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Hello, geeks!

I writing this week’s Geekout with matchsticks keeping my eyes open. 🥱

I’ll explain why in a moment.

But first….

LinkedIn is killing a feature many called ‘pointless’, but others said made them feel like a VIP. ⭐️

« But will you miss this feature? «

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Take me to my bed… 🥱💤

My week has been insanely busy. But yesterday was especially bonkers.

I decided to surprise my girlfriend, who lives a 250-mile round-trip away in Devon (UK), by turning up unannounced to spend time with her. Due to work commitments, we would not have seen each other for nearly 2 weeks, had I not made the trip.

Doing the drive meant I would only get to spend 24 hours with her, but in order to do it I knew I would have to be get up at 6am to drive 125 miles back to Cardiff for a client meeting at 9am the next day. Then I had to sprint another 50 miles down the motorway to speak at the awesome Social Media Conference Cymru event in Swansea.

Once I arrived, I had 4 urgent emails needing replies, 5 client work calls, and some last minute prep for my speaking slot, to get done in the 3 hours I had spare before I jumped on stage. Which, by the way, i still get anxious about. My imposter syndrome is relentless!

The event wrapped up at around 5pm. I managed to squeeze in a few drinks with a OG Geekout friends, before shooting back down the motorway to get home and start writing this week’s newsletter.

It’s now 11pm and the newsletter is mostly complete. Thank god I’m only one flight of stairs away from my bed!

I hope your week was less manic than mine.

Right folks, let’s dive into this week’s news… Kicking off with EVERYTHING Mark Zuckerberg announced at the Meta Connect event. Lots of cool, geeky new stuff for us to play with in 2025! 😎👇

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Social Media Managers, brace yourselves.

The 2025 landscape is shifting FASTER than even I predicted!

🔥 3 Must-Know Insights Before You Start Building Your 2025 Social Strategy:

• TikTok engagement has soared to 4.5% - top brands are posting 6x/week

• Instagram carousels and images are OUTPERFORMING Reels.

• YouTube Shorts views are up 153% - long-form is DOWN 15%.

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🔥 GEEKOUT HOT 5

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

2. X backed down and agreed to abide by Brazilian court orders [CONCEDING]

3. Telegram changed policy, saying it will provide user data to authorities [LAW-ABIDING]

4. TikTok is shutting down its music streaming business [STRATEGY-RETHINKING]

5. X will soon let people you’ve blocked see your posts [TROLL-ENABLING]

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🚨 EVERYONE’S TALKING ABOUT…

Meta Connect had lots of ‘wow’… but too much ‘wtf’

Wearing a t-shirt emblazoned in Latin text that translated as “Either Zuck or nothing”, Mark Zuckerberg cut a more confident figure than he has in many years at Meta Connect this week.

Choosing not to defer to any execs for product demos, he handled the whole show himself.

You can click the link above if you want a summary of everything he announced. There was plenty of good but not very ‘social media’ stuff like the new, $300 Quest 3S, and updated software for Meta’s Ray-Bans so they will now ‘remember’ things for you.

And its next-gen AR glasses, Orion, were impressive. Think Apple Vision Pro in a glasses form factor and you’re in the right ballpark. But they’re a prototype and years from being ready to go to market. Especially as they are estimated to cost $10,000 a pair! They really make Tim Cook’s headset look old-hat though, which was probably the point.

From a purely social media viewpoint, though, Meta Connect often felt a bit like a swing and a miss. The company had lots of new AI stuff to announce but a lot of felt like AI for AI’s sake.

As had been reported ahead of time, Meta AI is getting celebrity voices like Judi Dench and John Cena. But that just felt like an expensive (for the company) novelty that doesn’t add anything meaningful into the mix.

Meta is also working on recreating influencers with AI, which just feels like they want to take the real people out of social media just because they can.

It gets worse. Meta will even experiment with creating AI-generated posts you might like. As we’ve seen in recent months, AI-generated images can get massive engagement, and Meta thinks creating its own to pump into your feed could be a good idea.

Like architecture? Maybe you’ll get a load of jaw-dropping but fictional buildings popping up in Facebook or Instagram? Or perhaps something wilder (or weirder).

This might be a good way to farm engagement in the short term, but it’s like those crappy, low-budget cartoons for kids that flooded YouTube a few years ago - a poor imitation of real entertainment. Zero-calorie fluff.

It wasn’t all bad. Meta AI is being deployed to give businesses new tools such as business chatbots. And creators are getting auto-translation + lip-syncing for Reels videos. That’s all good, positive stuff

But the sooner Meta figures out where AI adds value, and where it’s just a pointless novelty, the better for all of us.

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✨ NEW & NOTEWORTHY

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

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🤖 MORE SOCIAL A.I.

More of latest A.I. features launched by the big social platforms this week:

• TikTok is testing a new AI drawing feature for photos ✍️✨

• Meta will now let businesses create ad-embedded chatbots

• Meta's Llama AI models now support images, too

• TikTok's AI chatbot, Tako, appears to be expanding to more users and regions

• Snapchat’s My AI chatbot can now understand and work with different types of information, such as text, pictures, and videos

• Threads appears to be working on a generative AI image attachment option

• Reddit now offers AI summaries of user comments

• Reddit is bringing AI-powered, automatic translation to dozens of new countries

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💬 YOU CAN QUOTE ME ON THAT

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

Changing how the block system works on X could enable harassment and stalking, experts fear. I gave my thoughts on Musk’s latest ‘genius’ idea to the i.

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😆 LOL

Dealbreaker! (H/T Nicole Mezzasalma on Geekout Pro)

I’m definitely down with this new product direction for Meta’s smartglasses. It seems Meta’s CTO is too!

This one 👇 is via Vicki Jakes on Geekout Pro

If you get it, you get it 😬👇. If you don’t read this…

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📈 MEMES

The internet loves Moo Deng, a baby hippo at a zoo in Thailand.

No, the internet REALLY loves her.

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🪧 BRANDS

Of course, brands love Moo Deng too. Like, to a crazy degree. 🦛

Some surfed the meme wave better than others…

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🌡️ VIRAL

Which of your friends shared this on Instagram this week? 🫣

You’d think the number of times this kind of thing as done the rounds in the past, celebrities wouldn’t fall for a ‘I do not give Meta permission’ post trend that doesn’t work at all.

But James McAvoy and Tom Brady were among thousands who did this week…

Also going viral on TikTok this week:

• 'She deserved the purse': TikTok users pay it forward to moms in new trend

• The latest and strangest TikTok trend: eating dirt to reduce wrinkles

• Teenagers are stealing strangers' Nike zippers. Blame TikTok  

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🙊 WHAT DID YOU SAY?!

“I think individual creators or publishers tend to overestimate the value of their specific content in the grand scheme of this”

– Mark Zuckerberg told publishers and creators not to expect a big payday from AI training data. Some might say big tech puts its own progress above what’s good for humans 🤔 

• Mark Zuckerberg also said this week there’s “no causal connection” between social media and teen mental health. Many regulators and parents disagree.

• Mark Cuban opened up about his feud with Elon Musk: ‘I just like to f**k with him’

• A former Snap Spectacles developer said the glasses are “obviously bad”

• Prince Harry said “the harmful effects of social media are made by design”

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🪦 RIP

Social media features heading for the graveyard:

LinkedIn quietly removed those annoying AI prompt questions under posts in feeds. If you’re not a Premium subscriber to LinkedIn, you won’t appreciate how pointless they were.

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😮 WTF?!

All together now: “Twitter will be shot in the brain, set on fire, and thrown from a plane…”

This is a fun, jolly ditty about a world without the app Elon Musk wants us to call X these days:

Also :

• Teens on TikTok are using an unexpected device to get high

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🤦 FAIL

Yes, high-profile social accounts are still getting hacked to promote dodgy crypto. This week it was OpenAI’s turn:

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👔 YOU’RE HIRED!

Hot new social media jobs worth checking out this week:

• Airbnb wants a Social Media Marketing Manager (contract) [Remote, US]

• Figma needs a Social Marketing Strategist [Remote, US]

• The Department of Health and Social Care is looking for a Senior Social Media Manager [Leeds or London, UK]

• Shakespeare’s Globe is on the hunt for a Social Media Manager [London, UK]

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📊 SOCIAL STATS

$200 BILLION

– Mark Zuckerberg’s updated net worth now puts him in the same league as Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos. He was the third-richest person in the world for a while. Forbes’ real-time ranking has him down to fourth at the time of writing, behind Oracle tycoon Larry Ellison.

• Mark Zuckerberg says Meta AI has nearly 500 million users

• Instagram is the leading platform driving creator burnout

• TikTok: In the US, nearly 54% of Gen Z will find gifts on TikTok Shop alone this season

• YouTube revealed results of Creator Economy Generative AI survey: 92% of creators are already using generative AI tools

• Meta AI daily usage is heaviest on WhatsApp and Facebook. Mark Zuckerberg revealed that the chatbot had about 185 million weekly users, not far behind the 200 million weekly users claimed by OpenAI.

• Tumblr reported ~350% user growth following X's ban in Brazil

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📈 CHARTED

X’s daily user numbers in the UK fell from 8 million in May 2023 to 5.6 million now.

This graph paints a grim picture for Elon. Note the sharp drop in the summer after he waded into the riots, a topic he didn’t understand at all.

• Facebook traffic to 700 US news sites fell 40% from January 2023 to July 2024 to 500 million page views

• Snapchat and Gen Z shoppers are most influenced to buy from creators

• Facebook and LinkedIn are the “worst” social media for your privacy

• Facebook Messenger users are spending more time on the app this year

• Social shopping is on the rise—and it's not just Gen-Z

• Subscription-based earnings for US creators are projected to reach $350 million by 2025, reflecting 27.4% YoY growth

• The majority of marketers use YouTube as an awareness driver

• The most searched-for topics on TikTok, Instagram, and Google by U.S Gen-Z users in 2024

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• The editors of the journal Science say a 2023 study that found Facebook wasn’t polarising might have been incorrect. [Wall Street Journal $$$]

• Meta has cut the price of its Quest Touch Pro controllers to $250. [Upload VR]

• Meta has published a comprehensive overview of its social impact efforts. [Social Media Today]

• Meta has lost a jurisdiction appeal in Kenyan court paving the way for moderators' case to proceed. [AP]

New features and tests:

Facebook:

• Facebook has updated its story creation sheet with a new simplified design. [@theahmedghanem]

• Facebook will remove default messaging for broadcast channels when sharing a post. [@jonahmanzano]

• Facebook now shows People You May Know in Stories. [@thehamedghanem]

Instagram:

• Instagram is testing a new 🏀 animation for Notes related to the start of the new NBA season. [@oncescuradu]

• Instagram has started promoting its new iOS 18 lock screen widget as a replacement for the camera app widget. [@theahmedghanem]

• Instagram has revamped its ‘Best Practices’ section in the ‘Professional Dashboard’ with additional guides and categories. [@theahmedghanem]

• Instagram is testing a clearer view for suggested sponsored accounts. [@theahmedghanem]

• Instagram is encouraging some users to watch unwatched Stories. [@reblmedia]

Threads:

• Threads now lets you delete notifications. [@oncescuradu]

• Threads has a new shortcut to find draft posts on desktop. [@mattnavarra]

• Threads has some gesture-based features on desktop — “Drag” & “Pull” — but they are available only for carousels. [@oncescuradu]

WhatsApp:

• WhatsApp is working on a feature to create filters from the chats list. [WABetaInfo]

• WhatsApp is working on a chat feature to manage sticker suggestions. [WABetaInfo]

• WhatsApp is testing a feature to manage the home screen badge count. [WABetaInfo]

• WhatsApp is testing a message draft feature for the chats list. [WABetaInfo]

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

• Meta has launched three new Developer Hubs. [Social Media Today]

• Meta Business Suite’s app now enables users to add clickable link stickers when creating Reels. [@jonahmanzano]

.

• X has asked a judge to dismiss Don Lemon’s lawsuit over their canceled partnership. [Fast Company]

• Labelling Trump’s lies as ‘disputed’ on X makes supporters believe them more, a study has found. [The Guardian]

• Elon Musk has lost a legal fight over an Ex-Twitter worker’s layoff pay. [Bloomberg $$$]

New features and tests:

• X has been spotted offering a teaser for Premium analytics on profiles. [@cmcalgary]

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• Banned political ads have been found on TikTok weeks ahead of 2024 election. [NBC News]

• TikTok's defence strategy in the US involves throwing Shein and Temu under the bus for data collection. [Wired $$$]

• TikTok links are being used to hijack Microsoft accounts. [Tech Radar]

• TikTok has hired a new legal expert to fight against US ban. [New York Post]

New features and tests:

• TikTok’s new web miniplayer rolled out to more users. [@oncescuradu]

• TikTok is testing a new “Refresh” button for suggested searches. [@oncescuradu]

• TikTok has removed the main “‘Edit’ button and replaced it with ‘Adjust clips’. [@oncescuradu]

• TikTok now allows you to test your network connection for suggested video quality before going live. [@jonahmanzano]

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💥 EVEN MORE SOCIAL MEDIA NEWS & UPDATES

• California will prohibit social media platforms from deliberately delivering addictive feeds to minors without parental consent as part of a new law form 2027. [Axios]

• Snap has signed up to the EU’s AI Pact. [Snap]

• LinkedIn has stopped grabbing UK users' data for AI, over data protection concerns. [TechCrunch]

• Ukraine has banned official use of Telegram app over fears of Russian spying. [Reuters $$$]

• Publishers are worried Snapchat’s redesign will deprioritise their content, impacting ad revenue and visibility. [Business Insider $$$]

• NATO is testing a decentralised messenger for communications between member nations. [Fast Company $$$]

• The popular Twitch emote BibleThump from The Binding of Isaac will soon be unavailable due to rights expiration [The Verge]

Insights to give you an edge at work:

• A leaked MrBeast guide has revealed the YouTuber's 'Secret Weapons' for success. [Business Insider $$$]

• Snapchat marketing: An in-depth guide for businesses. [Search Engine Journal]

• LinkedIn has published a new guide to its advanced revenue attribution report. [Social Media Today]

Even more new features and tests:

• LinkedIn's ‘More’ tab on your profile is now called Resources. [@lindseygamble_]

• LinkedIn has added more languages to its support options. [Social Media Today]

• Discord’s Quests feature is part of a push to monetise the millions of DMs that get sent on the platform every day. [TubeFilter]

• Discord has opened Activities, in-app games and features, to all developers. [VentureBeat]

• CapCut now lets you export your video after watching an ad if you're not a Pro subscriber. [@theahmedghanem]

• CapCut now lets you add or edit a cover straight from the main app and alongside Hypic. [@oncescuradu]

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📰 WEEKEND READS

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

• Why social media companies keep copying each other

• Inside Facebook’s scammy abortion access network

• Why do we obsessively watch our own Instagram Stories?

• Meet the TikTok influencers suing the US to save the platform

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😳 AND FINALLY…

Seriously, Moo Deng was EVERYWHERE this week. But this is ridiculous. 💄🦛

Beauty influencers tried to jump on the trend, and NO-ONE wants to look like a hippo, even a cute baby one.

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📅 BACK NEXT WEEK…

… After reading that last story, I feel like I have had way too much internet this week.

It’s time to log off and get my weekend started! 🍻

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Before you go…

Check out this fun video about Geekout that the team at Beehiiv created.

The AI-generated smile they put on my face is killing me 🤣

Beehiiv is the platform I use to write and send you Geekout.

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Right… I’m heading off to see Leftfield and Orbital in Cardiff tonight. 🎶

The hangover fear is already creeping in. 🥴

Goodbye, geeks!

p.s. This newsletter is edited by Martin SFP Bryant