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Hello, geeks!
Welcome to this week’s slightly glowed-up edition of Geekout.
I’ve made a few design tweaks to improve your reading experience…
– New header images to make skim-reading easier
– Clean white section backgrounds for improved clarity
– Improved and more consistent text size, spacing, formatting
– Fewer boxes. Less visual chaos.
Do you prefer the old Geekout design, or this 2026 refresh?
Hit reply and let me know.
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Geekout Q&A with Instagram Edits exec — What should we ask him?
Ever wanted to grill an Instagram product manager?
You’re in luck!
In a couple of weeks, I’m chatting to Matt Simari, Director of Product Management for Instagram’s Edits app (aka Meta’s CapCut challenger).
We’ll discuss:
– Why Instagram built a dedicated creator app
– How top creators are actually using it
– Pro-tips from power users
– Sneak peeks at upcoming features
…and more.
WIN an Instagram Swag Bundle 🎁
Instagram has given me 5x Instagram swag bundles to giveaway.
Want me to ask Matt Simari something spicy or specific?
Hit reply on this email, or drop me an email with your Instagram Edits-related question.
The FIVE people who send in the best questions will each win a IG swag box.
The full interview will be published in Geekout in March.
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Look Mum, I’m on TV…!
[Battle of the Brands on Channel 4 UK]
This might be one to watch (or avoid!)
Last July, I spent a day filming in London for a new Channel 4 documentary about some of the UK’s most-loved brands, including McVities, Cadbury’s, Primark, John Lewis, Aldi, M&S..
The four-part series kicks-off on Tuesday 3 March at 8pm on Channel 4 (UK), starting with Nandos vs. KFC.
I’ll be watching (cringing) with my kids… who can’t wait to mock me. 🫣
Watch some behind the scenes clips of my day filming in London.
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2 cool things 👀
❤️ Loving this 2026 social intel file, without any LinkedIn ‘thought-leader’ junk! — 30+ slides of new insights
-
💰 Meta ads getting expensive? It’s probably not the algorithm. Check this fix first [ad]
SPONSORED ▶︎ PAID SOCIAL ▶︎ GUIDE
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Are you still sourcing one ready-to-post video per creator? And wondering why creative fatigue hits so fast? 🥹
Brands nailing paid social in 2026 are doing it differently.
They’re briefing creators for diverse, mix-and-match raw footage:
🎥 Multiple hooks
🧠 Different angles
📣 Variations of CTAs
🎬 Extra b-roll
So you can remix dozens of ads from just 1 creator collab.
Why it works:
✅ Lower production costs
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To help you brief creators the right way, Insense just released a FREE brief template.
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Brands like Wonderskin, DRMTLGY, and SmileSet already use Insense to run scalable creator campaigns worldwide.
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WhatsApp rolls out Status ads and promoted Channels worldwide [MONETISING]
Instagram to alert parents if their kids search for self-harm and suicide content [SAFEGUARDING]
Discord delays global age-verification rollout over user ID fears the company says are a misunderstanding [BACKTRACKING]
Reddit hit with a £14m fine in the UK for failing to protect under-13 users’ data [ENFORCING]
SPONSORED ▶︎ 2026 SOCIAL INSIGHTS
New 2026 Social Intel. Without LinkedIn Thought-Leader Junk 🕵️
If you’re leading a social team right now, you know the pressure…
Platform & algorithm shifts, staying on top of trending formats, optimizing creator partnerships to work for your brand, and so much more!
If you’re tired of testing random content ideas hoping one takes off… check out Caliber’s quarterly insights guide — The Drop.
Caliber is trusted by some of the world’s largest brands including Amazon, Movember, and Walmart…
…And The Drop gives you the social intel to supercharge your social strategy.
In this issue you’ll find:
🔥 30+ high-performing content formats you can test next week
🤝 Creator x brand integration frameworks that you can steal
👀 The latest IG, TikTok & YouTube updates… and what to do about them
📒 Serialized content case studies that drive retention… with production notes!
🏀 A sports industry deep dive ahead of 2026’s major global events
It’s basically a cheat sheet for what’s actually working in social right now — and how to execute it.
👉 If you run social, this is super-useful.…. Get The Drop
Is it a bad idea to verify your identity?
You could be forgiven for not having heard of Persona, but the ID verification software company has recently developed a reputation for being shady. Is it actually justified?
Persona has popped up in a couple of stories this week. Most notably around Discord, which has delayed plans to age-gate certain features behind an ID check worldwide.
Discord had been using Persona to do these age checks in an initial test. Persona can use things like a face scan on your phone and a check of government-issued ID to confirm your age and identity.
But the move proved unpopular, even if Discord says users didn’t quite understand what was going on:
“The way this landed, many of you walked away thinking we're requiring face scans and ID uploads from everyone just to use Discord. That's not what's happening, but the fact that so many people believe it tells us we failed at our most basic job: clearly explaining what we're doing and why. That's on us.
“On top of that, many of you are worried that this is just another big tech company finding new ways to collect your personal data. That we're creating a problem to justify invasive solutions. I get that skepticism. It's earned, not just toward us, but toward the entire tech industry. But that’s not what we’re doing.”
— Discord CTO Stanislav Vishnevskiy
Discord will now rethink how it rolls out age verification.
Meanwhile, Persona has denied it keeps LinkedIn account verification data for AI training following a viral user backlash.
You might have seen a post this week that raised alarm at what Persona is doing when it scans your face and makes a copy of your ID. The number of companies the data is potentially shared with according to Persona’s own documentation might concern you.
Persona’s CEO has been trying to set the record straight in LinkedIn comments, saying “All biometric personal data is deleted immediately after processing. All other personal data processed is automatically deleted within 30 days. Data is retained during this period to help users troubleshoot.”
The problem is, a notification that your personal data has been deleted is all well and good, but we can’t be SURE that it really has. And trusting big tech companies is difficult these days.
Demand for ID verification is only going to increase as teen social media bans are introduced, so we’re going to have to get used to being asked to prove who we are.
But the platforms, and companies like Persona, need to do a LOT more to prove they can be trusted with our most personal data if they want to avoid freakouts like we’ve seen lately on Discord and LinkedIn.
After all, if we can’t trust the platforms we use, we might just walk away.
Meta
/ Facebook
Mark Zuckerberg sporting a pair of Meta Ray Ban smart glasses | Credit: Meta
Meta is rumoured to be set to launch Prada-branded AI smart glasses, after Zuck was spotted in the front row at Prada’s Fashion Week show in Milan this week
Meta is fighting an almost $16 billion tax bill, after the IRS claimed the company undervalued IP shifted offshore in 2010
Meta is pitching a new ‘Agency Growth Collective’ to independent agencies to deepen platform adoption
Meta plans to get back into crypto by rolling out stablecoin payments across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp in late 2026
Adult-film studios suing Meta claim an employee secretly deleted 9TB of torrented videos tied to the case.
The National Parent Teacher Association has broken ties with Meta amid child-safety trials following a report accusing the company of using PTA partnerships to shape public opinion on youth safety
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Instagram
Instagram testing 'Story Spotlight’ premium subscription perk | Credit: @alex193a
Instagram’s incoming premium paid subscription could let you bump your Story to the front of followers’ queue, once a week
Instagram is facing creator backlash over its new AI feature called ‘Shop the Look’ on Reels. The feature
Instagram’s Reels-first redesign might get a customisable ‘Your feeds’ tab
Instagram Edits is testing a feature in the Inspiration tab that shows performance insights for Reels from other creators
Instagram is working on a feature that automatically syncs your photos and videos to music and shares them as a Reel when you send multiple items in DMs
Instagram has added a feed section for expiring Stories
Instagram is launching its Reels-focused TV app on Google TV after debuting on Fire TV
Instagram is promoting trending Add Yours prompts so you can easily join popular ones
Instagram is widely rolling out a more customisable ‘Colourful Notes’ feature for Notes
Instagram is testing a new look for Story reactions, presenting them in a reply box format
Instagram Edits now includes a separate feed with videos made out of templates
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Threads
/
WhatsApp
Threads is testing a shortcut that lets you quickly start DM conversations by turning phrases like “DM me” into a tappable DM link in posts
Threads has finally rolled out DMs and ghost posts in the UK
Threads now lets you share posts directly to Instagram Stories without leaving the app
Threads now lets you add rich link previews to posts with podcast video clips
Threads has added an option to remove your account from a linked business portfolio
WhatsApp is finally working native scheduled messages after years of requests
WhatsApp may soon let you set a 6–20 character alphanumeric password to protect your account
WhatsApp is working on bringing Apple’s Liquid Glass design to the chat bar
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X / Twitter
Elon Musk's X challenges EU over its €120M fine | Image: Beehiiv AI
X is challenging its €120M EU fine, arguing the EU's decision resulted from “an incomplete and superficial investigation”
X is close to launching a fully rewritten search system, replacing legacy Twitter code that had become spammy and unreliable
X has been spotted introducing its own version of ‘starter packs’ on iOS
X is trying to woo advertisers by letting them reuse ad creative made for other platforms
The FBI has secured a warrant forcing X to surrender Grok AI prompts in a stalking case
xAI signed a deal letting the Pentagon use Grok inside classified systems
xAI's trade secret lawsuit against OpenAI has been dismissed. xAI is allowed to try again
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TikTok
/
YouTube
TikTok unveils its 2026 Discover List of top creators | Credit: TikTok
TikTok has unveiled a 50-creator Discover List spotlighting top global creative talent in 2026
TikTok Shop could surpass Walmart and become a top-three global retailer by 2030, according to a new report
TikTok now allows users to request to opt out of visual search tags
TikTok has been spotted using a refreshed design for the bottom menu bar icon on iOS
TikTok and Major League Baseball have expanded their partnership after #MLB posts grew 60% in 2025. A new in-app MLB Hub is being introduced
YouTube is rolling out voice replies to all creators, expanding a feature first tested over a year ago
YouTube’s cheaper Premium Lite subscription is getting background play and downloads
YouTube is testing a redesign on TVs that buries the chronological Subscriptions feed
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Snapchat
/
Bluesky
/
Telegram
Snapchat launches its first awards show, the Snappys | Credit: Snap
Snapchat will hold its first awards show, the Snappys hosted by comedian and creator Matt Friend, on 31 March
Snapchat is rolling out the Creator Subscriptions section directly within the app settings. Pricing varies by creator
Snapchat has introduced a new UI for Spotlight posts, featuring updated tools and controls to manage paid partnerships
Snapchat is testing a new Story sticker that lets you choose which type of story you’re posting, such as a Custom Story or a Private Story
Snapchat now displays bitmojis created for pets, homes and cars on the Snap Map
Twitch has split account suspensions into “streaming” and “chat” to avoid all-or-nothing bans
Bluesky now allows users to convert a starter pack into a list.
Bluesky now lets you directly listen to songs hosted on Bandcamp in the app
Russia has launched a criminal investigation into Telegram founder Pavel Durov for “facilitating terrorist activity.”
X is developing a “Made with AI” label for synthetic or manipulated posts.
…But they rely on users to be honest about their content, which seems like a stretch!
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Also spotted this week…
YouTube is testing new AI remix tools for Shorts that let viewers add objects or reimagine frames into new clips
Instagram now offers a shortcut to Meta's Manus AI from the settings
Meta has launched a new predefined AI chatbot for support, Support AI.
Meta’s Manus AI now allows advertisers to add Meta Ads Manager as a source of information for chat queries
xAI’s Grok AI now has updated settings, offering more options for users to manage their data, and the ability to manage file attachments
Adobe has unveiled Quick Cut, an AI tool that instantly assembles a first-draft video from AI-generated clips, user footage and AI prompts
Amazon launched an AI-powered vertical video tool for broadcasters, streamers
A newly unsealed deposition in a US federal lawsuit shows prosecutors pressed Adam Mosseri on why Meta waited six years to release a nudity filter for teens
Internal emails from 2018 acknowledged Instagram DMs could expose minors to sexual exploitation risks
Internal Instagram data showed 19.2% of teens saw unwanted nudity + 8.4% encountered self-harm content
A young woman testified that Instagram and YouTube consumed her childhood. The plaintiff in the LA trial linked her heavy social media use to anxiety, depression, and self-harm.
Unsealed internal Meta docs in a West Virginia lawsuit reveal staff warning that default Messenger encryption would hide millions of annual CSAM reports
Facebook designed an app for teens called Bell in 2018 but never launched it, court reocrds reveal
I spoke to BBC News about Reddit’s £14 million fine and UK regulators ramping up enforcement…
Also this week… New Podcast
I joined Sked Social to discuss the truth about social media in 2026 and more on their #Seen podcast.
We discussed a whole bunch of stuff, including…
• ADHD and why social media attracts neurodivergent brains
• Burnout, boundaries, and shaping work around how you actually operate
• Using AI as your wingman — not your creative director
• The shift from rented reach to owned community
• Repeatable, episodic content and building formats people come back for
Watch or listen to the episode on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.
Here’s a clip…
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If you’ve just read the section above and are wondering who Punch the Monkey is, don’t worry. Know Your Meme has you covered.
The orphaned macaque living in a Japanese zoo with his cuddly IKEA money toy has captured the world’s hearts after he was bullied by his elders.
Google responded to the global Punch love by adding a fun easter egg when Googling “punch monkey”.
And of course, brands also jumped on the viral moment.
Sure, he’s cute. But he’s also endlessly meme-able…
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Remember HBO sitcom Silicon Valley? A new viral trend imagines it was set in 2026, with users calling it “the most realistic show ever.”
An AI-generated intro has updated the credits with crypto disasters, X replacing Twitter, and AI dominance.
Fans say the jokes still match real headlines and are calling for the show to be revived for a seventh season.
Tap through to watch the video 👇
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More viral news this week:
Why ‘WorkTok’ films are gripping Gen Z on TikTok
Why fake AI videos of UK urban decline are taking over social media
Phonk has emerged as the unofficial soundtrack of doomscrolling, saturating TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Reels
Gucci is under fire for promoting its Milan Fashion Week show with AI-generated images on social media.
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More brand news and views:
How social-first brands like Cakes and Beis sustain viral moments
Dove turned brutally honest Reddit reviews into an unfiltered campaign
Reddit has carved out an upper funnel niche for brand advertisers
Why YouTube has become key for brand AI optimisation strategies
Why TV’s traditional sellers aren’t going mad for the social media microdrama trend
The strategies behind beauty’s top-selling brands on TikTok Shop, like Laneige, Medicube, Missha, and Peter Thomas Roth
"I wanted to be on it all the time… If I wasn’t on it, I felt like I was going to miss out on something."
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Also quoted this week:
“The idea that this can be fixed with better parenting or more guidance is a convenient fiction. You can’t out-parent a business model built on addiction.”
- Mumsnet founder Justine Roberts is very much in favour of a UK teen social ban
This is an interesting read:
“The future of social media is being shaped less by new platforms and more by shifting behavior, fragmentation, and AI-mediated discovery.”
U.S. late night TV host John Oliver is no fan of Elon Musk, and on his US TV last weekend he gave a clear summary of why:
He said X is now:
“…shaped in the image of its poisonous owner, and Musk’s brain has been “cooked by the garbage he consumes…” on his own platform.
This will not news to most readers of this newsletter, but as ever, John puts it perfectly.
Tap through to watch 👇
FanLock is a new platform built to fight AI deepfakes targeting creators.
It scans over 4 million websites, including Telegram, to detect stolen or synthetic content.
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Also:
Is there a creep in the area? Or just a smart-glasses geek? This hobbyist-built app alerts users when nearby devices resemble smart glasses like Meta’s Ray-Bans.
It’s not just Instagram users who have finstas, Instagram ITSELF does too.
Instagram confirmed to Rachel Karten that it quietly launched a chaotic finsta account, notfit4main, a few months ago.
The account posts intentionally “ugly,” 2014-style inspirational shitposts and celebrity takeovers.
Meta employees accidentally exposed it by following en masse. Oops!
Read more here 👇
More WTF this week:
A Chinese beauty influencer reportedly lost 140K followers after a livestream filter glitch exposed her real face
A Snap exec says male content creators are chasing UFC careers
🤦♂️ US investigators say Meta’s AI is blasting them with unusable child-abuse tips that waste time and stall urgent cases.
Canon is looking for a Social Media Content Creator Programme Specialist [Hybrid, Uxbridge, UK]
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More social media jobs:
Change.org needs a Social Media Specialist [Remote, Canada]
Transport for London is hiring a Social Media Content Manager [London, UK]
When should you post on TikTok for the best impact?
Buffer has been looking at the data…
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More pro tips:
Replying to your Threads comments can boost engagement by 42%
LinkedIn says the fastest-rising 2026 marketing skill is performance analysis, as brands demand measurable ROI.
$1 TRILLION
More stats:
CREATORS IN 2026: Nearly half of creators earned under $10K annually in 2025, a new study revealed:
… 51% of creators say their income has grown, and 45% now earn between $10K and $100K.
… However, nearly half of creators earn under $10K annually, and only 5.7% earn more than $100K.
… 56% say AI will significantly transform creator workflows in coming years.
… Read more in the 2026 Creator Economy Report
OVER THE HORIZON: Meta confirmed its Horizon+ subscription product has crossed 1 million active subscribers as it expands to 100+ games
FAKERY: Research identified 18,784 coordinated fake profiles boosting Nicki Minaj’s pro-MAGA content
NEWSTUBE: In the first half of 2025, viewers watched more than 15 billion hours of news on YouTube
TIKTOK SEARCH: Adobe data shows 49% of US consumers have used TikTok for search, up from 41% in 2024
TIKTOK EATS: 97% of TikTok users say TikTok influences what they eat
SLOPPY WORK: The NYT found over 40% of Shorts recommended after kids’ hits appeared AI-generated.
SCAM CITY: Nearly 1 in 3 Meta ads in the UK and EU point to a scam, phishing, or malware, according to a new report
BYTE THIS: TikTok’s non-US parent company ByteDance is reportedly valued at $550 billion in a share sale
THE BIG SHORT: Microdrama apps like ReelShort now beat Netflix, Prime Video, and Disney+ in daily mobile watch time. ReelShort users average 35.7 mins/day vs Netflix (24.8), Prime Video (26.9), and Disney+ (23)
Teen social media bans around the world in 2026, mapped:
More charts:
GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT: TikTok emerges as 2026’s growth engine while Instagram reach is falling
POD SAVE AMERICA: Podcasts have surpassed AM and FM talk radio in US for the first time
BIG MOUSE: Disney hit 11.9% of all US TV viewing, closing in on YouTube’s lead at 12.5%, thanks to an American football frenzy in January
HOT ON SOCIAL: The best TV shows of 2025, according to social media, is led by Netflix shows including Stranger Things, Squid Game, and Wednesday.
NOT A QUICKIE: How long-term YouTube creator deals deliver major affiliate CTR gains: charted
Also Spotted this week…
Meta worked with UK and Nigerian police to dismantle an alleged fraud ring targeting British residents with crypto scams. [Meta Newsroom]
Meta has filed lawsuits against scam advertisers in Brazil, China, and Vietnam. [Meta Newsroom]
Meta, xAI, Amazon, Google, and others will sign up to a White House initiative to build their own electricity supply for AI data centres. [Fox News]
Poland plans to ban social media for children under 15. [Bloomberg $$$]
This is an interesting take on how important live-streamers have become to the social economy.
“In recent months, [live streaming] seems to have broken containment, morphing from a fringe format into a bona fide kingmaker…”
“…A channel that formerly felt like the provenance solely of gamers and its Gen Alpha acolytes has lately crossed into the mainstream.”
Also:
Meta will ruin its smart glasses by being Meta
How to win friends and influencers: “Labour’s new social media strategy is a step into the future”
I’ve heard of ‘inbox zero’, but this is extreme.
Meta’s director of AI safety, in a rush to try out the latest wave of AI agents Silicon Valley is going crazy for, accidentally allowed one to delete her entire email inbox. Oops.
Not a good look when you’re a top exec leading AI initiatives at one of the world’s biggest tech companies…!
You’ve reached the end of this week's Geekout.
I hope the newsletter design tweaks made this week’s scroll easier, more enjoyable.
I’m still tinkering — so hit reply and tell me what you like/dislike.
It's still a work in progress, so I’d love your feedback to optimise it further.
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Alright, folks…
I’m heading off to psych myself up a brutal roasing from friends and family when they gather round the TV to watch my Channel 4 appearance.
I’ll try to capture a few freeze-frame stills of my most awkward and unflattering facial expressions, to give you a new meme to play with!
Goodbye, geeks!
P.S. This newsletter is edited by Martin SFP Bryant
