Social media already robs us of our attention spans. Must it take our actual hard-earned money, too?Americans lost $2.1 billion to social media scams in 2025, according to a new report from the Federal Trade Commission. The agency reports that losses from social media scams have increased eightfold and that social media scams resulted in higher losses than any other method scammers used to contact consumers.

Nearly 30% of people who reported losing money to scams said the schemes began on social media. More people reported losing money to scams that originated on Facebook than on any other social media platform, with WhatsApp and Instagram ranking a distant second and third. Additionally, people reported losing far more money to scams on Facebook alone than they reported losing to text or email scams.

What exactly do these scams look like? CNET says that they take many forms, including shopping scams, which were the most reported type of social media scam last year. Over 40% of people who lost money to social media scams said they ordered an item they saw in an ad, ranging from clothing and cosmetics to car parts and even puppies. Many of these ads led to unfamiliar websites, while others sent people to fake sites for well-known brands that claimed to offer big discounts.

Of course, another common type of social media scam involves investment schemes that begin with ads or posts offering to teach people how to invest. Other scammers pose as friendly advisers or create WhatsApp groups filled with fake testimonials. These types of investment scams led to $1.1 billion in losses.

The FTC advises that users can protect themselves from social media scams by limiting who can see their posts and contacts, never allowing someone they met online to direct their investment decisions, and carefully vetting products before making a purchase by researching the company and searching the name alongside the terms “scam” or “complaint.”

Before the big, fancy state dinner, King Charles III addressed a joint session of Congress, seeking to highlight the importance of the transatlantic relationship between the United States and Great Britain at a moment when tensions between President Trump and leaders in Europe have frayed longstanding ties.

The king also urged Americans and Britons to defend democratic values, including checks on executive power. Ever the diplomat, he stayed scrupulously nonpartisan—he’s officially barred from engaging in politics and mentioned no political leader in his speech. But he promoted what he described as centuries of common interests: The U.S. and Britain should defend Ukraine. An independent judiciary should deliver impartial justice. Diverse societies make countries strong. Societies must protect the natural world. And the U.S. and Europe should “ignore the clarion calls to become ever more inward-looking.”

The president has made no secret of his longtime admiration for the royal family and his excitement for the King’s visit. In recent weeks, Trump has brought up the visit multiple times, referring to the king as “a great gentleman,” “tough,” “a great guy,” and “a friend of mine.” However, political tension over the Iran war hung over the proceedings. On multiple occasions, Trump has criticized the U.K. for not joining the U.S. and Israel in their war in Iran, at various points mocking and insulting Prime Minister Keir Starmer for not assisting the U.S. militarily.

Do you use Letterboxd? The app has surged in popularity in recently. Once a niche site for only the most fervent of film nerds, the site—which lets you rate, review and recommend movies—has continued to add accounts by the tens of millions, thanks largely to interest from millennials and Gen Z. Now, the company’s controlling investor has apparently made it known that they are looking to cash out.

Semafor reports that Canadian holding company Tiny, which owns some 60% of Letterboxd, has been courting various potential buyers, including Versant, the parent company of CNBC and MS NOW (formerly MSNBC). Another potential buyer is The Ankler, a popular Hollywood newsletter. Tiny bought the platform in 2023, valuing it at over $50 million. But it’s still unclear whether the company has neared any sort of deal.

And another acquisition doesn’t necessarily mean trouble. Gizmodo points out that when Tiny bought it, many users feared the worst—that Letterboxd would suffer from “enshittification,” an online term for when platforms degrade over time as companies focus on maximizing profits over user experience—think more ads, more rushed AI, and terrible algorithms. It’s remained virtually unchanged, save for an increase in display advertising and last year it launched a video rental service.