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Hello, geeks!
Last week we knew the UK teen social ban was coming.
This week, British PM Keir Starmer pulled the trigger — and went harder than anyone expected.
Starmer took to X to sell the ban — with all the warmth and charisma of a hostage proof-of-life video. 👇
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Under-16s are to be locked out of all the big platforms. Livestreaming: gone. In-game chat with strangers: gone.
But losing Snapchat and YouTube is the bit that'll sting teens the most.
The kids? Unbothered. 84% reckon they'll find a workaround (they will). And one teen's plan for life post-ban went viral: "Stare at a wall." 🫠
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More of my thoughts on all this coming up in a bit.
Elsewhere this week: Jimmy Kimmel called Zuck "a sneaky little narc making pervert glasses.” 😂
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Loads more below.
Let's crack on! 👇
— Matt-
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1 cool thing…
⚠️ How much of what you posted this week actually needed to exist? → Agorapulse's 2026 study has the 3 questions to ask before you hit publish → Get the study [ad]
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The answers are uncomfortable:
⚠️ 82% publish reactively — no intent, just feeding the calendar.
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The result? Posts written for everyone, that land with no one. Sound familiar?
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Meta’s new AI unit is a mess as employees describe “soul-crushing” vibe [MORALE-ZUCKING]
Snap’s first consumer AR glasses are coming this autumn for $2,195 [WALLET-EMPTYING]
X helps Elon Musk become a trillionaire, as it goes public in SpaceX IPO [WEALTH-ROCKETING]
Meta expands teen safety controls across Instagram, Facebook, and Messenger [REGULATOR-APPEASING]
The UK goes HARD on social media for teens
As last week’s Geekout went out, we knew a social media ban for under-16s was coming in the UK, but now we know the details.
Desperate for an easy win with voters, Keir Starmer’s government has turbo-charged the model Australia pioneered.
Under-16s will be banned from all the main social media platforms (including YouTube, which will be the biggest upset for many kids). There are also separate restrictions on gaming apps, where under-16s won’t be able to chat to strangers anymore.
Livestreaming is also banned for under-16s, while under-18s will no longer be able to use romantic chatbots that simulate sexual relationships.
But WHAT is being banned is only half the question. The really important part is HOW.
We won’t have full details about how enforcement will work until Ofcom has worked that out. But the onus right now appears to be on social media companies to ensure the right age groups have access to the right features, rather than app stores.
Getting the likes of Apple and Google to verify user ages would be less of a hassle for everyone… except the app stores themselves. It also wouldn’t feel like a ‘punishment’ for the likes of Meta, X, TikTok, and Snap. And punishment is definitely part of the narrative here.
Of course, however it’s enforced, the ban will be circumvented by enterprising kids. We’ve already seen that happen in Australia.
The really meaningful way to reduce social media harms would be to redesign the apps to focus on user wellbeing ahead of user retention. Forcing big tech companies to think this way would be a meaningful punishment and avoid the negative sides of a ban, such as the loss of connection that isolated teens will experience.
Some of the government’s messaging in recent months was about potentially going down this route.
But that’s a lot less headline-grabbing than a BAN, if you’re putting being popular ahead of coming up with a solution that works best for everyone.
Go deeper on the social media ban:
UK Social media ban - bold and blunt, but no silver bullet
‘The genie is out of the bottle’: parents react to UK under-16s social media ban
The impact of the social media ban for under 16s hinges on how firm it is
Five big unanswered questions about the UK's teen social media ban
Meta
/ Facebook
[Image: @theahmedghanem]
Facebook has been spotted offering a hidden World Cup game that lets you unlock a special app icon
Facebook now lets you sync your profile image with WhatsApp
Meta reportedly licensed face-recognition software from Rank One for smart glasses testing. Rank One sells surveillance tech to police, military and government agencies
Meta will reportedly drop opposition to the kids online safety legislation in the US if it also overwrites state AI laws
Meta now lets you link your WhatsApp Business number directly within the Meta Business Suite app
Meta is giving Ray-Ban AI glasses to blind US veterans
Meta is making Quest apps easier to launch, test and sell
Meta is expanding affiliate partnerships, bringing live video ads to Instagram, launching new live shopping, and more commerce updates
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Instagram
Instagram finally lets you add a unique caption to each carousel slide
Instagram has added a new Linktree-style feature for Meta Verified subscribers
Instagram has added a voice message sticker for Stories
Instagram has added six new app icons for Instagram Plus subscribers
Instagram Edits has added new audience insights, Reels performance comparisons, opacity blending, new sound effects, and more
Instagram appears to be rolling out Picture-in-Picture for Reels to more users
Instagram has been spotted offering a floating menu during scrolling on iOS
Instagram has added Olivia Rodrigo themed fonts
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Threads
[Image: Meta]
Threads is launching an updated Your Algo, letting users adjust feed topics for 1, 3 or 7 days. Also, Communities are exiting beta and Live Chats are expanding platform-wide
Threads lets you choose your favourite World Cup team to see footballs raining across your profile
Threads has added a ‘500 million users’ sticker pack as it hits that milestone
Threads is testing an updated notifications tab, with icons to easily distinguish between different types of content
Threads now offers highlights and a match schedule when you search for “World Cup”
Threads has also added a new slider for the Sticker feature that allows you to quickly navigate sticker packs
Threads is back in Türkiye after Meta withdrew it for two years in the country
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WhatsApp
[Image: WABetaInfo]
WhatsApp is adding a green dot for online contacts, starting on Android
WhatsApp is working on a home screen widget to quickly send voice messages in just a couple of taps on Android
WhatsApp is rolling out group voice and video calls on the Web
WhatsApp is introducing a new animation that plays when you send a message on Android
WhatsApp has expanded work on read-once text messages to iOS (it was previously spotted on Android)
WhatsApp now has backup controls directly inside Android device settings, thanks to a Google Play Services update
WhatsApp has added new notification badge settings, with more control over how the app icon badge is cleared on the Home Screen
WhatsApp is rolling out a redesigned About section on Android
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X / Twitter
X seems to act more often on UK reports of racist abuse where it is illegal and not simply hateful
xAI's lawsuit accusing OpenAI of stealing trade secrets has been thrown out
X is adding Google Tag Manager integration for advertisers
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TikTok
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YouTube
[Image: TikTok]
TikTok and Panini are turning World Cup stickers into daily tasks. Digital collectible cards can be found in TikTok’s in-app World Cup fan hub
Florida has sued TikTok in the first major enforcement test of the state’s child social media law
TikTok Shop is banning AI-generated voices and pre-recorded narration from promotional LIVEs
TikTok has rolled out an upgraded Inbox & Messaging Suite with dedicated options for personal and professional use cases
TikTok now lets you transcribe voice messages into text
TikTok says it will take 16 creators to Cannes Lions as the tech platforms descend on the French Riviera
TikTok is turning Olivia Rodrigro’s new album into a fan mission via an in-app experience
YouTube is testing removing text labels, so buttons become icon-only, along with other design tweaks on Android
YouTube is testing a new ‘like’ animation for travel-related shorts
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LinkedIn
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Snapchat
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Twitch
LinkedIn will now tell others how you really use top apps
LinkedIn now lets you comment with GIFs (2012 called, it wants its trendy ‘new’ product feature back)
Snapchat now lets you connect your Spotify account to help you share your music taste
Snapchat have launched Crowd Created, a live AR ad format in Times Square. HBO Max is the launch partner
Bluesky added the ability to reply to specific messages in DMs and group chats
India has blocked Telegram nationwide until 22 June after alleged medical exam fraud
Roblox launched accounts for kids and teens globally
Twitch launched Creator Certification to help brands identify sponsor-ready streamers
Mastodon launched its version of Bluesky starter packs
Facebook now has AI to answer questions based on public posts, Groups, and Reels, improved Camera Roll suggestions, and more.
What could possibly go wrong… 😬
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Improved Camera Roll suggestions with Meta AI on Facebook
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Also spotted this week…
Instagram Edits now lets you restyle videos with just a prompt
Meta AI has been spotted offering an incognito chat option in its own app and in WhatsApp
Meta will use AI to detect underage accounts from posts, comments, bios, captions and profile clues
TikTok now lets you mention TikTok Tako in comments to ask about a post or video
TikTok is testing a new ‘AI Pick for Me’ feature that automatically picks the best photos and videos from your camera roll to help you create faster
Snap is turning its ad platform into an AI campaign assistant
Telegram group admins can now add AI guardian bots to screen new members before they join
Pinterest has added AI-powered customer acquisition tools and one-click Shopify ad campaigns for SMBs.
Adobe has added its AI assistant to Premiere, Illustrator and InDesign
The UK’s under-16 social media ban is forcing fashion and beauty brands to rethink teen marketing.
Teen attention may shift toward YouTube, WhatsApp, Discord, Substack, pop-ups and in-store discovery.
That means brands will need focus groups, local research and niche-platform tracking to spot youth trends.
As I told The Business of Fashion: youth marketing is becoming less about buying attention and more about cultural spillover.
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Snap CEO Evan Spiegel will have wanted Snap’s latest AR glasses to go viral. But not like this.
The way they look awkwardly just a little too large, the way they appear to squash his ears… elegant they are not!
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But Spiegel had the perfect comeback to that particular dig…
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The World Cup is turning lesser-known players into social media stars
Cape Verde keeper Vozinha jumped from 50,000 to 12 million Instagram followers after drawing 0-0 with Spain
New Zealand's Tim Payne rose from under 5,000 to 6 million after an Argentine creator campaign
Australia's Kai Trewin went from 3,000 to 100,000+
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Also viral this week:
Disgraced former US President Richard Nixon has been given a makeover via slickly edited videos designed to make him go viral
FIFA has forced Levi's to cover up branding at the 68,000-seat Levi's Stadium during the World Cup, as the jeans brand hasn’t paid to be a sponsor of the tournament.
Instead of quietly complying, Levi's made the cover-up an entire marketing campaign.
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And Gillette joined in the fun…
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More brand news and views:
Substack is launching a sponsorship programme. Launch partners include Yahoo Scout, Whatnot, Granola, Balenciaga, T-Mobile, Polymarket and Uber
Foreign influencers could need US work visas to monetise World Cup content, potentially causing problems for FIFA’s TikTok and YouTube creator coverage plans
Meta is heading to Cannes Lions next week with the message that creators drive culture while AI personalises campaigns at scale
Consumers are already sick of brands shouting about AI
"Tell him that he's a piece of s**t."
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Also quoted this week:
“We’ve been far too timid in the face of broligarchs attempting to reshape our society and inspire hatred – we should be standing up to the forces of darkness online and offline, and we still can.”
- Wannabe British Prime Minister Wes Streeting says platforms that promote violent content should pay towards the cost of dealing with resulting riots
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“This censorship law is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. The real goal is to enable the UK government to track everyone.”
- Elon Musk takes a dim view of the UK’s teen social media ban
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“You cannot solve a design problem with an access ban. If the diagnosis is that social media platforms are harming children, the remedy should be to regulate the platforms, not exclude children"
- Kerry Moscogiuri, CEO of Amnesty International UK isn’t a fan of the ban either
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“We obviously did an atrocious job explaining the vision, giving people a clear picture of how we would support them and their careers in the shift, and painting a picture of how it would change over time.”
- Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth admits the company screwed up its AI-focused reorganisation, in an email to staff
Kept awake at night by a constant urge to check social apps?
HyperSleep locks distracting social apps until it verifies you actually slept.
It uses Google Sleep API, motion, ambient light and phone-use signals to check sleep.
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Also this week:
The Commodore Callback 8020 is a flip phone that blocks social media and browsers
A decade-long Australian study has linked more than two hours per day on social media hours to poorer teen wellbeing
The strongest association was found in girls aged 12 to 13
Researchers stress the study shows a link, not proof that social media directly causes depression
They also warn that deleting every app ignores the benefits of social connection, identity, and support that social media can provide.
The takeaway: early teen limits and better digital literacy beat blanket panic.
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Also:
New research finds high-status Reddit users are less likely to share misinformation
Sunscreen misinformation spreads way faster than the truth on TikTok, a study has revealed
Cape Verde defender Roberto "Pico" Lopes earned an international call-up for the World Cup… via a LinkedIn message! 😮
He ignored the first message in 2019, assuming the approach was a prank.
The 33-year-old started Cape Verde's first-ever World Cup match on 15 June 2026.
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More WTF this week:
TikTok shoppers thought they were bidding on iPhones. Instead, they won teddy bears
Faceless YouTube creators are getting hit by the AI slop crackdown
Meta announced an internal AI hackathon… but it only made morale worse among the company’s AI teams
Meta is preparing token limits to control employee AI usage and costs, after previously telling them to use it as much as possible
It is trivially easy to use Reddit to manipulate AI search, research suggests
Want to brush up on your YouTube knowledge?
This guide from Hootsuite is packed with the latest stats and user habits to help you make the most of the platform…
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Also this week:
Instagram: Adam Mosseri says there’s no universal best time to post. If you really want to optimise, check your insights to see when your followers are actually online
LinkedIn + Adobe have launched a global AI skills initiative for marketing professionals
44%
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More social stats:
SOCIAL PROS: Link-in-Bio’s study of social media professionals also found:
59% feel better about work than last year, with 62% more respondents now giving scores of 8+ out of 10
“Overwhelmed”, “exhausted” and “tired” made up 24% of all mood responses combined
41% said carousels as the format performing best, beating short-form video at 39%
Interest in chasing trends dropped 19% year over year as brands focused more on original ideas
26% launched new accounts recently, led by TikTok, YouTube, YouTube Shorts and Reddit.
Go deeper with Rachel Karten’s Link In Bio newsletter
NICE THREADS: Threads has hit 500 million monthly active users, up 100 million in 10 months
BEAT THE BAN: 84% of UK young people think children will find workarounds to the planned under-16s social media ban
SCANDALOUS: 61% of consumers expect brands to address controversies on social media
SLOPPY: 59% of fresh-account TikTok For You videos were AI slop in a recent study
SEARCHING TIMES: TikTok says daily searches are up 40% year-on-year on the platform, even as AI reshapes discovery
NEWSFLASH: TikTok is now used by 20% globally for news, Instagram by 26%, YouTube by 34% and Facebook by 43%
REDDIT AGAIN: 77% of Redditors visit 2+ communities to validate a purchase before committing
Metricool’s big 2026 Instagram study is out.
It analysed 24.4m posts from 375,118 Instagram accounts across Jan-Feb 2025 and 2026. It found:
Brands posted 24% more content, while views rose 27% and interactions jumped 19%
Reels posting rose 35%, shares climbed 67%
Reels average watch time is now 8.5 seconds, up from 4 seconds last year
It features this useful Instagram vs. TikTok comparison for average video and carousel performance:
“Although Reels continue to grow on Instagram, TikTok remains the clear leader for vertical video”
“Instagram Reels still get 29% fewer views and 14% fewer interactions on average than TikTok videos.”
“The pattern reverses when it comes to carousels, and this format generates 4.7x more views and 5.8x more interactions on Instagram than on TikTok.”
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Also charted this week:
WORLD VIEW: Countries with teen social media restrictions, mapped
BEAST MODE: MrBeast’s road to 500 MILLION subscribers
BANNED: The effect the Australian teen social ban had on actual teen social usage
BREAKING NEWS: The growth of social media as a source of news
TOP TUBE: YouTube is now America’s biggest digital audio platform
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Also spotted this week…
Snap is spinning out is generative AI video team into Dotmo, focused on interactive gaming experiences, because costs were spiralling. [TechCrunch]
A Meta executive leading the company’s internal AI overhaul has left after two months in the job. [TNW]
UK ministers have lobbied Trump to avert a backlash against social media ban [The Guardian]
The UK attorney general has told his office to no longer post on X, making it the first UK government department to stop using platform. [The Guardian]
The UK teen social media ban could cut off a lifeline for disabled children. [The Guardian]
Telegram has been questioned by UK communications regulator Ofcom after an arsonist who targeted properties linked to Keir Starmer was recruited on app. [The Guardian]
Fake news about Andy Burnham surged on Facebook as this week’s Makerfield by-election approached in the UK (it didn’t work - he won by a landslide). [Social Market Foundation]
The Telegram ban in India has sparked a rush to VPNs and rival apps. [TechCrunch]
Meta’s Rivos acquisition reportedly hasn’t helped the company’s AI chip push like it hoped. [The Information $$$]
Jeremy Allen White says he didn’t hear his co-star Jeremy Strong’s Mark Zuckerberg voice until he saw the ‘Social Reckoning’ trailer [The Hollywood Reporter]
Meta exec Dina Powell McCormick is courting Wall Street for the company’s $600bn US AI infrastructure push. [Financial Times $$$]
New features and tests:
Telegram polls now support links, while Telegram’s browser gets Markdown files and better link controls. [Telegram Blog]
Microsoft Ads now lets advertisers target audiences by LinkedIn job seniority. [Search Engine Land]
The other big trend for social media platforms in 2026? — User-controlled algorithms.
But will people actually use them to customise their feeds?
Worried you’re getting left behind with the latest internet slang?
Check out this guide to the latest words you need to know, from “chat” and “aura” to “brainrot” and “twin”…
Right, that's your lot for this week.
I will be taking a week’s break from Geekout next week,
But Geekout's Editor-in-Chief, Martin SFP Bryant, will be your guide to whatever social media land throws up — you're in safe hands.
I'm heading off to Zante for a self-imposed digital detox — basically like Starmer's social media ban, but with better weather and worse sunburn.
My fiancee thought it might be best i get a spray tan. So she has booked me one for later today.
In my head right now:
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Gif by friends on Giphy
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and
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Giphy
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I will let you know how it goes when i get back. 🤞
Goodbye, geeks!
P.S. This newsletter is edited by Martin SFP Bryant
