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| | Well hello again, and welcome to this week's Geekout. | You'll be relieved to know there will no more slushie engagement / proposal spam this week! | This week's news has been dominated by… | Elon launched his Wikipedia knockoff 'Grokipedia', and it's as deranged as you'd expect. His personal page? A fan-fiction fever dream wrapped in PR spin 🙄
- Threads debuted 'Ghost Posts' that vanish after 24 hours…unless Google indexes them forever. Slight bug. Oops 🙈
- TikTok's U.S-China sale drama continues…Trump and Xi's talks stalled again, and people are worries about the app's turning into a right-wing echo chamber are rising 😬
| And it's been a big week for new features spotted in the wild, including: | Instagram's new algorithm tuning tool WhatsApp's shiny Apple Watch app Pinterest's AI shopping assistant that wants to dress you better than your mum ever did
| But before we get into it…
- | 3 cool things
- | ⚠️ What 560+ top marketers say will shape social in 2026 — and it's not just AI!
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- | ❤️ The best media insider newsletters I read every week. [ad] |  |
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| | SPONSORED - STATE OF SOCIAL 2026
What 560+ Top Marketers Say Will Shape Social in 2026 — And It's Not Just AI! |
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| | Overwhelmed by AI hype and trend fatigue? Let's fix that. | Social's moving fast... Teams are stretched, budgets are tight, and the "future of social" chat? … Mostly 💩! | That's why I'm joining Emplifi on Nov 13 for a fast, punchy, 45-minute webinar to unpack what's actually coming in 2026… | … Based on new survey insights from 560+ top marketers. | Join us to discover… | ✨ How AI workflows are finally saving time for stressed-out social teams 📈 Why UGC + micro-influencers are on the rise + how it's reshaping brand trust 🚀 The top social platforms + content formats worth investing in for 2026 🔥 How small social teams are scaling smarter — and avoiding burnout! … and more!
| Real insights. No jargon. Tactics you can steal.
📅 Nov 13 | 10 AM ET / 3 PM GMT | ⤷ Request Your Invite — spots are limited! | |
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| | 🔥 GEEKOUT HOT 5 | Geekout's pick of the hottest headlines in social this week: |
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| | TikTok still in limbo in U.S. after Trump-China talks yield no deal [STALLING] UK regulator Ofcom threatened social media giants with algorithm audits to protect kids online [FLEXING] U.S. immigration agency is building a social media surveillance tool to track everything Americans say online [SNOOPING] Threads launched 'Ghost Posts' that vanish after 24 hours [GHOSTING]
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| | SPONSORED - TOP NEWSLETTER - FREE
The Must-Read Briefing for Anyone In Media |
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| | What do execs at legacy media companies, tech's top marketers, and media start-up founders have in common? | They all read Semafor Media — your weekly Sunday night briefing from the people who know the industry inside and out. | Penned by industry veterans Ben Smith (ex-BuzzFeed News) and Max Tani, who have a combined 20+ years reporting in the trenches, Semafor Media isn't just news – it's the inside track on how news gets made. | Expect sharp analysis, the occasional juicy scoop, and insights you can leverage in your own marketing (and media) strategy. | ⤷ Subscribe for Free – and get ahead of the narrative. | |
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| | 🚨 EVERYONE'S TALKING ABOUT | Grokipedia strengthens Elon's reality distortion field |
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| | If I told you Elon Musk was launching his own rival to Wikipedia, what would you imagine? | You'd probably guess that it would be packed with pages copied from Wikipedia, blended with generous dose of racism and transphobia, topped off with a whole heap of praise for Elon Musk. | And that's EXACTLY what Grokipedia, which launched this week, is. | Intended to complement X and its AI chatbot Grok, Grokipedia is an embarrassing mess. Even if you think Wikipedia is sometimes a little biased to the left, a version biased to the right doesn't make things any better. Heck, even Grok agrees with that. | So why would Musk even bother? Here's what I think… | X might not be the biggest success in the world, but Musk benefits greatly from it because so many politicians and journalists use it. That means, through the algorithm, he can expose them to ideas he wants to promote. | Let's say he wants UK far-right activist Tommy Robinson to become more popular (and he does). Musk can highlight positive content about Robinson, get Grok to talk positively about him, and get Grokipedia to play down the more controversial aspects of his past. | Sure, other sources outside the X universe still have a more accurate picture of Robinson, but the more time you spend on X and other Musk products, the more likely to are to think he's popular and credible. And if you're a politician or journalist, that can affect your work. | It's a pretty sure bet that the atmosphere on X already affects politicians and journalists. A reporter saying that an MP should be deported would have been a scandal a few years ago, but when it happens on X, it's hard to argue that the vibes around that place didn't help lead to it. | Musk is building his own reality that helps further his own political interests. Grokipedia helps reinforce that reality. Just because something is popular or a 'fact' there, doesn't mean it is in real life. | The sooner influential people on X realise they're being played, the better for society. |
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| | ✨ NEW & NOTEWORTHY | Everything else you need to know from the past seven days… |
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| | Meta  / Facebook  | | | __________ | Instagram  |  | Instagram's new algorithm tuning feature | Image: Meta |
| | __________ | Threads  |  | Threads' new disappearing 'Ghost Posts' | Image: Meta |
| | __________ | Twitter / X  | | __________ | WhatsApp  |  | WhatsApp's new Apple Watch app | Image: WABetaInfo |
| WhatsApp is finally working on an Apple Watch app, bringing full-featured messaging to your wrist WhatsApp added passkey protection to end-to-end encrypted backups. Eliminating the need to memorize a 64-digit encryption key WhatsApp is testing a fresh profile design on Android that adds customisable cover photos WhatsApp is working on reaction stickers for Status posts WhatsApp will soon let you manage storage on a per-chat basis WhatsApp started asking users to accept new privacy updates related to ads in Channels and Status WhatsApp is working on the ability to create third-party groups, to comply with EU regulations WhatsApp is testing the ability to create and directly save stickers to personal packs WhatsApp is testing an emoji reaction bar and an 'end-to-end encrypted' label for calls WhatsApp is working on a feature that lets channel admins invite their contacts to follow their channels
| __________
| TikTok  |  | TikTok's enhanced messaging inbox for creators | Image: @oncescuradu |
| | __________ | YouTube  |  | YouTube TV's new Netflix-style redesign | Image: YouTube |
| | __________ | Snapchat  / LinkedIn  / Bluesky  |  | Snapchat+'s new 'Buddy Pass' perk | Image: @theahmedghanem |
| Snapchat introduced a new feature called 'Buddy Pass' for Plus subscribers, allowing them to share 7 days of free Snapchat+ membership with up to 3 friends LinkedIn is expanding its AI training to include data from users posts and profiles in the EU, UK, Canada, and Hong Kong starting 3 November. Opt out before then if you don't want to be included! LinkedIn is super-charging Thought Leader ads with smarter campaign manager tools, including allowing use of posts from 1st to 3rd degree connections in such ads Bluesky has a new, deeper blue app icon (but did anyone even notice?) Bluesky added multiple accounts support and a new 'Finance' interest topic Truth Social will now to allow betting on election results Patreon upgraded its newsletter features. Creators can now include multiple videos and audio clips, add CTA buttons, and access new newsletter insights
| __________ |
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| | 🔥 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 AI | The newest social media AI features spotted this week: |
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| | Adobe has developed an AI social media manager! | But it's more likely to help you, than steal your job… |
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| | Also spotted this week 👀 | …However, Google also launched a new AI tool that takes direct aim at replacing social media managers in small businesses Meta's Advantage+ lead generation campaigns are now live globally, streamlining lead gen with AI, new verification options, CRM upgrades, and more. Instagram now lets you restyle your Story text using Meta AI YouTube launched Ask Studio, a real-time AI tool that scans comments for sentiment, highlights performance gaps, and generates content ideas on command YouTube Shorts can bring photos to life Facebook now lets you create AI-generated images directly on desktop TikTok announces two new AI tools for creators: Smart Split and AI Outline, to streamline content creation and boost revenue X introduced a new AI chatbot named Mika, expanding its anime-inspired bot lineup OpenAI's generative AI video app Sora now lets users add custom pets, doodles, and avatars into videos … And Sora will now charge users $4 for 10 extra AI video generations, and will reduce the number of free generations in the future Pinterest launched 'Pinterest Assistant,' a voice-activated AI tool that makes personalised shopping suggestions Pinterest is revamping boards with AI to offer tailored recommendations, style ideas, and shoppable inspiration Adobe Firefly now includes AI soundtrack, speech, and video editor features, while Photoshop, Premiere Pro and Lightroom are all getting new AI features Canva launched its own foundational AI model to generate layered, editable designs via natural language prompts Reddit is alpha testing a new AI-powered ad tool aimed at streamlining campaign creation LinkedIn celebrated National AI in Work Day to help professionals find their edge, with free courses, a 5-day AI workflow challenge, and AI-powered interview prep
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| | 📈 SOCIAL FINANCE | The Q3 financial results for the major social platforms are in: |
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| | Meta added 60 million more active users in Q3 2025. | That brings Meta's 'Family Daily Active Users' total to 3.54 billion across Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Threads… | …With Threads now boasting 150 million daily users, up 50 million since December, and 400 million monthly actives (Zuck has Elon Musk's X in his crosshairs) | | Meta | But Meta's profits were hit by massive $15.9 billion one-off tax bill Zuck revealed it might not use its $72 billion AI spend for superintelligence anytime soon - it could be used for traditional social apps in the meantime Meta's Reality Labs reported a $4.4B Q3 loss, beating estimates but still bleeding cash And grab a tiny violin for Zuck, who fell to 5th in the billionaire Rich List after losing $29B in a day.
| Reddit | Reddit's revenue soared 68% YoY in Q3 to $585M Global daily active users rose 19% to 116M. But U.S user growth slowed to just 7%
| LinkedIn | LinkedIn comments surged 24% in 2025 thanks to smarter feed algorithms. Video posts are now shared 20x more than other content types, while watch time rose 36% last year LinkedIn's revenue increased by 10% in the latest period
| YouTube | YouTube's ad revenue hit $10.3B in Q3, its highest ever, fueling Alphabet's $102.34B quarter. Paid subscriptions across YouTube and Google One topped 300M. Google's AI chatbot Gemini has hit 650M active users.
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| | 💬 YOU CAN QUOTE ME ON THAT | When I'm quoted in the news, you'll find it here: |
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| | Character.ai will block under-18s from chatting with its AI bots after lawsuits and safety backlash. | I gave my thoughts on the move to BBC News. | |
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| | | Tap through below for more painfully accurate costumes in this carousel post 👇 |  | digital_chadvertising | |
|  | | digital_chadvertising | | Add a comment... |  |
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|  | roughshits733K followers | |
|  | | roughshits | | Add a comment... | |
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| | Lily Allen dropped her new album last Friday and it is BRUTAL about her breakup with Stranger Things actor David Harbour. | How much of it is true and how much is fiction is difficult to work out, but it's perfect material for memes, either way… | |  | • Sophie • @LarterSophie |  |
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Me explaining Lily Allen's new album track by track to my husband so he has context for why David Harbour is a scumbag | |  | | | 12:02 PM • Oct 24, 2025 | | | | | | 455 Likes 16 Retweets | 2 Replies |
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|  | Decade Scrolling @DecadeScrolling | |
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David Harbour opening up New Music Friday on his Spotify | |  | | | 10:52 PM • Oct 24, 2025 | | | | | | 7.64K Likes 270 Retweets | 7 Replies |
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| | Are you in Group 7? | "What started as singer Sophia James promoting her song turned into a viral inside joke and full-blown TikTok community…" |
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| | | And Sophia told Wired she's baffled about how it all took off. | __________ |
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| | Also going viral this week: 🔥 | |
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| | 'Group 7' might have started as a marketing stunt… | But that didn't stop brands like Pizza Hut, Burger King, Wendy's and Applebee's putting their own spin on it: |
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| | More brand news this week: 👀 | |
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| | "…When you play a character, you feel, at some point, you've grown into something else…" | - Jesse Eisenberg explained why he won't reprise his role as Zuckerberg in upcoming Social Network movie sequel 'The Social Reckoning' | Also overheard this week: 👂 | "…Being able to make a significantly larger investment here is very likely to be a profitable thing over some period…" -
– Mark Zuckerberg justified Meta's massive AI compute spend to investors
- "…You may see some enforcement action from us in the next few months if we don't start to get the answers that we're looking for on the algorithmic side of things…" -
– UK regulator Ofcom's CEO Melanie Dawes threatens social media giants with algorithm audits to protect children from online harmful content
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| | Deepfake detection has a long way to go, but we need it NOW. | "OpenAI's video generator uses a system that's supposed to help online platforms tag deepfakes — so why aren't we seeing them?" | |
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| | Remember those 2,396 XXX adult films Meta was accused of downloading to train AI? | Meta says that they weren't for AI at all… | …they were just downloaded by horny employees! 😵 😈 |
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| | Yikes…! | "…YouTube's recommendation engine exposed millions of users to an AI-generated NSFW thumbnail, appearing in feeds for unrelated searches..." | | Also: | |
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| | Meta is trying to revive Facebook's emotional appeal with its first brand campaign in four years. | 'A Little Connection Goes A Long Way' is aimed at engaging Gen-Z as the platform battles to make Facebook cool again… | …Not just a place for old folk a.k.a teen's parent! 👴🏻👵🏻 |
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| | 👔 YOU'RE HIRED! | Hot new social media jobs worth checking out this week: |
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| | More top social media jobs spotted this week 💼 | |
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| | Does social media rot our brains? Maybe it's less of an obvious link than you might think. | "…The link between social media use and poorer wellbeing is modest and shaped by our genetics, researchers in the Netherlands argue…" | | Also: | |
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| | What does good look like on Facebook in 2025? | Buffer looked at data from 52 million+ posts to find insights on engagement rates, and lots more useful insights… |
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| | More pro-tips worth checking out ✨ | |
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| | Even more social stats: 📈 | | | … But disappointingly, men earn 23% more than women across roles ($123K vs. $100K) | GOING SOCIAL?: Roughly 20% of OpenAI staff now hail from Meta, fuelling concerns the AI firm is adopting big tech habits RED HOT: Reddit's stock has surged over 300% since early 2024, fuelled by its prized status in the AI data wars TOTAL DRAMA: YouTube is officially the king of microdramas, nabbing 44% of all vertical drama views worldwide X IN THE EU: X saw EU user numbers rise to 102 million in its latest DSA report, up from April's 94.8 million SOCIAL SHOPPING: Nearly half (44%) of Gen Z shoppers now buy through social media, with TikTok driving discovery and purchases JUST LOOKING: Only 10–15% of users post publicly on OpenAI's Sora, echoing TikTok's power-user dynamic AI CREATION: According to a global Adobe survey, 86% of creators use creative generative AI in their work AI FEAR: LinkedIn research showed 41% of professionals feel overwhelmed by AI's rapid rise in 2025
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| | YouTube has topped the ranking of news platforms as creators eclipse traditional media… | |
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| | 💥 EVEN MORE SOCIAL MEDIA NEWS & UPDATES | | …and Australia is rolling out an ad campaign ahead of December's under-16 social media restriction law. [Social Media Today] | Google started rolling out YouTube-style age checks for Play Store. [Android Authority] The US Department of Homeland Security has tried to unmask an ICE-spotting Instagram account by claiming it imports merchandise. [404 Media] YouTube restructured its product org, promoting Christian Oestlien to lead all subscription services [Variety]
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| | 📰 WEEKEND READS | Geekout's pick of the best longer reads to sink into over the weekend: |
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| | "…Parents and kids are negotiating over what to post and if 'getting permission' means anything. For many, the effort is no longer worth it…" |
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| | More great weekend reads: | |
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| | What's the best way to kill a TikTok trend among kids..? | Their mom and dad jumping on it! | If you're a parent, here's your Halloween outfit for tonight… | It'll certainly give lots of teens a fright… Or unbearable levels of cringe: |
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| | …And that's everything new and noteworthy in social media land this week. | I'm heading off to finishing setting up our front porch ready for Halloween. | My scare goal? Epic Ring doorbell footage for TikTok, like this… 💀👌 |  | Watch now on TikTok | @quantum_ai_design | #halloween #viral #scareprank #spirithalloween2025 #spirithalloween |
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| Happy Halloween… And goodbye, geeks! 🎃 👻 | | P.S. This newsletter is edited by Martin SFP Bryant |
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