Social Updates
The Latest Social Media Bans
Governments around the world are taking bold steps to protect children from social media, and Australia is leading the charge. Starting December 10, 2025, anyone under 16 will be banned from using platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, X, YouTube, Reddit and Kick. Platforms that fail to comply could face fines up to $49.5 million. Companies must deactivate underage accounts, block new sign-ups and implement age checks, though there are some exceptions for education-focused platforms. Denmark is following a similar path, planning to restrict access for children under 15 unless parents give permission, using its national e-ID system and a dedicated verification app to enforce the law. Across Europe, the Digital Services Act already blocks children under 13 from holding accounts on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Twitch, Reddit and Discord, while France and Norway have explored similar measures.
Meta Profits from Billions of Scam Ads
Leaked internal documents reveal that Meta made roughly 10% of its 2024 revenue, or about $16 billion, from scam ads and promotions for banned goods, exposing users to an estimated 15 billion high-risk scam ads every day. The reports show that Meta’s ad system often served even more scam content to users who engaged with it, while advertisers flagged as potential scammers were sometimes allowed to keep running ads under higher “penalty bid” rates. For years, Meta prioritized ad growth over scam detection despite millions of user reports about fraudulent accounts and ads, and while it now claims scam reports fell 58% globally in 2025, it’s unclear whether that reflects real progress or just reduced reporting. These findings further underscore how Meta’s pursuit of ad revenue continues to clash with user safety, as regulators step up scrutiny over scam ads, child protection failures and gaps in content moderation.
Perplexity Invests $400M to Bring AI Search into Snapchat
Perplexity is betting big on AI-powered search, announcing a $400 million deal with Snap to integrate its AI answer engine directly into Snapchat. Starting early next year, users will be able to ask questions within Snapchat’s chat interface and get instant, sourced responses powered by Perplexity. The integration, which builds on Snap’s existing My AI chatbot, gives Perplexity access to more than 940 million users while creating a new revenue stream for Snap beginning in 2026. This move shows how search is moving beyond Google-style engines and into platforms where people already spend their time. With Snapchat reaching more than 75% of 13–34-year-olds, its AI integration could continue to change how younger users look for information and how brands show up in those everyday moments.
Digital Updates
Google Expands Performance Max with Waze Ads and Better Reporting
Google is updating Performance Max campaigns to give advertisers more reach and visibility. Brands running PMax for store goals can now show ads on Waze through “Promoted Places in Navigation” pins, connecting with drivers as they head to nearby locations. The feature automatically uses existing assets optimized for store visits or sales, and it’s currently rolling out to select companies for testing over the holidays, with a global launch expected in 2026. At the same time, Google is expanding channel performance reporting, giving clearer insights into where PMax ads appear across its network, including Search partners. These updates address long-standing frustrations over limited transparency and give marketers more insight into making more strategic decisions.
ChatGPT Ads Could Be Coming, But Trust Comes First
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman signaled that ads may eventually appear on ChatGPT, but they won’t follow the traditional Google model. In a recent interview, Altman stressed that Google profits when search results fall short, whereas ChatGPT’s goal is to earn user trust by providing the best answers first. He ruled out pay-to-play ads, saying that prioritizing a worse option for money would destroy user confidence. Instead, Altman floated a model where ChatGPT could take a small transaction fee if a user completes a booking or purchase through the platform, without affecting recommendations. While details are still emerging, the focus clearly seems to be on prioritizing users over ad revenue, making this a story marketers will want to watch closely.
Atlas Puts ChatGPT at the Center of Browsing
OpenAI’s new browser, Atlas, launched on macOS in October 2025. This move puts ChatGPT at the center of your web experience, allowing the AI to summarize content, compare products, and even act as a personal assistant through its “agentic mode,” helping with tasks like shopping or booking reservations. Atlas can remember details from your browsing sessions to offer a more personalized experience, but this also means it collects more personal data than a typical browser, including browsing history, emails and documents, which is already raising privacy concerns. OpenAI says Atlas defaults to not using user data to train its AI, though users can opt in. Security experts warn of risks such as “prompt injections,” where malicious websites could trick the AI into taking unintended actions, a concern that grows as hacking attacks become more sophisticated. Despite these trade-offs, Atlas offers a glimpse of a web where AI doesn’t just assist but actively navigates the internet for you, fundamentally changing how we interact with online content.
