Reddit users reported seeing Instagram ads promoting pet incinerators, including devices marketed as 'Pet Animal Cremation Machine' and 'Smokeless Domestic Rubbish Incinerator,' sold through Alibaba and its sister site AliExpress. The ads, which appeared on Facebook, Instagram and Threads, featured AI-generated images of healthy-looking cats and dogs posed beside the combustion equipment. Meta's ad library confirms some of these listings were run by Alibaba, though it's unclear if they match the exact ads users saw.
futurism.com
· 2026-10-03
HEYDUDE, the Crocs-owned shoe brand, posted an Instagram and TikTok collaboration with the University of Florida's Theta Chi fraternity promoting branded sneakers. The posts drew criticism online after it emerged that two former Theta Chi members face sexual cyberharassment charges for allegedly distributing a nonconsensual intimate video of a former UF student, identifying her by name.
wired.com
· 2026-10-02
Apple posted a carousel on Instagram showcasing six photos commissioned from photographers Jake Michaels and Jason Nocito, taken with the new iPhone Duo as part of its ongoing 'Shot on iPhone' campaign. The post highlights the device's 48-megapixel rear cameras, 12-megapixel front camera, and under-display FaceTime camera.
9to5mac.com
· 2026-10-01
Instagram launched an AI-powered conversational assistant inside its Edits editing app, giving creators personalized feedback based on their account metrics like views, retention, likes and shares. Edits lead Brett Westervelt said the tool analyzes performance patterns and audience trends but leaves creative decisions to the creator. Usage is capped, with higher limits available through a Meta One subscription.
techcrunch.com
· 2026-09-30
Meta has launched an AI chatbot within its Edits video-editing app that analyzes a creator's own Instagram data—including views, likes, shares and retention—to suggest video ideas, hooks, captions and audio choices. The assistant, already tested by select creators, is free up to an undisclosed daily prompt limit.
engadget.com
· 2026-09-30
Instagram announced Wednesday it is launching a conversational AI assistant inside its Edits app, the CapCut rival, that analyzes a creator's account metrics like follows, views, retention and shares alongside comments and trending content to surface performance insights. Edits lead Brett Westervelt said the tool focuses on analysis rather than creative editing, leaving creative decisions to users, with usage capped unless creators subscribe to Meta One for more access.
techcrunch.com
· 2026-09-30
Instagram announced Wednesday that its standalone Edits app will include an AI 'creative assistant' that analyzes a creator's account data, including likes, views, retention and shares, to answer questions about content performance. The tool can suggest video hooks, captions, trending audio and scripts, and identify patterns behind why some posts succeed and others don't.
theverge.com
· 2026-09-30
Meta has expanded its Instagram School Partnership Program, adding tools that let verified students and staff post Stories and notes visible only to their own school. The update also introduces admin-only channels for parent and student updates, school-wide clubs and teams, and a student directory limited to peers and mutual teen followers.
9to5mac.com
· 2026-09-29
Meta announced that its Muse AI agent is now available to small businesses, with new integrations for Shopify, Dropbox, Slack, Stripe, QuickBooks and other widely used tools. Muse can also connect to Instagram analytics, Facebook Pages and Meta ad accounts to help owners manage operations and find customers. The service is free with usage limits, with paid subscription plans for heavier use.
techcrunch.com
· 2026-09-29
Instagram is rolling out new features for schools enrolled in Meta's School Partnership Program, letting verified students and administrators create clubs and teams that can post Stories and Notes visible only to verified peers. Schools can also set up Channels for broader updates to students, parents and teachers, alongside a verified school directory and profile banners. Meta uses third-party service UNiDAYS to verify student identities, and the features are live starting today.
engadget.com
· 2026-09-29
A lawsuit filed against Cornell University and seven members of the Chi Pi fraternity alleges an hours-long sexual assault occurred in 2024. As details spread on social media, generating public outcry, some users report that platforms like Instagram appear to be limiting the visibility of posts about the case.
fastcompany.com
· 2026-09-28
The Museum of Modern Art has launched its inaugural show devoted to information design, featuring works by contributors including a climatologist and The New York Times. The exhibition examines how data visualizations and infographics communicate facts while also carrying aesthetic and symbolic weight for viewers who encounter or share them.
fastcompany.com
· 2026-09-27
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