Here's your weekly social media round-up.
1/3
TikTok is Back in the U.S. App Stores
What's new?
After briefly disappearing from Apple and Google’s app stores in the U.S. due to legal uncertainties, TikTok is now officially back. The app was removed on January 18, just before a government-mandated ban was set to take effect. However, existing users were still able to access TikTok during this period. It has now returned following reassurances from Donald Trump that companies wouldn’t face penalties for keeping TikTok operational.
What does that mean?
TikTok being back in the U.S. app stores does not mean the idea of a ban is totally off the table. This is a major win for TikTok’s 170M+ U.S. users and 7M+ small businesses that rely on the platform. However, TikTok’s long-term future in the U.S. remains uncertain, as discussions around ownership and national security continue. Brands should stay agile and keep an eye out on how this develops.
2/3
Instagram Tests a?‘Dislike’ Button for Comments
What's new?
Instagram is experimenting with a private dislike button for comments on both Feed posts and Reels. Users won’t see a dislike count, and no one will know if you downvote their comment. Instagram head Adam Mosseri confirmed that these signals however could eventually influence comment ranking, pushing disliked responses lower in the thread.
What does that mean?
Meta wants to create a friendlier comment section by reducing the visibility of negative or irrelevant comments. While brands and creators won’t be able to track dislikes directly, this change could impact comment engagement and visibility. With the potential for disliked comments to drop lower in ranking, engagement might become a more curated experience. It could also mean fewer negative or spam comments to deal with.
3/3
xAI Launches Grok 3
What's new?
Elon Musk’s AI company, xAI, has launched Grok 3, a new model boasting 10x more compute power than its predecessor. It reportedly outperforms Gemini-2 Pro, Claude 3.5 Sonnet, and even GPT-4o in key areas like math, science, and coding. Grok 3 also introduces DeepSearch, which scours the internet for real-time, context-rich responses, and an upcoming voice mode for hands-free interactions.
What does that mean?
This is Musk’s biggest push yet to challenge OpenAI. If Grok 3 lives up to the hype, it could disrupt the AI landscape. For marketers, this means more powerful AI tools for customer interactions, data insights, and content generation. The DeepSearch feature could revolutionize market research and competitive analysis, as it has the potential to provide real-time insights right off the internet. However, access Gork 3’s full features requires a SuperGrok subscription which has a steep subscription price of $50/month.
On TikTok this week?
"Duolingo mascot died” ?
The internet is mourning… or is it? Duolingo’s iconic green owl, Duo, has been declared dead, at least according to a viral trend that has taken over social media. In true digital fashion, brands have jumped on board, spinning their own versions of what really happened to Duo. The automotive brand A.T.U even went so far as to release a video suggesting Duo was kidnapped! The suspense is real, and the internet is waiting for more updates. Is this an elaborate marketing stunt? A clever meme takeover? One thing is certain: brands that get creative and join the Duolingo of this viral moment are winning the engagement game.
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