This week, we returned to the TikTok beat as we finally got some long overdue insight into how things are going down at the White House. And the truth is, we have good news and bad news.
The good news is that, according to The Information, we might have a frontrunner with Oracle. The bad news, on the other hand, is that Trump seems to be seriously considering another extension to the “ban or sell” deadline. The TikTok bargaining process might be a drag, but we can promise you our Weekend Roundup isn’t, so feel free to read on so you can stay in the know.
We Might Be Getting Another TikTok Ban Extension
When Donald Trump was inaugurated on January 10, one of his first actions was issuing an executive order extending TikTok’s “ban or sell” deadline. This helped the app go back online after going “dark” the day before. Since then, several people and groups have stated their intentions to buy TikTok.
However, since then negotiations seem to have stagnated. We’re over halfway through the 75-day reprieve and have had no meaningful update on a deal.
When asked by a reporter if he would be willing to grant an extension, Trump said he would “probably” do it — though he maintained that April 5, the new deadline, is still a while away yet.
For more on this story, click here.
You Can Now Upload Videos Up To Three Minutes Long On Bluesky
Bluesky, one of X’s biggest competitors, announced Monday that it was increasing video upload length to up to three minutes. Before this, the platform only allowed videos up to sixty seconds long.
Arguably, this makes the platform a more valuable contender compared to platforms like Threads and X. Bluesky also announced several other updates, including a separate DM inbox, the ability to mute accounts, improved moderation, better error reporting, and better tablet-sized layouts.
Clearly, with all these updates, when it comes to Bluesky, the sky’s the limit. For the full story, read the article here.
MrBeast’s Empire Isn’t on YouTube Anymore
Jimmy ‘MrBeast’ Donaldson might’ve gotten his start on YouTube — but these days, his business empire goes far beyond that. He has children’s toys, an animated series, a TV show, a chocolate bar and so much more. He also had Beast Burgers and Lunchlys, but we don’t talk about that.
His chocolate bars alone made $20 million last year, and while he’s known for re-investing the majority of his wealth back into his videos, The Verge report that the MrBeast brand as a whole is worth $5 billion. In this piece, Steven Asarch digs deeper into Donaldson’s reinvesting style and how it’s less of a moneymaker and more of a black hole. For the full analysis, check out the piece here.
YouTube Experiments With Having Actual Humans Review Automated Monetization Strikes
YouTube’s automated monetization strikes are the bane of many creators’ existence, but now, things are about to change. In a new announcement, YouTube has affirmed its commitment to improving the “accuracy” of its demonetization process.
“To improve the accuracy of our yellow icon decisions and get your videos monetizing faster, we are experimenting with automatically sending videos that receive a “Limited or no ads” rating for an additional review,” the platform wrote in an announcement. “This means that in some cases, we may review a newly uploaded video, even if visibility is set to private, and some monetization decisions may take up to 24 hours.”
For more on this decision and its implications, check out the full article here.
Oracle Emerges as Frontrunner in TikTok Deal
Maybe we won’t need that extension after all. Sources tell The Information that Oracle is the favorite candidate for a TikTok deal. According to investors, bankers, and former executives familiar with ByteDance, Oracle may well be the platform of choice for ByteDance — which would be an achievement in itself given how much ByteDance has dug its heels in so far.
Oracle, a cloud platform, is already heavily involved with TikTok due to its role in Project Texas. As part of Project Texas, Oracle is responsible for storing US TikTokers’ data on its cloud to curb fears about data security. Clearly, this wasn’t enough to alleviate the government’s concern, so will this deal make any difference?
To learn more, check out the piece here.
Passionfruit on YouTube: The Reactorverse Episode 50
We reached a very exciting milestone this week, as Reactorverse returns for its fiftieth episode! And there’s no way we’d rather celebrate than with a killer interview with reactor Kioshi Warrior.
The creator, who has 86,700 YouTube subscribers, started off with music reaction videos before branching out to the realm of film and TV. She’s fearless, hilarious, and unafraid of using her platform to speak out on important issues. To meet her, watch the full episode linked above.
