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Welcome back, folks! | I hope you all had a 'cracking' Easter break (ba-dum-tsh) š | Following my rare break from publishing Geekout, this week's is a double-stuffed edition, full of everything new in social from the past 14 days. | Zuck's FTC antitrust trial revelations, Instagram's new CapCut-rival video editing app Edits, YouTube turning 20 years old… | …All that and more, coming up in moment. | But first… | | __________ | The button that changed the world š | | Books and my ADHD brain? Not a love story. I usually start with the best of intentions and abandon ship 15 pages in. | But the lovely folks at Harvard Business Review Press gifted me an advanced copy of 'LIKE: The Button That Changed The World'. | | I pushed through the ADHD-brain pain to check it out — and against all odds, I actually finished it. | The book unpacks the wild backstory of the "like" button — how a tiny thumbs-up morphed into a billion-dollar dopamine machine driving social platforms, influencer marketing, and the rise of the creator economy. | It's full of juicy bits: who really invented the button, why it stuck, how it hijacks our brains, and how it's shaped everything from ad spend to our self-worth. | There's even a section on the "like economy" — aka how brands profit from our need for validation. Fun stuff. | For social media managers, it's a fascinating mix of tech origin story, media critique, and future-gazing provocation. Smart, sharp, and way more entertaining than it has any right to be. | The book is written by Martin Reeves, Chair of BCG Henderson Institute, and Bob Goodson, a Silicon Valley pioneer who contributed to the creation of the "Like" button. | It's out April 29. Add it to your must-read list. | ✨ Got any other ADHD-friendly book recs that won't lose me at chapter two? Hit reply and share! |
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š„ GEEKOUT HOT 5 | Geekout's pick of the hottest headlines in social this week: |
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 | Meta on trial: Every revelation from the Meta-FTC antitrust trial so far | Here's what we learned when Mark Zuckerberg took the stand. |
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Instagram's new CapCut rival video editing app 'Edits' hits #1 in App Store charts [ROCKETING] Ofcom announces 40+ strict child online safety rules including age verification for social platforms in UK [ENFORCING] EU fined Meta €200 million for breaking DMA rules with ad-free subscription model [PUNISHING] YouTube turns 20 and is on track to be the world's biggest media company [DOMINATING]
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šØ EVERYONE'S TALKING ABOUT… | Meta goes on trial |
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 | Meta Attorney Blasts FTC's Antitrust Case As "At War With The Facts And At War With The Law", Says It Ignores TikTok's Competitive Influence |
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The big antitrust trial against Meta began in the US last week, with the FTC arguing that Facebook sought to "neutralise" competitive threats. | The trial could ultimately end with Meta being broken up, something Mark Zuckerberg is so keen to avoid that the company has been spending heavily on lobbying and sucking up to Donald Trump. | That the trial is happening at all makes it clear that all that sucking up hasn't amounted to much. Zuck offered $450 million to settle the case… But the FTC demanded $30 BILLION! š³ | Still, for social media geeks like us, the ongoing trial has told us a bunch of fun things. | For example, we've had insights into the acquisition of Instagram. Sheryl Sandberg thought Meta overpaid for the app and considered blocking Google+ ads to keep that social network down. One reason Facebook didn't kill Instagram after buying it was to keep "everyone from hating us", according to an old email from Zuck. Apple, Google, and Twitter were interested in buying Instagram before Meta did, and Instagram's co-founder Kevin Systrom said Meta denied his company resources to grow in the early days. | And while it's perhaps no surprise that Mark Zuckerberg thinks TikTok is Meta's biggest threat (it has apparently has shot a hole of up to $6 billion in Meta's revenue), has also said LinkedIn is now a real competitor to Meta's platforms. | While don't know how the trial will ultimately play out, the FTC's case looks pretty shaky. It hinges on the idea that Meta's only competition is Snapchat and an obscure app called MeWe …which is obviously nonsense. | Does the US government even understand what Meta is? Zuck will be hoping the judge sees the holes in the FTC's argument. | Here are a few more fun insights from the trial so far… | |
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✨ NEW & NOTEWORTHY | Everything else you need to know from the past seven days… |
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Meta / Facebook š„ |  | Facebook's new(ish) Downvote button for spam comments |
| Meta finally admitted Facebook has a spam problem and announced new moves to tackle it. Facebook will restrict reach + monetisation of spammy accounts, add a downvote button on comments, and more Meta's opt-out options for AI training data don't work, some users have complained Meta add new tools to lets brands track if their ads actually generated sales Meta tried to curry favour from Trump by sponsoring the traditional White House Easter Egg Roll as its blockbuster antitrust trial continues Meta's Oversight Board has criticised the company for rushing through major hate speech rule changes Meta's Ray-Ban glasses now have stylish new looks and smarter AI Facebook added a new feature called 'Focus', offering options like reaching more people, maximising earnings Facebook has a new security scorecard feature for agencies, to help protect client accounts __________
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Instagram ✨
|  | Instagram's new collaborative 'Storylines' feature |
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Threads š§µ / WhatsApp š¬
|  | Thread's new web app features |
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Twitter ('X') š¤”
| | | __________ |
YouTube šŗ
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TikTok š±
|  | TikTok's new reviews tab on videos |
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LinkedIn š¼
|  | LinkedIn's new verification badge for use on other websites, platforms |
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Bluesky / Pinterest / Snapchat / More… š¦
|  | Bluesky's new verification badges |
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š„ 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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š¤ SOCIAL A.I. | The newest social media A.I. features spotted this week: |
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 | Instagram Implements Expanded AI Age Checking, New Parent Prompts |
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Also spotted this week š | |
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⏪ IN CASE YOU MISSED IT… | Top stories from last week, when Geekout took a break: |
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 | TikTok Adds Community Notes to Complement Fact-Checking | TikTok becomes the latest social app to implement crowd-sourced fact-checking. |
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| Instagram officially launched Blend, letting you create a custom, invite-only Reels feed for you and your friend(s) from a DM chat Meta blocked Apple Intelligence on Facebook and its other iOS apps It emerged that X's UK revenue crashed 66% in the year after Elon Musk's Twitter takeover TikTok tightened brand safety with new ad placement tools YouTube expanded its 'Hype' programme, and provided advice ahead of mid-roll ad changes …and failed UK Prime Minister Liz Truss wants to launch a 'free speech' social network (to go with all of the others?!)
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š¬ YOU CAN QUOTE ME ON THAT | When I'm quoted in the news, you'll find it here: |
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| | And as Bluesky launches its own Twitter-style blue-check verification… | | |
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As Geekout took a week off last week, now's my chance to share my favourite 'Katy Perry goes to space' memes… |  | welp. @YSLONIKA |  |
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this lasted shorter than Selena Gomez Social media breaks i'm crying | |  | | | 2:13 PM • Apr 14, 2025 | | | | | | 187K Likes 10.2K Retweets | 241 Replies |
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|  | solcito @_valkyriecroft | |
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"katy perry going to space!!"
The actual trip: | |   | | | 12:59 PM • Apr 14, 2025 | | | | | | 32K Likes 2.89K Retweets | 338 Replies |
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|  | Chris Udalla @Cudalla | |
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Katy Perry spent 11 minutes in space? I spent 9 hours at the mall of america on acid at 18 years old. i'm not saying i'm better than her i'm just saying it's obvious who the real american hero is. | | | 4:25 PM • Apr 14, 2025 | | | | | | 148K Likes 9.2K Retweets | 399 Replies |
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|  | one dozen rats at a keyboard @PanasonicDX4500 | |
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starting a conspiracy that the katy perry who came back from space isn't the same one who went up. | | | 2:14 PM • Apr 14, 2025 | | | | | | 90.3K Likes 6.29K Retweets | 255 Replies |
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Don't tell me identical twins can't be telepathic… š§ | These two went mega-viral on TikTok this week, and have appeared on endless chat shows and morning TV programmes around the world. |  | Identical Twins Go Viral for In-Sync Video Recounting Carjacking | The twins' uncanny synchronization while recounting the ordeal has captured the internet's attention. |
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"Whatever you think about Wendy's comments lamenting Katy Perry's return from space, one aspect of the fracas is beyond dispute: Brands on X have touched the third rail like this before…" |  | Seizing the Social Moment on X Is a Dangerous Game for Brands |
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"There are some social media channels that are particularly vitriolic and are descending into a gutter" | - London Marathon director Hugh Brasher on why the event has stopped using X | Also overheard this week: | A 2018 email revealed Mark Zuckerberg wanted Instagram to "keep growing, even understanding it will naturally cannibalise FB somewhat."
"These videos promoting extreme thinness are revolting and absolutely unacceptable… the social networks cannot escape their responsibility" – France's digital minister Clara Chappaz has reported TikTok's #SkinnyTok trend to regulators
"We don't care where a company's from and who's running it. We care about protecting people" – European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen insists the EU will enforce its digital laws fairly "I don't want to be responsible for orchestrating what app I'm opening to do a thing" – Meta CTO Andrew 'Boz' Bosworth wants AI to make apps irrelevant
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This musical Powerpoint presentation about a jaw dropping experience on Facebook Marketplace is a hilarious work of genius… And went viral last week. š¤£ | Tap through to watch it in full! | |
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"A comment is far more than a quiet extension of a post — it reveals the nature of a community and its values. It has become media within media…" |  | The Art of Commenting on Social Media |
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You can buy anything on Facebook Marketplace. Including, it seems, human remains… š³ |  | Florida Woman Arrested for Selling Human Remains on Facebook Marketplace |
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Neptune, currently in beta, "has attracted attention from hundreds of thousands of users, with 970 testers participating and 400,000 people on the waitlist." |  | Meet Neptune, a TikTok alternative where creators can hide likes and follower counts |
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š YOU'RE HIRED! | Hot new social media jobs worth checking out this week: |
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| CondƩ Nast is looking for a Social Media Manager for Bon AppƩtit & Epicurious [New York City, NY, USA] |
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More top social media jobs spotted this week š¼ | |
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RIP Fyre Festival 2: the dream is dead? But is anyone really surprised? |  | Shocker: Fyre Festival 2 Postponed Indefinitely | The infamously disastrous music festival will not be getting a round two anytime soon. |
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šŖ¦ RIP | Social media features heading for the graveyard: |
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X users are angry after it emerged the @Support account is to be axed… š¤¬ |  | Disgruntled users roast X for killing Support account | X will soon remove Support account suspended users viewed as a lifeline. |
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Heads-up LinkedIn creators: 'Create on LinkedIn' is a new hub offering content creation tips, tools, and training courses: |  | Create on LinkedIn | Tools and strategies to grow and thrive as a LinkedIn Creator |
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More pro-tips worth checking out ✨ | |
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Even more social stats: š | TOO MUCH TO WATCH: YouTube sees 20+ MILLION videos uploaded daily THE TRUMP EFFECT: China tariffs could cost Meta $7 billion in ad revenue this year INTERCEPTION: Instagram is the most-followed account… on Instagram, with 687 million followers STREAM KING: Ninja is the most-followed Twitch streamer in 2025 with 19.2 million followers UNREAL: Virtual creators (VTubers) now generate over 50 billion views a year on YouTube, a 1.5x increase since 2021 GRIM: 1 in 7 US teens exchange explicit images online for money or goods, according to a recent study AI-DVANTAGE: Meta says AI ad tools drive 22% more revenue, and 11% higher CTRs TEEN DANGER: Snap says 33% of teens report being groomed online, and 63% of those who share intimate images lose control of them — up 13 points since October BIG BUSINESS: The FBI says online scams raked in $16.6 billion last year SERIOUS BUSINESS: 59% of creators now identify as entrepreneurs, up 16% YoY
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More charted social insights spotted this week: š. | |
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 | MORE META NEWS |
|  | Videos disparaging trans women aren't hate speech, Meta Oversight Board says |
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| Meta was 'too slow' during UK riots last summer to deal with violent posts online, according to an independent review. [Sky News] Meta has laid off staff from Oculus Studios and fitness app Supernatural. [The Verge] The EU has paused a Digital Markets Act cease-and-desist order against Meta ahead of trade talks with the USA. [Wall Street Journal $$$] The EU has removed Facebook Marketplace from its Digital Markets Act oversight. [European Commission] A campaign group report says Instagram's new Teen Accounts fail to protect teen users. [BBC News] 45 families who lost children to online harms held a vigil outside Meta's NYC office, demanding urgent action. [TechCrunch] Beat Saber unsurprisingly tops the list of the best-selling Meta Quest games of all time. [Road to VR]
| New features and tests: | Instagram: | Instagram now allows you to send music in broadcast channels. [@theahmedghanem] Instagram has revamped the backgrounds available for Stories. [@oncescuradu] Instagram's Reels feed has new filter options. [Social Media Today] Instagram now allows you to post Reels and automatically add them to your Story. [@jonahmanzano] Instagram is now showing view counts for both posts and Reels on the grid to more users. [@_lindseygamble] Instagram is testing "Voice Enhance," a new feature designed to reduce background noise and improve audio quality in your videos. [@theahmedghanem]
| Threads: | | WhatsApp | | The rest: Creator Studio / Adtech / Quest and more: | Meta has added dynamic pricing overlays to Advantage+ ads. [Social Media Today] Meta has rolled out incremental attribution, to improve ad accuracy. [Jon Loomer]
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 | MORE TIKTOK NEWS |
|  | Is that the sound of the TikTok Shop bubble popping? These creators aren't worried yet. | TikTok Shop creators have weathered ban rumors, an actual ban, a resurrection, and now a trade war. |
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| TikTok's US shopping team is being restructured after poor performance, harsh reviews and layoffs. [Business Insider $$$] TikTok has struck a new MLS deal after viral Messi stream success. [Social Media Today]
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š„ EVEN MORE SOCIAL MEDIA NEWS & UPDATES |  | Government censorship comes to Bluesky, but not its third-party apps ... yet | Government censorship has found its way to Bluesky, but there's currently a loophole thanks to how the social network is structured.Earlier this |
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| YouTube's TV & Shorts push is putting fresh pressure on creators. [Marketing Brew] 4chan went down after a major hack exposed user data, mods, and site source code. [Engadget] Cannes Lions is expanding its creator programming, with LIONS Creators 2025. [TubeFilter] Some influencers are facing heat over their lavish lifestyles. [Axios]
| New features and tests: | |
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š° WEEKEND READS | Geekout's pick of the best longer reads to sink into over the weekend: |
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 | YouTube is everything and everything is YouTube | YouTube won the entertainment business — but it's only getting started. |
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More great weekend reads: | |
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Here's a fun one, in case you missed it… An AI prank in California hijacked crosswalks with Musk and Zuck voices š |
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 | Watch now on TikTok | @rosecampau | our crosswalks just got vc funding apparently #paloalto #elonmusk #tesla #siliconvalley #walkablecities |
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I did warn you this week's Geekout was double-stuffed! š | But you've made it to the end, instead of doing that piece of work you're putting off. | Right folks, I'm heading off to meet Ryan Reynolds. | His social team invited me and my kids up to watch Wrexham F.C's final home game of the season against Charlton. | | It's going to be nailbiter as they are fighting to finish 2nd in the league to gain automatic promotion. | My 15 year old daughter, who hates watching football, is suddenly very keen to come along. I wonder why? | | Goodbye, geeks! | | P.S. This newsletter is edited by Martin SFP Bryant |
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