It’s easy to be pessimistic about the state of social media in 2023. But while challenges will persist, the shifting landscape will also give rise to more opportunities for marketers to reach social audiences.

Google’s ChatGPT conundrum: Generative AI is becoming a headache for the tech giant that wants to take the ethical high road while also staying competitive in a fast-moving market.

Facing signal loss and challenging macroeconomic conditions, advertisers are pumping the brakes on social network ad spending. But social video is shining through the gloom.

Elon Musk’s reign over Twitter stirs chaos and user losses in Asia-Pacific. The region is propping up Facebook user growth that is flagging in most of the world. And TikTok is looming large among marketers as its popularity skyrockets.

It will be another turbulent year for social media in Latin America. As the number of users nears 400 million, declines at Facebook and Twitter will have profound, long-lasting implications for the region’s two biggest markets: Brazil and Mexico.

Twitter’s balance sheet is looking rough: The company lost more than 500 of its top advertisers, and Q4 revenues tanked 35%.

Discord doubles down on youth with Gas acquisition: The app is huge with teens, and the deal shows the acquirer’s interest in moving beyond its gaming roots.

On today's episode, we discuss what to make of the economy's mixed signals, how young people's time spent using social media is changing, the verdict on virtual events' place in our lives, what streaming TV price hikes really mean, how much of a hit Twitter has taken to its bottom line in recent months, a few fascinating recent breakthroughs in science, and more. Tune in to the discussion with our analysts Suzy Davidkhanian, Blake Droesch, and Paul Verna.

Pinterest was seen as the safest social media platform in the US last year, though the percentage of users who held that view declined from 2020 (51% versus 41%), according to our “US Digital Trust Benchmark 2022” report. Meanwhile, Facebook was where the lowest percentage of users felt safe, down to just 26% in 2022.

Content creation is changing as platforms share ad revenues with creators and all content becomes monetizable. “That’s going to send a wave of quick-hit, low-value content across social media as creators scramble to get more content out,” said our analyst Jasmine Enberg. Enberg predicts smaller creators will shift strategies as they try to earn more from their content.

TikTok delivers best bang for the buck among rivals, studies show: The platform continues to put pressure on both Meta and Google.

Tech’s economic pain isn’t letting up: Economic recovery eludes the tech industry as the Fed targets the overall strong job market’s role in driving inflation. Expect more corporate downsizing.

Q4 was another turbulent quarter for social media: Support for a US ban on TikTok grew; Elon Musk announced he would step down from Twitter once he finds a replacement; and Meta suffered its first-ever major round of layoffs. But there were still bright spots for marketers.

2022 brings a dramatic change in fortunes for some social networks: Contracting ad spending growth prompts big downgrade in our forecast.

Will tech have learned its lesson during economic recovery? A mild recession in 2023 could give rise to tech’s recovery during the second half of the year. Expect industry caution.

Twitter’s turbulent takeover: The Twitter-Musk saga is one of the biggest stories for 2022 that will likely continue into 2023. It could strangle other Musk-owned businesses like Tesla, which Musk is using to sell stock to keep Twitter afloat.

As the ad revenue shortfall deepens, social media’s legacy players face new competition for users, a complicated situation with creators, and a social commerce rewind.

Keeping tabs on shifting consumer habits is paramount for brands in Canada. In 2023, we expect more changes in how media is consumed and what advertisers can do to tap into these new channels.

Our outlook for social ad spending in 2022 has deteriorated significantly since March. This report breaks down what went wrong in the past nine months, and what’s ahead in the next two years.

Our latest forecast shows the global monthly Twitter user base will shrink 3.9% next year and 5.1% in 2024. “Users will start to leave the platform next year as they grow frustrated with technical issues and the proliferation of hateful or other unsavory content,” said our principal analyst Jasmine Enberg.