James Hale

• Your favorite TikTok song of the summer is probably an indie hit
• $100 million says fans of all types want to connect with creators

  Fanfix, which bills itself as "the leading brand-safe monetization platform" for Gen Z creators, has paid out over $100 million to its user base of thousands of creators. The platform launched in 2021, and turning over that much revenue for content creators that quickly shows how engaged audiences are willing to support creators not just by watching their stuff and generating ad revenue passively, but by handing them cash directly.

  
• Brands are scrambling to snag deals with “demure” creator Jools Lebron

  The woman behind TikTok's omnipresent "demure" trend was able to quit her job as a cashier to go full-time on content, and is also able to pay for the rest of her gender transition thanks to money coming in from brand deals.

  
• Pet project YTCH turns YouTube content into a vintage TV experience

  
• The gamba meta lives on: Twitch says it’s “digging into” Counter-Strike skin gambling involving 120+ top streamers
• Spotify is selling brands hard on video ads, says it only serves them when it knows users are engaged
• Creators still have to fight for fair pay and treatment in brand deals. Word on the Block is here to advocate for them.
• The FTC just banned viewbotting
• Twitch strikes a balance for streamers and viewers with Stories update
• Biden addresses creators at first-ever White House summit: “They listen to all of you”
• HopeScope turned her YouTube creativity crisis into a flourishing channel. Her VidSummit keynote is about helping other creators do the same.
• You can now buy plane tickets on TikTok