Archive

CREATOR NEWSLETTER Issue #141 | June 8, 2023 Just 24 hours after announcing a sweep of stringent restrictions on branded content on Tuesday, Twitch backtracked Wednesday, removing the changes due to creator backlash. Creators were furious at the new policies, rightfully calling the changes “anti-creator” for making sponsorships far more difficult and expensive for streamers…

CREATOR NEWSLETTER Issue #140 | June 6, 2023 Long gone are the days of Facetune, of merely erasing the occasional zit or lightening dark circles after a late-night out on a static, good morning post. Now, with new filters from TikTok, you have the power to completely transform your face on video, warping your eyes…

CREATOR NEWSLETTER Issue #139 | June 1, 2023 Greetings, fellow humans. With science and tech leaders issuing apocalyptic robot warnings, teens bullying Snapchat’s new chatbot to make it whimper and call them “senpai,” and influencers multiplying into clones, it’s impossible to escape the AI craze these days. We’re flying fast into the unknown with no…

CREATOR NEWSLETTER Issue #138 | May 30, 2023 In a historic move, professional League of Legends players in the North American League Championship Series (LCS) are making their voices heard. Just days before its highly anticipated summer season kicks off this Thursday, these players voted to walk out. The uproar stems from Riot Games’ decision…

CREATOR NEWSLETTER Issue #137 | May 25, 2023 Brace yourselves, because our town misogynist, edgy streamer Adin Ross, actually copystriked a video… he helped make??? It looks like the edgelord supreme copystriked one of his collaborators, Call of Duty streamer Futives, who co-streamed gaming with Ross (with Ross getting his ass righteously handed to him…

CREATOR NEWSLETTER Issue #136 | May 23, 2023 We’re thrilled to welcome star internet culture journalist Kelsey Weekman as a contributor for Passionfruit. This week, she explores the case of YouTuber Alex Edson, who is facing heat for nearly de-platforming his rivals with allegedly false copyright strikes. It begs the question: Is YouTube doing enough…

CREATOR NEWSLETTER Issue #135 | May 18, 2023 Ever since billionaire Elon Musk took the reins of Twitter for a staggering $44 billion in October 2022, Twitter has transformed into a hub of chaos. It seems every week the platform makes headlines—whether its for the appointment of a new CEO, the launch of Twitter Blue,…

CREATOR NEWSLETTER Issue #134 | May 16, 2023 Black superheroes have been around since 1947’s Lion Man, but it took until the ’90s era of Spawn and Blade before this kind of representation went mainstream. Today, thanks to the ubiquity of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Black superheroes like Sam Wilson, Black Panther, and Luke Cage…

CREATOR NEWSLETTER Issue #133 | May 11, 2023 For those who don’t remember the last writers’ strike in 2007, the central issue on the table—brought about by South Park, no less—was how much studios were willing to pay for “new media” content. Back when Netflix still sent you physical DVDs, and “on-demand” movie transactions were…

CREATOR NEWSLETTER Issue #132 | May 9, 2023 Reality shows are outlandish by nature. They push absurd personalities into the spotlight and encourage controversial behavior. But while on television, you have to adhere to the FCC’s rules, on the internet, anything is fair game.  That’s been more clear than ever with the rise of FishTank…