Each week, we handpick a selection of stories to give you a snapshot of trends, updates, business moves, and more from around the creator industry.
This week, the most popular overalls-clad entertainer in the world became a cover story, a TikTok-turned-politician raised the stakes, and an incoming law draws the ire of Big Tech companies.
Creator commotion
Ms. Rachel graces the cover of Glamour‘s “Woman of the Year” issue. The magazine included Ms. Rachel on its list of 2025’s most impactful women. If you rank the featured females in terms of their respective YouTube view counts, none of the other ladies can hold a candle to Ms. Rachel and her devoted audience of little ones.
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Maya Higa raises $1 million to support wildlife conservation efforts. Through a creative and beneficial fundraiser called the Pixel Project, Higa collected a seven-digit sum for a new project within her wildlife refuge, the Alveus Sanctuary. The Alveus Research & Recovery Institute will focus on the rehabilitation of threatened animal populations.
Politics as usual
Kat Abughazaleh drew a federal indictment for her protests at an ICE facility. Abughazaleh is a TikToker who is running for Congress in a Chicagoland district. Her frequent attacks on Trump’s immigration policy made her the target of a federal indictment that accuses her of misconduct related to her anti-ICE protests.
Zohran Mamdani hosted a briefing for influencers. Speaking of political hopefuls with sizable TikTok followings, that description also applies to Mamdani, the progressive who is the current frontrunner in New York City’s mayoral race. Mamdani knows just how powerful social media can be in a grassroots campaign, which is why he’s making sure to keep creators in the loop during the final days of the race.
Platform headlines
Meta, Snap, and TikTok expressed their displeasure with Australia’s incoming social media law. Down Under youths will soon be restricted on major social apps, but the companies targeted by that stipulation don’t feel it’s just. “We don’t agree, but we accept and we will abide by the law,” said Snap SVP of Global Policy and Platform Operations Jennifer Stout. Oh, snap!
Tubi is now profitable. The FAST streaming service was one of the stars of parent company Fox’s Q3 2025 earnings report. As Tubi looks to continue pushing its numbers in a positive direction, will its work with creators turn out to be the right move? We’ll see if future growth is Tubi, or…sorry, nevermind.
Patreon poaches some of Substack’s top newsletter writers. Personalities like Anne Helen Petersen and Lyz Lenz are porting their operations over to Patreon, where they will be greeted with some new tools. Substack has features of its own, so top newsletter writers have a bounty of riches at their disposal.
The biz
Karat offers $10,000 boost with new banking program. The creator fintech company has a proposal for its clients: Connect your platform payouts to our business banking service, and we’ll pay 10% of your earnings (up to $100K) as a reward. The firm that helps creators manage their money wants to help them actively make money, too.
Here’s some tea: How Ridiculous is shilling for tea. The Australian creator group is helping local brand Tea Industries hit the big time. In typically extreme fashion, the How Ridiculous crew showed off Tea Industries’ products before the Queensland-founded company expands into the United States.
Rayasianboy got himself a shoe deal (and retired from streaming?) Adidas made a bold move by partnering with Ray, the Taiwanese creator known for his collabs with Kai Cenat. Around the same time, he announced his retirement from streaming. Is it a coincidence, or has Ray’s sneaker deal convinced him that he’s ready for bigger things?
MrBallen makes podcast deal with SiriusXM. The man behind Ballen Studios has turned his true crime stories into a podcast network that fits perfectly into today’s media landscape. His SiriusXM agreement gives him a distribution partner with deep pockets and strong infrastructure in the podcast space.
Hirings and firings
Disney and YouTube settled their Justin Connolly beef. The Mouse House sued YouTube in an attempt to stop the platform from hiring a prized ESPN executive. According to the latest court filings, the two entertainment giants have found a way to bury the hatchet. Yay for friendship!
A BuzzFeed vet will head Underscore Talent’s production and distribution business. Underscore launched Shorthand Studios to meet demands for influencer-led content. Zack Evans has now joined as the arm’s VP of Strategy, and Underscore has also promoted Nadi Filsoof to Partner.
The internet is a strange place
CaseOh’s parents encouraged him to quit his day job. Some parents are wary of the streaming profession, and others understand that it can be a profitable career. CaseOh’s mom and dad are the rare pair who fall into that second group. “We called the boss, and it was done,” CaseOh said during a podcast appearance.
The Taco Bell ultramarathon is not for me, thanks. A video from Sam Reid brought attention to a 50-kilometer race that involves too much Tex-Mex fast food for my tummy. If that somehow sounds like an appealing activity to you, I can inform you that another Taco Bell ultra will take place soon.
