By Fatima
New Delhi | November 26, 2025
A series of updates across major social media and tech platforms in the fortnight gone by has sharpened user control, expanded creative tools and ushered in more conversational, AI-driven experiences for users in India. From YouTube’s personalized feed prompts to Google’s new agentic shopping tools, the shifts point to a broader trend toward user-centric, AI-supported digital platforms.
YouTube: More Control, Better Tools and Smarter Engagement
YouTube has been testing a new feature called “Your Custom Feed” where users can shape their recommendation feed using simple, conversational prompts. Viewers can tell YouTube directly what they want to see more of, or less, rather than relying on purely algorithmic suggestions.
More enhanced tools are being provided for creators, too. First, a drag-and-drop timestamp editor is being released for setting more accurate chapter placements in videos. AI-powered reply suggestions are also being expanded to help make it easier for creators to respond to comments in several different languages.
YouTube is also adding Hype posts and a members-only content filter, features designed to help creators engage more closely with paying subscribers.
Threads: Stronger Community Conversations and Podcast Discovery
Threads has added group chat invite links to make it easier for users to grow larger topic-based discussions. Admins can generate links that others can join, supporting more organized community conversations.
The platform is also introducing podcast previews to profiles. When users link a podcast, Threads will show artwork and a preview snippet when shared, giving podcasters an easy way to gain more visibility.
WhatsApp: Activity Notes Return to Profiles
WhatsApp has revived Activity Notes, a short message displayed on a user’s profile that can remain active for a day or longer. Contacts can reply directly to these Notes, offering a lightweight way for people to share updates without long messages or full status posts.
For Indian users, the feature provides a quick way to share everyday moments, as WhatsApp is used heavily for personal and community communication.
Meta Introduces New 3D Creative Tools for the Metaverse
Meta has advanced its metaverse toolkit with two major updates.
SAM 3D does things like converting images to 3D objects, and Hyperscape lets users scan real-world spaces and rebuild them inside VR. The virtual worlds can be shared with links and allow others to enter and explore collaboratively.
For Indian creators, brands, and designers, these tools widen possibilities in the creation of immersive content and virtual storytelling.
Google: Conversational Shopping through Agentic AI
Google has rolled out a new wave of agentic AI shopping tools that allow users to ask conversational questions, such as “show me sneakers under ₹5,000 for running,” and return curated product suggestions. The AI can even check inventory, compare prices, and follow user-defined rules during checkout.
For Indian consumers and D2C brands, this may dramatically change how people go about online shopping from keyword searches to natural, conversational queries. A Fortnight of AI-Driven, User-First Enhancements Taken together, these updates reflect a continued move toward platforms offering more control, more creativity, and more personalized digital experiences. Whether through conversational shopping, customizable feeds, or immersive VR tools, the fortnight’s developments show how fast social and creative platforms are evolving to meet the expectations of Indian users-and the global shift toward AI-supported interaction.
