Your weekly scroll: Meta's edits, TikTok's deal, YouTube's AI takeover (9/24/25)

👋 Welcome back to The Scroll Down where each week we cut through the doom scroll and bring you the updates you actually need to know from as many corners of the internet as we could find.

This week is a heavy one — Meta’s throwing out tests and tweaks left and right, TikTok drama continues in the U.S., YouTube is leaning on AI harder than ever, and Australia is about to shake up global youth access to social media.

Let’s dive in.

👥 Meta (Facebook, Instagram, & Threads)

👀 Instagram is working on “Your Algorithm.”
This will let users reset suggested content and simplify control over what appears in their feed. Right now, you can already adjust preferences, but this could make it much easier for everyday users.
📲 Instagram Edits app updates
New features include clip-to-overlay conversion, finer control of fade transitions, and reusable sound effects. Reels are now half of all time spent on Instagram, so it’s no surprise Meta is pouring effort into editing tools.
👏 3:4 video export
Instagram’s Edits app may soon support 3:4 video — offering more flexible export sizes for cross-platform sharing.
👋 Facebook Story viewer labels
Pages testing Story labels can now see whether Story viewers are followers or not.
📊 Broadcast Channel Insights
Facebook Pages now have analytics for broadcast channels, so admins can track engagement and reach instead of posting blind.
👯 Threads “Communities”
Meta is developing topic-based discussion groups inside Threads, giving users a way to join and engage around interests (think old-school forums, but in-app).
💬 Threads message requests
Users can activate DMs from any account, broadening communication beyond mutuals.
🪦 Instagram testing links in posts
Similar to TikTok, links could be limited to specific categories like event tickets or products.
🥳 Instagram fixes Stories reach bug
A long-running issue that limited reach when posting multiple Stories in a day is finally resolved.
🥲 Story Highlights changes
Instagram looks like it’s moving Story Highlights into the grid with their own tab, making them more prominent.
🤭 Instagram “Shots”
A new feature mimicking BeReal, where you share unedited images viewable once before disappearing.
💬 Facebook removes Community Chats in Groups
Group chat functionality tied to Messenger is being phased out. Existing chats will become read-only before being shut down.
👀 Adam Mosseri AMA
- Muted accounts don’t hurt your overall reach.
- Creator vs business profiles aren’t treated differently in the algorithm
📱 Meta launches Reels Trending Ads
Ads placed after viral Reels with AI-driven category targeting. Tests show +20% awareness, +32% recall, +91% reach.
🎙️ Instagram audio editing
You can now split audio directly in the app for more control.
💸 Threads ad formats
Testing carousel ads, 4:5 video/image placements, and ads via IG/FB posts without a Threads profile.

💡 Trends to Try

➡️ Instagram: Jump on the “photo dump with a twist” trend — creators are posting carousel dumps but ending with a random or funny video clip. It’s pulling higher saves/shares.
➡️ Threads: AMA-style threads (“Ask me anything about [topic]”) are getting strong engagement since search and messaging are expanding.
➡️ Facebook: Story polls + music stickers are resurfacing as engagement boosters, especially now that Story insights are clearer.

What This Means for You

Lean into Reels: Instagram is making editing easier because they want you to make more Reels. Consider 3:4 exports if you cross-post to TikTok or Shorts.
Audit your Story strategy: with labels, Highlights in grid, and reach bugs fixed, Stories are more valuable for building loyalty.
Threads is maturing: Communities + search + messaging means it’s moving toward being a legit engagement hub. Don’t ignore it.
Paid options are expanding: Between Reels Trending Ads and Threads ads, Meta is betting on AI placement. Test now while CPMs are fresh.

🎶 TikTok

😴 Deal update
TikTok was due to shut down in the U.S. on Sept 19, but Trump extended the deadline again. Reports say a deal will be signed this week with a U.S. buyer, but this is the fourth extension. Rumors suggest Oracle will be in charge of retraining the US algorithm.
📷 Comment with Image
Rolling out more broadly, this feature lets users reply to content with images instead of just text.
📌 Trending Topic Shortcuts
A shortcut (essentially Search Insights lite) that shows trending related topics to help guide creators toward what’s working.
💸 Search Ads performance
TikTok shares WARC data showing search ads deliver up to 2.2× higher purchase lift, and 1.9× lift for retail campaigns compared to non-search.
🇫🇮 New €1B Finland data centre
As part of Project Clover, TikTok is building a new centre to keep EU user data local and appease regulators.
👯 200M monthly active users in the EU
Up from 175M last year, TikTok now reaches nearly a third of the EEA + UK population.

💡 Trends to try:

➡️ Audio: The “What if we kissed…” meme audio is trending again but applied to offbeat, niche scenarios — works well for brand humor.
➡️ Format: CapCut “AI Yearbook” templates (retro school photo edits) are circulating again with new spins — perfect for businesses to humanize their teams.
➡️ Hook style: “POV: [hyper-specific scenario]” still dominates — tailor it to your audience’s inside jokes or pain points.
➡️ Instagram Reel Hack: Creators are experimenting with 5120x1080 ultra-wide Reels that shrink down in the feed and instantly stand out because they break the usual format. Try it for bold visuals or text-heavy posts you want to pop mid-scroll.

What This Means for You

Expect volatility in the U.S.: If TikTok’s deal collapses, marketers will need contingencies.
Use Search Ads: early adopters are getting major lifts in purchase behavior.
In the EU: TikTok is reinforcing its commitment to local data, so it’s becoming harder for regulators to ban outright.

YouTube + Reddit + X + More

💸 YouTube monetization expands
- Swappable brand slots in long-form videos.
- Auto timestamps + product tagging.
- Brand links in Shorts.
- Shopping program now includes 500k+ creators, with GMV up 5x year-on-year.
🤖 YouTube AI tools for creators
- Ask Studio chatbot: analytics Q&A, comment summaries, content suggestions.
- AI A/B testing for titles + thumbnails.
- AI lip-sync dubbing for global reach.
- Multi-collaborator uploads for teamwork.
🔦 Google Discover adds social posts
Posts from Instagram, X, and YouTube Shorts will now appear in Discover feeds. Users can follow creators via dedicated hubs.
🤭 X launches “Boost”
Premium users can pay to push posts into feeds, similar to an ad product. More unnecessary pay-to-play mess if you ask us.
📚 Reddit in-app article reader
Lets users scroll through articles while still seeing/adding comments, with publisher tools like analytics, RSS syncing, and AI subreddit suggestions.
🤓 Amazon AR glasses
Developing two models: Jayhawk (consumer launch in 2026) and Amelia (for delivery drivers, with live directions and task instructions).

💡 Trends to Try

➡️ YouTube Shorts: Side-by-side reaction Shorts are getting boosted in the algo (ex: reacting to viral TikToks or memes).
➡️ Google Discover: Bold, curiosity-driven titles with emojis (“This 📈 hack doubled our reach”) tend to index faster in Discover feeds.
➡️ X (Twitter): “Drop your [niche] unpopular opinion” threads are pulling engagement — easy way to spark conversation without Boost.

What This Means for You

YouTube is trying to be your all-in-one content coach — embrace AI-assisted optimization before it becomes table stakes.
Google Discover = new distribution channel. SEO for social content is real. Make sure your visuals/titles are “Discover-friendly.”
X “Boost” is pay-to-play: organic reach won’t cut it if they continue expanding this model.

Global Policy & Safety Shifts

🇦🇺 Australia’s under-16 ban (Dec 10)
All major platforms must verify age and remove underage accounts. Loopholes remain for logged-out browsing on YouTube/TikTok.
📵 Instagram AI age checks
Under-16s flagged in Australia get “Teen Accounts” with limited features: livestream bans, filtered content, messaging restrictions.

What This Means for You

If you target youth in Australia, expect limited reach and stricter compliance rules.
Globally, expect age verification features to expand, especially in regions with rising regulatory pressure.

🧪 Misc + Emerging

🥳 CapCut upgrades
Adds LinkedIn sharing, plus new AI tools like text-to-video, avatars, translations, and direct publishing.
🤑 Clyx social app raises $14M
Gen-Z-founded platform to help users find events, track friends’ plans, and meet new people. Already live in London + Miami; expanding soon.
📈 LinkedIn analytics updates
Now showing how often posts are saved or shared in DMs — private engagement metrics to better measure content value.

What This Means for You

CapCut is positioning itself as a pro editing tool for both creators and corporate. If your team relies on video, test the LinkedIn integration.
LinkedIn’s “hidden signals” matter: saves and private shares are big indicators of quality. Prioritise value-driven content, not just likes.

ICYMI 🔄

Still worth knowing from last week:

IG links in posts (likely product/event-only).
IG Highlights tab in testing, “Shots” launch, Stories reach bug fix.
FB Community Chats being removed.
Mosseri AMA confirms algorithm myths.
Meta Reels Trending Ads (+20% awareness, +91% reach).
TikTok buyer news, Search Ads ROI, EU data centre build.
CapCut LinkedIn sharing + AI tools.
LinkedIn new engagement metrics.
Reddit testing in-app reader.
Amazon AR glasses in development.

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That’s it for this week 👋. Bookmark this edition as your all-in-one update hub, and test a trend or two if your content calendar’s running light.

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