Can social media platforms survive the flood of AI content?
A recent report from Pangram estimated that 41% of posts on LinkedIn show signs of AI generation, highlighting a growing problem across all apps.
Five trends from AdForum shaping advertising in 2026
From the rise of agency-owned AI platforms to the resilience of independent agencies and the growing importance of human creativity, several clear trends emerged, Johanna McDowell tells Glenda Nevill.
Generations changes timeslot for the first time in 32 years
SABC 1’s Generations: The Legacy will move to a new 20:30 timeslot from 27 July, marking the first time the Generations brand has changed its weekday slot since the soap debuted in 1994.
Inflation skyrockets to 5.0% in South Africa
Stats SA said the main contributor to the increases was transport, up 12.7% year-on-year, accounting for 1.7 percentage points. Petrol and fuel prices rose rapidly following the United States attacks on Iran and the subsequent closure of the Strait of Hormuz, where around 30% of the world’s oil flows.
Younger viewers get nostalgic for eras, content before their time
According to the music video streaming network’s Then is Now report, 60% of respondents across nearly 1,800 Gen Z, Millennial and Gen X consumers in the U.S., UK and Australia reported identifying with “shared nostalgia” or a collective memory shaped by cultural reboots and widely shared content versus their personal experience.
Digital-first cannot become digital-only says comms minister
Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Solly Malatsi has warned that “digital-first” must not become “digital-only”, as he addressed digital exclusion and the erosion of public trust at the recent Social Media Summit for Government in Johannesburg.
This is the best mobile network in South Africa
MTN has the best mobile network in SA, according to MyBroadband Insights’ Q2 2026 Mobile Network Quality Report. The findings are based on over 360,000 speed tests conducted by mobile phone users across SA during Q2 2026.
Consumers don’t move through funnels like they used to
Today’s buying journeys are faster, far less predictable, and far more interconnected. Consumers can discover a brand, research it, validate it through reviews, compare alternatives, and make a purchase decision in minutes. They can also re-enter the process at any point, often influenced by existing customers.
TikTok tests AI-generated spam detection in SA
Generative AI has dramatically lowered the barriers to creating digital content, but it has also enabled the large-scale production of spam and synthetic material that can overwhelm authentic creators and erode trust on online platforms. To address this, TikTok says it is testing enhanced detection systems designed to identify accounts dedicated to publishing AI-generated spam.
UK officials propose overnight social media blackout for teens
U.K. officials are considering another element within the nation’s proposed teenage social media restrictions, which would see teens aged 16 and 17 cut off from social media platforms overnight.