As Halloween and the weekend draws to a close, Passionfruit has been busy. We’ve had major TikTok updates, interviews with creators and even a think piece of two. As we wrap up ahead of the cold winter months, here’s what you missed on Passionfruit tree this week.
Meta, TikTok, and Google Are Being Sued. Again.
The discourse surrounding young people and social media feels like it will never end — and now Meta, TikTok and Google are in more legal trouble, we don’t see this discourse slowing down anytime soon.
As reported by Bloomberg, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers of the US District Court in Oakland decided to move forward with more than 150 lawsuits filed by school districts. These cases accused the aforementioned Big Tech companies of damaging young people’s mental health with its “addictive” qualities.
While Meta and Google denied wrongdoing to Bloomberg, TikTok didn’t immediately respond to Bloomberg’s request for comment. You can read the full article here.
Webtoon Comic Artists on How To Make It Online
At New York Comic-Con, Passionfruit writer Steven Asarch interviewed Webtoon comic creators Ingrid Ochoa and Shen Comix. In the interview, the pair discussed everything from their humble beginnings on platforms like Tumblr, to how they get into the “creative spirit.”
Ochoa’s biggest project is The Kiss Bet, a romantic comic that has amassed 170 million views and even has Hot Topic merch.
“I feel like this generation is still really big on just reading, and even webcomics, I think, are becoming even bigger and bigger than they ever have,” she said. “Anybody can make comics, and there are a million genres, which are constantly expanding.”
Meanwhile, Shen’s slice-of-life comics have helped him amass 1.8 million Instagram followers — but that doesn’t mean everything is plain sailing.
“I have this stress reaction when stuff just doesn’t perform well on social media because I know that it’s going to impact my career,” Shen said. “Other people don’t go to work and think if they don’t perform well enough, they won’t get paid.”
You can read the full interview here.
How To Use LinkedIn Creator Mode
Technically, the professional networking platform LinkedIn hasn’t got a Creator Mode anymore. However, creators can still reach their full potential on LinkedIn with dispersed Creator Mode tools like enabling analytics access, Followers, and Newsletters.
Arguably, LinkedIn’s eschewing of “Creator Mode” as a whole suggests that its targeted towards more B2B communication. But as numerous creators have demonstrated, it’s possible not just to go viral but also to build a whole lucrative career from the platform. Hopefully, this guide to Creator Mode tools will push you a little further toward that goal.
You can read the article here.
Kamala Harris and Trump Are Just Personas Now
In his latest long-read, Passionfruit contributor Lon Harris dug deep into the “alternative media” leading coverage of the 2024 elections. With trust in legacy media at an all-time low, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump have been courting creators.
Among other things, we’ve seen Harris appearing on the Call Her Daddy podcast and Trump streaming on the controversial platform Kick with Adin Ross. In theory, these collaborations should help the pair connect more with Gen Z, but as Lon argues, this isn’t necessarily the case.
The trouble is he explains, is that these two risk becoming online personas as opposed to fully-fledged Presidential candidates.
You can read the full piece here.
Halloween Is the Superbowl for This Creator
Last, but not least, Taylor Lorenz interviewed Otherworld podcast creator Jack Wagner. Halloween might have been and gone, but with Wagner’s paranomral podcast, it feels like spooky season everyday. “I’m not necessarily a believer,” he said. “But I’m also not a skeptic. I’m just a person who talks to a lot of people who have experienced this stuff.”
According to Wagner, his podcast is like a supernatural version of This American Life. “The idea that maybe there’s more than what we experience on the day to day, that excites me.” he added.
You can read the full article here.
Passionfruit on YouTube: Marques Brownlee’s Voice Used Without Permission
Over on our YouTube channel, we released an explainer of a recent drama concerning Marques Brownlee, who was left stunned when he discovered that an AI company had used his likeness without his permission.
“It’s happening,” he said in an X post. “There are real companies who will just use an AI-created rip of my voice to promote their stuff. And there’s really no repercussions for it other than being known as this scummy shady company that is willing to stoop that low to sell some product.”
Vintage Photos with a Mirrorless Camera: A Review of the Pocket Dispo
In this review, evergreen editor John-Michael Bond discussed the pros and cons of the Pocket Dispo Lens. The $50 item boasts a 28mm focal length, fixed aperture F/11, and infinity focus beyond 1.5m.
The biggest pro of the item is that it is durable and weather resistant, while its main con is that it’s not ideal for close-ups.
You can read the full review here.
