On today's podcast episode, we discuss what happens now that the actors strike is over, how the Super Bowl is fundamentally changing, whether live sports need new shorter content, what's next for WhatsApp, why people immigrate to the US, and more. Tune in to the discussion with our forecasting writer Ethan Cramer-Flood, forecasting analyst Zach Goldner, and director of forecasting Oscar Orozco.

This year, TikTok will ride the social video wave to become the third social platform with more than 100 million users in the US. But text-based platforms are also set for a revival thanks to Instagram Threads, Bluesky, and even Meta’s Messenger.

It partnered with Spotify Premium and can use other tie-ins and products to sustain rapid growth.

Meta's major monetization of minors mishap: The FTC has proposed to bar the social giant from using children's data for their ad business.

The Meta-owned company's determination to overcome regulatory hurdles could signal bigger international ambitions

Meta getting ready for more layoffs: Thousands of jobs could be lost as the company tightens its belt before Zuckerberg goes on leave. The cuts could spur other Big Tech companies to continue shedding headcount.

Meta gained a strong hold over the US social media app rankings last year, with Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger, and Facebook all boasting the highest numbers of downloads, according to Apptopia. Messaging app Telegram broke into the top 10 this year, as did relative newcomer BeReal.

Francophones in Canada’s second-largest province have been slower to adopt digital devices and services compared with the rest of the country. But the latest data reveals the increasingly digital lives of Quebecois in 2023.

Shutterstock jumps on AI bandwagon with generative image tool: But considering investment in the technology, it maybecome table stakes faster than anyone predicted.

Facebook and YouTube will still be the top US social media platforms for buying ads or monetizing content this year, though their dominance is eroding, according to October 2022 polling by Integral Ad Science.

Our analysts have already shared what they think will be the biggest trends of 2023, but we’re not done with the crystal ball just yet. From patchwork TV measurement to Meta cashing in on its messaging apps, our team revealed some thoughts on what’s to come in the year ahead.

We look back at the year’s most disruptive Big Tech payment stories and how the Big Four have expanded in the space.

We expect 2023 to usher in changes in ad spending, audience, and commerce that will create a new crop of digital leaders.

On today's episode, we discuss why TikTok downgraded its revenue expectations, what concerns us the most about the company, and how big of a digital ad player it can actually become. "In Other News," we talk about YouTube letting folks buy products in Shorts and whether people want to buy things in WhatsApp messages. Tune in to the discussion with our analyst Debra Aho Williamson.

Meta wants to transform WhatsApp into a super app: It is rolling out the ability to search businesses by category, browse their catalogs, and buy without leaving the app.

In the last year, Meta—and the overall US digital ad market—have changed significantly. Here are seven strategies from our “The Future of Meta” report that marketers should embrace in the new year.

For many, Facebook’s new name introduced “the metaverse” as a concept. But a year out, most people have not entered the metaverse. Right now, Meta’s facelift doesn’t appear to have legs. (Quite literally—the little Horizon Worlds avatars still don’t have legs.)

WhatsApp suffers a global outage: The world’s most popular messaging app went dark in various countries, underscoring the fragility of centralized communications and piling on Meta’s troubles as it prepares for its Q3 earnings call.

One year after the company’s name change, Meta’s business is in disarray. We explore the reasons for the downturn, our two-year outlook, and how companies that rely on Facebook, Instagram, and other Meta platforms should adjust their strategies.

Focus on cross-platform messaging: Google is ramping up pressure on Apple to adopt Rich Communication Services (RCS) as an equitable cross-platform standard. We breakdown RCS and its potential to unify mobile messaging.