Instagram updated its Reels camera. Creators can now record up to 20 minutes, use an undo button to remove clips, customize touch-ups, and get a smoother green screen, along with refreshed timer and countdown tools.

YouTube checks the box for a lot of things, but one big gap it has had? Direct messaging. YouTube actually had native messaging for a few years but shut down the feature in 2019 to focus on public interactions like comments.

After weeks of marketing, beehiiv held its highly anticipated Winter Release 2025 event, unveiling over 10 product releases and updates that push the platform far beyond email.

Netflix is reportedly in talks with iHeartRadio to license shows exclusively, including The Breakfast Club, Las Culturistas, The Jay Shetty Podcast, and Stuff You Should Know, which could remove full episodes from YouTube. The company is also pursuing a similar deal with SiriusXM, home to the popular Call Her Daddy by Alex Cooper, and is reaching out to agents at WME, UTA, and CAA to sign more video podcasters.

China now requires influencers to hold a degree, professional license, or certification to post about “serious” topics like finance, health, medicine, law, and education.

Instagram is testing skippable ads on Reels again. These ads include a countdown timer in the top-right corner signaling when an ad is about to start. Once it does, viewers can tap “Skip” to return to the Reel.

YouTube is upgrading the TV experience. Creators can soon upload 4K thumbnails, and an AI-powered tool will automatically enhance video resolution. The platform also added immersive homepage previews and contextual search within individual channels.

DoorDash is the latest company to roll out a Creator Program. As part of broader app updates—including AI features and discounts—the program lets creators earn money (the monetization model hasn’t been shared yet) by producing “eligible” short-form videos promoting local restaurants in more than 20 cities, including Atlanta, San Francisco, and Miami.

Syracuse University announced the launch of the nation’s first academic Center for the Creator Economy, a joint initiative between the Whitman School of Management and the Newhouse School of Communications. The center is designed to prepare students for careers in digital content and entrepreneurship through courses, research, and industry partnerships.

Music has become synonymous with the social media experience. It drives trends, fuels engagement, and adds personality to short-form video content, which makes up the bulk of today’s feeds. Whether you are scrolling TikTok, Instagram Reels, or YouTube Shorts, chances are the video you are watching is paired with a song. In fact, 85% of videos on TikTok, 84% of videos on YouTube, 58% on Instagram, and 49% on Facebook contain at least 10 seconds of music.

Instagram has crossed 3 billion monthly active users, joining Facebook and WhatsApp at this major milestone. For all the talk about it “dying,” the platform remains deeply embedded in culture and continues to grow.

Instagram will soon launch a new Shareable Insights feature for its video editing app, Edits.