CREATOR ECONOMY NEWSLETTER
Issue #127 | April 20, 2023
Happy 4/20 y’all. Blaze it. 🔥
Cannabis has become much more acceptable today than in years past, with the United Nations estimating over 209 million people smoke grass. But while smoke shops and dispensaries open in legal states around the country at a record rate, the online space isn’t keeping up—especially on YouTube.
YouTubers who create cannabis content, colloquially referred to as “weedtubers,” told Passionfruit they struggle to make monetized content and understand their platform’s harsh, ad-focused environment. They said demonetization is seemingly sporadically enforced when it comes to drug-related videos.
Still, WeedTubers keep on rolling. They shared their tips for how creators can stay stoned online. Read more below.
– Grace Stanley, Newsletter Editor
THE HIGHLIGHT
What it’s really like to be a WeedTuber
It’s not easy being green.
By Steven Asarch, Passionfruit Contributor
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ONE GREAT TIP
“Just make stuff that you like, and the rest of it is stupid. … We confuse technology with a sense of pride. It is completely random. The only thing that is not random is creating consistent content.”
—TikToker Tefi Pessoa on consistency. Read more in our April 2023 interview.
NEW FRONTIERS
What creators need to know about the 2023 Snap Partner Summit
At its latest summit, Snap unveiled a new advertising revenue-sharing program that left creators with lingering questions.
By Charlotte Colombo, Passionfruit Contributor
SEEKING A TREND
Instagram is squaring up against ‘link in bio’ businesses, but experts and creators remain divided
‘I’ve already canceled my Linktree subscription.’
By Charlotte Colombo, Passionfruit Contributor
IN THE BIZ
- Legacy verified accounts on Twitter lost their blue check marks today.
- BuzzFeed News is shutting down, with BuzzFeed’s CEO citing a pivot towards creators and artificial intelligence.
- The EARN IT Act, a legislation initiative targeting protections of social media giants, is being reintroduced to the U.S. Congress. (via the Daily Dot)
- Voicemod, a tool for creators, introduced AI-driven voice changing and sound effects on Mac computers. (via the Verge)
- At a creator economy summit today, the D’Amelio family said they won’t buy TikTok, though they thought about doing it. (via TechCrunch)
- A TikToker went viral for saying that influencers often fake going to Coachella. (via Page Six)
- Discord gained sudden public attention this month after one of its users leaked classified Pentagon documents. (via NBC News)
TIKTOK MADE ME DO IT
Resisting the urge to turn my life into a Wes Anderson movie.
