Social Media 2 February 2026 - 6 May 2026

Reddit Mobile Website Block Sparks Backlash as App Download Prompt Freezes Browsing
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Reddit Mobile Website Block Sparks Backlash as App Download Prompt Freezes Browsing

Reddit is blocking some mobile web users from browsing unless they download its app, testing the prompt with frequent visitors. The move follows a 69% jump in first-quarter revenue to $663 million and a 17% rise in daily active uniques. Users report workarounds, but the prompt freezes scrolling and menus for many. Reddit did not say if the test will expand.
May 6, 2026
YouTube finally lets users turn off Shorts with a zero-minute feed limit
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YouTube finally lets users turn off Shorts with a zero-minute feed limit

YouTube has launched a setting allowing users to set a daily Shorts feed limit of zero minutes, effectively hiding the feature in its app. The option, previously unavailable, is now live for all parents and rolling out to adult accounts, according to a company spokesperson. For children and teens managed through Family Center, hitting the limit blocks further viewing until the next day. Adults can dismiss reminders and continue watching.
April 16, 2026
YouTube Live Ads Change: Chat Surges and Fan Tips Now Trigger Ad-Free Windows
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YouTube Live Ads Change: Chat Surges and Fan Tips Now Trigger Ad-Free Windows

YouTube will delay ads during livestreams when chat activity peaks and give paying viewers temporary ad-free periods after Super Chat, Super Sticker, or gift purchases. The company is also expanding its dual-format streaming, letting some creators broadcast in horizontal and vertical modes simultaneously. The dual-format feature and new ad tools are still rolling out to all creators.
April 14, 2026
Meta Platforms opens WhatsApp to rival AI chatbots in Europe — but charges a fee
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Meta Platforms opens WhatsApp to rival AI chatbots in Europe — but charges a fee

Meta will allow third-party AI chatbots to access WhatsApp’s Business API in Europe for 12 months, charging fees between €0.0490 and €0.1323 per message. EU antitrust regulators are considering interim measures over access restrictions. Rival developers say the pricing still blocks competition. Meta faces similar regulatory action in Italy and Brazil.
March 5, 2026
Meta stock in focus: Turkey opens kids-data review of Instagram and Facebook ahead of Monday trade
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Meta stock in focus: Turkey opens kids-data review of Instagram and Facebook ahead of Monday trade

Turkey’s data protection authority has launched a review into children’s personal data practices on major platforms, including Meta’s Instagram and Facebook. Meta shares closed at $655.66 on Friday, up 1.7%. An SEC filing showed Meta President Dina Powell McCormick received 91,333 restricted stock units vesting through 2030. Meta has cut annual stock option awards by about 5% for most staff.
February 22, 2026
AppLovin stock jumps in premarket as job post points to a new social network
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AppLovin stock jumps in premarket as job post points to a new social network

AppLovin shares rose 5.6% to $435 in premarket trading Friday after reports of plans for a new social platform, following a 1.9% gain Thursday and a 4.6% after-hours jump. A job listing details work on real-time social features. Investors await U.S. GDP and inflation data at 8:30 a.m. ET. The company mainly sells ad tech tools and previously bid for TikTok assets outside China.
February 20, 2026
AppLovin stock rises as job post hints at “next-generation” social platform
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AppLovin stock rises as job post hints at “next-generation” social platform

AppLovin shares closed up 1.9% at $412.09 Thursday after a job posting signaled a new social platform venture. Bloomberg Law reported the company is preparing a social network following a failed bid for TikTok assets outside China. Director Herald Y. Chen converted 150,000 Class B shares and gifted 100,000 Class A shares, according to an SEC filing. Trading volume reached 5.29 million shares.
February 20, 2026
AppLovin stock price ticks up as report points to homegrown social network plan
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AppLovin stock price ticks up as report points to homegrown social network plan

AppLovin shares rose 0.3% to $405.42 Thursday after a Bloomberg report said the company is preparing a social networking platform. Job postings reference building a global, consumer-facing feed product. AppLovin recently sold its gaming business to Tripledot Studios for $400 million and reported Q4 revenue of $1.658 billion. Board member Herald Y. Chen converted 150,000 Class B shares and gifted 100,000 Class A shares.
February 19, 2026
Pinterest stock heads into Tuesday’s open near six-year lows after tariff-hit outlook rattles PINS
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Pinterest stock heads into Tuesday’s open near six-year lows after tariff-hit outlook rattles PINS

Pinterest shares were set to reopen Tuesday near a six-year low after closing at $15.42, down 16.8%. The company forecast first-quarter revenue below Wall Street estimates, citing reduced ad spending by large retailers facing tariff uncertainty. Pinterest recently announced job cuts and a board addition, naming Ulta Beauty CEO Kecia Steelman as a director. Investors are watching upcoming retailer earnings for signs of further ad budget changes.
February 17, 2026
Reddit’s leadership shake-up lands as in-app search climbs past 80 million weekly users
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Reddit’s leadership shake-up lands as in-app search climbs past 80 million weekly users

Reddit named Amit Puntambekar executive vice president of consumer engineering and promoted Jim Squires to chief marketing officer and Laura Nestler to EVP of community. The company says weekly Reddit search usage rose to over 80 million after merging it with its AI-powered Reddit Answers feature. Executives are testing new search placements and richer AI results to keep more research activity on the platform.
February 11, 2026
China slaps TikTok rival Kuaishou with a $17 million fine after porn livestream flood
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China slaps TikTok rival Kuaishou with a $17 million fine after porn livestream flood

Beijing fined Kuaishou 119.1 million yuan ($17.2 million) and issued a warning after a Dec. 22 cyberattack exposed users to pornographic and violent livestreams. Regulators said Kuaishou failed to block illegal content and neglected cybersecurity fixes. The company apologized and pledged to address system flaws. Kuaishou shares fell nearly 6% after news of the incident.
February 6, 2026
EU charges TikTok over “addictive design” under Digital Services Act, setting up forced app changes
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EU charges TikTok over “addictive design” under Digital Services Act, setting up forced app changes

EU regulators accused TikTok of violating the Digital Services Act, citing features like infinite scroll and autoplay that may fuel compulsive use among minors. The Commission warned TikTok to overhaul these elements or face fines up to 6% of ByteDance’s global revenue. TikTok denied the allegations and said it will contest the findings. The case is in its early stages.
February 6, 2026
Slovenia plans to ban under-15s from social media as Europe tightens rules on TikTok
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Slovenia plans to ban under-15s from social media as Europe tightens rules on TikTok

Slovenia’s cabinet approved guidelines to draft a law banning social media access for children under 15, Deputy Prime Minister Matej Arcon said Thursday. The education ministry will lead the process, with input from other ministries and experts. The move follows similar proposals in Spain and Greece. Arcon cited TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram as targeted platforms.
February 5, 2026
Supreme Court of India to WhatsApp: Stop ‘playing’ with privacy as Meta data-sharing ban looms
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Supreme Court of India to WhatsApp: Stop ‘playing’ with privacy as Meta data-sharing ban looms

India’s Supreme Court warned it may reinstate a ban on WhatsApp for sharing user data with Meta affiliates, demanding a written affidavit by Feb. 9. Chief Justice Surya Kant called the privacy policy misleading and pressed Meta on monetizing user metadata. The court involved the IT Ministry and threatened to dismiss appeals without firm commitments. WhatsApp has over 500 million users in India.
February 3, 2026
Spain targets TikTok, X and Instagram with under-16 ban plan and exec liability push in Spain
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Spain targets TikTok, X and Instagram with under-16 ban plan and exec liability push in Spain

Spain will introduce a bill next week to hold social media executives liable for illegal and hate speech content, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said Tuesday. The government also plans to ban social media use for those under 16. Sanchez announced the measures at the World Governments Summit in Dubai. Prosecutors will investigate possible violations by Grok, TikTok, and Instagram.
February 3, 2026
Viral Moltbook Leak: Wiz Finds Exposed Messages and Credentials
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Viral Moltbook Leak: Wiz Finds Exposed Messages and Credentials

Cybersecurity firm Wiz disclosed a major Moltbook vulnerability that exposed private bot messages, 1.5 million API keys, and 35,000 email addresses. The flaw, blamed on rapid “vibe coding” practices, allowed outsiders to hijack agents and post as them. Moltbook patched the issue after notification. The platform, launched last week, had attracted over 1.5 million AI agents by Monday.
February 2, 2026
X outage: Elon Musk’s platform, formerly Twitter, back after Downdetector flags thousands of U.S. reports
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X outage: Elon Musk’s platform, formerly Twitter, back after Downdetector flags thousands of U.S. reports

Elon Musk’s X, formerly Twitter, went offline Sunday, triggering over 19,000 U.S. outage reports on Downdetector before service mostly returned in about 45 minutes. NetBlocks said the disruption was not caused by nationwide internet filtering. X did not respond to requests for comment. Users reported delays, broken timelines, and login issues during the outage.
February 2, 2026
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Stock Market Today

  • ASX 200 Gains on Miners and Banks as Falling Yields Ease Market Pressure
    May 22, 2026, 8:34 PM EDT. The ASX 200 rose 0.19% on the week, buoyed by gains in miners and banks. BHP climbed 1.1%, Rio Tinto surged 1.72%, and major banks such as CBA, Westpac, NAB, and ANZ added between 0.5%-0.94%. Exceptional moves came from South32 (+5.07%) and Evolution Mining (+3.14%), driven by copper and uranium strength in resources. Conversely, IAG (-3.4%) and REA Group (-4.07%) dragged the index lower. Short term market breadth hit 50%, signaling half of the ASX 200 stocks are trading above their 20-day moving average, a bullish sign for the near-term outlook. Falling bond yields likely eased pressure on equities, supporting this upward trend.