Your June Social Scoop Unplugged
Want to stay ahead of the curve with the latest social media trends and platform updates? This blog covers all the key changes you need to know in June 2025, whether it’s new Instagram features, TikTok tools, Meta’s latest AI projects, or Threads and X experiments. Save this page and check back often for real-time updates designed to keep your content fresh, relevant, and performing at its best.
June 2025 Recap
Last updated on 5th June 2025
Instagram announces updates for the Edits app, including more transition effects
AI will be making calls on algorithm updates, rule violations and more
More ways to tell TikTok what you want to see more, or less of, in-stream
X is currently rolling out its updated encryption system to all Premium users
X launches new chat experience in Beta, a precursor to payments
Threads now has an option that will let you cross-post your content to your Instagram Story
New Comment Filters for 100K+ creators
Instagram is expanding its comment filtering tools, but only for creators who’ve crossed the 100,000 follower mark.
If you’re regularly fielding a high volume of comments on your Reels and feed posts, this update could significantly streamline how you manage replies and boost meaningful engagement. Here’s what you need to know.
What’s New in Instagram’s Comment Filters?
The platform has introduced three new ways for high-reach creators to sort and prioritise replies:
Top Comments – See comments with the most engagement first.
Newest First – Sort by the most recent replies.
Follower Count – Filter comments based on how many followers a commenter has.
In addition to these, all Instagram creators can still access filters to view only:
Comments from people you follow
Verified users
Paid subscribers
Why This Matters for Creators
For creators with large audiences, these updates offer a more strategic way to manage engagement:
Prioritise high-value interactions: Whether it’s superfans, potential collaborators, or well-connected followers, you can now respond more intentionally.
Boost subscription value: Prioritising comments from paying subscribers could help with retention and even encourage new sign-ups.
Save time: If your comment section gets busy, these tools can help you stay focused without missing important replies.
Who Has Access (And Who Doesn’t)
At the time of writing, these advanced filters are only available to creators with 100,000+ followers. If you’re close to that milestone, this could be the push to keep growing consistently, through connection, clarity, and smart content planning.
And yes, it’s frustrating that accounts with strong engagement but fewer followers aren’t included. Many smaller creators build highly active, loyal communities and could benefit just as much from these features.
Unfortunately, access is currently gated by follower count, not engagement level.
While this update won’t change the game for everyone just yet, it’s another sign that Instagram is slowly leaning into more creator-focused tools and rewarding those who’ve grown large followings.
If you’re not quite there yet, don’t let that stop you from engaging meaningfully. Replying to comments, building relationships, and showing up consistently still go a long way, and who knows, by the time you hit that 100k mark, Instagram may have even more in store.
Instagram quietly adds support for 3:4 images
Instagram has quietly rolled out support for 3:4 aspect ratio images, and while it might seem like a small update, it’s a welcome one for creators and businesses who care about how their visuals show up in the feed.
Until now, if you uploaded a photo in a 3:4 format (which is the native aspect ratio for many phone cameras), Instagram would automatically crop or adjust it to fit within its supported dimensions. This often meant losing parts of the image or compromising your original framing. With this update, your 3:4 images will now be displayed exactly as you shot them, no stretching, no cropping, no tweaks.
According to Instagram Creators, this change applies to both single-photo posts and carousels, giving users a little more flexibility when planning their content.
You can still post in the usual formats: square (1:1) and portrait (4:5), but 3:4 adds another option to help your images look more natural and aligned with how they were captured.
It’s worth noting that this update won’t dramatically shift Instagram’s current direction. Over the last few years, the platform has made it clear that video, particularly Reels, is the main driver of engagement. More than half of what users now see in their feed is AI-recommended Reels, and messaging continues to grow as a key engagement space.
Still, photo posts aren’t disappearing any time soon. They remain a popular choice for connecting with friends and sharing more curated content. For businesses and creators who still use still imagery to communicate their brand, having access to a new image ratio opens up more creative possibilities and ensures your photos appear just the way you intended.
Instagram announces updates for the Edits app
Instagram continues to improve its Edits app, a standalone video editing tool aimed at content creators looking for a streamlined way to customise Reels and short-form content.
The latest update includes three new features, all designed to save time and offer more creative control.
What’s New in Edits?
This week’s updates focus on enhancing transitions, audio control, and precision when editing clips:
1. More Transitions
Instagram has added new effects, including “Zoom Ripple” and “Vertical Stretch”, bringing the total number of transition options in Edits to 35. These can be applied between any clips to elevate visual flow and keep viewers engaged.
2. Improved Track Handle Sensitivity
Editing just got more accurate. You can now make finer, more precise cuts by tapping the edges of a clip within your sequence. This update is especially useful for those who rely on tight timing or beat-matching.
3. Apply Volume Changes to All Clips
Creators can now apply a single volume adjustment across all clips in a project. This means no more jarring audio jumps or inconsistencies between scenes, an often-overlooked detail that makes a big difference to the viewer experience.
Why This Matters
Instagram clearly wants Edits to become the preferred tool for short-form video creators, particularly as an alternative to TikTok’s CapCut. These new features show Instagram is listening to what creators need: more control, less friction, and easier ways to keep things professional.
If you’re already using Edits, these updates will likely improve your workflow. If you’re not, it’s worth exploring, especially while it’s still free.
Will Edits Stay Free?
For now, yes. But Instagram head Adam Mosseri has suggested that some AI-powered tools currently in development may eventually require a subscription, due to the high compute costs involved.
Whether or not a paid tier is introduced, the app is shaping up to be a strong contender in the creator tool space. And with updates rolling out regularly, now’s a good time to get familiar with it.
Small but useful changes like these can make a real difference, especially when you’re creating content consistently. Whether you’re repurposing Reels, building tutorials, or storytelling through video, having more control over transitions, audio, and timing helps you stand out.
Meta Plans Fully Automated Ad Campaigns by 2026
Meta is working toward a major shift in how digital advertising works. According to a recent Wall Street Journal report, the company plans to offer fully automated ad creation and targeting by 2026, allowing businesses to launch campaigns with minimal manual input.
This development reflects Meta’s long-term investment in AI-powered tools, which are already outperforming traditional human-led ad strategies across many of its platforms.
How Will Automated Meta Ads Work?
The vision is simple:
You’ll input your business website and campaign budget, and Meta’s systems will handle the rest.
This includes:
Creating copy, visuals, and video content
Generating multiple ad variations tailored to different users
Determining ideal budget allocation
Selecting audiences across Facebook and Instagram based on real-time data
These capabilities build on Meta’s existing tools like Advantage+ Shopping Campaigns, which already use AI to test creative variations and optimise delivery.
A Shift Away from Manual Targeting
Over the past two years, Meta has steadily reduced the level of manual control advertisers have over ad targeting. The reason? Their AI systems are consistently delivering better results when not limited by manual segmentation.
By 2026, Meta expects these tools to be advanced enough to:
Optimise creative elements using insights from billions of past ads
Deliver performance-based targeting without human-defined demographics
Offer fully managed ad delivery with minimal creative assets required
In fact, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently said:
“You don’t need any creativity, you don’t need any targeting demographic… You tell us what your objective is, connect your bank account, and we do the rest.”
What This Means for Marketers
While the automation of ad creation might sound like a threat to marketers, it’s more likely to reshape roles, not replace them.
Here’s what’s likely to change:
Ad management will become more strategic – understanding how AI tools work and knowing when to intervene will be key.
Creative direction still matters – AI can produce technically sound ads, but human input is needed for storytelling, brand consistency, and emotional connection.
Learning AI tools becomes essential – marketers will need to stay updated on how these systems operate and how to prompt them for the best results.
This isn’t the end of advertising, but it does mark a transition from execution to oversight.
Meta’s push toward full ad automation is bold but not surprising. The tools already exist in some form, and results show they’re working. For small businesses and solo creators, this could mean faster campaign setup and better performance without hiring a full team.
But long-term success will still rely on your brand voice, strategic positioning, and your ability to use AI as a partner, not a replacement.
AI will be making calls on algorithm updates, rule violations and more
Meta is expanding its use of AI across many aspects of its platform management, from coding and ad targeting to risk assessment and content moderation. CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently highlighted the company’s growing reliance on AI to help shape user experiences on Facebook and Instagram.
AI to Handle Up to 90% of Risk Assessments
According to internal documents obtained by NPR, Meta plans to automate up to 90% of its risk assessments related to product development and policy enforcement. This includes reviewing potential risks such as privacy concerns, harmful content, and misinformation.
Previously, these reviews were mostly conducted by human evaluators, but the shift to automated systems marks a significant change in how Meta manages content and platform safety.
Balancing Automation and User Safety
While AI can process vast amounts of data quickly and consistently, relying heavily on machines to safeguard users presents challenges. Meta acknowledges this, and recently adjusted its approach to “less severe” policy violations by:
Reducing enforcement mistakes by temporarily disabling problematic automated systems
Increasing the confidence threshold required before content is demoted or removed
These refinements have led to a reported 50% reduction in enforcement errors, which sounds promising but has a trade-off.
Impact on Harmful Content Visibility
With stricter criteria for removal, some harmful content, such as bullying and harassment, has seen a decline in detection. Meta’s data from Q1 2025 shows a 12% decrease in automated detection of such content on Facebook.
Though this may seem like a modest drop on a chart, it translates to millions of potentially harmful posts remaining visible to users, raising questions about the balance between error reduction and content safety.
The Future of AI at Meta
Meta plans to increase AI integration beyond content moderation. Zuckerberg mentioned that within the next 12 to 18 months, most of Meta’s software code will be written by AI, streamlining development processes.
However, using AI to make decisions that affect user experience and platform safety carries inherent risks, especially at such a scale. Meta insists that humans will still oversee risk reviews and that only “low-risk decisions” are fully automated.
What This Means for Users and Marketers
Users may see evolving experiences on Facebook and Instagram as AI shapes content delivery and enforcement.
Marketers and content creators should be aware that AI-driven moderation and policy enforcement might affect visibility and engagement in new ways.
Meta’s ambitious integration of AI aims to improve efficiency and scale in managing its massive platforms. While AI offers significant benefits, the potential impact on user safety and experience means that human oversight remains essential.
As AI tools become more embedded in platform management, it’s critical to watch how these systems evolve and balance automation with responsible governance.
More ways to tell TikTok what you want to see more, or less of, in-stream
TikTok is rolling out new tools designed to give users greater control over what appears in their “For You” feed, a welcome move for those seeking a more tailored or less triggering content experience on the app.
Customise Your Feed With “Manage Topics”
The first feature, Manage Topics, is now being made available to all users. Found under Settings > Content Preferences, this tool lets you indicate how interested you are in over 10 broad content categories, such as Travel, Creative Arts, Sports, and Nature, using simple sliders.
“These settings won’t eliminate any topics entirely,” TikTok explains, “but can influence how often they’re recommended as your interests evolve.”
While this doesn’t offer fine-tuned control over subtopics, it’s a step towards more user-informed content curation. TikTok originally began testing this feature in 2024, so some users may have already encountered it.
Smart Keyword Filters for a More Intentional Experience
TikTok is also introducing AI-powered Smart Keyword Filters, which allow users to block specific content from their feed altogether. Simply add keywords or hashtags associated with videos you’d rather not see, for example, “renovation” or “diet”, and TikTok’s algorithm will work to filter them out.
This is particularly helpful in avoiding potentially harmful or triggering content, such as the “SkinnyTok” trend, which TikTok has recently taken steps to remove from search results under pressure from European regulators.
These filters offer a proactive way to take control of your digital environment, something especially useful for those sensitive to body image, health misinformation, or overwhelming trends.
Additional Content Safeguards
Alongside these user tools, TikTok is:
Enhancing content standards to reduce the visibility of videos deemed inappropriate for general audiences
Introducing new limits on how often videos with potentially harmful themes (like extreme fitness challenges) appear in your feed
While details remain vague, it appears TikTok is working on ways to automatically tag and de-prioritise content that could negatively impact mental wellbeing.
A Guide to the “For You” Algorithm
TikTok has also launched a new user guide to the For You feed, designed to explain how its recommendation system works and what users can do to shape their experience. This is a useful resource, especially for those who want more transparency around how their feed is generated.
Will People Use These Features?
These updates give users more say in what they see, but will most people use them? History suggests many won’t. Social media behaviour tends to lean towards passive scrolling, and platforms have trained us to trust (and rely on) algorithmic recommendations more than manual customisation.
Still, for those who do want a more curated, less overwhelming experience, these new tools offer meaningful ways to gain control.
TikTok’s latest updates reflect growing concerns around digital wellbeing and content relevance. Whether you’re looking to reduce exposure to certain topics or simply want more control over your scrolling, these features are worth exploring.
As social platforms continue to walk the line between AI-driven curation and user autonomy, tools like these help shift the balance back toward intentional engagement.
X is currently rolling out its updated encryption system to all Premium users
X (formerly Twitter) is making strides towards offering greater security and privacy for users, with a newly updated encryption process for direct messages (DMs) now being rolled out alongside its premium messaging platform, XChat.
This update is part of X’s broader ambition to position itself as a secure, multipurpose app, not just for social networking, but also for messaging, payments, and more.
What’s Changing?
Until recently, encrypted messaging on X was available only to Premium users and was limited in functionality, even Elon Musk admitted it was “clunky” and lacked proper end-to-end protection. But with the backend of X’s messaging system now rebuilt, full encryption is being rolled out as a default feature within the new XChat experience.
How Encrypted Messaging Works on X
When a user opens Chat for the first time:
A private-public key pair is generated for that user.
Users are prompted to create a 4-digit PIN, which stays on their device and is used to protect their private key.
Each encrypted conversation also gets a unique encryption key, exchanged securely between users using their public keys.
According to X, “every single message, link, and reaction” is encrypted on the sender’s device and remains encrypted on X’s servers.
This means content is secure during transit and storage, but some metadata, like recipient info or timestamp, is not encrypted. Also, any posts shared in encrypted chats are still logged by X, even if the message content itself is private.
Key Limitations and Requirements
To use encrypted DMs:
Both sender and receiver must be using the latest version of the X app on iOS (no Android or web support yet).
The recipient must either follow the sender, have accepted a DM from them previously, or have messaged them before.
In other words, encryption only activates when there’s a mutual connection of some kind, likely a measure to reduce spam and misuse.
What About Media and Group Chats?
Encrypted messaging now includes:
Media, links, files, and reactions
Group chats (with the same encryption protocols)
However, shared posts are still recorded by the platform, meaning X will know if you’ve shared a tweet, even within an encrypted message.
Logging Out? Your Encrypted Messages Get Wiped, Temporarily
One key point: if you log out of the app, all encrypted messages are deleted from that device. However:
“Upon logging back in, your device can re-fetch and decrypt the encrypted conversations using the private key, as long as you know your PIN.”
So the messages aren’t lost entirely, but it’s a good reminder to keep that PIN safe.
What’s Next for X?
While some experts may question the choice of a 4-digit PIN for securing private keys (which is relatively weak by encryption standards), the system represents a major improvement in X’s approach to user privacy.
X has also hinted that these upgrades may pave the way for X Payments, where added security could be crucial. The company plans to open-source its encryption protocols later this year, providing further transparency and potential for third-party review.
With these changes, X is trying to keep pace with other secure messaging platforms, and perhaps inch closer to becoming Elon Musk’s vision of an “everything app.”
While it’s not perfect, this new encryption rollout is a meaningful step toward offering users more privacy and security within the app.
X launches new chat experience in Beta, a precursor to payments
X (formerly Twitter) has officially begun rolling out the beta version of its updated messaging system, “X Chat,” marking the next phase in its ambition to build a multifunctional platform that includes secure, in-app payments.
This new chat experience is more than just a redesign. It introduces enhanced privacy features, most notably, a four-digit PIN for additional security, suggesting that direct messaging will soon serve as the central channel for peer-to-peer money sharing within the app.
Encryption is at the heart of this rollout, forming the foundation for a broader infrastructure designed to support financial transactions. Elon Musk has made no secret of his vision for X to become a Western equivalent of WeChat: a single platform for messaging, payments, social interaction, and more.
A Familiar Vision, with Familiar Challenges
This concept is not new. Platforms like Meta, TikTok, and Pinterest have all attempted similar integrations of social media and payment systems, but with limited success. Regulatory challenges, privacy concerns, and low user adoption have frequently stood in the way. Even Facebook Pay, Meta’s most persistent payment feature, has struggled to gain traction beyond niche use cases.
X is likely to face many of the same obstacles. Regulatory approval has already proven difficult, with key U.S. states, including New York, rejecting payment processor applications over concerns about the platform’s ownership structure and geopolitical ties, particularly its investment links to the Saudi government.
Uncertain Timeline and Consumer Hesitation
Even if those regulatory hurdles are cleared, user trust and adoption remain significant barriers. Western audiences have historically kept their financial activities separate from social platforms, preferring established providers like PayPal or Amazon for payments and online shopping.
There’s also the issue of timing. Musk initially predicted payments would be active within the app by the end of 2024. But as of mid-2025, X is still in the early stages of implementation, and its user base is reportedly shrinking.
Despite this, Musk remains committed to the idea. Reforming the app’s messaging infrastructure is a foundational step, and the beta rollout of X Chat suggests payments may follow in the near future.
Whether X will succeed where others have not remains to be seen. For now, the new messaging experience signals that the company is still very much pursuing its long-term vision of becoming an “everything app”, even if the path forward is uncertain.
Threads now has an option that will let you cross-post your content to your Instagram Story
Meta appears to be doubling down on cross-platform promotion with a new prompt on Threads, encouraging users to share their posts directly to Instagram Stories.
As shared by social media commentator Matt Navarra, some Threads users are now seeing suggestions to “get more eyes on your posts” by reposting to Stories. This comes as part of Meta’s broader strategy to integrate its platforms more closely, alongside existing options for cross-posting between Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
More Visibility, But Use With Care
While sharing Threads content to Instagram Stories may indeed boost reach, it’s worth remembering that not all content translates effectively between platforms. The casual, text-based tone of Threads posts may not always align with the visual, curated feel of Instagram Stories.
Just because you can cross-post doesn’t mean you should. Content should be tailored to suit each platform’s audience and format to have the desired impact.
Still, with Threads now surpassing 350 million monthly users, Meta’s move reflects its ongoing efforts to keep users engaged within its ecosystem and to turn Threads into a more visible, widely used platform in its own right.
If you’ve found this helpful, share it with your network or drop me a message with your thoughts and feedback. Until next time, keep shining and be creative online!
Natty Bernasconi | Instagram Expert & Educator
Social Media Strategy for Lifestyle Businesses & Creators
Empowering brands with tailored Instagram strategies and aesthetic-driven insights. Follow for weekly tips, industry updates, and coaching designed to elevate your brand’s online presence—making it as captivating as it is strategic.