If the US ban on TikTok can survive the courts, it will be a watershed moment for the industry. (Yes, TikTok’s ties to China muddy the waters, but a successful ban would still mean lawmakers shutting down a popular app used by millions of Americans.)

It’s not just TikTok. Generative AI adds more fuel to the misinformation fire social media platforms have been battling for years.

AI tools make it easier for bad actors to fabricate stories, images, and videos that can influence people. And it’s all happening in the lead-up to a contentious presidential election. There are also concerns surrounding AI-generated avatars’ impact on influencers, writes BI’s Dan Whateley.

And yet, things have never been better for some companies.

Meta, the godfather of social media, is perhaps the best example. On January 31, CEO Mark Zuckerberg, along with a handful of other tech CEOs, was grilled by Congress during a hearing on online child sexual exploitation.

At one point, Zuckerberg was pressured to physically stand up and face families affected by online abuse. In the long battle to force tech CEOs to get their companies in line, it felt like a potential turning point.

More than four months later, though, the only thing that’s seemed to change is Meta’s stock price. The company’s share price is up more than 28% since that contentious hearing.