Just because you only have a few followers, doesn’t mean you can’t go viral.
#BigChange for Instagram: As of today, you can no longer follow a hashtag (e.g., #healthycooking). Instagram pulled the plug, saying its hashtags are a mess of spam, bots and irrelevant posts. Try the “Explore” tab instead.
The FTC bans fake online reviews
Using bots to boost social media followers and influence is off the table, too. Disney+ adds Hulu shows, sparking parental outrage. Plus, Waymo horror stories, Facebook rental scams, and tips for your next mechanic visit. And Earl from Chicago needs wedding help for his daughter.
“Sell the rumor, buy the news” goes too far: This is crazy. A tiny finance account on X (with just 1,100 followers!) posted a fake claim that Trump was pausing tariffs. The market exploded with joy. CNBC ran with it, Reuters picked it up, and traders literally cheered on the NYSE floor. The account? Verified. The source? Sketchy. And the lesson? Maybe next time, before CNBC hits the banner button, they need to check who’s posting.
🔒 Link unlocked: You need 10K followers for Instagram’s “Swipe Up” feature to link directly from your Stories. Not there yet? Just create a new Story and tap the Sticker button (smiling face in a square). Hit Link and add your URL. Pro tip: A call-to-action sticker like “tap here” tells your followers to click.
📈 Have a Business or Creator Instagram account? See when your audience is most active aka when you should post. Go to: Profile > ☰ Menu > Insights > Total Followers, then scroll to Most Active Times to see peak hours.
Winning over Americans one check at a time: An Indiana mom raked in $95,000 in five months promoting fashion, beauty and kids’ products on TikTok. Unlike other social platforms with steeper entry requirements, TikTok Shop lets folks with just 1,000 followers start monetizing. Is it worth it for how much data they collect? Up to you. Here’s the signup link.
FTC cracks down on fake followers and reviews
Fake followers? Fake likes? The FTC is done playing around. I’ll tell you why the crackdown could mean big fines — or worse — for influencers and brands pulling these tricks.