Global Scans · Social · Weekly Summary

WHAT'S NEXT?: In the years to come, social commerce will become more widespread and the level of personalization will improve with advanced AI solutions & chatbots. The number of worldwide social media users is projected to grow from 2.1 billion in 2016 to 2.5 billion by 2018.

• [New] Social media creator revenue will increase 16.2% in 2026 to $20.6 billion. eMarketer
• [New] Prediction: By 2026, social influence will no longer be a nice-to-have but will become the main differentiator between creator platforms. RootData
• [New] The social media advantage in 2026 will not come from posting more, but from listening better. The Drum
• [New] Oxford research identified misinformation as a major threat to society and public health, with social media significantly contributing to its spread and global reach. Forbes
• [New] Social commerce sales are going to cross $1 trillion by 2028. WebBee Global
• [New] WORKFORCE Mental health takes center stage: CEOs elevate it above gender equality and work conditions A worldwide priority: CEOs across the US, Europe, and Japan rank mental health as one of the top three social issues they will prioritize in 2026. The Conference Board
• [New] Prediction: A new generation of decentralised EU-based social media platforms with user-centric values will emerge to challenge US tech dominance, and most of them will be ignored. Media Diversity Institute
• [New] In 2026, general-purpose AI systems will begin to transform major economies and societies in more tangible, noticeable, and irreversible ways than we have seen before. Just Security
• [New] In 2026, cultural fluency will emerge as the strongest currency in news and journalism. Nieman Lab
• [New] By 2026, communities will evolve into engines that connect product development, customer intelligence, loyalty, and AI-driven commerce into one unified system. Grazitti Interactive
• [New] In 2026, the most successful enterprise community ecosystems will blend AI-enabled efficiency with moments of genuine human connection. Grazitti Interactive
• [New] By 2026, attackers will routinely use AI to automate reconnaissance, craft more convincing social engineering campaigns, and exploit weaknesses at scale. Sedara Security
• [New] In 2026, private communities like Discord, Reddit, WhatsApp Channels, and nice group spaces will be where real brand loyalty is built. Media A La Carte
• [New] The oldest members of Gen Alpha will turn 16 in 2026, marking a major shift for social platforms and brand marketing. Marketing-Interactive
• [New] State laws restricting minors' access to social media platforms through age-verification and parental-consent requirements will not go away in 2026. American Enterprise Institute - AEI
• [New] Social media in 2026 will reward brands that stop chasing control, trends and quick wins. Marketing-Interactive
• [New] If the New York state legislature truly cared about returning incarcerated individuals back into society fully rehabilitated and ready to be productive citizens, they could do so with a stroke of a pen. The Marshall Project
• [New] TikTok will begin to roll out new age-verification technology across the EU in the coming weeks, as calls grow for an Australia-style social media ban for under-16s in countries including the UK. The Guardian
• [New] In a global community already riven by mistrust of experts, institutions, and one another, AI threatens to fray the relational bonds so essential to education. Brookings
• [New] 2026 will mark the rise of algorithmic witnessing - a movement that uses AI not to replace journalists, but to extend the reach of the communities they serve. Nieman Lab

Last updated: 19 January 2026