Welcome back to this week’s TEAM LEWIS Social Round-Up. TikTok’s US deal finally lands but leaves plenty of commercial question marks, Google is turning everyday users into meme machines, Meta and Snapchat are tightening the rules around teens and AI, and Instagram is once again experimenting with how social value is displayed.
All of it points to platforms reshaping how reach, trust, creativity and control work in 2026.
Let’s get into it 👇
Latest News
🎵 TikTok’s confirmed U.S. deal still leaves unanswered questions
After more than a year of will-it-won’t-it, TikTok has finally locked in its U.S. deal. The immediate ban panic is over, which is a relief, but the bigger questions are only just starting. A U.S.-trained algorithm, a new governance model, and shifting responsibilities around data and moderation all point to a platform that’s going to behave slightly differently this year. TikTok still looks and feels the same, but under the hood it’s changing, and that’s where things could get interesting (and occasionally messy) for anyone relying on it heavily. 👉 Read more
😂 Google debuts ‘Me Meme’ feature in Google Photos app
Google has quietly dropped a new feature that lets people turn themselves into memes directly inside Google Photos. No new app, no learning curve, just pick a photo and off you go. It’s a small update, but a telling one. AI creativity is becoming something people casually play with, not something you “go and use.” Expect a lot more weird, low-effort, highly shareable content made with tools people didn’t even realise they were using. 👉 Read more
🧒 Meta pauses teen access to AI characters ahead of new version
Meta has pulled the handbrake on teens accessing AI characters across its apps while it reworks the experience. This comes alongside lawsuits, regulatory pressure and growing concern from parents. The message here is pretty clear. AI features are still coming, but platforms are being far more careful about who they’re built for and how they’re controlled. The days of shipping first and apologising later feel like they’re starting to fade. 👉 Read more
👨👩👧 Snapchat adds new parental controls after settling lawsuit
Snapchat has rolled out new parental tools that show how much time teens spend in the app, what they’re doing there, and who they’re connecting with. This lands right after Snap settled a lawsuit and sits within a wider industry clean-up around teen safety. It’s another reminder that platforms are now designing with parents, regulators and courtrooms in mind, not just users. 👉 Read more
👯 Instagram tests displaying ‘Friends’ instead of ‘Following’
Instagram is testing a switch from showing “Following” to showing “Friends”, meaning mutual connections instead of total follows. It’s a subtle change, but it says a lot about where Instagram thinks value lives now. Less broadcasting, more private sharing. Less clout, more connection. Whether it sticks or not, it lines up neatly with how people actually use the app today. 👉 Read more
📈 LinkedIn shares tips on boosting organic posts
LinkedIn has shared a simple explainer on how to boost organic posts directly in the feed. Nothing groundbreaking, but useful. It’s a reminder that not every piece of paid activity needs to be a full campaign. Sometimes it’s just about backing the content that’s already doing the work for you and letting it travel a bit further. 👉 Read more
🔧 Quick Tip of the Week
If you’re boosting content on LinkedIn, let organic performance do the hard work first. Posts that already spark comments and saves tend to perform far better once you put budget behind them.
✨ Campaigns We Love ✨
🧱 LEGO x Crocs
A brick-shaped clog with LEGO studs and a minifig to match. It’s playful, unexpected and a great example of two brands leaning fully into their worlds without overthinking it. 👉 Read more
🥶 Jägermeister’s FingerMittens
Tiny knitted gloves designed to keep fingers warm while shots stay ice-cold. Silly, practical and perfectly on-brand.👉 Read more
🗓️ Mark Your Calendars
Opportunities to celebrate this week
- Wednesday January 28 – International LEGO Day 🧱
- Thursday January 29 – National Puzzle Day 🧩
- Friday January 30 – National Fun at Work Day 🎉
- Saturday January 31 – International Zebra Day 🦓
- Sunday February 1 – National Yorkshire Pudding Day 🥘
- Monday February 2 – National Sickie Day 🤒
- Tuesday February 3 – Take a Cruise Day 🚢
And next…
- Wednesday February 4 – World Read Aloud Day 📚
- Thursday February 5 – World Nutella Day 🍫
- Friday February 6 – National Woman’s Heart Day ❤️
- Saturday February 7 – International Pisco Sour Day 🍸
- Sunday February 8 – Super Chicken Wing Day 🍗
- Monday February 9 – National Pizza Day 🍕
- Tuesday February 10 – International Bagpipe Day 🎶
- Wednesday February 11 – National Latte Day ☕
That’s a wrap for this week!
I’m off to celebrate International LEGO Day by convincing myself that LEGO Crocs are a sensible professional purchase.
If you want to chat through any of these stories or what they mean for your 2026 plans, just shout.
See you next week, bye 👋
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