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| Hello, geeks! | This week, I experienced my first mortifying AI mistake. 😬 | You know the kind… the one where your soul leaves your body mid-scroll. |  | Giphy |
| I thought I'd share it in case you've had a rough week — maybe it'll give you a moment of amusement. | Earlier this week, I had a video call with a potential client who invited me to speak at an event and collaborate on a new social media project. | It was a good opportunity — but after thinking it through, the payment terms didn't quite stack up. | So I drafted an email outlining my concerns, with a counteroffer. Hit send. Thought no more about it. | The next day, they replied saying they respected my position, but suggested revisiting the opportunity later in the year. | Fair enough. It happens. No big deal. | I scrolled back up the email thread to refresh my memory on what was originally offered — and what I'd sent. | That's when my heart stopped. Head hit desk. Immediate regret. | Before sending the email, I'd asked ChatGPT to quickly redraft it — just to tighten the tone and clean up any typos. | The edits looked good. So I copy/pasted the revised version into my reply. | In my ADHD haste, I didn't double-check it. Big mistake. | This is the email I actually sent: 😱 | | -
FML. 🤦🏻♂️ | Have you experienced a fear-inducing AI fail? | Drop me a reply with your ChatGPT mistakes. | __________ | 2 cool things… | ❤️ I LOVE this free AI toolkit built by social media managers—for social media managers — AI prompts, cheat sheets, shortcuts that work. | -
🕹️ TikTok has hidden a secret emoji-based game inside your DMs. [ad] |
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| EXCLUSIVE ▶︎ GEEKOUT INTERVIEWS… | Why Instagram's Edits is a boutique. NOT a Costco! 📱 | | -
I've been wanting to shake up Geekout for a while… | Break out of the weekly scroll… and get closer to the people actually pulling the strings. | Every week, I break down what's happening across social — New features. Platform shifts. Algorithm chaos. | But what if we could get access to the people behind the scenes… | 🏢 The people at Meta, TikTok, LinkedIn, X, YouTube, Snapchat building and controlling the platforms 🔥 The top social talent posting through it for your favorite brand accounts
| And what if I could get YOUR questions answered too? | So last month I finally did something about it. | I opened up my social media insiders contact list.
Dropped a few messages to Meta.
Asked to speak to the person behind the Edits app. | And they said yes! | So… here's the first edition of Geekout Interviews… | Kicking off with Instagram's product director for the Edits app… Matt Simari. | In this edition of Geekout Interviews… | 🤔 Why Matt thinks Instagram's Edits is a boutique. NOT a Costco. ✨ Get a first look at a NEW feature coming soon to Edits 🤐 Uncover the ONE question I asked Matt, but he refused to answer!
…and more!
| Watch / Read the FULL interview — Geekout Interviews… Matt Simari | |
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| | | | YouTube staff aimed for "viewer addiction" to boost engagement, court docs reveal [TROUBLING] UK social media users are posting a lot less as AI use surges [PASSIVE-SCROLLING] Meta is considering killing funding for its Oversight Board [CUTTING] TikTok could launch banking features as it applies for fintech license in Brazil [BANKING]
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| SPONSORED ▶︎ FREE AI TOOLKIT | The AI Toolkit Built for People Who Actually Run Social 🤖 | | - | Does this sound familiar…? | Your boss discovered AI last week after reading one LinkedIn post… | …And now he wants a new social strategy of "do more with AI." 😭 | Cool. But how?! 🤬 | Most AI advice is built for developers. | Not for busy social media teams! | Meanwhile you're… | 😠 Rewriting ChatGPT outputs for the 5th time 🙏 Trying to make captions sound human 🤔 Wondering if AI is actually saving time… or stealing it
| Here's the fix 👇 | Agorapulse just dropped a FREE AI toolkit built for social teams (not engineers) | Inside you'll get access to: | 🎥 2 Webinars: Time-saving AI shortcuts that will save you hours + How to make AI sound like YOUR brand 🔥 Cheat Sheet: Ready-to-use killer AI prompts built for social teams ✅ Checklist: A step-by-step checklist to stop you getting generic AI output
| The 1st webinar? Completely FREE — No form. No email. Just press play. | Drop your work email to unlock the rest. 1 form, 3 resources. | 4,000+ social teams already use Agorapulse's AI features daily. | 👉 Fix your AI nightmares now… Grab this FREE AI toolkit | |
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Instagram's answer to Snapchat+ looks like a cheap stalker toolkit for IG obsessives
| | We knew Meta was working on premium subscriptions for its main platforms. And now the first to actually make it out in the wild has arrived from Instagram. | Say hello to Instagram Plus, currently being tested in a handful of markets. | The subscription gives you a bunch of features that might appeal to Instagram addicts: create multiple story audiences, get story rewatch insights, search your story viewers list, preview stories (more on that in a moment, extend your story's expiry, send super hearts to stories, and spotlight your story. | Some people have labeled the Instagram bolt-on a 'stalker toolkit',' by giving users the ability to view stories anonymously. However, on the flip side, Instagram Plus also allows you see which of your followers are obsessing over you with story rewatch super-powers. | None of these features are going to set your world alight unless you live and breathe Instagram to an obsessive degree. For most pros and creators, a Meta Verified subscription has the features you'll want. | It's better to think of Instagram Plus as being akin Snapchat+: extra features for the the most ardent users. And just like Snapchat+, I can imagine Instagram will add more features to Plus as time goes on. | Perhaps reflecting the value of the features, or maybe just because it's a test right now, pricing for Instagram Plus is DIRT CHEAP. | Meta hasn't said which markets it's being tested in, but TechCrunch rounded up the pricing it had seen: | "It costs MX$39 (approximately $2.20 USD) per month in Mexico, ¥319 per month (approximately $2 USD) in Japan, and PHP 65 per month (approximately $1.07 USD) in the Philippines." | That's incredibly low! So if it rolls out more widely in its current form, Instagram Plus won't break the bank, but then it won't give you THAT many interesting features, either. | I'd expect both the feature set… and the price… to increase over time. |
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| | | Meta  / Facebook  |  | Meta's first prescription AI glasses | Credit: Meta |
| Meta launched new prescription AI glasses in 'Blayzer' and 'Scriber' styles, with new features including Nutrition Tracking and Neural Handwriting (I'm tempted by these) Meta's longtime content policy chief Bickert is leaving to teach at Harvard Meta is assembling an elite AI lab to upgrade Facebook and Instagram algorithms Meta rolled out intensive "AI Week" training to turn employees into active AI builders Facebook is testing a new way to interact with Stories, with quick replies and a separate tab for emojis above the reply box Facebook started displaying friends' Notes as Stories, with two quick action buttons Facebook introduced a refreshed music info menu with options to add tracks to Spotify, use them in a Story, and more Facebook added options for Pages to include service credentials, specialties and services, and media kit links Facebook is testing a new Creator Activity feature in broadcast channels that directs users to a dedicated feed showing content they may have missed from Pages they follow. Facebook now allows you to "manage product link" per Reel Messenger on the web could live on, without the Messenger name and at a new URL, according to a new notice from Meta
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| | Instagram  |  | Instagram's Teleprompter feature for Reels | Credit: @oncescuradu |
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| | WhatsApp  / Threads  |  | WhatsApp is testing a native CarPlay app | Credit: WABetaInfo |
| WhatsApp is testing a CarPlay app, replacing its previous Siri-only integration WhatsApp is working on a feature that lets you see a list of which of their contacts are currently online WhatsApp is rolling out a feature that lets channel admins reply to their updates WhatsApp is testing a feature that adds new Unicode 17.0 emojis directly to the built-in keyboard WhatsApp is testing a feature to replace blank profiles with photos from the address book WhatsApp Business is testing a new "Alerts" feature that displays account-related notifications within the app. WhatsApp's former security chief is "not done fighting" after his lawsuit alleging serious security flaws was dismissed Threads added two new reply filters on iOS, making it easier to manage conversations and keep your community in check Threads now displays the number of recent posts added by an account in search results
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| | X / Twitter  |  | X testing new photo editor on iOS | Credit: @oncescuradu |
| X is rolling out a new photo editor on iOS, with more advanced features X has been strongly endorsed by the US State Department as part of its global anti-propaganda strategy X has asked a court to dismiss a music piracy lawsuit, claiming there is no evidence of it actively encouraging piracy
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| | TikTok  / YouTube  |  | Credit: TikTok |
| TikTok has integrated Cameo into its app, giving creators new monetisation options TikTok now has an 'Archive' feature for stories and thoughts. New York City has reversed its TikTok ban for government agencies following the app's change of US ownership YouTube launched "Comments to Heart" to let channels auto-like positive comments YouTube officially launched 'Stations', which let creators turn playlists into nonstop streaming channels YouTube has received an open letter from 200+ experts, schools, and groups urging it to block AI-generated kids' content YouTube is expanding its Coachella 2026 livestream setup with seven stages, starting 10 April YouTube will host its Brandcast event in NYC on 13 May, pushing the platform as the future of media
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| | Reddit  / Pinterest  / Snapchat  | Reddit is the most-cited source by AI search and chatbots in 2026, according to a new study Reddit opened up its Reddit Pro tools to all publishers in free public beta Pinterest is pushing performance ads, betting measurement will unlock more ad spend Snapchat expanded Creator Subscriptions to all eligible users Snapchat revealed the winners of its first-ever "Snappys" awards, including David Dobrik, DJ Khaled, and Kylie Jenner Snapchat is working on a way to share music without using a sticker Twitch upgraded mobile streaming with new tools to boost creator control, including multi-tasking while streaming + disconnect protection Telegram upgraded polls along with adding support for live photos on iOS and Android CapCut launched a new content creation app on desktop, called CapCut Video Studio Netflix is working on Discord-style social features for its games Beehiiv is launching a podcasting platform to take on Substack and Patreon
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| | YouTube has been testing AI-generated summaries that replace video titles on its home feed… but it's buggy and a bit useless… | | __________ | Also spotted this week… | |
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| | Elon Musk and the SEC are heading toward trial over 2022 the billionaire's Twitter share purchases. | The SEC alleges late disclosure cost investors over $150 million. | Settlement talks failed; both sides reject alternative dispute resolution. | | Elon Musk faces an escalation in legal problems over his Twitter acquisition, after a judge allowed investors to combine their claims into a class action lawsuit. The judge who once revoked Elon Musk's pay package is stepping aside from several ongoing cases against him after she 'liked' a LinkedIn post mocking him 😬
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| | A new Ofcom report reveals the number of UK social media users posting content has fallen to 49%, down from 61% in 2024. | Users have shifted to passive video feed consumption, favouring engaging in DMs over posting publicly. | I spoke to BBC News about why Brits are using social differently in 2026… | |
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| | With so much fake news and AI nonsense clogging up our feeds on a daily basis, it's amazing anyone still bothers with April Fool's Day jokes. | But bother they do, and some were actually good! | Aldi UK made the most effort I saw this year, getting into the legal game:
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Who knew bread and haircare products were the perfect match?
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Snapchat mocked Instagram's many rip-offs of its features…
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Meanwhile… Instagram's 'joke' (unsurprisingly) didn't land so well…
- | | - | Check out this round-up of the rest of the best April Fools Day pranks by brands here: 👇 | - | |
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| | | Sexy fruit is a big deal. (Never thought I'd write that sentence) | Fruit Love Island, an AI-generated dating show, is pulling over 10 million views per episode on TikTok with its parody of Love Island. | Despite its "AI slop" visuals, viewers are hooked on the story and voting outcomes. | BUT: Its creator has threatened to shut the series down claiming mass content reporting, lost content, and a wiped YouTube backup. | Oh the drama! | | __________ | More viral news this week: | |
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| | That KitKat theft… Was it a real heist, or a publicity stunt? | The world has been split this week over whether or not a truck containing 12 tonnes of limited edition Formula One KitKat bars was really stolen, as the brand claims. | Parent company Nestlé insists it was real and not an April Fool's Day joke. | But either way, it's been catnip for other brands like McDonald's, Microsoft, KFC, and Ryanair. | | __________ | More brand news and views: | |
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| | "Probability of me getting a fair trial if this is how the judge dresses is 0.0%" | | | | – Elon Musk showing trademark levels of respect for the legal system, by mocking the bow tie worn by the judge who recently ruled against him |
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| _________ | Also quoted this week: | "I've got our teams on alert to take down content doxxing or threatening the people on your team. Let me know if there's anything else I can do to help." | - Mark Zuckerberg texting Elon Musk in February 2025, offering special help that the average Meta user certainly wouldn't get | __________ | "When I speak to our creators — and I speak to them several times a week — what they always tell me is that no matter what they look to do, they understand that YouTube is their home. There would be no "Beast Games" if there wasn't MrBeast on YouTube. Jimmy knows that. | - YouTube CEO Neal Mohan is hopefully not getting too complacent about competition for talent | __________ | "This is the platforms trying to get children to stay on for longer, to get addicted. I can't see that there's a case for that, and therefore I can see we're going to have to act." | - UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer wants to stop social platforms hooking kids |
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| | YouTube now reaches 2 billion daily users, with 90% of US teens on the platform. | In this interview, platform boss Neal Mohan says its success is driven by authenticity, not algorithmic addiction. | Well worth a read! | (Also worth noting what he DIDN'T say) | | __________ | Also this week: | |
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| | Flipboard has officially launched Surf, its new social app and feed reader. | It aims to simplify the fragmented "fediverse" and reduce our reliance on big platforms. | Surf is a hybrid app combining social feeds, RSS, and fediverse content, bringing together Bluesky, Mastodon, RSS, podcasts, and YouTube into unified feeds. | Think of it as a feed reader, social client, and content curation tool all in one. | |
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| | It's almost funny how much Bluesky users HATE AI. | There's a real 'instant puke' reaction on there from many whenever the topic comes up. Sometimes it's justified, and sometimes it just seems over the top. | One such OTT reaction came this week when Bluesky launched a tool to let users create custom feeds using AI prompts. A straightforward idea, and possibly useful for some people. | But Attie's account quickly rose through the ranks to become the second-most blocked on the platform after US Vice President J.D Vance! 🤯 | | More WTF this week: | Yikes… WhatsApp has notified users who downloaded a fake version of its app tied to a spyware company Instagram reportedly deleted a sex toy shop's account, just for using the word 'clitoris'
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| | Reddit is killing its r/all feed, ending its raw, less-filtered trending feed | While we knew this change was coming, the company is finally ready to fully move on. | r/popular now becomes the main discovery feed, with further tweaks expected. | |
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| | TikTok cannot reliably identify or label AI-generated ads despite its own clear policies. | Samsung and other brands regularly post AI-generated ads with inconsistent or missing disclosures. | …but the responsibility between advertiser disclosures and platform enforcement remains unclear, leaving all of us guessing. | | __________ | More fails this week: | |
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| | New studies show teen social media use mirrors addiction-like withdrawal and compulsive behaviour. | Experts urge removing likes, limiting notifications, and restricting infinite scroll for minors. | |
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| | LinkedIn carousels beat video as the top engagement format in 2026, new data shows, with PDF carousels performing better than images. | | __________ | More pro tips: | |
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| | | __________ | More social stats: | PAST POSTING: 49% of UK adult social media users comment, share, or post, down sharply from 61% in 2024 INSANE: Heavy social media users are less supportive of democracy. Support drops to 57% among heavy users vs 72% for non-users ANTI-TRUST: 88% of people report declining trust in social media news due to the rise of AI-generated content HOOKED: 16% of kids can't reduce social media use while 23% stay constantly mentally hooked BAN 'EM: 75% of UK adults back a teen social media ban MUSIC MANIA: Instagram leads on platforms for music superfans, with engagement jumping from 38% to 58%
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| | Meta's platforms have dropped in the US among the most-used social media platforms in 2026. | According to insights from the latest annual Infinite Dial report from Edison Research: | 85% of Americans use social media, down from 86% in 2025 Facebook leads reach at 68% (+2), Instagram 54% (+6), TikTok rose fast to 42% (+8) But fewer people rely on Meta daily: Facebook's ranking as most-used app drops 45% → 40%, Instagram 19% → 16% Meta's combined daily use share fell 64% → 56%, while TikTok hit 16% and dominates younger users (29%) Reddit (38%) is more widely used than both Pinterest (35%) and LinkedIn (34%).
| | __________ | More charts: | DECLINING: Americans' daily YouTube and Facebook usage dropped a little last year LIKING IT SHORT: Short-form video leads UK viewing for 16–24s, hitting 85% weekly usage
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| | | __________ | Also in the news this week… | Meta's back-to-back court losses have ignited fresh momentum for social media regulation in the US. [Axios] Meta shares dropped 19%, driven by legal threats from social media addiction rulings and heavy AI spending. [Bloomberg $$$] Meta's court losses spell potential trouble for AI research, consumer safety. [CNBC] The judge in a case against Meta allowed authors to add a "contributory infringement" claim, giving them an easier route to a win for the company's alleged theft of their works. [Ars Technica] A former Pinterest engineer says the company mischaracterized the events used to justify his firing. [The Verge $$$] Social media has overtaken TV as the top breaking news source, led by Gen Z, according to new Sprout Social data. [Sprout Social] The Creators Guild of America is launching Mosaic, dubbed a verified "IMDb for creators". [The Hollywood Reporter] TikTok dropped plans for second Dublin data centre due to grid constraints. [Bloomberg $$$] The Swiss finance minister has sued an "unknown perpetrator" over over remarks generated by xAI's Grok. [Politico] The European Commission has ordered senior officials to delete a Signal group over hacking risks. [Politico] Clio has launched the Creator Awards, recognising top creators and brand collaborations, and backed by YouTube and Influential. [@The_Clios] UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has promised a "fight" with social media companies amid efforts to limit children's use of devices. [The Guardian] Austria plans to ban social media for under-14s. [Bloomberg $$$] Indonesia has summoned Meta and Google over failing to comply with its new under-16 social media rules. [Reuters $$$]
| New features and tests: | Instagram now places the "Ad" label for stories in the bottom-left corner. [@oncescuradu] Instagram is migrating to a black and white colour scheme for buttons. [@oncescuradu] CreatorIQ and Sprinklr are partnering to fix fragmented creator marketing measurement, merging CreatorIQ's 123M daily creator posts with Sprinklr's analytics and social listening. [DigiDay $$$]
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| | Yikes! This is very awkward. And messy! | "Another viral TikTok video unintentionally exposed a cheating husband to millions, including his wife, after one woman's night out. | "The TikToker claimed her friend found a "soulmate" in an Alabama bar, but it turned out he'd already pledged that soul to another and proven himself a liar." | Ooof! 😬 | |
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| | That's a wrap on everything new in social this week. | I'm heading off to check how many more email I have sent this week with ChatGPT prompt snippets left in them. 🤣 | Goodbye, geeks! | | P.S. This newsletter is edited by Martin SFP Bryant |
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