Categories: News

Social Media Platforms Updates Today: Latest Features and Changes

Here’s a quick roundup of all the most important updates across major social media platforms as of February 10, 2026—from new features to regulatory changes. These are the things shaping how we post, share, and engage right now.

India’s New AI Content Rules and Takedown Timeline

The Indian government has revised its IT guidelines to require clear labeling of AI-generated content—deepfakes, synthetic audio, or altered visuals—and cut the takedown period from 36 hours to just 3 hours after notification. These new rules go into effect on February 20, 2026, impacting platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

Teen Safety Ratings: Platforms Will Be Rated on Mental Health Protections

Meta (Facebook, Instagram), TikTok, and Snap have agreed to undergo independent assessments of their teen-safety features. A coalition of advocacy groups will rank them on aspects like break prompts, endless scrolling limits, content moderation, and more. High performers receive a blue shield badge; low performers are labeled ineffective.

Feature Roundup: Meta, Instagram, Threads, TikTok, X, LinkedIn & Pinterest

Recent updates, reflected in early February 2026 reports:

Instagram (Meta)
– Testing paid subscriptions offering perks like hidden story views, follower insights, and “Super Likes”.
– Rolling out “Your Algo” controls for customizing your Reels feed with topic filters.
– Adding a shortcut to Manus AI in settings.
– Rebranding “Shots” to “Instants”, with a relocated button.
– Letting users remove themselves from someone else’s Close Friends list.

Facebook (Meta)
– Testing a revamped UI with left-aligned settings and profile layout.
– Introducing a pull-down gesture to reveal Stories.

Threads (Meta)
– Working on stickers for posts.
– Adding an animated, linear posting progress bar to improve UX.
– Testing live chat features for communities with timing and admin controls.

TikTok
– Auto-adding links to movies and TV shows when referenced in posts.
– Introducing a new “squircle” button design.

X (formerly Twitter)
– Testing a “Paid Promotion” label for sponsored posts.
– Allowing images in polls and introducing XChat as a standalone web app.

LinkedIn
– Rolling out “Vibe Coding” badges for generative AI skills among users.

Pinterest
– Introduced a Media Planner tool for ad campaign modeling, budget insights, and scenario planning.

Meta’s Ongoing Moves: Subscriptions, AI, and Protection Tools

Meta is testing AI-powered premium subscriptions across Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp. These subscriptions offer enhanced creative and productivity tools—a shift toward monetizing advanced features.

They’re also expanding the Facebook Creator Marketplace globally, with badges to spotlight creators ideal for performance-based partnerships.

Threads Is Winning Mobile Engagement Race

Threads is now beating X when it comes to mobile daily active users. In early January 2026, Threads reached about 143 million daily mobile users globally, compared to X’s 126 million. Year-over-year growth for Threads is near 38%, while X declined by nearly 12%.

Forums show creators reporting much higher interaction rates on Threads—sometimes double—while X feels more fleeting in comparison.

Meta Tests Mini-Basketball Game on Threads

To boost engagement, Meta is prototyping a basketball swipe mini-game within private Threads chats. Users would shoot virtual hoops by swiping—fun and interactive. No launch date yet.

Meta Phasing Out Old Facebook Plugins & Protecting Creators

Meta is retiring the classic Like and Comment plugins for external websites effective February 10, 2026. These elements won’t render, but they won’t break site layout either.

Additionally, Meta has rolled out a Content Protection feature on Facebook (from the Professional Dashboard). It scans for reposts of Reels and lets creators block or manage unauthorized uses.

Age Verification Laws Across Regions

France: Social media will ban under-15s starting January 2026, and from September 2026, all users must verify age—including existing accounts.
USA: South Carolina passed an Age-Appropriate Design Code requiring platforms to report how they verify or estimate minor users, effective February 5, 2026.

Summary Table

Conclusion

Today’s social media landscape is rapidly evolving. India tightens AI content rules. Meta leans into AI-powered subscriptions and creator tools. Threads is smashing mobile usage records, overtaking X in engagement and growth. Platforms like TikTok, Pinterest, and LinkedIn continue rolling out focused improvements. And meanwhile, age verification laws in places like France and South Carolina are reshaping user access and safety standards. It’s a lot—but all leading toward more regulation, richer features, and fierce competition for attention.

FAQs

What do India’s new rules mean for social media users?
Users will see clear labels on AI-generated content, and platforms must remove flagged content within 3 hours starting February 20, 2026.

Are Meta’s AI features free?
Not all. Meta is testing paid subscriptions across Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp that unlock enhanced AI creativity and productivity tools.

Why is Threads growing faster than X?
Threads offers better mobile user experience, frequent feature updates, and content reach—even for smaller creators—leading to stronger engagement and growth.

Is Instagram removing Notes and adding new shortcuts?
Yes. Instagram is removing its Notes feature and testing shortcuts like Manus AI, new UI elements, and subscription perks for enhanced control.

Will minors still use social media in France and South Carolina?
France will require age verification for all users from September 2026—under-15s will be restricted. In South Carolina, platforms must report how they verify ages; access depends on each platform’s design.

These updates reflect sweeping shifts in policy, features, safety, and monetization across the social media world—today and forward.

Christine Carter

Certified content specialist with 8+ years of experience in digital media and journalism. Holds a degree in Communications and regularly contributes fact-checked, well-researched articles. Committed to accuracy, transparency, and ethical content creation.