Welcome back to this week’s TEAM LEWIS Social Round-Up.
Meta is closing doors, Snapchat is taking on Canberra, Facebook is having a creator renaissance, Threads is clinging tighter to Instagram, and Apple Music wants you to party inside TikTok. Oh, and Meta patented something that sounds like Black Mirror wrote the roadmap.
Let’s dive in 👇
Latest News
💬 Meta is shutting down its Messenger website
Messenger.com is going away in April 2026. You’ll still be able to message on desktop, but it’s being folded back into Facebook itself. On the surface, this feels practical. Fewer platforms to maintain. Less tech to support. Probably fewer awkward “why does this still exist?” meetings.
But the timing is interesting. For years Meta was working toward one big unified messaging system across Messenger, WhatsApp and Instagram. Now messaging feels more separate again, with Threads even running its own inbox. That likely says more about regulation easing than product vision shifting. For brands, the takeaway is simple. Build for how people message inside each app today, not Meta’s long-term infrastructure dream. 👉 Read More
🇦🇺 Snapchat CEO criticises Australia’s teen social media ban
Snapchat’s Evan Spiegel has criticised Australia’s new teen social media restrictions, arguing they could push young users toward less safe corners of the internet. His point is fairly blunt. Blocking certain platforms does not mean teens suddenly log off. They will just migrate somewhere else.
He also flagged the limitations of age estimation tech and questioned whether the research around harm is as clear-cut as headlines suggest. More countries are watching what Australia does, so this is bigger than one opinion piece. If similar restrictions spread, it will reshape youth access and platform growth. For brands in youth spaces, this is one to watch carefully. 👉 Read More
🤖 Meta patents AI that keeps posting after you die
Meta has been granted a patent describing an AI system that could simulate a person’s activity on social media, potentially continuing to post and message after they’ve died. Meta says there are no plans to build it, and companies file patents for ideas all the time, but the concept alone is enough to raise eyebrows.
The idea of a digital version of you, built from your posts, chats and behaviour, continuing to interact like you’re still around, raises big questions about consent, identity and authenticity. Even if this never launches, it shows how quickly digital identity tech is evolving. For marketers, understanding how AI blurs the line between real and replicated is going to matter more and more. 👉 Read More
📲 Threads posts can now be shared directly to Instagram Stories
Threads now lets users preview and share posts straight to Instagram Stories without leaving the Threads app. It sounds small, but every bit of friction Meta removes between its platforms strengthens distribution.
Threads has grown past 400 million monthly users largely because it leans on Instagram’s scale. Cross-posting and integrated discovery are doing the heavy lifting. If you’re experimenting on Threads, this makes amplification easier. And you can expect Meta to keep tightening that Instagram-to-Threads loop. 👉 Read More
📈 Creators cash in on a Facebook renaissance
Facebook’s revamped monetisation model has jumped from under 3 million to 12 million participants in just over a year, with Indonesian creators leading the charge. After merging its monetisation programs and shifting to performance-based rewards, Meta has made the platform financially attractive again.
For a while, creators prioritised YouTube and TikTok. Now the money dynamics are shifting, especially in emerging markets where RPM is competitive and community tools like Groups and Stars drive loyalty. The lesson is simple. Never declare a platform dead. When the payout model changes, creator behaviour changes fast. 👉 Read More
🎵 Apple Music and TikTok test “Listening Party” feature
Apple Music and TikTok are beta testing a feature that lets users play full songs inside TikTok, alongside a Listening Party tool where fans can listen together. Discovery already happens on TikTok, so keeping listening inside the app reduces drop-off.
This is a smart ecosystem play. Shared listening leans into community behaviour, while Apple Music stays front and centre for royalties and subscriptions. For brands in music and entertainment, it reinforces TikTok’s role as both discovery engine and destination. 👉 Read More
🔧 Quick Tip of the Week
If you are a brand working with creators in emerging markets, do not overlook Facebook. Monetisation shifts change creator priorities quickly. Where the money flows, attention follows. Track where your key creators are investing their energy, not just where they built their audience originally.
✨ Campaigns We Love ✨
🚭 Rio turns fruity vapes into a rotten wake-up call
Sweet vape flavours transformed into symbols of decay. Minimal, unsettling and brutally effective. Sugar-coating removed entirely. 👉 A bitter aftertaste
🥞 Southeastern flips out for Pancake Day
St Pancras became London St Pancake for the day. Commuter branding with syrup-level commitment. Short stack, big impact. 👉 Flip it good
🗓️ Mark Your Calendars
Opportunities to celebrate this week
- Wednesday February 25 – National Pink Shirt Day 🎀
- Thursday February 26 – National Carpe Diem Day ⏳
- Friday February 27 – National Pokémon Day ⚡
- Saturday February 28 – National Science Day 🔬
- Sunday March 1 – International Wheelchair Day ♿
- Monday March 2 – National Tater Tot Day 🥔
- Tuesday March 3 – Doggy Date Night 🐶
And next…
- Wednesday March 4 – National Homemade Soup Day 🍲
- Thursday March 5 – Reel Film Day 🎬
- Friday March 6 – National Employee Appreciation Day 🙌
- Saturday March 7 – Plant Power Day 🌱
- Sunday March 8 – Autism Sunday 💙
- Monday March 9 – National Pizza Day 🍕
- Tuesday March 10 – National Mario Day 🍄
- Wednesday March 11 – World Plumbing Day 🔧
That’s a wrap for this week!
If you have any questions about any of the updates or want to understand how any of these changes could impact your strategy, feel free to reach out, or just join our Listening Party on TikTok.
See you next week, bye 👋
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