Social media: Saturday, 7 November 2026

Saturday, 7 November 2026 · covering 4–6 Nov 2026 · Social media

Best 5

1. Five Lancashire men admit hacking 3,700 social media accounts for intimate images: Five men pleaded guilty to breaking into about 3,700 social media accounts in several countries to steal private pictures. Blackpool police reported that some of the stolen images showed children. It is a stark UK reminder that weak account security can expose very private material.
2. TikTok search ads now work like Google ads, with keyword bidding: TikTok has added standard search ad tools, including keyword bids and match types, to its advertising platform. Small businesses can now target people who are actively searching on TikTok, not just people scrolling past.
3. Complaints about barristers' social media posts have more than doubled: The Bar Standards Board recorded a sharp rise in complaints about barristers' online conduct. Other reports say debates on gender and Gaza drove much of the increase. Professionals in regulated jobs face growing scrutiny of what they post, even on personal accounts.
4. Google, Meta and TikTok sue to block California's law on addictive kids' features: The three companies have asked a federal court to stop a new California law that limits addictive design features for under-age users. They argue the law breaches free speech rights. The case could shape how far governments, including the UK's, can push platforms to change their design for children.
5. Amnesty urges design changes after EU findings on TikTok's 'rabbit hole' effect: The European Commission has made findings about TikTok's algorithm pulling users into narrow streams of content. Amnesty International says those findings must lead to fundamental changes in how platforms are designed. European pressure on feed design could change what UK users see too.

Top stories

• Google, Meta and TikTok sue to block California's law on addictive kids' features The three companies have asked a federal court to stop a new California law that limits addictive design features for under-age users. They argue the law breaches free speech rights. The case could shape how far governments, including the UK's, can push platforms to change their design for children. Original source: International Business Times UK
• Complaints about barristers' social media posts have more than doubled The Bar Standards Board recorded a sharp rise in complaints about barristers' online conduct. Other reports say debates on gender and Gaza drove much of the increase. Professionals in regulated jobs face growing scrutiny of what they post, even on personal accounts. Original source: Legal Cheek
• Five Lancashire men admit hacking 3,700 social media accounts for intimate images Five men pleaded guilty to breaking into about 3,700 social media accounts in several countries to steal private pictures. Blackpool police reported that some of the stolen images showed children. It is a stark UK reminder that weak account security can expose very private material. Original source: Lancashire Evening Post
• TikTok search ads now work like Google ads, with keyword bidding TikTok has added standard search ad tools, including keyword bids and match types, to its advertising platform. Small businesses can now target people who are actively searching on TikTok, not just people scrolling past. Original source: Search Engine Journal

New science

• Most Americans say social media firms have too much power in politics A Pew Research Center survey found most US adults think social media companies and news outlets hold too much political influence. Views split along party lines. Public distrust of platforms is pushing the political appetite for regulation. Evidence: Moderate · Original source: Pew Research Center

News

• Amnesty urges design changes after EU findings on TikTok's 'rabbit hole' effect The European Commission has made findings about TikTok's algorithm pulling users into narrow streams of content. Amnesty International says those findings must lead to fundamental changes in how platforms are designed. European pressure on feed design could change what UK users see too. Original source: Amnesty International

Also

• TikTok posts on Mastodon rose 81% in three days. Possible reasons include the California lawsuit coverage (likely, not confirmed). Source
• Views of the Wikipedia 'Social media' page rose 11% to about 2,274 a day. Source
• Use of #socialmedia on Mastodon fell 16% over three days. Source
• Use of #socialmediamarketing on Mastodon rose 23%, but from only 12 posts. Source
• A piece asking when open-source software became a 'Twitter grift' ranked fourth among Mastodon links. Source

105 items checked. Summaries are written in our own words from the sources linked on each story. All Social media reports