TikTok's Tumultuous Weekend
State of Play: TikTok experienced a chaotic week in the U.S. with a nationwide ban, temporary shutdown, and eventual restoration due to intervention by newly sworn-in President Donald Trump. The app went dark the night of January 18th after the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a law requiring its sale to a non-China-based company but returned the next morning when Trump announced plans to delay enforcement by 75 days. Users noticed changes to the app’s algorithm, sparking some skepticism and unease among creators. The platform’s long-term fate remains uncertain as regulatory pressures and calls for U.S. ownership persist.
Why it Matters: TikTok’s legal turbulence is a wake-up call: no platform is safe from geopolitical crossfire. Beyond content, this is about data, influence, and the growing intersection of politics and technology. The future of social media will require adaptability as platforms navigate increasing scrutiny and competition.
U.S. TikTok users were alerted to an outage the evening of Saturday, January 18th, with access restored by the following morning.
Meta's Moderation Pivot
State of Play: Earlier this month, Meta announced a significant shift in its content moderation policy, ending its fact-checking program in favor of a community-driven approach inspired by X's Community Notes. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg pointed to the recent U.S. election as a catalyst for reevaluating the platform’s policies.
Why it Matters: Although Meta’s policy changes are designed to align with the political dynamic in the U.S., they will ultimately have global implications and require adaptation to local laws. While Meta’s updates have yet to prove transformative, they reflect the evolving dynamics of social platforms and the increasing complexities brands and creators face in managing audience trust and reputational risk in a continually fractured digital environment.
Jump below to our DDC Hack for guidance on how to navigate Meta’s moderation change.
LA Wildfire Disinformation
State of Play: Earlier this month, as Los Angeles wildfires raged, AI-generated fake images circulated widely on social media, falsely depicting the Hollywood sign in flames. These manipulated visuals caused confusion and panic, prompting inquiries from news agencies and overwhelming the Hollywood Sign Trust.
Why it Matters: At a time when moderation policies on platforms are rolling back and disinformation is easier to spread, the AI-generated fake images during the Los Angeles wildfires amplified confusion and panic. By undermining trust in news outlets, emergency responders, and government institutions, these deepfakes weaken societal confidence and disrupt coordinated disaster responses. Distinguishing real from synthetic images requires scrutinizing details like lighting inconsistencies, misspelled text, unnatural textures, and reverse image searches to verify authenticity.
Saudi Arabia to Launch TikTok STEM Feed
State of Play: Saudi Arabia is set to become the first country in MENA to roll out a dedicated Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) feed on TikTok, aimed at diversifying social media content in order to inspire youth to explore careers in STEM. The feed will provide users with high-quality, verified content on STEM topics, intended to drive curiosity and engagement in STEM fields. The feature is hoped to further the Kingdom’s efforts to educate and entertain as it seeks to “inspire and educate” its next generation of scientists, engineers and innovators.
Why it Matters: The launch of TikTok's STEM feed in Saudi Arabia marks a significant shift in how young people will engage with educational content in the MENA region. By combining entertainment with verified scientific and technical information, the platform is helping bridge the gap between casual social media use and meaningful learning. This initiative aligns with Saudi Arabia's development goals and could play a crucial role in inspiring the next generation to pursue STEM careers, ultimately contributing to the Kingdom's innovation ecosystem.
Mastodon to Transition to Nonprofit Structure
State of Play: Mastodon has announced plans to create a new European nonprofit entity that will take over ownership of key platform components, moving away from single-person control under CEO Eugen Rochko. The decentralized social network, which has 835K monthly active users, aims to differentiate itself from CEO-controlled platforms like those run by Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg. The location of the new nonprofit is still being determined but once active, it will own Mastodon GmbH, while the platform’s CEO and creator will focus on product strategy.
Why it Matters: Mastodon's move to decentralize control directly challenges the tightening grip of tech CEOs like Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg, who have increasingly wielded unchecked power over their social media platforms. By creating a nonprofit structure where no single individual wields full control, Mastodon addresses growing concerns about the concentration of power in tech, providing an alternative to platforms where billionaires can unilaterally change policies, silence voices or reshape public discourse.
Microsoft to Buy 3.5m Carbon Credits to Offset AI Driven Surge in Emissions
State of Play: Microsoft has signed a deal with Brazilian start-up Re.green to buy 3.5 million carbon credits over 25 years, potentially worth around $200 million (£162.4 million). The agreement involves restoring parts of Brazil's Amazon and Atlantic forests and forms part of Microsoft's efforts to offset increased emissions from its expanding data centers, driven by the demand for generative AI. Tech companies such as Microsoft and peers Google, and Amazon are major buyers of carbon credits linked to nature restoration projects.
Why it Matters: As scrutiny intensifies around the carbon footprint of artificial intelligence, tech companies are responding with strategic investments in emissions reduction and offset technologies. Microsoft, for example, has committed to becoming "carbon negative" by 2030 through a two-pronged approach of direct emissions reduction and carbon removal credits. However, the carbon credits market remains controversial, with high-quality nature-based removal credits potentially costing over $50 per ton, raising questions about the economic and environmental effectiveness of such offset strategies.
