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☆ How TikTok's obsession with pickle-jar sweatshirts has been 'absolutely life-changing' for one seller
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( Dan Whateley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

One merchant, Jessica Slone, has sold over 43,000 sweatshirts through TikTok Shop. AdvertisementAdvertisementOne seller, Jessica Slone, founder of Bad Addiction Boutique, has sold over 43,000 pickle-jar sweatshirts at $44 a pop through TikTok Shop. The company released a Halloween version of the pickle-jar sweatshirt ahead of the holiday. "TikTok Shop is kind of this roller coaster, and right now it's on this amazing uphill journey," she said. Read more about how TikTok Shop virality is impacting sellers

Persons: TikTok, Jessica Slone, Slone, —, Anker, Slone isn't, It's, Wickles Pickles, Dill Organizations: TikTok, Service, Facebook, Shop, Slone Locations: McClure's, Mt . Olive

REGULATORY SCRUTINYWhile disinformation has spread on all major social media platforms including Facebook and TikTok, X appeared to be the most recent to draw scrutiny from regulators. On Tuesday, European Union Commissioner Thierry Breton warned Musk that X was spreading "illegal content and disinformation," according to a letter Breton posted on X. Musk himself recommended that X users follow two accounts that had previously spread false claims for "real-time" updates on the conflict, the Washington Post reported. False information has also spread on messaging app Telegram and short-form video app TikTok, said DFRLab's Trad. Like other online platforms, YouTube has moderation employees and technology to remove content that violates its rules.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Ruslan Trad, X, Bruno Mars miscaptioned, Thierry Breton, Breton, Musk, Renee DiResta, Jack Brewster, Brewster, Tamara Kharroub, DFRLab's Trad, TikTok, Solomon Messing, there's, Messing, Kharroub, Sheila Dang, Riniki Sanyal, Deepa Babington Organizations: Twitter, REUTERS, Elon, European Union, Reuters, Atlantic, Forensic Research, Hamas, Meta, Facebook, European, EU, Stanford Internet Observatory, Washington Post, Washington, Arab Center Washington DC, New York University's Center for Social Media, YouTube, Thomson Locations: Israel, American, New, Dallas, Bangalore

☆ How this 'AI whisperer' made $500,000 in 11 months selling courses and memberships using unicorn startup Kajabi
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-10 | by ( Sydney Bradley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

That means Kajabi creators have earned an additional $1 billion since March, when the company announced creators had earned $5 billion. One of those creators is Rob Lennon, a self-described "AI whisperer" and entrepreneur, who uses Kajabi to host his courses and manage his paywalled membership called "Lennon Labs." Within the first 11 months of launching his Kajabi offerings, Lennon has earned about $500,000, according to Kajabi and Lennon. He earned about $200,000 in the first two months of selling his courses, per Kajabi. Building a course and membership businessRunning courses and a subscription service accounts for about 95% of Lennon's income, he said.

Persons: Rob Lennon, Lennon, hadn't, ChatGPT, He's, Kajabi, there's, —, Kajabi — Lennon Organizations: Lennon Labs, LinkedIn, Facebook, Mighty Networks Locations: Kajabi, Patreon, Substack

The pickle-wardrobe mania is emblematic of what sets TikTok Shop apart from e-commerce competitors like Shopify and Amazon. Just like TikTok's non-shopping content, TikTok Shop is built around viral videos, be it a surge in viewer interest in pickle-jar sweatshirts or a mad rush to buy freeze-dried Skittles . For UK sellers, chasing virality still seems to be the defining characteristic of the TikTok Shop experience. Jessica Slone runs TikTok shop Bad Addiction Boutique, which has sold tens of thousands of pickle-jar sweatshirts. "TikTok Shop is kind of this roller coaster, and right now it's on this amazing uphill journey.

Persons: TikTok, Dill, Frank Bloomer, Ashley Martinez, Michael Herling, I'm, it's, Herling, Jessica Slone, Slone, TikTok's, Lindzi Shanks, Shanks, TikTok doesn't, Virality, Laura Ritchey, Sellers, Julia Cote, hadn't, influencers, they'd, Ben Muir, virality, Hira Tariq, who's, Candy, there'll, It's, Boutique's Slone Organizations: US, TikTok Shop, Shipping Locations: Grillo's, West Texas

☆ Great news — social media is falling apart
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-03 | by ( Shubham Agarwal | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +14 min

And I'm not alone: People are spending less and less time on social media. But instead of spelling the death of social media, it may be the beginning of a better era. Welcome to the Great Social Media Splintering. One recent study found social media could cause an increase in eating disorders and poor body image in men and women. Studies have found that news overload from social media can cause stress, anxiety, fatigue, and lack of sleep.

Persons: I've, haven't, I'm, it's, Ben Grosser, Harvard University's Berkman Klein, media's, TikTok, Chand Rajendra, Rebecca Rinkevich, Mike McCue, Jack Dorsey, Steve Teixeira, Rajendra, Nicolucci, Shubham Agarwal Organizations: Facebook, Twitter, Great Social Media, Harvard, Harvard University's Berkman Klein Center, Internet & Society, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Institute, Rebooting Social Media, Mastodon, Mozilla, Wired, Company Locations: Instagram, Google's, India, Brazil, Facebook, Ahmedabad

☆ Welcome to the Great Internet Splintering
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-03 | by ( Shubham Agarwal | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +14 min

But instead of spelling the death of social media, it may be the beginning of a better era. Welcome to the Great Social Media Splintering. One recent study found social media could cause an increase in eating disorders and poor body image in men and women. The fatigue I have felt is therefore partly fueled by another, more-pressing concern: Which social network should I bank on? But until it emerges, I expect to continue living a splintered and nomadic online social life.

Persons: I've, haven't, I'm, it's, Ben Grosser, Harvard University's Berkman Klein, media's, TikTok, Chand Rajendra, Rebecca Rinkevich, Mike McCue, Jack Dorsey, Steve Teixeira, Rajendra, Nicolucci, Shubham Agarwal Organizations: Facebook, Twitter, Great Social Media, Harvard, Harvard University's Berkman Klein Center, Internet & Society, University of Michigan, Institute, Rebooting Social Media, Mastodon, Mozilla, Wired, Company Locations: Instagram, Google's, India, Brazil, Facebook, Ahmedabad

☆ Instagrammable laundry rooms are the latest luxury status symbol of rich millennials
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-01 | by ( Sawdah Bhaimiya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Instagrammable laundry rooms have become a new luxury status symbol for millennial homeowners. AdvertisementAdvertisementRich millennials are starting to splurge on a space in the home that has previously been neglected and hidden from guests – the laundry room. Homeowners increased spending on laundry rooms by 33% in 2021, according to a 2022 survey by Houzz, an interior design website connecting homeowners with renovation professionals. On social media, upscale laundry rooms are decked out with colorful tiles, marble counters, tongue and groove wall paneling, expensive hardware, an abundance of storage space, and even dog showers in some cases. Others are taking it up a notch with nearly $30 luxury laundry detergents from brands like The Laundress and of course, the firm favorite – the $40 Aesop handwash, perched by the butler sink.

Persons: They're, —, Rich millennials, There's, Sarah Davies, Kate Guinness, there's, they've, Dina Bandman, Nina Magon, Priscila Forster, Forbes, Perrin, Rowe, pricey Organizations: Service, Instagram

☆ A candy-store owner explains how he's made over $2.5 million in sales from TikTok Shop
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-21 | by ( Marta Biino | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The @sosweetshopuk account had 800,000 followers by March 2022, when Robinson began using TikTok Shop, the platform's shopping feature that allows in-app purchases. He soon established a relationship with the TikTok Shop team, who have been helping him navigate the platform and boost sales. Robinson says the lifetime sales of SoSweet products on TikTok Shop are over $2.5 million (£2 million). On the right, a screenshot of what SoSweet's TikTok Shop page looks like. Maryam Malik/SoSweet/TikTokTo spread the firsthand knowledge he's gained, Robinson recently started his own TikTok Shop Partner agency, to consult for small businesses on how to get started on TikTok Shop and how to use it for sales.

Persons: George Robinson, SoSweet, Robinson, Gavin, Stacey, George Robinson Virality, TikTok, Sellers, —, Maryam Malik, he's Organizations: Facebook, Bloomberg, SoSweet, Merchants Locations: Devon, England, Newquay , Cornwall, TikTok

☆ Australia's Indigenous Voice referendum faces misinformation linked to COVID influencers
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( Byron Kaye | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +10 min

Dozens of campaigners who built substantial audiences during the COVID era by opposing Australia's pandemic response have turned their focus to undermining the Oct. 14 referendum, analysis of social media posts by independent fact-checkers shows. The direct link between COVID agitators and misinformation about the Voice has not been previously reported in detail. Polls show support for the Voice has slumped from about two-thirds in April to less than 40% this month. Not one X post containing electoral misinformation was marked or taken down in the monitoring period, before or after being reported, Reset.Tech said. "Many of the accounts pushing electoral misinformation narratives turned to a style of anti-lockdown politics during the pandemic," said Reset.Tech Australia executive director Alice Dawkins.

Persons: William Bay, Hitler, Bay, Reset.Tech, Elon Musk, Alice Dawkins, Ella Woods, Joyce, Evan Ekin, Smyth, Donald Trump, Luke Howarth, Covid, David Heilpern, Graham Hood, Pauline Hanson, Tristan Van Rye, Hood, Hanson, Van Rye, Ed Coper, Rosita Diaz, Diaz, BILL Australia's, Michelle Rowland, we're, Elise Thomas, Byron Kaye, Praveen Menon, Daniel Flynn, David Crawshaw Organizations: Reuters, REUTERS, Facebook, COVID, Meta, Reset.Tech, U.S, Southern Cross University, Qantas, Aboriginal, Labor, Communications, Advance Australia, Institute for Strategic, Thomson Locations: Brisbane, Australia, BRISBANE, Brisbane's, Reset.Tech Australia, Northern Territory, Canada, U.S, New Zealand, Melbourne

☆ SPACs can't be killed
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Chamath Palihapitiya, Founder and CEO of Social Capital, presents during the 2018 Sohn Investment Conference in New York City, U.S., April 23, 2018. Although SPACs raised just $13 billion last year, this week produced a deal that looks like it could have happened during the heyday. From U.S. presidential hopefuls’ forays to a continued SPAC king’s virality, SPACs’ reach is a reminder that they are hard to kill. This week, one of those SPACs bought Better.com, a mortgage lender led by Vishal Garg and backed by SoftBank Group (9984.T). They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

Persons: Chamath Palihapitiya, Brendan McDermid, SPACs, Vishal Garg, Donald Trump, Vivek Ramaswamy, lister Chamath Palihapitiya, Anita Ramaswamy, Lauren Silva Laughlin, Sharon Lam Organizations: Social Capital, Investment, REUTERS, Reuters, SoftBank Group, Securities and Exchange Commission, X, KKR, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S

☆ I'm PinkyDoll, the most popular NPC creator on TikTok. I don't care about the haters — what's important is my son is going to have a beautiful life.
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-24 | by ( Fortesa Latifi | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

"Mm, ice cream so good, yes yes yes. I first made my account last summer, and I started doing the NPC TikTok trend by accident a few months ago. I spend about six hours a day doing livestreams and making content. My other videos bring in a little income, but nowhere near as much as my NPC livestreams. I know what it's like to grow up with nothing, and I'm going to make sure he doesn't.

Persons: PinkyDoll, Sinon, livestreaming, They're, I'm, Timbaland, Haters, they're, It's, —, who's Organizations: Service, Fashion, Nova Locations: Wall, Silicon, Montreal, Québec, TikTok

☆ I'm PinkyDoll, the most popular NPC creator on TikTok. I don't care about the haters — they're just jealous I'm making money and they're not.
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-24 | by ( Fortesa Latifi | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

☆ Opinion | Does Free Speech Protect Trump’s Election Lies?
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-02 | by ( Thomas B. Edsall | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +5 min

But, Hasen argued:“Trump did not just state the false claims; he allegedly used the false claims to engage in a conspiracy to steal the election. There is no First Amendment right to use speech to subvert an election, any more than there is a First Amendment right to use speech to bribe, threaten, or intimidate.”Francesca Procaccini, a law professor at Vanderbilt, shares the view that in the contemporary political environment, there needs to be more regulation of speech. In an email, she wrote:The left is split on how to respond to misinformation precisely because the left is historically committed to free speech and also to uplifting marginalized voices. Now, many on the left have increasingly come to understand that speech itself (whether false speech or hate speech) is also detrimental to marginalized communities. It concluded that “states and public-sector unions may no longer extract agency fees (partial union dues) from nonconsenting employees.”

Persons: Hasen, Trump Will, ” Hasen, Jack Smith, Donald Trump, Trump, “ Trump, ” Francesca Procaccini, ” Procaccini, “, ”, ” Catherine MacKinnon, ” MacKinnon, misogynists, MacKinnon, Elena Kagan Organizations: “, Trump, Vanderbilt, Citizens, University of Michigan, . State, Municipal Employees Locations: “ U.S, Janus, ., County

☆ AI could power the US economy as investment in the sector is poised to hit $200 billion by 2025, a Goldman Sachs says
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-02 | by ( Jennifer Sor | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

AI investments could account for up to 4% of the US economy by 2025, Goldman Sachs estimated. That's because AI investing is poised to hit $100 billion in the US and $200 billion globally by then. Get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in business, from Wall Street to Silicon Valley — delivered daily. The bank's economists predicted AI-related investments could hit $100 billion in the US by 2025, while global AI-related investments hit $200 billion that same year. Goldman Sachs has remained bullish on artificial intelligence, despite fears from other Wall Street analysts that AI could be fueling a bubble in the stock market.

Persons: Goldman Sachs, Russell Organizations: Service, Wall Street, . Investment Locations: Wall, Silicon

☆ 3 in 5 workers try to be 'active' online even while not working, a new Slack report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Kai Xiang Teo | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

63% of workers surveyed say they keep their status actively online, even when not working, per Slack. These findings come amid an ongoing debate about hustle culture and performative productivity. Slack's State of Work report was conducted between February and March, surveying 18,149 employers and employees from nine countries. These findings come amid an ongoing debate about hustle culture and performative productivity. This discontent with hustle culture even propelled "quiet quitting" into virality.

Persons: Slack, they're, Insider's Reed Alexander Organizations: Employees, Service, JPMorgan, OECD Locations: Slack, Wall, Silicon, Slack's

☆ McDonald’s bet on viral success with its Grimace shake. TikTok users are pretending it killed them
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-28 | by ( Scottie Andrew | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Since the debut of the Grimace shake earlier this month, TikTok users have been excitedly ordering the shake, released in honor of McDonald’s character Grimace’s “birthday,” and then pretending to die on camera after consuming the purple beverage. They often dump the shake over their convulsing bodies, apparently signaling that Grimace, that bumbling bestie of Ronald McDonald, killed them. The Grimace shake, though, has become more infamous than beloved. In a typical “Grimace Shake” TikTok, an enthusiastic young person, Grimace shake in hand, will wish the big purple mascot a happy birthday before taking their first sip. When reached for comment, McDonald’s referred CNN to a tweet from Grimace: “meee pretending i don’t see the grimace shake trendd,” along with a photo of the purple one himself, eyebrows raised.

Persons: McDonald’s, Grimace’s, ”, Ronald McDonald, Matthew Prince, “ It’s, it’s, Grimace, J Balvin, Travis Scott, they’ve, Grimace wasn’t, execs, Ronald McDonald’s, Hamburglar, Bell’s, grimace, “ Organizations: CNN, Chapman University, buzzy, Wine, Wednesday Locations: California, ”

☆ Is Originality Even a Worthy Ambition Anymore?
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-28 | by ( Jason Zinoman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The amount of derivative work makes you wonder if the demand for the new is in decline. Ever since Penn and Teller burst on the scene, every magician seemed to be deconstructing illusions while doing them. But this peek behind the curtain is something new, while, as its title suggests, not being original at all. We only hear Hnath, on a recording played by Cuiffo, the sole one onstage. Hnath asks Cuiffo to show him a trick, and after he does, multiple times, artistic tension between collaborators emerges.

Persons: TikTok virality, Teller, Steve Cuiffo, Lucas Hnath, Hnath, Cuiffo Organizations: Penn, Cuiffo

☆ VidCon 2023 showed how much the line between creator and fan has blurred. Here are 6 top takeaways from the annual creator industry conference.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-26 | by ( Amanda Perelli | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

VidCon, the conference for creators, professionals, and fans returned this year in Anaheim, CA. Last week, creators and industry professionals came together at the Anaheim Convention Center for VidCon. Beyond the panels, parties, and meet-and-greets, the real magic of VidCon was happening offsite, at nearby restaurants and bars where brands, agencies, and startups hosted exclusive invite-only mixers. At this year's VidCon, the divide between creator and fan faded, and many attendees identified with both. Snapping a photo with a successful creator became less valuable than actual time spent learning the secrets to their success.

Persons: Colin, Samir, Amber Tarshis, Instagram Organizations: YouTube, Cannes Lions, Anaheim Convention, VidCon Locations: Anaheim , CA, Anaheim

☆ Gen Z is good business: Alex Cooper's new media company shows the allure of targeting young consumers
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-17 | by ( Alexandra York | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Gen Z has some $360 billion in global spending power — something brands want to tap into. That's a large chunk of Gen Zers and Zillennials, the subgeneration between millennials and Gen Z. "Signaling to the Gen X crowd, 'Hey, we're a Gen Z media company. You're a company that doesn't know Gen Z and you want to sell to Gen Z. "It's really to attract the corporate partners, the advertisers, and to say 'We're the gateway to the Gen Z audience.'"

Persons: Alex Cooper, Cooper, Matt Kaplan, Z, —, fiancé Matt Kaplan, Kaplan, Gen Z — Cooper, Gen, That's, Jared Watson, University's, Zers, Kitty, Watson, hadn't, we're Organizations: Spotify, Service, Entertainment, Pew Research, University's Stern School of Business, Variety, Media, Gen, Companies Locations: New, millennials, Pennsylvania

☆ How 'Blogilates' creator Cassey Ho went from fitness influencer to the CEO of multiple 8-figure brands
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-11 | by ( Marta Biino | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Cassey Ho started her YouTube channel Blogilates, which now has 8.6 million subscribers, in 2009. She started by posting fitness content, then became a designer, and founded two fitness brands. Almost 14 years later, the Blogilates channel has grown to 8.6 million subscribers, and other social-media profiles have almost 7 million combined. The pivot away from fitness content and toward short-formDespite finding success with fitness content, Ho has pivoted away from it. Cassey HoHow Blogilates and Popflex workOn top of creating content, Ho is the CEO of her brands, managing the design, product development, and marketing teams.

Persons: Cassey Ho, Ho, Blogilates, hasn't, Instagram, Cassey, Sam Livits, Popflex, I'm Organizations: YouTube, Facebook, OGorgeous Inc, Target Locations: Los Angeles, East, China, Popflex

☆ BuzzFeed is at risk of getting kicked off the Nasdaq because its stock has been performing so badly
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-03 | by ( Nathan Mcalone | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

BuzzFeed could get kicked off the Nasdaq because its stock price is so low. The digital media company has until November 27 to raise its price or face delisting. BuzzFeed has struggled as a public company and is now trying to pivot to AI and creators. BuzzFeed, once the darling of digital media, is now at risk of getting kicked off the Nasdaq because its stock is doing so badly. BuzzFeed has until November 27 to raise its stock price or it could get booted off the exchange.

Persons: BuzzFeed, J, Clara Chan, We've, Jonah Peretti, it's, Peretti Organizations: Nasdaq, Morning, Securities and Exchange Commission, Hollywood, Facebook

☆ How 'the dress' broke the internet — and pushed Facebook to force everyone into their own filter bubble
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-25 | by ( Ben Smith | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

In 2015, a BuzzFeed staffer posted a picture of a dress with the caption, "What color is this dress?" The following is an excerpt from "Traffic: Genius, Rivalry, and Delusion in the Billion-Dollar Race to Go Viral" by Ben Smith. Jonah saw it differently. From TRAFFIC: Genius, Rivalry, and Delusion in the Billion-Dollar Race to Go Viral by Ben Smith. Copyright © Ben Smith, 2023.

☆ For YouTuber multi-millionaires Rhett & Link, venture capital is the future of creators
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-20 | by ( Zach Vallese | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

The pair chose to reinvest their earnings, and lessons from their experiences, in burgeoning creators through an accelerator fund. "The right creators are good and investments," said McLaughlin, who is co-CEO of Mythical Entertainment. They both have a vision to grow their business and to lead their business," McLaughlin said. VC firm Slow Ventures has also launched a creator fund and has taken a keen interest in the business of those in the creator economy. Providing creators like Mogilko with capital gives them the ability to grow quickly at a time when they can leverage their existing social media virality.

☆ I tested 5 quick and easy ways to earn your first dollar online. This is my guide for how to do it.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-06 | by ( Zulie Rane | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Rane says that the first dollar is the hardest to earn online, and then tried five ways to do it. So I decided to write an actual actionable guide on how to earn your first dollar online. So let's get into five ways to earn your first dollar online — that I have testedWhat do you need to earn your first dollar online? Let's look at five uncommon ways to earn your very first dollar online. I recommend:Hopefully, you'll be able to leave user testing and playing games for pennies behind as you move forward toward more profitable ways to earn money online.

These publicists help bridge the gap between traditional media and the creator economy. They represent influencers on platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram. These high-profile influencers use PR professionals to help them craft their images and land them media appearances. In our fourth annual power list, Insider is spotlighting top publicists and PR pros working with creators on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Twitch. We chose the PR professionals based on factors like their roles, responsibilities, and impact on their clients and the creator economy broadly.

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