Hello, social friends and welcome to a new week of updates! LinkedIn has some interesting new tools, including an AI interview feature employers can use with LinkedIn Hiring Pro. Advertisers in the EU should be on the lookout for rising ad costs with Meta, due to digital service taxes in some regions. And X is trying to change its verification process after complaints. Let’s take a closer look and see what could be most useful for you.
LinkedIn is reworking its Feed algorithm with improved AI. Users should begin seeing more meaningful posts that match goals and interests rather than just random or less relevant stuff.
The company said it will use advanced AI (including LLMs and transformer‑style systems) to better understand what posts are actually about and what matters to users.
The main point is to look at deeper connections between a user’s interests, past interactions and content to surface more relevant and helpful recommendations, even from people users may not follow yet.
LinkedIn Hiring Pro also has a new feature. AI Interview lets employers send AI‑generated interview invitations and questions to job applicants as an early step in the hiring process.
The AI creates a custom set of questions based on the job and suggested ideal answers that the employer can review before sending.
Instagram is getting rid of end-to-end encrypted DMs on May 8. Instagram had this option for messages, but it was optional and not widely used.
Most people probably won’t notice much difference in how DMs work, but the privacy level will be lower than it was with encrypted chats, IG said.
Instagram is also testing a feature that would let some users add clickable links directly in their post captions.
But there’s a catch, Social Media Today reports. It’s only being tested with people who pay for Meta Verified right now.
Those users can add up to 10 links per month in their captions. Previously, Instagram didn’t allow links in regular posts, which is why creators always tell followers to check the “link in bio.”
Instagram is additionally expanding its affiliate program, which lets creators earn money by promoting products in their content. Creators will now be able to pick products from different brands and add affiliate links to Reels on their own, earning a commission if someone buys through that link.
Meta
Meta says some advertisers may start seeing “location fees” tacked onto their ad costs in certain countries. The fees will help cover digital service taxes and other government charges that some regions require tech companies like Meta to pay, the company said.
Affected countries include:
- Austria
- France
- Italy
- Spain
- Turkey
- United Kingdom
Facebook Marketplace is getting some helpful updates. Meta is adding new AI tools to make selling things a simpler process. Users can now upload a photo of an item and Meta’s AI will help create the listing, including a description and suggested price.
The AI can also answer common inquiries from buyers automatically, like the often-asked “Is this still available?” using details from the listing.
The tool will also use AI to summarize seller profiles to help buyers understand who they’re buying from and their seller rating.
TikTok
TikTok recently added a new feature called “Play Full Song” in a deal with Apple Music.
When a user hears a song they like while scrolling the app, they can tap a button to listen to the entire track and save the song without leaving the platform. One caveat: you must have an Apple Music subscription .
X
X has upgraded Grok AI so it can turn several pictures into a short AI-generated video. Users can upload up to seven images, like characters, friends or a fun place, and Grok will combine them into a video scene. See what this looks like here.
The generated video can be up to 30 seconds long and the tool will keep the same characters or elements consistent across the clip.
X is also planning to change how its verification system works in the European Union after regulators said the current setup was confusing, according to Bloomberg.
The company had been giving blue checkmarks mostly to people who pay for X Premium, which the EU said looks like real identity verification even though it’s just a paid badge. This led to a hefty fine and pressure to fix it, the outlet reported.
X says it is now working on a new approach to show who’s genuinely verified versus who just paid for a badge, at least in the EU, and regulators will review if that change is sufficient.
WhatsApp is rolling out a new type of account called “Parent‑Managed Accounts” so kids under 13 can use the app more safely.
These accounts are set up and controlled by a parent or guardian, who can then decide who the child can message, which groups they can join and manage privacy settings using a PIN.
The child will still be able to send messages and make calls, but many features like Status, Channels and Meta AI are turned off, and unknown contacts are filtered for the parent to approve, the company said.
Courtney Blackann is a communications reporter. Connect with her on LinkedIn or email her at [email protected].
