Facebook news, updates, trends, and tricks (updated weekly)

May Facebook news and updates

• Is Meta inflating reach? Likely due to the Creator Fast Track Program requiring a set number of posts on Facebook. (Source: @carmscrolls)
• Meta highlighted its AI-ready data center infrastructure to explain how its systems work, address misinformation and showcase the technology powering billions of global user experiences.  (Source: Meta News)
• Meta introduced Meta Account, a centralized login system for Facebook, Instagram and devices, offering streamlined settings, passkeys, stronger security, and easier cross app management tools. This will be rolled out over the next year.  (Source: Meta News and https://www.meta.com/account/ )
• Meta’s first-ever drop in daily users reflects market saturation, regional access issues, and growing competition, despite strong revenue and AI-driven ad growth. (Source: SMT)
• Meta explained how the Facebook Groups search function now uses AI to better understand questions, helping people find useful community answers more easily and accurately.  (Source: Meta Engineering)
• China blocked Meta’s $2B purchase of Manus, forcing reversal over concerns about foreign control of key AI technology. (Source: SMT)

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April Facebook news and updates

• Just For Fun: “You Look Happier” (Example: @girlsinmarketing)
• Meta is removing ads from law firms recruiting plaintiffs for lawsuits, aiming to limit litigation while actively defending itself. (Source: Meta News)
• Meta introduces Muse Spark - their version of an AI model  (Source: Meta News)
• Meta announced an update to its Meta Pixel, now using AI to ensure the most relevant information from a user's website flows to the ad system for maximum ad performance. (Source: Social Media Today)
• Starting in the EU and UK, users can now opt in to have Facebook scroll their phone images to suggest edited content, videos, and collages.  (Source: Meta News)
• Meta is expected to surpass Google in digital ad revenue in both the U.S. and internationally for the first time in 2026. (Source: Marketing Dive)
• Meta unveiled new ad and discovery tools at IAB NewFronts (an annual digital content marketplace and media convention). The tools will focus on Reels trend-based placements, improved creator partnerships, and AI-powered creative features to help brands better align with cultural moments and scale content more efficiently. (Source: Social Media Today)
• New prescription-optimized Ray-Ban AI glasses. (Source: Meta News)
• Global moves to restrict teens’ social media use threaten Meta and Google by cutting off future user growth and weakening their core business models. It is also yet to be seen whether bans actually work, as kids are already circumventing them in countries that have implemented age restrictions. (Source: Los Angeles Times)
• Masters Tournament April 9-12. Many homeowners in the Augusta, Georgia area rent out their home for a week or two during the Masters Tournament and make at least a year’s worth of mortgage payments! House prep and reveal videos are currently trending (Source: Ashley Jernigan)

March Facebook news and updates

• A jury has found that Meta’s platforms are harmful to children, with a penalty of 375 million. (Source: PBS News)
• It’s too soon to tell whether Meta’s social media platforms will change their algorithms or how they operate in the wake of the recent verdicts. The verdicts didn’t mandate specific changes. (Source: AP News)
• Meta has partnered with Arm to develop a new class of CPUs to support growing AI workloads and data centers, enabling massive computing power in a limited space. (Source: Meta News) 
• Meta expanded its affiliate partner program to include more partner programs, making it easier for creators to link to affiliate products. In addition, there will be more checkout options to help drive in-stream shopping. (Source: Social Media Today)
• The Meta AI support assistant is being rolled out globally on Facebook and Instagram, providing 24/7 help for account issues like updating your password, settings for your profile, and reporting scams. (Source: Meta News)
• Meta has released a blog providing an overview of the Friend Bubbles System on Facebook Reels. They’re explaining how the architecture illustrates how machine learning can strengthen human connection at scale (Source: Meta Engineering)
• A Creator Fast Track program is being launched on Facebook. This is apparently designed to help creators accelerate their growth on Facebook, with guaranteed pay and increased content reach.  (Source: Meta News) (Social Media Today’s take on this new program)
• Meta plans to layoff 20% or more of its workforce to offset their high spending on AI. (Source: Reuters)
• New FB Marketplace AI tools for faster and easier selling (Source: Meta News)
• Facebook is taking steps to reward original content and creators. (Source: Meta News)
• The latest on the Meta social media addiction trial: The verdict is expected on March 20 and may become a pivotal test for whether tech companies can be held accountable for the mental health effects of their platforms. (Source: The Times)
• Meta sued over AI Smart Glasses privacy issue (Source: Tech Crunch)
• Meta releases an article about how Meta’s U.S. data center plans aim to drive clean-energy investment, job creation, and community support (Source: Meta News)
• Meta announced changes to their ad metrics to better align with reporting on other platforms. In particular, this will help Meta metrics align better with Google Analytics. They are also updating the definition of engaged video view from 10 to 5 seconds. (Source: Social Media Today) 
• Meta takes legal action against scam advertisers and has filed lawsuits against deceptive advertisers that used celeb-bait and subscription fraud schemes. (Source: Meta News)
• Meta is retiring its separate Messenger website. They appear to be stepping back from integrating all platforms into one messaging back-end. (Source: Social Media Today)
• Meta has resumed their plans to create an AI smartwatch that will have Meta’s AI assistant built in. (Source: Social Media Today) 
• (Announcement from Dec 29, but I’ve just started to get a pop-up when logging into Ads Manager) Manus AI joins Meta to deliver general-purpose agents across consumer and business products, including in Meta AI. (Source: Manus and Meta News)
• Zuckerberg defends Meta in landmark social media addiction trial (Source: BBC)
• Check out this helpful infographic for Facebook Ads in 2026. (Source: WordStream)

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February Facebook news and updates

• Meta has released info on how it is preparing for the 2026 Midterm elections. (Source: Meta Newsroom)
• Meta announces a long-term partnership with NVIDIA to advance their AI infrastructure roadmap. (Source: Meta Newsroom)
• Potential upcoming system update for Meta involving adding facial recognition to its artificial intelligence-powered sunglasses, as a means to enhance connection. (Source: Social Media Today)
• Meta has updated its Marketing API to align with the latest ad shifts with the focus on views as the primary performance metric. This update will also ensure that third-party tools are utilizing the latest Advantage+ options. (Source: Social Media Today)
• Meta was granted a patent for technology that could theoretically simulate conversations with deceased users’ accounts. Meta says it has no plans to build this, but the ethical debate has sparked discussion online. (Source: Business Insider)
• Meta tests a standalone AI video app called “Vibes”. Every clip is AI. The initial version is now available in Brazil and Mexico. Social Media Today
• Meta has improved the personalized video recommendations system on Facebook by directly leveraging user feedback. They’re focusing on “interest matching” to ensure that the content people see truly aligns with their unique preferences. Meta engineering
• Meta joins TikTok and Snap to agree to be rated for teen safety. These are the first three Big Tech firms that have agreed to have their social media platforms independently rated. (Source: Tubefilter)
• Facebook rolls out Meta AI-powered animated profile pictures globally, letting users turn static photos into looping animations with presets like party hat, confetti, wave, and heart hands. (Source: Meta News)
• New Meta AI “Restyle” for Stories and Memories lets brands and users remix content with on-demand styles, moods and environments, without adding production overhead. Source: Meta News)
• Meta pilots a unified cross‑app subscription, opening the door to shared premium features across Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp under a single value proposition. (Source: TechCrunch)
• Meta releases updates to easily find relevant creators to work with on paid partnership campaigns. (Source Social Media Today)
• Facebook social plug-ins are being discontinued this month. (Source: Meta blog)

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