For years, traditional search engines were the main starting point for finding brands, products and recommendations online. But consumer behaviour is shifting, with social platforms increasingly becoming part of the discovery journey.

What Google announced at I/O 2026 feels less like another product update and more like a real shift in how people will use the internet. Search is no longer just about typing keywords and choosing from a list of links. Google is clearly moving toward a more conversational experience where users ask complex questions, refine them naturally, and get direct AI-generated answers inside Search itself.

TikTok has started rolling out an ad-free subscription in the UK, priced at £3.99 per month for users aged 18 and over. Users are now being given a choice between paying for an ad-free experience or continuing to use the platform for free with personalised advertising.

More than 200 fake websites were used to target Irish consumers with scams last year. The sites were designed to imitate trusted retailers and services, making it increasingly difficult for people to tell the difference between a genuine business and a scam.

In an effort to engage with new audiences and align with latest trends, Instagram have announced that they are reconsidering their approach towards long-form video content on connected TVs.