It’s been a controversial week for creators. When they haven’t been giving illegal financial advice, they’ve been pretending that they are AI-generated and suing each other for allegedly stealing a specific “vibe.” While the lawsuit in question was ultimately dropped, the scrutiny surrounding creators’ behavior has been especially high overall this week.
So, if you think you can handle the heat, stick around for our Weekend Round-Up.
Creators Are Pretending To Be AI-Generated
Veo 3, Google’s AI video generator, has captivated the public with its realistic videos. However, while it’s common for us to be fooled by AI-generated videos presented as real, some creators appear to be doing the opposite, pretending that their videos are AI-generated for the sake of clout. It appears to be especially common among musicians, who are presenting videos of themselves playing their back catalog as being generated with Veo 3.
Check out the story right here. It’s a wild one.
More Than 50 Creators Are Making Above $1 Million on Substack
Recently, Substack has tried every trick in the book to lure creators. This includes its Creator Studio fellowship, as well as the implementation of live streaming and podcasts. Now, it’s looking like that investment is starting to pay off. Literally. During The Information’s ‘Future of Influence’ event in Los Angeles, Substack CEO Chris Best claimed that “more than 50 people” are making over $1 million a year on the platform.
For more on the implications of this, check out the article here.
New TikTok Feature Grants You More Control Over Your FYP
TikTok has launched a new feature that can help your For You Page feel more personalized than ever. The feature, known as the ‘Manage Topics’ button, essentially allows you to determine how much you want to see a specific topic (such as sports or music) by toggling a slider. The feature was initially introduced as a beta in August 2024, and is now rolling out globally.
To explore how else TikTok is improving things for users, read the full article here.
‘Vibe-Stealing’ Influencer Lawsuit Is Set To Be Dismissed
Influencer Sydney Nicole Gifford is known for her minimalist, “clean girl” aesthetic, which features a predominance of beige, white, and cream. Whether that constitutes a “vibe” is a question for another day, but when Gifford saw a similar aesthetic on Alyssa Sheil’s account, she took her to court. This lawsuit raised the important question of whether an influencer’s “vibe” can really be stolen. However, it looks like we’ll never get an answer to the latter question, as the pair asked the judge to drop the case.
For all the gory (or beige) details, click here.
‘Finfluencers’ Are Getting In A Lot Of Trouble In The UK
‘Finfluencers’ are a pretty big part of the creator ecosystem — but you should always take their advice with a pinch of salt. This is especially important in the UK, as several notable influencers were recently charged with providing illegal financial advice. This is part of an international campaign led by the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority — and three arrests have already been made as part of this.
Learn more about the scandal by clicking here.
