Social media updates and new features to know this week
Including Meta, Instagram, X and more.
There’s a question that keeps popping up as social platforms add more subscriptions and paid features: Will social media eventually stop being free?
Social Media Today reports that the short answer is…not yet, but the trend is moving in that direction.
More social apps are launching paid subscription tiers to expand their revenue base beyond advertising.
One reason is AI, the outlet said. AI is expensive and platforms are investing billions into AI infrastructure right now.
At the same time, companies are dealing with bots, spam and pressure from investors to grow revenue. Even if the main apps stay free, more features, AI tools and premium-style experiences may increasingly sit behind a paywall.
Here’s what else is new.
Meta
Like we just discussed, Meta is offering a new set of paid subscriptions across Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp that give users access to extra features.
Under the umbrella of Meta One, the company is testing plans that provide more image and video generation, higher usage limits and access to advanced reasoning features, and more AI tools.
The company is also testing separate subscription packages for creators and businesses that include profile enhancements, discoverability tools and other features pros might need.
Meta also launched a new app called Forum that focuses on Facebook Groups and conversations happening there. Users can browse discussions, discover new communities and ask questions around similar interests.
The app is designed to be more conversational and discussion focused. It also looks very similar to Reddit.
Instagram is bringing its teleprompter tool to the main app, rather than just Edits, making it more accessible for creators. Users can add a script that scrolls on-screen while they record, allowing them to look directly at the camera instead of glancing at their notes off-screen, IG’s Adam Mosseri said.
Creators can also adjust the scrolling speed to match their speaking pace. Mosseri added the goal is to help creators “stay on message without doing a ton of takes.”
X
X says it put more guardrails in place around big accounts that copy and repost content from smaller creators in order to earn money through X’s revenue-sharing program.
According to the company, some users have been systematically reuploading videos and posts without properly crediting the original creator and they are now being flagged.
X Head of Product, Nikita Bier, says that the company recently built systems to identify those reposts and will instead give the impressions and revenue credit to the original creator.
YouTube
YouTube said it’s making its AI labels easier to see. Until now, the company said disclosures that a video was created or altered with AI were often buried in the description.
Going forward, AI labels will appear directly below regular videos and on-screen on Shorts, making them much more visible to viewers.
YouTube said this will be the standard label for “photorealistic or significantly AI-generated” content moving forward.
To do this, the platform said they have enabled new detection systems that can identify significant AI-generated content. This means that if a creator doesn’t disclose AI use and YouTube detects it, the platform may automatically apply a label.
The company said they will use signals from their own detection tools, along with C2PA metadata and SynthID, to help identify AI-generated content accurately.
YouTube is also adding several new Premium features for people who listen to podcasts, interviews and long-form videos rather than watch.
One addition is a new On-the-Go mode, which switches videos into a simpler, audio-centered experience with larger controls, chapter navigation and a still image instead of full video.
YouTube said the feature can also detect if you’re moving around and go into this mode automatically.
The platform will also now have an Auto Speed tool that automatically speeds up or slows parts of videos, returning to your preferred playback speed during more important sections.
These are all opt-in features users can control.
Courtney Blackann is a communications reporter. Connect with her on LinkedIn or email her at [email protected].
