Social Media Updates: May 2025

By Brittany Siminitz | May 19, 2025

Pinterest Touts “Visual Search Experience”

The latest campaign from Pinterest shows how the platform helps users curate their own personal style, steering away from the algorithms that have everyone liking—and looking like—the same things.

“Pinterest gives its users the power to choose, to hone in on exactly what they want, and to truly create a life they love—because each decision they make reflects who they are,” said Pinterest in a blog announcing the campaign. “Our expanded visual search experience lends itself to a more personalized, creative journey.”

Visual search features on Pinterest are geared toward helping users find the things they like without having the words to describe it. Users can start with a single image and then discover, refine, and ultimately shop the styles they’re looking for.

Threads Rolls Out Profile and Insight Updates

Threads, Meta’s answer to X (Twitter), is now allowing users to add up to five links in their in-app bios, as a means to enhance the app’s appeal to creators and marketers.

Instagram, another Meta-owned app, allowed the same function back in 2023. It’s a worthwhile tool for those conducting business via social media, so Threads’ addition could encourage brands to consider using that app.

Meta also announced that Threads is introducing new analysis tools for users to understand which posts are working well and which aren’t, providing week-over-week comparisons for their number of posts shared, total views, new follower counts, and replies. These insights and accompanying tips from Threads can guide users on how to best engage with audiences and make the most of their time spent on the app.

Read Meta’s May 15 update on these features here.

TikTok Takes Steps to Support Users’ Mental Health

As concern spreads about the impact of social media on teens (and everyone else), TikTok has announced efforts to aid users in maintaining a healthy frame of mind, with expanded support for mental health services and in-app guided meditation.

The new guided meditation will be built into TikTok’s sleeping prompts, permitting users to take a viewing/posting break and follow on-screen prompts for regulating one’s breathing and calm your mind. TikTok is partnering with child psychiatrist Willough Jenkins on the new Meditation in Sleep Hours feature.

“Research shows that mindful meditation can improve sleep quality in people of all ages, so we’ll also introduce Meditation in Sleep Hours to all our users, regardless of their age,” said a statement from TikTok. “For teens under age 18, it will be turned on by default. If a teen decides to use TikTok after 10 p.m., their For You feed will be interrupted by a guided meditation exercise, helping them wind down for the night.”

TikTok also reported that it will donate $2.3 million in ad credits to 31 mental health organizations around the world as an expansion of its Mental Health Education Fund.

(Photo: Getty Images Plus/pressureUA)