simply a social media manager just wanting to build an audience on X, but it’s still wild to think that Twitter went from being a hot startup in 2006, to a public company, and now it’s the subsidiary of two-year-old AI company.

How the mighty have fallen. Sad really, isn’t it?

Still, although the X debt might be easier to handle now, Musk isn’t free of consequences from his acquisition of Twitter. He must still face a lawsuit claiming he misled Twitter investors by hiding his stake during his 2022 buyout bid.

But when brands spend nominal sums on X ads just to keep Elon Musk happy, he’s clearly still got so much power and influence in the world that he can’t care all that much about a little lawsuit here and there.

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✨ NEW & NOTEWORTHY

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

Meta / Facebook 👥

• Meta’s woking on $1,000+ smart glasses codenamed Hypernova, which will include a screen, gestures, and app controls 👓

• Meta’s Orion AR glasses are coming in 2027, with a slimmer design, AI integration, and external “puck” for extra power.

• Authors are calling for the UK government to hold Meta accountable for copyright infringement and will protest outside its London HQ

• The former Meta exec behind that recent hit book will testify to the US Senate despite Meta’s gag order on her

• Meta has urged Trump officials to push back on an EU law that could force it to offer ad-free options, threatening its main revenue model.

• …and Mark Zuckerberg is pushing a White House settlement to avoid Meta’s antitrust trial this month over its Instagram and WhatsApp acquisitions

• …and the FTC seems to be ready to obey Trump if he wants to drop the case

• Meta has landed a multiyear deal to sponsor UFC, featuring a new social hub on Threads and Meta’s branding in the Octagon ring on fight nights

• Facebook is working on a voice mode for Stories

• Facebook Business Suite finally lets you upload photos and videos together in the same post for Pages

• Facebook now lets you showcase your accounts on TikTok, YouTube and Instagram on your profile page

__________

Instagram ✨

• Instagram’s CapCut rival app ‘Edits’ is now in beta testing and will launch for free soon with possible paid AI features added later 📱

• …and some users are getting invites to try it (although they don’t work!), and a new landing page for Edits is now live

• …and Instagram has added an ‘Open Edits’ option in the account settings page

• Instagram is showing the date a Reel was posted at the end of the caption now.

• Instagram is testing ‘Reply with a Reel’ for posts

• Instagram now lets you share your location directly to the Maps app from Notes

• Instagram now lets you share past Reels to Facebook

• Instagram now lets you share Stories to WhatsApp Status updates

• Instagram’s Maps feature now lets you set places where your location will be hidden

• Instagram is now encouraging users to subscribe to Meta Verified to gain more views on Reels

__________

WhatsApp 🟢 / Threads 🧵 

• WhatsApp is adding the ability for users to choose which businesses can message them, block/report chats, and give feedback on offers 💬

• WhatsApp is working on a feature to add and manage multiple user accounts

• WhatsApp is testing a real-time online activity feature for group chats

• WhatsApp is working on a notification system for chat broadcast message limits

• WhatsApp has added a Photos sticker for Status updates

• WhatsApp is working on a redesigned interface for the chat attachment sheet

• Threads is working on the ability to add filters and effects to photos

• Threads now lets you mute profiles

__________

Twitter (‘X’) 🤡

• X could start selling inactive usernames to verified organisations with prices ranging from $10,000 to over $500,000 💰

• A 34GB file of X user data, including email addresses & metadata, is circulating on hacker forums

• X has asked the US Supreme Court to shield users from US government

• Global ad agency Omnicom has offered up to $200,000 to lure brands back to X

• …But most brands are still only spending nominal sums on X ads to keep Elon Musk happy https://www.threads.net/@mattnavarra/post/DH3Vf6BqaZd

• X claims it’s seen a Gen Z surge in Europe – but the numbers don’t add up

• X has shortened the review process for restoring the verification badge after uploading a new profile picture from five days to a few hours.

• X is testing an App Clip on iOS

• X claims to be a hub for luxury fashion conversations — but the data’s shaky

__________

YouTube 📺

• YouTube is updating Shorts with TikTok-like editing features including a new video editing timeline and automatic music syncing ✂️

• YouTube is testing autoplaying videos as you open the app (some people thought it was a bug at first!)

• YouTube has made re-posting of TikToks to YouTube Shorts easier

• YouTube is testing a feature for Premium subscribers that adds recommended videos to the queue

• YouTube has quietly dropped "gender identity" from its hate speech policy, but insists protections for “sex, gender, or sexual orientation” still apply

• Movie studios were profiting from fake movie trailers, but YouTube has now demonetised the videos

• YouTube outlined 10 monetization options for creators in 2025

__________

TikTok 📱

• TikTok now allows you to mark your friends among viewers in live streams, so you can quickly spot their likes, comments, and more 👥 🔴

• TikTok now lets you receive notifications from other accounts

• TikTok is piloting a new ‘TikTok for Artists’ insights platform to help artists promote music, track performance, and engage fans

• TikTok Is pressuring advertisers to spend more as U.S. ban deadline looms

• The BBC says it will invest further in producing TikTok content

• ‘Incel’ accounts are using self-improvement language to avoid TikTok bans, a new study found

• TikTok Shop merchants can now sell authenticated, pre-owned sneakers directly in the app.

• TikTok has added a ‘My Music’ tab in the main menu

• TikTok has added an alt text feature for photo posts.

__________

LinkedIn / Reddit / Bluesky / More… 💼

• LinkedIn is testing a new Key Video Trends feature in the U.S. 📈

• LinkedIn is testing a new video carousel feature

• LinkedIn has cracked down on people gaming the system for multiple free trials of Premium

• Reddit’s stock price tumbled 50% as its growth slowed, but it’s still performing well

• Reddit has introduced faster ad setup and pixel integration

• Snapchat has added new styling options for Bitmoji avatars

• Hillary Clinton joined Bluesky following the arrival of Obama on the platform last week

• Substack rolled out a TikTok-style video feed

__________

🔥 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:

Also spotted this week 👀

• WhatsApp is working on a feature to create message reminders using the Meta AI

• xAI’s Grok app now has enhanced access to Private Mode, image editing capabilities, and more

• xAI has added a Kids Mode with voice control to the Grok app

• Adobe has added an AI video extension and smarter tools to Premiere Pro

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💬 YOU CAN QUOTE ME ON THAT

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

Elon Musk’s political role could tarnish his legacy at Tesla — After months as Trump’s austerity czar, Musk is reportedly set to step away from government—but not before torching his own brand.

I spoke to Fast Company about how Elon’s chaos is killing his companies right now…

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😆 LOL

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🌡️ VIRAL

Aprils Fools Day doesn’t have the impact online that it once did, but it can still be worth coming up with a good joke for the brands you work with.

From an Ikea you can’t get lost in because everything is on one (LONG) line to a Creme Egg condiment, brands had some good ideas this year…

More April Fools gags I liked:

• The Royal Albert Hall’s Immersive Nokia 3310 Experience

• Bluesky cares about simplicity, so it cut its post character count from 300… to 299… but only for 1 day

• OpenAI gave ChatGPT an enthusiastic new voice…

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🪧 BRANDS

Why has Amazon made a last-minute bid for TikTok’s US operations?

The Drum has some ideas about how it would “blur the lines between commerce, content and community.”

Also:

• QVC has launched a 24/7 shopping channel on TikTok

• What consumers want from brands on social in 2025

• Tasty built its brand with video content. Now it’s found 1 million fans on WhatsApp

• Creators are moving from one-off sponsorships to long-term brand deals beyond videos

• After extravagant influencer outings prompted backlash, some companies are opting to give consumers gifts and getaways

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🙊 WHAT DID YOU SAY?!

“If It was weird, man… they got very specific details… completely wrong”

- Mark Zuckerberg’s review of The Social Network when speaking to Colin and Samir last week.

Also overheard this week:

• “We’re ceding the ground while algorithms push far-right content” – UK MP Chris Curtis as Labour MPs are trained by top creators to build influencer-style platforms and fight right-wing narratives online.
  

• “If the Online Safety Bill is pulled back on children, then we need children off social media.”– The UK’s Children’s Commissioner says under-16s should be banned from social media if the law is watered down in US trade talks

• “That’s not on purpose … but we do see that happen so we’re trying to figure out if we can address that” – Instagram boss Adam Mosseri says Stories getting less than normal reach is something they’re working on fixing
  

• “IMHO, as long as it’s owned here? That’s a win in my book” – Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian’s bid for TikTok might not win but he’s positioning a deal as a win, whoever gets it
  

• Meta's CTO Andrew ‘ Boz’ Bosworth, says “legacy companies” like Google might not end up the winners in AI

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👀 MY FAV READS

“Trump’s official team is shocking people nationwide with their unconventional approach to social media.”  

Also worth reading this week:

• The gleeful cruelty of the White House X account

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😮 WTF?!

Wait, all those OnlyFans creators don’t want to talk to their subscribers all day…? 🙃

“A class action complaint claims OnlyFans is allowing fraud on its platform by letting models use an agency chat service to talk to fans.”

Also this week 👀

• The US could start collecting social media handles from people who have already been vetted and in the US legally

• Mark Zuckerberg has dropped $23 million on a DC mansion — less a residence, more a strategic foothold under Trump 2.0.

• Therapists say burned-out tech workers vent about Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk constantly

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🤦‍♂️ FAIL

Center Parcs gives every brand a cautionary tale here - remove links from your website when you kill a social account!

An IT consultant took charge of Center Parcs UK's handle after the company deactivated its account.

Also:

• Elon Musk’s Grok AI can't stop tweeting out the N-Word

• Facebook profits from a scam investment site using name of CNN anchor Richard Quest

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👔 YOU’RE HIRED!

Hot new social media jobs worth checking out this week:

🔥 Instagram is looking for a Social Manager [New York City, NY, USA]

More top social media jobs spotted this week 💼

• The United States Tennis Association is hiring a Manager, Social Media Influencers [New York City, NY, USA]

• BBC Radio 1Xtra is looking for a Social Media Manager [London, UK]

• The Trades Union Congress (TUC) is recruiting a Social Media Officer [London, UK]

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📲 NEW APPS

“It’s impossible to doomscroll forever when you’re limited to three hours….”

Also:

• Mark Cuban backs Skylight, a TikTok alternative built on Bluesky's underlying technology

• Beyond Bluesky: These are the top apps building social experiences on the AT Protocol

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👌 PRO TIPS

More pro-tips worth checking out ✨

• Social Media image sizes in 2025: Guide for Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube, Threads, Bluesky, and Pinterest

• LinkedIn shared smart tips to boost success with live events

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📊 SOCIAL STATS

$550 BILLION

- How much YouTube could now be worth, according to Wall Street analysts

Even more social stats: 📈

• IN-GAGEMENT: LinkedIn engagement is surging: comments are up 37% YoY, and video creation has doubled

• HEALTH CHAT: Reddit has seen 37% YoY growth in women’s health conversations

• BEDTIME: Each extra hour of bedtime screen use = a 63% higher insomnia risk and 24 minutes’ less sleep

• PRUDES: Billie Eilish lost 100,000 followers in an hour on Instagram, after posting a drawing of a naked woman’s body with the caption “lol I love boobs”

• SOCIAL SHOPPING: 40% of Instagram users shop via creator recommendations; creators drive more purchases than brands (49.5% vs. 44%)

• UNTAPPED: 55% of US adults didn’t open TikTok in January 2025, up from 52% in December

• TUMBLR: 50% of Tumblr users are Gen Z; 60% of new signups too. They crave anonymity, art, and nostalgia

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📈 CHARTED

The ‘Signalgate’ impact on Signal downloads was… huge:

More charted social insights spotted this week: 👀.

• TUBE TV: YouTube was the most-watched platform on US TVs for only the second time, last month

• BEHIND SCHEDULE: Scheduled posting activity on social media before and after the US TikTok ban

• REVEN-NEW: Creators shift toward alternative income streams

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• Meta faces fines in Turkey for not complying with content removal orders. [Social Media Today]

• Trump's new tariffs could hurt Meta due to their reliance on Chinese advertisers. [Business Insider $$$]

• Meta faces a lawsuit in Ethiopia, accusing it of amplifying hate in Ethiopia and demanding a $2.4 billion restitution fund. [The Guardian]

• Meta’s head of AI research, Joelle Pineau, is leaving the company. [Bloomberg $$$]

New features and tests:

Facebook:

• Facebook has redesigned stickers for Stories. [@jonahmanzano]

• Facebook now allows users to set images as backgrounds for text in Stories. [@theahmedghanem]

Instagram:

• Instagram has removed the option to upload in high quality from the Media Quality settings page. [@theahmedghanem]

Messenger:

• Messenger has added a quick shortcut to Facebook. [@theahmedghanem]

Threads:

• Threads has updated the Followers list to show how many servers your Fediverse followers are from. [@theahmedghanem]

The rest: Creator Studio / Adtech / Quest and more:

• Meta now lets creators use a preview of the Ed Sheeran’s new song ‘Azizam’ in their content. [@oncescuradu]

• Meta has added an “Opportunity Score” feature to Ads Manager. [@theahmedghanem]

• Meta Business Suite app has a fresh new landing screen. [@theahmedghanem]

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• A transphobic post on X has sparked a free speech clash in Australia. [The Guardian]

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💥 EVEN MORE SOCIAL MEDIA NEWS & UPDATES

• YouTubers pitched fan obsession with their lives as a secret weapon for marketers, at Spotter’s event last week. [Business Insider $$$]

• English school students aged 5–16 will learn to spot scams, avoid in-game spending traps, and question influencers. [The Guardian]

• An Arkansas social media age verification law blocked by federal judge. [Engadget]

• Analysts have warned Reddit's reliance on Google traffic and logged-out users may limit its long-term value. [Business Insider $$$]

• Google could be ranking Reddit’s AI-translated pages too high. [Search Engine Roundtable]

• Snapchat has expanded its agency programme with new ‘Agency Partner’ and ‘Strategic Agency Partner’ tiers. [AdWeek $$$]

• YouTube's global head of top creators left after 12 year, to co-found a startup with her brother. [Business Insider $$$]

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📰 WEEKEND READS

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

“Online scams are exploding — but so are the YouTube channels of creators who set out to expose them.”

More great weekend reads:

• How Signal turned a national security crisis into a branding moment

• Can Bluesky’s AT protocol replace TikTok and save social media?

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😳 AND FINALLY…

Facebook might have embraced its ‘OG’ nature again last week…

…But the app has changed a LOT, many times in its 21-year history.

Take a trip back to ‘The Facebook’ ⏪

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📅 BACK NEXT WEEK…

On that nostalgic note, you’ve reached the end of this week’s Geekout.

I’m heading off to see if my last minute bid to buy TikTok has been accepted. 🤞

Have a great weekend, folks!

Goodbye, geeks

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

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