Creators Paid In Smear Campaign Against Kamala Harris

CREATOR NEWSLETTER

Issue #271 | September 10, 2024

On Sept. 8, Semafor broke some wild news, sharing that a mysterious “network,” which operated with Zoom calls and Zelle payments, paid influencers to bolster “sexual smears” of Vice President Kamala Harris. So far, there’s no evidence clarifying what the mystery network is and who is funding it.

This smear campaign took place in July, when Democrats were vying for Harris’ presidential nomination. Along with being instructed to pedal more typical Republican talking points, the influencers were explicitly told to promote “lurid sexual jibes” aimed at Harris.

Anonymous sources told Semafor that none of the influencers in the scheme shared their identities, and instead, they joined video calls anonymously with their cameras off. The only person who was publicly identified was the one and only Long Island queen George Santos, who allegedly turned his camera on to urge the group not to pursue the “sexual allegations” and comments against Harris (you know it’s bad when even George Santos draws the line).

Creators are an inextricable part of the political landscape right now — whether it’s commentators being paid by Russian operatives to make pro-Trump content (read more about that here), entrepreneurial teens making bank with TikTok Live Harris v. Trump debates (read more about that here), or Harris inviting a bunch of creators to a meme-y New York Fashion Week event featuring a “grab them by the…” claw machine and a couch with a “property of JD Vance” sign (see here).

As we gear up for the first presidential debate between Harris and Trump tonight, creators are the pulse of what little remains of American civic engagement. These days, a meme reaches more voters than NBC’s Nightly News.

– Grace Stanley, Deputy Editor

PERSONALITIES

Brandon Farris Has Figured Out YouTube

With over a decade on the platform, YouTuber Brandon Farris has learned to stick to what works. 

By Steven Asarch, Passionfruit Contributor

→ READ THE FULL STORY

IN THE BIZ

PLATFORMS

YouTube Announces Deepfake Prevention Tools For Creators

YouTube is targeting the growing threat of AI impersonation on the platform. 

By Charlotte Colombo, Passionfruit Contributor

READ THE FULL STORY →

PLATFORMS

Roblox Announces Updated Revenue Sharing Model and Generative AI Tool For Creators

‘We’re setting the groundwork for a more expansive range of content on the platform.’

By Charlotte Colombo, Passionfruit Contributor

READ THE FULL STORY →

JOB BOARD

YOUTUBE MADE ME DO IT

This week, it’s the season 2 finale of the Reactorverse Podcast with a special interview! Host Eric Rodriguez, aka Nerd Chronic, sits down with Passionfruit Editorial Director Drew Grant to reflect on the show’s journey and the valuable insights gained from interviewing others in the reaction space.

Be sure to subscribe to the Passionfruit YouTube channel so you don’t miss an episode! If you’d prefer to listen in audio form, we also have a podcast feed.

Copyright © 2024 Passionfruit, All rights reserved.

You are receiving this email because you signed up to get the latest tips, tricks,
and trends in the creator economy from Passionfruit.

Have an idea for our next big story or want to get featured? Email us at tips@passionfru.it

Don’t want to hear from us anymore?
Click here to unsubscribe 

To view in your browser click here 

Content for Creators.

News, tips, and tricks delivered to your inbox twice a week.

Newsletter Signup

Latest Newsletters

  • Is Exclusivity Dead?

    Is Exclusivity Dead?

    CREATOR NEWSLETTER Issue #179 | October 24, 2023 This weekend under the shiny lights of nearby casinos on the Las Vegas strip, Twitch made a revelatory announcement: It is now, finally, officially allowing creators using its platforms to simultaneously stream across any platform. In case you’re unfamiliar, for a long time, Twitch had the sort…

    By

    Grace Stanley

  • Subterranean Homesick Blues (2008 NYC Media Club Mix)

    Subterranean Homesick Blues (2008 NYC Media Club Mix)

    CREATOR NEWSLETTER Issue #178 | October 19, 2023 Last weekend, Passionfruit threw its first-ever live event: an afternoon creator party at Karat House celebrating the release of Taylor Lorenz’s “Extremely Online: The Untold Story of Fame, Influence and Power on the Internet.” (And hey, after you’re done looking at the pictures, check out this new…

    By

    Drew Grant

  • Content Feels Very Trivial Right Now

    Content Feels Very Trivial Right Now

    CREATOR NEWSLETTER Issue #177 | October 17, 2023 “Ahsoka” reactions, TikTok Halloween trends, MrBeast challenges. While these things normally are a source of levity in our lives, ‘content’ feels, at least to me, meaningless right now. And even worse, the normal things we post can seem out of touch with the current global humanitarian crisis…

    By

    Grace Stanley