😎 More data for the algorithm?

Meta partners up to gather more data. Meta bought Limitless and teamed with ElevenLabs to localize Reels, and allegedly capture voice conversations; feeding Meta's AI with real-world dialogue, which could improve translation, creator tools, and targeting while raising fresh privacy questions.

This'll boost Reels translation and AI insights, but expect privacy headaches. 🤔 ~TWISM

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Instagram launches Your Algorithm for Reels. Reels users can edit a summary of topics Instagram thinks they like and choose what to see more or less of, creating explicit interest signals advertisers can use.

This makes relevance the new currency, tailor creatives to match. 🎯 ~TWISM

Instagram auto-scroll for Reels rolls out wider. When toggled on, Reels automatically move to the next when one ends, increasing passive watch time and continuous viewing.

Instagram launches Carversations Video Series. Short video series features candid car chats about online safety: first episode stars Usher and his teen sons.

Instagram lets users re-share public Stories. You can now add any public Story to your own Stories feed with credit to the original creator, making it easier to amplify creators and brands.

Instagram Edits adds Storyboard Tools. Templates and Storyboards turn sticky notes into scripts, cues, clips, and notes; iOS Lock-Screen Widgets save ideas to Edits and give 1-tap Camera access.

Instagram auto-generates inaccurate SEO summaries for Posts. Instagram auto-generates SEO-style titles for posts that can misstate content; Google indexes that text. Marketers should double-check captions and alt text to avoid misleading search results.

Facebook redesigns Feed, Composer, and Profiles. Facebook redesigns the composer for Feed and Stories, surfaces Reels, Friends and Marketplace, and highlights friends with shared interests on Profiles. That makes posting faster and helps creators and marketers boost discovery and relevance.

Facebook shows who's making more new friends. Meta is testing a notification that flags contacts who are adding more friends, a social-comparison prompt brands could use for community growth, but it may annoy users.

Meta adds AI tools to scale Partnership Ads. Partnership Ads Hub search, permissions codes, and a Partnership Ads API help brands find and license Instagram UGC to turn creator posts into partnership ads faster.

This should speed creative testing for small teams. 🔥 ~TWISM

Meta details takedowns and fake accounts. Meta says under 1% of content was removed, and fake accounts are 4% (~140M). Proactive detection of hate and violence dropped 20% after it scrapped fact-checkers for Community Notes.

Threads could add AI-summarised Trending Topics in the EU. Meta is testing AI summaries for trending topics in the EU, helping teams spot storylines faster.

Threads adds Spoiler Effect Badge. Posts marked as spoilers get a visible Spoiler effect badge so users can avoid unwanted reveals, letting creators tease launches or protect plot twists without losing engagement.

Handy for movie or product teasers: use it to tease, not spoil. 🤫 ~TWISM

YouTube adds Brand Partner access. Approved brands can view sponsored video metrics and promote creator clips as ads across YouTube and Google, so creators don't have to share screenshots and partnerships close faster.

This should cut admin work and make deals cleaner, but check your data-sharing settings first.🔒 ~TWISM

YouTube offers PYUSD payouts to Creators. U.S. creators can opt to receive earnings in PayPal's PYUSD stablecoin via YouTube's payout system, opening up faster crypto settlements and new monetization flows while bringing tax, custody, and conversion considerations.

YouTube adds identity check for profile photo changes. YouTube now asks you to verify your identity before updating your profile picture to curb impersonation.

TikTok launches two live events. Demi Lovato headlines "In the Mix" on Dec 11; Mel Robbins hosts a motivational Live on Dec 13. TikTok says the events aim to jump-start Live viewing and nudge shopping. Brands should plan short promos or timed drops to test conversion during streams.

TikTok leverages Drama Minis. Short-episode previews play inside TikTok; viewers pay to unlock full episodes via connected mini apps (SnackShort, HoneyReels), creating a new paywalled micro-drama format for creators and brands.

This lets creators serialize short dramas and charge per episode, think cliffhangers that pay. 😅 ~TWISM

TikTok reshapes workplace Secret Santa. Survey of 2,000 UK office workers finds 68% want viral gifts like Labubu; marketers should lean into trending collectibles and easy-share packaging.

TikTok launches 2025 Recap template on mobile. Ready-made format helps creators and brands package year highlights quickly, speeding edits and boosting shareability.

Founder profiles surge on LinkedIn. U.S. members adding "Founder" rose 69% year-over-year and nearly tripled since 2022; layoffs, shifting work, and new tech are driving people to launch ventures, creating a bigger audience for B2B offers, partnerships, and creator-first marketing.

Time to rethink messaging for solopreneurs. 🚀 ~TWISM

X adds Lock Screen Widgets on iOS. X's widgets add custom feeds, real-time notifications, and shortcuts (including Grok) to your home or lock screen, so you can monitor breaking news and brand mentions without opening the app.

Operation Bluebird files to reclaim Twitter Trademark. They've petitioned the USPTO to cancel X's 'Twitter' and 'Tweet' trademarks and plan a twitter.new relaunch. If successful, brand ownership (handles, search, and audience) could shift, so reserve names and monitor legal fallout.

Don't expect Elon to give up the bird without a fight, but snag your handle just in case 🐦 ~TWISM

Elon taunts EU after $140M X fine. He's blocked European Commission ads and ignored hate-speech takedown demands, prompting EU/UK probes and raising brand-safety risk for advertisers.

X tests X Money Card. Leaked image shows an X Money card in internal testing. It hints X is building a payments/card product for creators and commerce, which could enable payouts and branded spending.

OpenAI's Sora inks $1B Disney deal. The three-year pact lets Sora generate videos using 200+ Disney, Marvel, Pixar, and Star Wars characters, with select clips headed to Disney+, backed by a $1B Disney equity investment.

Big IP partnerships like this could fast-track branded short-video tools. 🔥 ~TWISM

Snapchat tops UK child abuse reports. Snapchat features in 54% of UK child-abuse reports (11,912), 10x higher than WhatsApp or Instagram; police say platforms fail to stop uploads, raising brand-safety risks for marketers.

Metricool social media study 2026. Free report analyzes 39 million posts from over 1 million accounts to show platform growth (Threads up), video behavior on Facebook, falling Instagram reach, and which formats and times actually drive engagement.

Social marketing trends that ruled 2025. Ragebait, brain-rot creative, blind-box unboxings, scripted brand series, and platform diversification dominated feeds — so marketers should favor bold entertainment, UGC product drops, and testing niche channels for reach.

That’s all for today. Thanks for reading. Now…

Go BIG or go home!

~ Josh from “This Week in Social Media”

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