Cameo, the video messaging platform known for celebrity video messages, has partnered with TikTok to boost its popularity among younger users. The collaboration aims to help both platforms compete in the short-form video space. Financial details were not disclosed. https://techcrunch.com/2026/04/01/cameo-partners-with-tiktok-to-boost-popularity/ #Media #SocialMedia #ShortFormVideo #CreatorEconomy #TikTok #Cameo

Four Nieman Fellows examined how artificial intelligence is reshaping journalism at a virtual seminar, discussing the technology's promise, limits, and risks for newsrooms worldwide. https://niemanreports.org/ai-research-risks-journalism-artificial-intelligence-nieman-foundation-fellows/ #Media #SocialMedia #AI #Journalism

YouTube has expanded its AI chatbot to smart TVs, allowing viewers to ask spoken questions about what they are watching and receive in-stream responses. The feature uses the remote microphone for conversational queries. Some may raise privacy concerns about having an audio connection to the app. https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/youtube-connects-ai-chatbot-to-smart-tvs/816421/ #Media #SocialMedia #AI #YouTube

TikTok is testing emoji-based games that users can play inside direct messages, joining similar efforts from Threads and LinkedIn to boost engagement within the app. The feature is available globally and aims to keep users in conversations longer. https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/tiktok-tests-in-app-dm-games/816423/ #Media #SocialMedia #ShortFormVideo #TikTok

Google has upgraded its Vids video editor with new AI capabilities. Users can now direct avatar characters using natural language prompts, telling them exactly how to act in a scene. The app also supports Veo 3.1 for generating eight-second video clips, offering 10 free generations monthly to all users. Videos can be exported directly to YouTube.https://techcrunch.com/2026/04/02/google-now-lets-you-direct-avatars-through-prompts-in-its-vids-app/#Media #SocialMedia #AI #Google

Bluesky has launched Attie, an app that uses AI to help users build custom feeds on the open social networking protocol atproto. The tool lets people create personalized content streams beyond the platform's default algorithmic recommendations. https://techcrunch.com/2026/03/28/bluesky-leans-into-ai-with-attie-an-app-for-building-custom-feeds/ #Media #SocialMedia #AI #Bluesky

Flipboard launches social websites letting creators build own web spaces. Combines posts from Bluesky, Mastodon, Threads, YouTube, blogs and RSS feeds into one destination. Partners include The Verge, Wired and The Athletic. https://techcrunch.com/2026/04/02/flipboard-surf-social-websites-help-publishers-and-creators-tap-into-the-open-social-web/ #Media #SocialMedia #CommunityPlatforms #Flipboard

TikTok has applied for lending and payment approval in Brazil, seeking to offer users the ability to hold balances, receive funds and make payments within the app. The move expands the platform's commercial offerings in a key market. https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/tiktok-wants-to-provide-financial-services-in-brazil/816555/ #Media #SocialMedia #SocialCommerce #TikTok

Research shows that when breaking news happens, more than a third of American adults first go to their preferred news organisation for details. Only a smaller share turn to social media or search engines as their initial source. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2026/03/24/where-do-americans-turn-first-for-information-about-breaking-news/ #Media #SocialNews #Pew

Ofcom research shows fewer UK adults are posting their own content on social media, with experts linking this shift to platforms prioritising short-form video. The findings highlight changing user behaviour as algorithmic feeds increasingly favour TikTok-style content over personal updates. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgqk718l4neo #Media #SocialMedia #ShortFormVideo #Ofcom

OpenAI has acquired TBPN, Silicon Valley's popular tech podcast featuring founders and investors. The show will continue operating independently under chief political operative Chris Lehane. https://techcrunch.com/2026/04/02/openai-acquires-tbpn-the-buzzy-founder-led-business-talk-show/ #Media #SocialMedia #AI #OpenAI

Moonbounce, founded by former Facebook integrity lead Brett Levenson, has secured 12M USD in funding to bring content moderation into the AI era. The startup converts static policy documents into executable code that can respond in real-time to harmful content, whether generated by users or AI chatbots. This addresses the challenge of AI-generated content evading safety filters. https://techcrunch.com/2026/04/03/moonbounce-fundraise-content-moderation-for-the-ai-era/ #Media #SocialMedia #AI #Moonbounce

A secure messaging app called TeleGuard has been found to have encryption so flawed that security researchers describe it as meaningless. The app, downloaded over a million times and marketed as Swiss-made with end-to-end encryption, actually transmits users' private keys to its servers, enabling the company to decrypt all messages. https://www.404media.co/a-secure-chat-apps-encryption-is-so-bad-it-is-meaningless/ #Media #SocialMedia #DataPrivacy #TeleGuard

Google Vids now offers free high-quality video generation using Veo 3.1, with 10 clips monthly at no cost. Paid subscribers also get custom music creation via Lyria 3 and customizable AI avatars with directorial control. https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/google-vids-adds-new-ai-features/816552/ #Media #SocialMedia #AI #Google

Australia's internet watchdog says Meta, Snap, TikTok and YouTube are not doing enough to enforce the under-16 social media ban that came into effect in December. The regulator has 'significant concerns' about compliance and will begin enforcement action. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy4181pkxl2o #Media #SocialMedia #SocialNews #DataPrivacy

Kent Wildlife Trust removed highland cows from a nature reserve after warnings to visitors were ignored. More than 300,000 TikTok videos were tagged with the hashtag, drawing people to get too close to the animals. The constant pressure affects the cows' ability to behave naturally, the trust said. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cjw8vz1jze0o #Media #ShortFormVideo #TikTok

Instagram is allowing creators to schedule their Trial Reels, letting them decide when non-followers see fresh content. The feature helps align posts with regional engagement times. Trial Reels let creators test new content with non-followers before upgrading to reach their full audience. https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/instagram-allows-creators-to-schedule-trial-reels/816549/ #Media #SocialMedia #ShortFormVideo #Instagram

WhatsApp can now draft AI-generated replies based on your conversations. The Meta-owned app's updated Writing Help feature analyses chat history to help users get their message just right, while keeping chats private. Also added: easier ways to free up space and Meta AI photo editing. https://techcrunch.com/2026/03/26/whatsapp-can-now-draft-ai-generated-responses-based-on-your-conversations/ #Media #SocialMedia #WhatsApp

Fewer UK adults are posting on social media - 49% down from 61% last year - as users turn to smaller, private spaces like group chats, Ofcom finds. The shift coincides with 54% now using AI tools, up from 31% in 2024. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgqk718l4neo #Media #SocialMedia

Roughly two-thirds of American teens report using AI chatbots like ChatGPT and Character.ai, with about three-in-ten using them daily, according to a new Pew Research survey of 1,458 US teens aged 13 to 17. https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2025/12/09/teens-social-media-and-ai-chatbots-2025/ #Media #SocialMedia #AI #Pew