⏰ SHORT SUMMARY

• X's creator-friendly subscription, along with Meta and Kick, reflects the evolving revenue landscape.

• TikTok allows EU users to turn off algorithm - how will this change the app and discovery?

🚀 SOCIAL UPDATES

• Instagram is testing new comment and share counts on posts in-stream.

• Instagram expands song lyrics in Reels to more regions.

• Telegram rolls out its Stories feature to all users.

• Substack now lets you follow writers and friends, a feature designed to complement paid subscriptions rather than replace them.

• TikTok reportedly considering integration with sister app Lemon8 for cross-platform syncing, aiming to enhance Lemon8's user base.

• Chris Messina highlighted that you can actually Tweet from Threads via paper airplane icon in X/Twitter app - a smart boost for Threads' engagement.

• The new philanthropic social app - Roar Social.

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Unveiling the subscription strategies: Who offers the best deals in the creator economy?

Elon Musk's platform X offers a more generous deal for creators' subscription revenue compared to its previous arrangement. X will only take a cut if creators' lifetime earnings exceed $100,000, attracting more creators to sell subscriptions and boosting non-advertising revenue.

Social networks are vying to attract creators by offering low subscription revenue cuts. Meta Platforms apps have the most generous policy, not taking any cuts until at least 2024. Newcomer Kick promises creators a 5% subscription revenue cut.

Twitch and YouTube currently have the highest take rates, but they are changing. Twitch plans to lower its subscription revenue cut from 50% to 30% if users maintain a subscriber count of 350 or more for 3 months.

The specifics of these deals matter, with platforms differing in how they handle fees. Twitch charges more for mobile subscriptions, passing on Apple App Store fees. YouTube deducts local sales tax and fees but covers payment processing costs. Substack and Stripe transaction fees are paid by writers.

The issue of fees is significant for creators, and Musk's offer to adjust Apple's 30% cut for mobile payments demonstrates awareness of this concern.

The subscription revenue landscape is evolving rapidly, with platforms competing to attract creators while adjusting their revenue-sharing models. The future of these negotiations and arrangements remains uncertain.

TikTok empowers European users to opt out of algorithmic influence

In response to the EU’s Digital Services Act, TikTok has announced a pivotal change – allowing users in the European Union to disable its influential content-selection algorithm. This development marks a stride toward safeguarding "cognitive liberty," granting individuals the right to shape their mental experiences.

The algorithmic strain: TikTok's algorithm has long been a subject of concern, molding users' preferences and behaviors through personalized content. By enabling an opt-out feature, users will now have the ability to explore trending videos in their region, fostering a more diversified content experience. Additionally, measures such as prohibiting targeted advertisements to minors reinforce this cognitive liberty initiative.

Beyond TikTok: As AI, Big Data, and digital media reshape our world, the necessity to protect cognitive liberty becomes increasingly evident. Current regulatory efforts, like the EU AI Act and OECD principles, are promising but fragmented. A comprehensive approach encompassing regulations, transparency, and cognitive impact assessments is crucial to preserving our capacity to think freely.

Moving forward, a holistic strategy emerges, entailing regulatory frameworks, incentivized collaborations, and cognitive liberty-focused design. By encouraging companies to transparently assess and address their technology's impact on mental privacy, and by instilling user-oriented design principles, we can reshape the digital landscape. The recent TikTok policy shift serves as a starting point, demanding global cooperation to prioritize cognitive liberty in the digital era.

CREATORS 👀

• Alix Earle teams up with Benefit Cosmetics for a product collection.

• Bella Poarch to lead Hugo Boss' fall-winter campaign after viral "M to the B" video.

• Babbel cuts ties with Tana Mongeau over podcast rant.

• Lil Tay reportedly 'alive' despite Instagram statement announcing death.

• Viral: Tiffany Gomas speaks out for first time following 'not real' plane rant.

Let’s read more 💬

• From Influence to Entrepreneurship: Unveiling the Success Stories of Influencer-Founded Brands (Glossy)

• 10 ways to make money as a creator – no matter your following size (Curious Creator)

• 75% of content creators are stressed out. Here's what helps (ZDNET)

• TikTok influencer criticised for filming ‘sad’ woman eating alone: ‘Absolutely not’ (The Independent)

• TikTokers are scoring huge paydays from its new 'creativity program' that rewards longer videos. 7 creators reveal what they're making per month (Insider)