February 2026 Social Platform Updates

February may be the shortest month of the year, but it packed a punch in 2026. 

From several major social platforms defending themselves in a landmark child safety trial, to X having its offices raided by French police, and Instagram experimenting with a Reels-first design, the tension between innovation and accountability continues to evolve.

Meanwhile, LinkedIn is optimizing for AI discovery and bundling up premium power tools, TikTok is localizing commerce and community, Snapchat is diversifying revenue beyond ads, and Pinterest is balancing record growth with internal and legal scrutiny. 

Two months into 2026 it’s clear: platforms are recalibrating around AI, monetization, safety, and control, and the stakes for brands navigating this landscape continue to change as well. 

Welcome to the February edition of Social Navigator.

Facebook 👍

✦ Facebook added AI-generated profile videos

✦ Facebook designed an app for teens, but never launched it

✦ Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg was in court defending Meta in a landmark social media addiction/child safety trial

Instagram 📷

✦ Instagram is jumping on the mini-drama trend

✦ Instagram published the latest edition of “Close Friends Only” featuring Charli xcx and Kylie Jenner

✦ Instagram shared some tricks for finding the best stickers

✦ Instagram is testing a disappearing photo feature called “Instants” that's similar to Snapchat

✦ Instagram survey reveals 19% of teens report unwanted explicit content

✦ Instagram is experimenting with a new design focused around Reels

LinkedIn 🤝

✦ LinkedIn announced its new premium All-In-One subscription

✦ LinkedIn shared a handful of B2B marketing insights for 2026

✦ LinkedIn revealed how to optimize owned content for AI discovery

✦ LinkedIn’s CFO left for Atlassian

Meta ♾️

✦ Meta announced a long-term infrastructure partnership with NVIDIA

✦ Meta is gearing up for the 2026 midterm elections in the US

✦ Meta announced API changes to align external tools with its increasing focus on views

✦ Meta launched its Manus AI integration within Ads Manager

Pinterest 📌

✦ Pinterest announced 14% revenue growth and record users in latest earnings report

✦ Pinterest appointed Kecia Steelman to its Board of Directors

✦ Pinterest fired employees who created internal “layoff tracker”

✦ Pinterest is facing a lawsuit over consumer-data tracking

Snapchat 👻

✦ Snapchat+ reached 25m subs

✦ Snapchat is turning Specs into a separate business

✦ Snapchat expanded Home Safe alerts

✦ Snapchat is launching creator subscriptions to diversify revenue

Threads 🧵

✦ Threads new Dear Algo feature lets you pick preferred topics to curate your timeline

✦ Threads now lets users share to Instagram easier than before

TikTok ♪

✦ TikTok Shop rolled out some new features for sellers

✦ TikTok launched a local feed in the US

✦ TikTok shared a handy guide on running effective promotions

✦ TikTok announced ‘TikTok Live Fest’

✦ TikTok celebrated Black History Month by highlighting #BlackTikTok creators

X 🐦

✦ X had their offices raided by French police

✦ X is under investigation in the UK over images generated by Grok

✦ X revamped API pricing

✦ X revealed the most talked about Super Bowl commercials

✦ X announced a new crackdown on bots

YouTube 🎥

✦ YouTube is in court facing allegations in youth social addiction case

✦ YouTube is expanding its donations program

✦ YouTube is celebrating America’s 250th birthday

✦ YouTube TV is updating its package options

Others 📝

✦ Bluesky added drafts

✦ Discord announced age verification measures

✦ Mastadon is courting creators with a series of new features, including redesigned user profiles

✦ Reddit revealed how brands are using the platform in 2026

✦ Reddit is testing a new AI-powered shopping feature that “highlights products directly mentioned by users from real conversations on related posts and comments

✦ Twitch is testing pause ads

Have you heard about our Social Media Intelligence Services? 🚀

Last month we launched our done-for-you social media intelligence services, built to help brands, agencies, and commercial teams turn data into direction.

Here's what you get...

• Deep, expert analysis and reporting

• Clear executive summaries and competitive benchmarks

• Actionable recommendations that drive strategy and growth

• Support from seasoned social pros with real industry experience

If you're looking for a hand turning all that social data into tangible ideas, we're here to help.

👉Chat with Measure Studio to learn how social intelligence can benefit your brand.

Subscribe here to receive Social Navigator in your inbox every month.