Social Scoop Unplugged #20
Stay ahead in social media with this week’s updates: Instagram reveals its 2025 focus areas and introduces Community Notes for Facebook and Instagram, alongside new content rules. TikTok updates its video editor and adds post scheduling to the Studio app. X rolls out parody account labels, considers UI changes, and is looking at charging new users to sign up. Big changes are coming.
Meta Introduces Community Notes for Facebook and Instagram
Community Notes is coming to Facebook and Instagram, replacing traditional third-party fact-checking with a crowdsourced system designed to highlight misleading or false content. But will it actually work?
The rollout is set for later this year, but Meta’s already shared some details on how the system will function. It’s similar to Community Notes on X (formerly Twitter): users contribute notes on potentially misleading posts, and these notes are only displayed if contributors from diverse perspectives agree on their accuracy.
Instagram describes the feature like this:
“If you see a post that might be inaccurate or confusing, you can write a note with background info, a tip, or an insight people might find useful. Your note may get published on the post if it’s rated helpful.”
Sounds simple, right? But here’s the catch: this cross-political agreement requirement could mean many notes never see the light of day.
The Problem with Agreement
A study from the Center for Countering Digital Hate found that 74% of accurate notes on divisive topics, like US election tampering, weren’t displayed on X due to a lack of consensus. The same risk looms large for Meta.
Even if the concept works in theory, the reality of polarised perspectives makes agreement tricky—especially on hot-button issues. And with Meta scrapping third-party fact-checking in favour of this system, it’s fair to ask: will Community Notes actually stop the spread of misinformation?
Some Positives to Note
It’s not all doom and gloom. Studies on Community Notes on X show they’ve helped slow misinformation’s spread:
• Posts with notes see nearly 50% fewer reshares.
• Notes increase the likelihood of post deletion by 80%.
Plus, this crowdsourced approach reduces the burden on Meta’s moderation teams.
The Challenges Ahead
Scaling this system to Meta’s 3+ billion users is no small task. For context, X has about 570 million users and only recently built a network of 500,000 contributors. Meta would need around 2.5 million contributors to make this work effectively—and that’s assuming they can weed out bad actors trying to manipulate the system.
Then there’s the speed factor. Both Community Notes and third-party fact-checking take time to flag misleading posts. But since misinformation spreads fastest in the early stages, any delay reduces the system’s effectiveness.
What Does This Mean for You?
For now, expect to see Community Notes rolling out by March. But don’t assume it’ll be a perfect solution—especially for high-stakes misinformation. While Meta’s been quick to tout this new approach, the lessons of the past, when unchecked misinformation ran rampant, shouldn’t be ignored.
The big takeaway? Keep fact-checking independently. While Community Notes has potential, it’s still far from foolproof.
What’s your take on this? Do you think crowdsourced moderation can replace professional fact-checkers?
Everything you need to know about Meta’s Change in Content Rules
Meta’s shaking things up in a big way, sparking its first major controversy of 2025. Last week, the tech giant announced plans to loosen content restrictions and scrap its fact-checking program. But what’s behind these changes, and how will they affect Facebook, Instagram, and Threads users? Let’s unpack what’s happening and why.
What’s Changing?
Meta’s making three key moves:
1. Relaxing Content Rules: Topics like immigration and gender identity, previously flagged, will now be fair game—even if they veer into offensive territory.
2. Scrapping Fact-Checkers: Out with third-party fact-checking, in with a crowd-sourced “Community Notes” system, similar to the one used on X (formerly Twitter).
3. Bringing Back Political Content: Political discussions, which Meta had quietly de-prioritised over the years, are being reintroduced into feeds.
Examples of now-permitted speech highlight a worrying tolerance for hate-fuelled rhetoric, raising concerns about how this might impact online discourse.
Why Ditch Fact-Checkers?
Zuckerberg claims bias. On a recent Joe Rogan podcast, he argued that fact-checkers leaned too political, stating:
“Fact-checking became more about opinions and less about verifying extreme claims. People just didn’t trust the system.”
The move appears to align with the preferences of the incoming U.S. administration, led by Donald Trump, who’s been critical of Meta’s content moderation policies in the past. This shift away from curated fact-checking could amplify the spread of misinformation.
Will Community Notes Work?
Meta’s hoping crowd-sourced moderation will pick up the slack, but there’s a catch. Notes only appear when contributors with opposing political views agree—something that rarely happens on divisive topics. If this sounds familiar, it’s because X’s Community Notes system has faced the same challenges.
What’s Meta’s Real Motive?
Zuckerberg frames the updates as a return to Meta’s mission of “connecting people,” but it’s hard to ignore the timing. Trump’s election win and threats of trade and regulatory penalties seem to have nudged Meta toward policies that favour his administration.
Here’s what’s at stake for Meta:
• Tariffs: Trump’s proposed import tariffs could hurt Meta’s hardware production costs.
• EU Fines: U.S. government support might soften the EU’s hardline stance on tech regulation.
• AI Development: Less oversight from U.S. regulators means faster innovation for Meta’s AI projects.
A Step Backwards?
Meta spent the last decade pledging to make its platforms safer, reduce harmful content, and minimise misinformation. These latest changes seem to contradict that mission. From cracking down on hate speech in 2018 to de-prioritising divisive political content, Meta had been steering toward a safer user experience.
So why the sudden pivot? Critics argue it’s about business—maximising growth and staying in favour with a powerful administration—not fostering an open, connected world.
What This Means for You
These changes could dramatically alter the tone of conversations on Meta’s platforms. Expect to see:
• A rise in divisive, politically charged posts.
• Potential increases in hate speech and misinformation.
• More heated debates in your feed, whether you like it or not.
For businesses and content creators, this could impact user engagement, brand safety, and overall platform experience.
TikTok Launches Updated Video Editor App
TikTok has just rolled out an upgraded Video Editor as part of its Symphony creative tool set, bringing some exciting new features to streamline your editing experience. Think of it as your one-stop dashboard for all things creative on TikTok.
Here’s what’s new:
Fresh Tools – The updated editor now includes advanced options like AI-powered digital avatars, auto-captioned narration, one-click translations (with voiceovers!), and AI-generated soundtracks. These features don’t just make editing easier—they align with the latest trends on TikTok, so your content can hit the right notes.
Guided Creativity – TikTok is offering guidance on what works best, pulling insights directly from the app’s top-performing clips. If you’ve ever wondered what format or vibe to go for, the editor’s got you covered with trending templates that make creating standout videos a breeze.
Generative AI Avatars – Now, here’s where it gets really interesting. You can create videos featuring AI avatars synced to your audio, offering a “human” face for your content. These avatars—backed by a library of 388 stock characters—speak over 30 languages and are designed to resonate with diverse audiences worldwide.
TikTok’s avatars are already a massive hit in China, even hosting live-streams round-the-clock. Whether you’re looking to simplify your workflow or expand your reach with multilingual content, this could be a game-changer.
As TikTok puts it:
“These generative AI avatars bring your messages to life, captivating global audiences with immersive and authentic storytelling.”
There’s also AI dubbing in 14 languages and cloned voice options, giving you plenty of ways to adapt your content for an international audience.
The big question is: how ready are you to let a digital avatar promote your brand? While it might feel a bit futuristic, these tools are only getting better—and with time, they could become an integral part of how brands connect with audiences.
With this update, TikTok’s Symphony suite is shaping up to be a must-have for social media marketers looking to create impactful, on-trend content.
If you’re marketing outside the U.S., where TikTok remains a major player, this tool could be just what you need to elevate your content game.
TikTok adds post scheduling to Studio app
Good news for TikTok creators: TikTok Studio now lets you schedule posts directly within the app! This update brings all your posting and analytics tools into one convenient place, making managing your TikTok presence smoother than ever.
Here’s the lowdown:
Post Scheduling – While post scheduling isn’t new (you’ve been able to do it via TikTok’s video scheduler or third-party tools), having this feature built into TikTok Studio means less app-hopping and more streamlined planning. You can now schedule, edit, and manage your posts—all without leaving the app
All-in-One Management – TikTok Studio already offers editing, analytics, and monetisation tools. Adding scheduling makes it a more complete hub for all your TikTok needs. It’s basically what we’ve been waiting for—because, let’s face it, this should’ve been there from the start.
And yes, while it’s not a groundbreaking feature, it’s a handy upgrade that simplifies your workflow and keeps everything in one spot.
Why It’s Worth It:
If you’re using TikTok Studio to manage your content, this update is a nice little bonus. With scheduling built-in, you can stay on top of your TikTok strategy without juggling multiple tools.
For now, this update is a win for everyone outside the U.S., where TikTok’s still going strong. (Fingers crossed it stays that way!)
X rolls out in-stream labels for parody and fan accounts
X (formerly Twitter) has officially rolled out new “Parody” account labels to make it clearer who’s behind the content you’re seeing. The goal? Reduce confusion, limit impersonation, and curb the spread of misinformation on the platform.
Here’s what’s happening:
What Are These Labels?
These new markers will appear on both posts and profiles to show that an account is a parody or fan account—not the real deal. Whether it’s a celebrity, brand, or public figure, these labels help users avoid mistaking impersonators for the actual account.
And let’s be honest: this issue might’ve been avoided if verification badges weren’t sold to just anyone. But here we are.
X’s Take on the Labels
According to X:
“We designed these labels to increase transparency and ensure that users are not deceived into thinking such accounts belong to the entity being parodied.”
X also clarified that parody labels will eventually become mandatory for accounts that might be mistaken for someone else. All parody accounts will still need to follow X Rules, especially those under the platform’s Authenticity policy.
Why It Matters
These labels aim to cut down on fake accounts tricking users—whether it’s crypto scams, fake announcements, or misleading ads. While it won’t completely eliminate bad actors, this move should help reduce the chaos and make it easier for users to spot fakes.
Will It Solve Everything?
It’s a solid step, but it feels a bit like patching up a problem that started with paid verification in the first place. Still, anything that makes the platform a little less chaotic is a win for users.
X is considering some significant changes to its UI
Elon Musk’s quest to “declutter” the X feed continues, and this time, it might mean saying goodbye to time and date markers on posts. Yep, that little detail telling you when something was posted could disappear from the main feed entirely.
Let’s break it down:
What’s Changing?
Under this proposal, the main X feed would lose its time stamps, leaving you with a clean stream of posts. If you’re curious when something was posted, you’d have to click into the post to see the date and time. Musk reportedly believes this will create a simpler, more focused user experience.
Optional or Mandatory?
Right now, some of X’s UI tweaks—like hiding engagement buttons and performance counts—are optional. But removing time stamps? That could apply to everyone.
🔍 Why It Might Happen
Without time markers, posts might feel more “timeless,” potentially boosting engagement. After all, if you’re not clocking how old a post is, you might be more likely to react, even if it’s days (or weeks!) old. It also makes regular posts look eerily similar to ads, which already don’t show time stamps.
But Here’s the Catch
Not everyone’s on board. Critics say this move could lead to more misinformation on the platform. Users might take outdated posts at face value, misinterpreting them as fresh news—especially since many people scroll casually without clicking through for context.
As Fortune noted:
“The absence of dates from the timeline would likely leave most users without vital context about the information they’re seeing.”
So while it could make the feed look cleaner, it might also make it harder to trust what you’re seeing.
A Bold Move or a Backwards Step?
Love or loathe him, Musk isn’t afraid to shake things up. Some might call it innovation; others might call it unnecessary chaos. Either way, X users could be in for another change—and whether it’s a win or a flop remains to be seen.
X considers charging all new users to sign up for the app
With X facing a challenging financial year in 2024, there’s talk of a bold move: charging new users $8 to create an account. According to Fortune, this plan could roll out as early as February, bundling the fee with a free month of X Premium (normally $7/month).
Elon Musk has reportedly told staff that this change is “the only way” to make X profitable. Unlike the $1 sign-up fee trial in 2023 (which aimed to tackle bots), this time it’s all about revenue. Musk’s grand vision of subscriptions making up over half of X’s income has yet to pan out, with fewer than 2 million users subscribing to X Premium. Meanwhile, ads still account for 90% of the platform’s revenue.
The gamble? Forcing new users to experience Premium could boost uptake. But there’s a catch: the initial appeal of X Premium—the blue checkmark—has lost its prestige, and new features like the AI chatbot “Grok” haven’t been the draw X hoped for.
The risk is clear. X’s daily active users have stagnated at 250 million since late 2022, and adding a paywall might discourage potential sign-ups entirely. However, Musk’s approach may not hinge on keeping everyone happy. A smaller, paying user base could still make X financially viable.
Will this strategy reignite X’s revenue growth, or is it a step too far? Time—and $8—will tell.
That wraps up this week’s Social Scoop Unplugged! 🚀 Remember, the world of social media never stops evolving, and neither should your strategy. Stay curious, keep experimenting, and don’t forget to adapt to these exciting updates as they unfold.
If you’ve found this helpful, share it with your network or drop me a message with your thoughts and feedback. Until next time, keep shining and be creative online!
Natty Bernasconi | Instagram Expert & Educator
Social Media Strategy for Lifestyle Businesses & Creators
Empowering brands with tailored Instagram strategies and aesthetic-driven insights. Follow for weekly tips, industry updates, and coaching designed to elevate your brand’s online presence—making it as captivating as it is strategic.