Your weekly download from Inizio Evoke Comms.

Welcome to this week’s edition of The Download, your go-to source for the latest social and digital news, updates, and trends. Every week, we keep you up to date on the biggest platform updates, industry shifts, and emerging strategies that impact how we engage audiences and drive meaningful connections in health.

Social

Platform News & Updates

Meta

• Facebook Discontinues Third-Party Like and Comment Buttons: Meta will retire the Facebook Like and Comment plugins on third-party websites starting February 10, 2026, citing declining use and a shift away from older web tools. Read more here.
• Edits App Rolls Out Refined Creative Tools: The Edits app now lets creators bulk-edit captions and use reverse lip-sync effects, streamlining video workflows and adding more flexibility for stylized Reels content. Read more here.
• Meta Details its AI Evolution for Smarter Ad Targeting: Meta’s new Generative Ads Recommendation Model (GEM) uses large-scale machine learning to boost ad relevance and efficiency, integrating with its broader AI systems to deliver more personalized campaigns. Read more here.

X

• X Debuts “Bangers” Account to Showcase Viral Posts: X has launched a new “Bangers” account that curates the platform’s top-performing posts, designed to highlight standout content and increase discovery for creators. Read more here.

LinkedIn

• LinkedIn Launches AI-powered People Search: LinkedIn’s new AI-powered search feature, previously focused on job discovery, now helps users find people more easily using natural language queries. Read more here.
• New Integrations to Promote Events Added to LinkedIn: LinkedIn has added integrations with event platforms ON24 and Cvent, making it easier for organizers to manage, promote, and track events directly through LinkedIn. Read more here.

Reddit

• Interactive Ads Launched on Reddit: Reddit has launched a new ad format called Interactive Ads, allowing users to engage with quizzes, games, and other dynamic elements directly in their feed to create more immersive brand experiences. Read more here.

Trends & Reports

• Buffer Report Shows Replies Drive Higher Engagement: A new Buffer report reveals that posts where accounts reply to audience comments see up to 42% higher engagement overall, emphasizing the value of community management. Read more here.

Digital

AI

• EU Rethinks Rollout of Landmark AI Act: The European Commission is considering delaying parts of its new AI law after pressure from major U.S. tech firms and the Trump administration. The move could weaken the EU’s flagship regulation and heighten tensions over how AI should be governed globally. Read more here.
• Microsoft & Google Scale Up Europe’s AI Infrastructure: The two tech giants are committing billions to build out new data-center hubs and AI compute capacity in Europe, signaling a push to service the region’s rising demand while aligning with local regulations. Their investments underscore that AI is no longer just software, it’s a global infrastructure race with data-centers and jurisdictions now in play. Read more here.
• Google Unveils HOPE, a New AI Model for Continual Learning: Google Research has introduced a proof-of-concept model called HOPE, built on a novel “nested learning” framework that helps AI systems keep what they’ve learned while adapting to new information without losing prior knowledge. The approach marks a step toward machines that resemble human-like learning by managing long-context memory better and reducing “catastrophic forgetting. Read more here.
• Google Turns Search into Full-funnel Shopping with AI Mode: Google’s newly released shopping tools let U.S. users talk to its AI via conversational queries, set price alerts, and even enable an agentic checkout that buys items automatically once they hit your desired cost. The system also introduces a feature called “Let Google Call” where the AI rings local stores to check availability and reports back, signaling a shift from search engine to shopping assistant. Read more here.
• OpenAI Sets Sights on Healthcare Apps: OpenAI is exploring building consumer-facing health tools, such as a personal AI assistant for medical needs, as it extends beyond its core chatbot services. This move comes amid high user demand for medical help via its platform and follows new hires aimed at scaling its presence in health tech. Read more here.

Web

• Firefox Unveils “Kit” as Part of Wider Brand Refresh: Mozilla has introduced a new fox mascot named “Kit” as the face of Firefox, symbolizing warmth and accessibility. The launch is part of a larger rebrand that updates Firefox’s look and messaging to focus on privacy, openness, and a friendlier user experience across its browser and products. Read more here.

Trends + Technology

• Rokit Healthcare Unveils AI-driven Cardiac Regeneration Patch: South Korea’s Rokit Healthcare has developed an AI-powered 3D-printed cardiac patch designed to restore damaged heart tissue by mimicking natural contraction and relaxation functions. The company will begin global preclinical trials using animal models, aiming to extend the technology to treat heart failure and other cardiac diseases. Read more here.
• Apple Introduces Digital ID for U.S. Air Travel: Apple has launched a digital ID feature that lets travelers verify their identity at airport security using an iPhone or Apple Watch instead of a physical card. The rollout begins with TSA checkpoints in the U.S. and marks Apple’s latest move into official digital credentials. Read more here.
• German Court Orders OpenAI to Pay for Using Song Lyrics: A court in Germany has ruled that OpenAI must compensate music rights group GEMA for using protected song lyrics in its AI training data without a license. The case sets an early European benchmark for how copyright law will apply to generative-AI systems and creative content. Read more here.

That’s a wrap for this week’s The Download! We’ll be back next week with more social and digital news, updates, and trends. If you'd like to discuss the impact these topics may have on your business, connect with our experts at IECommsEngagementStrategy@inizioevoke.com.

Inizio Evoke Comms is a global, award-winning health communications agency that partners with pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medtech, consumer, and non-profit clients. We deliver insights-driven public relations campaigns, policy programs, and initiatives that advance health and well-being around the world. Find out more.