Influencer marketing has an AI trust problem

AI influencers are harder to spot, making transparency essential to protecting consumer trust.

By Jenny Force, VP Global Marketing, Meltwater • Oct. 5, 2026

Instagram tests read-only mode

The feature would allow users to view profiles but would not enable liking, messaging or following.

By Andrew Hutchinson • Oct. 4, 2026

Explore the Trendline➔

Top 5 stories from Social Media Today

A look at the recent top stories in social media and what they mean for marketers.

By Social Media Today staff

Instagram adds AI songs to DMs

Users can leverage artificial intelligence to generate music to share with their friends, echoing a similar paid Snapchat feature.

By Andrew Hutchinson • Oct. 4, 2026

Instagram adds Threads sharing sticker for Stories

The feature allows users to add previously liked or saved Threads posts to a Stories frame.

By Andrew Hutchinson • Oct. 4, 2026

Instagram adds option to boost livestreams

Creators can now use an in-app feature to increase engagement of their live videos.

By Andrew Hutchinson • Sept. 30, 2026

Instagram updates its educational safety program

The School Partnerships program offers educators a way to report potential safety issues directly.

By Andrew Hutchinson • Sept. 29, 2026

Meta launches Muse AI for SMBs

The company’s agentic artificial intelligence tools are designed to help small businesses improve workflows and work with partner apps.

By Andrew Hutchinson • Sept. 29, 2026

Instagram shares Reels creation tips in new guide

The refresher on some of the more recent additions to the creation process comes as Reels consumption makes up more than 50% of users’ time on the app. 

By Andrew Hutchinson • Sept. 28, 2026

Can Meta be trusted with user data to power its AI agents?

An incomplete list of the many times that Meta has been accused of misusing people’s data over the years reflects how it prioritizes innovation over safety.

By Andrew Hutchinson • Sept. 27, 2026

How can Instagram creators use Muse AI agents?

There’s a range of ways that Meta's artificial intelligence agents could be of value for creators, but building trust in them will be a hurdle.

By Andrew Hutchinson • Sept. 27, 2026

Instagram chief shares algorithm insights and posting tips

In a new series of videos, chief Adam Mosseri addresses concerns about algorithmic influence and suggests how creators can improve their results.

By Andrew Hutchinson • Sept. 24, 2026

Meta outlines Muse, AI glasses and VR device updates at Connect 2026

Meta showed off its latest artificial intelligence-powered wearables at its annual showcase event. 

By Andrew Hutchinson • Sept. 24, 2026

Threads advertisers will no longer need an Instagram account

Parent Meta is gradually separating the two apps and will stop requiring businesses to have identical usernames on both platforms in order to run promotions.

By Andrew Hutchinson • Sept. 21, 2026

Meta shares holiday 2026 planning guides

The company offered a range of resources for brands and marketers, including an artificial intelligence overview and an SMB playbook covering in-app gift research.

By Andrew Hutchinson • Sept. 17, 2026

Report highlights the value of creator-led collabs on Instagram

Creator-published brand collaborations outperform brand posts and brand-published collaborations, according to a new study from Emplifi.

By Andrew Hutchinson • Sept. 16, 2026

Meta adds more creator partnership tools

The refreshed Creator Marketing Hub will offer expanded access to discovery and outreach features to facilitate promotions.

By Andrew Hutchinson • Sept. 15, 2026

Meta launches Meta One for Business add-on packages

Subscribers will be able to access artificial intelligence-powered tools and advanced custom insights.

By Andrew Hutchinson • Sept. 15, 2026

Meta highlights creation tools for AI glasses

The company shared examples on Instagram featuring new video capture modes and device-specific editing features.

By Andrew Hutchinson • Sept. 13, 2026

Instagram chief warns against eliminating algorithms

Adam Mosseri told reporters in Australia that eliminating the algorithmic feed would create a less engaging experience for users.

By Andrew Hutchinson • Sept. 10, 2026

Meta expands Community Notes to Latin America

The company is starting to test its crowdsourced moderation feature with 16 countries including Mexico, Argentina, El Salvador and Venezuela.

By Andrew Hutchinson • Sept. 10, 2026

Instagram lets users add tagged posts to profile grids

When a user is tagged in a post, they will now be able to display that post on their grid in-stream, facilitating collaborations.

By Andrew Hutchinson • Sept. 10, 2026

Zuckerberg is one of the least-liked people in the US

A survey from UMass Lowell’s Center for Public Opinion found that the Meta CEO was equally and deeply unpopular on both sides of the political spectrum.

By Andrew Hutchinson • Sept. 8, 2026

Instagram updates tags for AI profiles

The platform is trying to make it clear to users when they’re interacting with an artificial intelligence-generated character.

By Andrew Hutchinson • Aug. 31, 2026

Instagram growth continues to outpace Facebook in EU

Meta’s latest DSA reporting showed that while both platforms have significant reach, Facebook usage is trailing Instagram.

By Andrew Hutchinson • Aug. 30, 2026

How will Meta’s settlement impact social media?

The company’s landmark $18 billion payout was only one part of a larger agreement that aims to force other apps to implement similar teen restrictions.

By Andrew Hutchinson • Aug. 27, 2026