Campaign Middle East rounds up the latest updates on social media, and content and streaming platform from May 2026. Here are the key highlights:
Google:
Google has announced Personal Intelligence from Gemini.
Personal Intelligence securely connects information from apps such as Gmail and Google Photos to make Gemini uniquely helpful. Users can control exactly which apps to link, and each one supercharges the experience.
Meta:
Meta has announced new measures to better support teens and parents around AI experiences across its platforms.
The updates include new supervision features that allow parents to view the topics their teens have discussed with Meta AI, expert-developed conversation starters to encourage open discussions about AI, and the launch of an AI Wellbeing Expert Council to help guide safer AI experiences for teens. Meta also reiterated its ongoing work on parental alerts for certain sensitive AI-related conversations.
LinkedIn:
LinkedIn’s latest updates introduce new safeguards designed to improve application quality and strengthen trust across the platform. As job applications become faster and more accessible online, creating a safer and more thoughtful experience for both job seekers and recruiters is increasingly important.
The new Easy Apply feature encourage members to take a more considered approach to applications by introducing daily and timed application caps. The update is designed to reduce spam and bot-driven mass applications, helping recruiters connect with more relevant and genuine candidates while encouraging job seekers to focus on roles that align with their skills and experience.
LinkedIn has also introduced new safety guidance for members using the ‘Open to Work’ banner. The prompts provide practical tips to help job seekers stay safe while engaging with opportunities and recruiters on the platform.
Snapchat:
Snap has launched Promoted Places, a new platform update that brings sponsored locations directly to the Snapchat Map, enabling brands to drive measurable in-store visits at scale.
Through Promoted Places, retailers, shops and quick-service restaurants can feature their physical locations as sponsored pins with enhanced visibility, including optional custom 3D animations.
Advertisers receive core performance metrics, including Promoted Place Impressions, Place Opens, and aggregated Promoted Place Actions, providing clear visibility into engagement and intent.
The new Place Partnerships model further expands access, enabling brands without retail footprints to collaborate with partners that operate 200+ locations.
Spotify:
Spotify recently introduced artist verification, designed to help listeners better understand and trust the artists they’re discovering on the platform. The new ‘Verified by Spotify’ badge will appear on artist profiles and in search, signalling that an artist has been reviewed and meets Spotify’s criteria for authenticity and trust. This builds on a broader push for transparency, alongside features like SongDNA, expanded credits and ‘About the Song’.
Artists who receive this badge have consistent listener engagement over time, are in good standing with Spotify’s platform policies, and show clear signals of a real, identifiable presence both on and off the platform. The process also includes human review to ensure artists are operating in good faith.
