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☆ TikTok influencers fear their careers will be destroyed and their work 'deleted forever' as a US ban looms
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-23 | by ( Lindsay Dodgson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Chinese-owned ByteDance will be forced to sell TikTok to a US company or face a nationwide ban. AdvertisementThose who want the app banned argue that TikTok may be forced into giving over user data to the Chinese government. A ban would be "devastating" for her, she said, because years of her work would be "deleted forever." AdvertisementA TikTok spokesperson told BI in March that the legislation has a "predetermined outcome," which is a total ban of TikTok in the US. Editor's note, April 23, 2024: This article has been updated to reflect the House of Representatives vote, which passed a bill to ban TikTok in the US.

Persons: —, TikTok, Leo LonDini, LonDini, Brett Jansen Organizations: Service, Google, Epic Games, Universal Group, Warner Music Group, Spotify, Tesla Locations: China

☆ Couple grew their basement side hustle into a business bringing in $4.5M/year: We'd 'never seen anything like that in a bank account'
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-22 | by ( Annie Probert | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

They built the wooden cart with bicycle tires and a kickstand in her parents' basement in 2016, maxing out her credit card's $1,500 limit to afford materials, and called it The Nitro Cart. That summer, they took it to any event that would take them, from sheep shearing events to farmers markets across Rhode Island, serving small batches of nitrogen-infused cold brew. To survive the winter, they partnered with local restaurants to install their nitro cold brew on tap. Here's how they built The Nitro Bar, from 80-hour workweeks to some TikTok virality and a lot of luck. They both worked "insane hours, usually seven days a week" to turn their cart into The Nitro Bar, says Finocchiaro.

Persons: Audrey Finocchiaro, Sam Lancaster, maxing, Sam, Lancaster, Finocchiaro, —, they'd, it's, it'll Organizations: Brown University, CNBC, Finocchiaro Locations: Rhode Island, Rhode Island and Massachusetts, Lancaster

☆ 13 slang words Gen Zers are using in 2024 and what they really mean
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-09 | by ( Mykenna Maniece | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Just like the generations before them, Gen Z uses an extensive list of slang words. "Bussin," "ick," and "mid" are popular among Gen Z. Social media helps slang spread rapidly, but proper credit is often lost along the way. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers.

Persons: Gen Z, Z, —, John Baugh, Louis Organizations: Service, Washington University, Business Locations: YOLO, St

☆ How creators are using long-form writing to build community and combat the uncertainty of short-form video
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-25 | by ( Marta Biino | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

AdvertisementBuckle is part of a group of creators that has turned to slower, longer types of content that don't live on social platforms. Turning to long-form content — in writing, but also through podcasts, community platforms like Patreon, and YouTube videos — has been a way for creators to counter this. AdvertisementFor some creators, long-form content is also a way to slow down their relationship with their audiences and build stronger connections. Alexandra Hayes Robinson recently started the newsletter Hello Hayes after finding success on TikTok. Alexandra Hayes RobinsonWritten content is a way for creators to build 'community'The idea of "community" has become central to the creator economy, and long-form content can help foster it.

Persons: —, Lesley Buckle, interning, Instagram, . Buckle, Buckle, it's, Dylan, Annie Openshaw's, Rafy Evans, Alexandra Hayes Robinson, Hayes, Emma Brooks, She's, Annie Openshaw —, Openshaw, Jessamyn Stanley, Ashley Batz, Thomas Walters, Julianne Fraser Organizations: Service, Business, Porter Magazine, Infinity Creative Agency, TikTok, Google, Buckle, Dollar, New Locations: Marie Claire, virality, Europe, New York

☆ This guy is serious about crypto, but his joke character has gone viral
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-13 | by ( Peter Kafka | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Read previewLike a lot of people, Nick O'Neill got the crypto bug during the pandemic. But then he stumbled into a bit of viral fame: A joke post he made boasting about his crypto prowess took off, fueled in part by people who didn't realize he was joking. "Choose rich" is O'Neill's catchphrase, which is mostly a joke, but also very similar to things people used to say on crypto Twitter, for real. AdvertisementPeter Kafka: You make this thing that is a little sincere but is mostly a joke, and it triggers people who don't think it's a joke. Peter Kafka: I couldn't tell if you were satirizing crypto, or crypto culture, or Twitter/X culture.

Persons: —, Nick O'Neill, he's, O'Neill, Crypto, There's, Peter Kafka, That's, It's, bro, Solana, NFTs, Dan Bilzerians, there's, you've, X Nick O'Neill, Dave Portnoy's Organizations: Service, Business, pic.twitter.com, Twitter, MySpace, Washington Locations: Miami, Solana

☆ TikTok influencers fear their careers will be destroyed and their work 'deleted forever' as a US ban gains steam
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-12 | by ( Lindsay Dodgson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

A new bill would make Chinese-owned ByteDance sell TikTok to a US company or face a nationwide ban. Those who want the app banned argue that TikTok may be forced into giving over user data to the Chinese government. The whole TikTok ban is clearly a tactic to control the narrative." AdvertisementA ban would be "devastating" for her, she said, because years of her work would be "deleted forever." A TikTok spokesperson told Business Insider the legislation has a "predetermined outcome," which is a total ban of TikTok in the US.

Persons: —, TikTok, Shira, aren't, She's, Ben Stanley, hasn't, Tahrea Sherman, Sherman, Catalina Goanta, Goldman Sachs, Goanta Organizations: Service, Energy, Commerce, Google, Utrecht University Locations: Congress, TikTok, Netherlands, Statista

☆ Ex-Amazon engineers lose 6-figure 'Shark Tank' deal off 1 blunder: 'That's the biggest mistake startups make'
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-11 | by ( Ashton Jackson | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

They still couldn't land a deal on Friday's episode of ABC's "Shark Tank" due to making what billionaire investor Mark Cuban referred to as "the biggest mistake startups make": trying to grow their brand too quickly. Skaloud and Feiereisen co-founded Boona, a Seattle-based company that makes a $249 showerhead called the "Tandem." "We want to build a brand," Feiereisen said. "Some of the greatest deals in 'Shark Tank' history [are] when the entrepreneur focused on that one application and maxed it out." And if we do create new products, it's to support Tandem," Feiereisen said, trying to reel investors back in.

Persons: Brett Skaloud, Jeff Feiereisen, Mark Cuban, Feiereisen, Kevin O'Leary, Skaloud, I'm, O'Leary Organizations: Amazon Locations: Seattle, Cuban

☆ Mark Cuban offered a fellow 'geek' $75,000 on 'Shark Tank': 'I want you to myself'
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-26 | by ( Ashton Jackson | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Mark Cuban and Justin Huang have a mutual love for education — and a mutual hate for killing bugs. The two hit it off on Friday's episode of ABC's "Shark Tank," where Huang pitched his product, Cup-a-Bug, to the show's investor judges. A self-proclaimed "bug sympathizer," Huang created the contraption for a simple reason: "I'm just terrified of bugs, even from [childhood]. The investors encouraged him to take a minute to gather his thoughts and keep going, with Cuban yelling, "You're good!" Mark Cuban checking out the Cup-a-Bug on ABC's "Shark Tank."

Persons: Mark Cuban, Justin Huang, —, Huang, We've, Lori Greiner chimed, Cuban, Huang's, Chapman, Daymond John, Mark, Christopher Willard Organizations: University of California, Irvine, LinkedIn, Disney Locations: Irvine , California, Cuban, U.S

☆ BuzzFeed sells Complex Networks for less than half of what it paid and slashes 16% of staff
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-21 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

“This is also an opportunity to unlock greater value for the Complex brand by combining it with NTWRK’s expansive, commerce-driven business.”The uniting of NTWRK and Complex is, indeed, something of a natural marriage. NTWRK serves as a marketplace for many of the items that Complex covers, such as sneakers. BuzzFeed has been something of an avatar for such struggles among digital publishers. In April, BuzzFeed shut down BuzzFeed News, its award-winning news division that once boasted hundreds of employees and bureaus around the world. Reuters reported last week that The Independent is in talks to take control of the company’s UK operations.

Persons: BuzzFeed, Jonah Peretti, ”, Peretti, NTWRK, ” Peretti, Jimmy Iovine, Goldman Sachs, TikTok Organizations: New, New York CNN, Networks, Digital, New York Times, CNN, Reuters, ”, Universal Music Group, Main Street Advisors, Universal Locations: New York

☆ I turned my failed Etsy shop into a business that made $1 million in its first year. Here's how I did it by 21.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-16 | by ( Ashley Couto | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Keida Dervishi, 21, chose to start an embroidery business with her mom instead of going to college. AdvertisementThis as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Keida Dervishi, the 21-year-old founder of Soulmate Customs. Soulmate Customs made over $1 million in sales in less than a year. I started with an Etsy embroidery shop before founding Soulmate Customs. Keida Dervishi with the Soulmate Customs team.

Persons: Keida Dervishi, —, Gjeniu I Vogel, we've, I'd, Olivia Rodrigo's, I've, Keida, Dervishi, TikTok, Kris Jenner, Kenny, Olivia Rodrigo, We're, It's, Instagram Organizations: Service, Customs, Business, YouTube, Soulmate Customs, School Locations: Albania, Europe, Gjeniu, Albanian

☆ A Gen Zer set out to make $100 a day for 100 days through side hustles. Here are the gigs and passive income streams she recommends.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Madison Hoff | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Over the last few months, she posted videos highlighting the money she made from passive income or side hustles . "I think I've always made side hustles kind of a game of some sort for myself in order to bring in extra money." Finding side hustles and passive income streams that fit your needsMitchell said she would recommend side hustles or making passive income if you're willing to make the time commitment. Side hustles and passive income have been helpful for Mitchell outside her job at a church. This passive income method might not be an available side hustle option for all; TikTok requires participating accounts to be US-based.

Persons: Jackie Mitchell, —, Mitchell, I'm, you'll, wouldn't, hasn't, Brand, that's Organizations: Service, Focus Group, Focus, UGC, Program Beta

☆ AI ‘resurrects’ long dead dictator in murky new era of deepfake electioneering
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-12 | by ( Heather Chen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

“As a member of Golkar, I am very proud of Suharto because he successfully developed Indonesia,” Aksa wrote on X. The Golkar-produced Suharto video was just one of dozens featured in official party campaigns, they said. AI photos made by supporters, have also been used by Ganjar’s party in his campaign. Indonesia’s Communications Ministry issued advisories following several viral AI videos, warning tech companies and voters to be cautious of deepfakes. TAPP (Tim Advokasi Peduli Pemilu), a Jakarta-based nonprofit, said that videos like the Suharto deepfake showed AI’s potential for voter manipulation.

Persons: Suharto, ”, Erwin Aksa, Golkar –, Prabowo Subianto, –, ” Aksa, Golda Benjamin, Ganjar, Darryl Ramadhan, Muhammad Zulfan Dalimunthe, ” Budisatrio, Prabowo’s, Ganjar Pranowo, Anies Baswedan, Anies, ” Anies, TAPP, Tim Advokasi Peduli, Suharto deepfake, Gugum Ridho, Rahmat Pribadi, Suharto Suharto’s, Soe Tjen, Anton Pratama, “, ” Anton Organizations: CNN, Facebook, YouTube, Golkar, Asia Pacific, ”, Gerindra Party, Central Java Gov, Ganjar’s Democratic Party of, Jakarta Gov, Indonesia’s Communications Ministry, Getty, SOAS University of London Locations: Indonesia, Indonesian, Asia, Jakarta, Lubuk Pakam, North Sumatra, AFP, Gugum Ridho Putra, East Timor, Aceh, West Papua, Maluku, Yogyakarta

☆ A workplace expert says Gen Zers posting videos of themselves getting laid off online are seeking 'validation' because they feel lonely
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-09 | by ( Sawdah Bhaimiya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewThe youngest generation at work have found a new way to vent their frustrations at working in corporate America: filming themselves getting laid off or fired, and posting it on social media. "From the Gen Z perspective, this woman feels like a hero," Schawbel said about Pietsch. She got followers, she got attention, because of the algorithm and the echo chamber that surrounds her on social media, and on TikTok especially." Social media fame, likes, followers, and comments might create a facade of social connection for some lonely Gen Zers. A lot of recruiters would be wary of hiring someone like that because company’s "don’t want to be the next victim" of a social media rant.

Persons: —, Brittany Pietsch, Zers aren’t, they’re, virality, Dan Schawbel, Schawbel, Ben Voyer Organizations: Service, Business, Workplace Intelligence, Harvard Graduate School of Education, BI, Social, Gen Locations: America, Cloudflare

☆ A 30-year-old man set out to eat a slice of cheese for every follower he got. He tapped out at 32 slices, as he now has over 178,000 followers and growing.
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-23 | by ( Kieran Press-Reynolds | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewWhat's the maximum number of cheese slices you'd eat in a day? A 30-year-old from Arizona went viral last week with an unusual and fascinating challenge to test this very question. In a video posted last Tuesday, the TikToker @cheeze_louise__ said he would eat a slice of cheese for every new follower he received. The first two days were relatively smooth: he ate eight and then 24 slices of cheese. He joked that he owes them a "debt" of 100,000 slices of cheese.

Persons: —, @cheeze_louise__, Cheeze_louise__, Steven, he's Organizations: Service, Business, YouTube Locations: Arizona

☆ Why Calvin Klein ads still get people talking
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-18 | by ( Joan Kennedy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

The strategy was classic Calvin Klein, a brand which has been synonymous with sexy, conversation-starting campaigns since the 1970s. From Calvin KleinBut the White ads were just the start of the headlines for Calvin Klein. Adorning a New York City phonebooth, Mark Wahlberg is seen in a 1992 Calvin Klein campaign. Meanwhile, no one besides the ASA seems to be admonishing Calvin Klein over the FKA Twigs ads. For Calvin Klein, both sets of ads are an example of that old adage — there’s no such thing as bad publicity.

Persons: CNN —, Jeremy Allen White’s, Calvin Klein, —, Calvin, White, Bottega, Kendall Jenner, FKA, “, Milan Jaros, Kate Moss, Brooke Shields, innuendos, Mark Wahlberg, Eva Mendes, ”, Matt Kissane, Landor, Calvin Klein’s, Moss, Wahlberg, Marky Mark ”, Justin Bieber’s, Justin Bieber's Calvin Klein, Stacy Walsh Rosenstock, he’s, popstar Rosalía, Amy Kommatas, Jenner, Hadid, Allen Adamson, Alas, Adamson, Henry McGee, Launchmetrics, Jeremy Allen White, “ They’ve Organizations: The, Fashion, CNN, Authority, Standards Agency, Standards Authority, ASA, Bloomberg, Getty, Hulu, Business, US Justice Department Locations: SoHo, Prague, Czech Republic, Zara, York's, Los Angeles, New York City

☆ ‘Anything can happen.’ Inside the ‘real-life reality show’ of the nine-month cruise
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-17 | by ( Francesca Street | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +24 min

Welcome aboard Royal Caribbean’s Ultimate World Cruise, which set sail a month ago and has unexpectedly captured the internet’s imagination. It all started when Fletcher, a 39-year-old photographer from the UK, happened upon a TikTok video from a world cruise passenger. Anthony AntoineIt’s possible to join the Ultimate World Cruise at several points along the journey – there’s no requirement to sign up for the whole nine months. He understands.”So far, while his world cruise dispatches have racked up millions of views, Sebastian has yet to uncover the “hot goss” he promised. Passenger Angie Linderman, 38, also had an emotional path to boarding the world cruise.

Persons: Michael Bayley, –, Beth Anne Fletcher, “ It’s, Fletcher, Fletcher isn’t, she’s, Brooklyn Schwetje, “, ’ ”, Madison’s TikToks, She’d, I’d, ”, I’ve, I’m, We’ve, She’s, Oosthuizen, she’d, TikTokers, Madison Schwetje, ” Fletcher, it’s, Renske Lammerding, ‘, Dad ’ Joe Martucci, Audrey, Joe, Audrey Martucci Joe Martucci, Martucci, Martucci’s, ’, ‘ Dad, Dad ”, “ Hey, ” –, Hunnicut, Jenny Hunnicutt, Anthony McWilliams, Angie Linderman, Jenny Hunnicut, Shannon Marie Lake, boomer, Lake, Julian Mendoza, @cooljul1, Daniele Salvatore Arbisi, @singing.sailor, Stig Nilsen, Salvatore Arbisi soundtracked, Nilsen, seafarer, they’d, Anthony Antoine It’s, influencer Marc Sebastian, Simon & Schuster, Jean, Francois Monier, McWilliams, Marc Sebastian, Sebastian, goss, Anthony Antoine The, “ We’re, “ I’ve, ” McWilliams, ‘ Lean, ” McWilliams ’, he’s, Linderman, ” Linderman, Taj Organizations: CNN, Royal Caribbean, Caribbean, Royal Caribbean International, CNN Travel, Royal, ’, Madison, Housewives, Seas, “ Pirates, Royal Caribbean Cruise, Simon &, Getty, British, Antarctica Locations: Brooklyn, Royal Caribbean, TikTok, Pretoria ”, @iambrandeelake, Lake, Norwegian, Caribbean, Shannon, AFP, Antarctica, “, Machu Picchu, China

☆ A bride said she almost missed her big day after United canceled the flight to her wedding on a Boeing 737 Max 9
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-11 | by ( Monica Humphries | Geoff Weiss | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Emma Degerstedt took to TikTok to share her wedding flight got axed last minute. She was slated to fly on a Boeing 737 Max 9, the plane model that lost its door mid-air last week. But a day before Degerstedt and her fiancé were scheduled to fly from Newark, New Jersey, to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, for their wedding, Degerstedt discovered their United flight was canceled. "We were emotionally prepared for this moment, but we just thought it might be a delayed flight due to weather," Degerstedt told BI. He booked the pair on the last two seats of an American Airlines flight heading to Florida at 6:30 a.m. on Wednesday.

Persons: Emma Degerstedt, TikTok, —, Degerstedt, Max, jetliner, Degerstedt's fiancé, @officialemmadegs, ault, ike, ain Organizations: Boeing, Service, Max, FAA, Alaska Airlines, @United, Reuters, United, . United Airlines, National Transportation Safety Board, Portland International Airport, National Transportation, American Airlines, eads Locations: Newark , New Jersey, Fort Lauderdale , Florida, Alaska, Portland , Ore, Portland, Florida, Newark, nabbing, We'll, ideos

☆ A creator chose OnlyFans over a Ph.D. and made over $4 million in a year
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-10 | by ( Marta Biino | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

"I wanted to give it a try," Isla, who uses a pseudonym to protect her privacy, told Business Insider. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. At the time, the Canadian creator was in her last year of undergrad studies in psychology and neuroscience, and was working as a lab tech and lab coordinator at her college. In 2023, Isla made almost $5 million across two profiles on the platform, before OnlyFans took its 20% cut. On her main account, direct messages accounted for almost $2 million of the $4.7 million Isla earned in revenue in 2023.

Persons: —, Isla Moon, I'm, Isla, OnlyFans, TikTok, She's, she's Organizations: Service, Business, YouTube Locations: OnlyFans, Canadian

☆ We're a month into the Ultimate World Cruise that's taken over TikTok, and the drama we were promised may actually be about to materialize
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-10 | by ( Sirena Bergman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

It's the most viral vacation ever taken — the Royal Caribbran Ultimate World Cruise. Viewers anticipated explosive drama in the days following the cruise's departureAs early as December 11, the first full day on the ship, passengers began sharing their experiences. Advertisement"I guarantee there's going to be love, fun, excitement, and drama," said cruise follower Bad YaYa in the first of at least 24 videos she's created for her Ultimate World Cruise playlist. Stories from aboard the cruise began to emergeMore and more passengers — or, as some have called them, "cast members" — began posting on TikTok. Ultimate World Cruise followers also discovered the Facebook group where those who had already signed up for the cruise had been communicating (hosted by Royal Caribbean, the group boasts 438 members).

Persons: —, it's, Kara Harms, CruiseTok, Bad YaYa, she's, Angie Linderman, Joe Martucci, TikTokers, who's, Anthony McWilliams, recapper, @uksecrettravel, TikTokers breathlessly, Adita, stirrer, Marc Sebastian, Sebastian Organizations: Service, Business, Royal, New York Times, Facebook, Royal Caribbean, USA Locations: Miami, Royal Caribbean, TikTok, Brazil, Uruguay

☆ How Tunnel Girl's DIY storm shelter took over TikTok — then turned people against her
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-04 | by ( Sirena Bergman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

By August 2023, Kala referred to her project as an "underground tunnel system." They did not comment further regarding whether the home in question was linked to the TikTok account. However, FOX5 reported receiving a tip identifying the home, which two residents confirmed matched the property in Kala's videos. But on December 30, Bogado posted a TikTok video disputing this account. When contacted via TikTok direct message, Kala declined to comment for this article.

Persons: —, Kala, TikTokers, it's, she'd, FOX5, Bogado, who's, Kala's, Derek Organizations: Service, Business, NBC News, FOX, The Center, Investigative, NBC, BI Locations: Washington, DC, Herndon , Virginia, Herndon, Kala's, Central America

☆ A 76-year-old retiree who experienced his teenage wish of being a flight attendant wants you to know dreams can come true at any age
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Charissa Cheong | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Harvey Brown, 76, was asked to be an honorary flight attendant on a Southwest Airlines flight. Brown wanted to be a flight attendant when he was a teenager and was able to experience it. AdvertisementA 76-year-old retiree lived out a dream from his youth and became a viral sensation after Southwest Airlines made him an honorary flight attendant. In June, Harvey Brown, who lives in Portland, Oregon, took a Southwest flight to Austin, Texas. Brown told BI that he hopes young people who might have seen the videos of him experiencing life as a flight attendant will see that dreams can come true even in later years of life.

Persons: Harvey Brown, Brown, —, he's, it's, Harvey, I'm, Ashley Bain, we're Organizations: Southwest Airlines, Service, Southwest Locations: Portland , Oregon, Austin , Texas, Dallas , Texas, Denver

☆ 26-year-old brings in $33,000 a year from 2-minute side hustle that cost next to nothing to start
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-24 | by ( Ece Yildirim | In Ecedyildirim | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

A year and a half ago, he started spending some of his weekends producing music in what he calls the passive listening space — and quickly found "lo-fi" music production to be a "very easy" side hustle. When he and Bono collaborate on lo-fi tracks, they set a timer — just two minutes for writing, producing and naming each song. The alleviation of expectations that comes with lo-fi music production is "kind of therapeutic," Turner says, and the extra cash doesn't hurt. Here's how he built and manages his lo-fi music side hustle. Turner says he uses TuneCore, an online service that places your tracks on platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube and TikTok.

Persons: you've, Michael Turner's, Turner, Mike Bono — he's, Bono, they've, Taylor Swift Organizations: CNBC, Spotify, Apple, Apple Music, YouTube

☆ What the "Letter to America" backlash could mean for the first major "TikTok election"
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( Jasmine Enberg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Osama Bin Laden's 2002 "Letter to America" went viral, sparking discourse on TikTok's misinformation problem. 2024's "TikTok election" will have a major impact on how people consume political news. TikTok videos of American users sympathizing with the letter sparked shockwaves and a deluge of commentary that reverberated far beyond the 'For You' feed. But many of those posts contained the few dozen TikTok videos in question, and their rapid spread and the ensuing backlash emphasize the dilemma that TikTok faces ahead of what is already shaping up to be a contentious election year. A post on X containing #LettertoAmerica TikTok videos, for example, has racked up over 32 million views and was still up on the platform on Friday, even after TikTok had removed many videos from its own platform.

Persons: Osama Bin, —, TikTok, hashtag, hasn't, Gen, Biden, Meta's Organizations: Service, CNN, Republican, Intelligence, Pew Research Center, Facebook, TikTok Locations: America, Brookings, Facebook's

CNN —Dozens of young Americans have posted videos on TikTok this week expressing sympathy with Osama bin Laden, the notorious terrorist who orchestrated the September 11 attacks, for a two-decade-old letter he wrote critiquing the United States, including its government and support of Israel. TikTok is hugely popular with young Americans, with a majority of Americans under 30 using the app at least once a week, according to a KFF survey. The attack was orchestrated by Bin Laden, the former leader of the al Qaeda terrorist group who was killed in a US special forces raid in 2011. “There’s no proof it was written by bin Laden and some of the things that he focuses on are inconsistent with his other writings,” he told CNN. New data from the Pew Research Center released Wednesday shows TikTok is rapidly becoming a place where more and more young Americans get their news.

Persons: Osama bin Laden, TikTok, Bin Laden, influencer, ”, al, Andrew Bates, “, ” Bates, ” Imran Ahmed, ” Ahmed, Peter Bergen, Bergen, bin Laden, Pew Organizations: CNN, Israel, Hamas, Center, CNN National Security, Guardian, Pew Research Center Locations: United States, Israel, New York City , Washington, Pennsylvania, America, New York, American, al Qaeda, Palestine, TikTok

☆ Crocs unveils McDonalds-inspired footwear line
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( Paul Glader | Sergio Padilla | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

McDonald’s confirmed Monday that it is collaborating with Crocs for one of its rare ventures into the footwear industry. The collaboration features shoes, socks and “Jibbitz” (the little charms that go inside the holes of Crocs) of McDonald’s advertising characters, as well as its red and yellow branding. Though not a partnership, Crocs also made shoes for the Wild West, with Croc cowboy boots on sale for $120. Video Ad Feedback McDonald's goes viral with "Grimace" shake 00:38 - Source: CNNFrom Crocs’ point of view, Saunders said that collaborations and quirky partnerships keep the Crocs brand in mind for consumers. McDonald’s early CEO, the late Raymond “Ray” Kroc, is of no known relation to the Crocs shoe brand.

Persons: McDonald’s, Crocs, Jibbitz ”, Lightning McQueen, “, ”, Neil Saunders, Saunders, Raymond “ Ray ” Kroc Organizations: New, New York CNN, Wild, CNN Locations: New York, Crocs

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