How ‘the Andy Cohen of the 9-month cruise’ took over TikTok
Content creator Marc Sebastian has upended the book world through bite-size drama with a dose of literature.
By Taylor LorenzPartiful wants Gen Z to move in a new social direction this New Year’s Eve
Millions of mostly under-30s are turning to the text-based party-planning platform, the company said, after shunning Facebook and email-based event organizers.
By Dan Rosenzweig-ZiffHow much money do influencers make? 10 creators give us the real numbers.
These 10 creators, with followings large, small and in-between, shared the economics of running a creative business in the wilds of the internet.
By Emma Kumer and Rachel LermanCreators, porn stars turn to AI doppelgangers to keep fans entertained
The latest wave of AI is being built to emulate specific people, adopting their faces and speech patterns to advertise uncanny simulations the promoters say are always available and can never die.
By Drew HarwellGrimes is working on an interactive AI toy for kids. Meet Grok.
Grok is the vanguard of what is expected to be an explosion of AI-powered toys.
By Taylor LorenzMeet the woman working to stop the far-right creator money machine
When Elon Musk reinstated the account on X of conspiracy theorist Alex Jones on Sunday night, digital activist Nandini Jammi sprang into action.
By Taylor LorenzSupport for TikTok ban crumbles, even among Republicans
A new Pew Research Center survey found that banning the app no longer has the support of most Americans.
By Drew HarwellHow a toilet-themed YouTube series became the biggest thing online
The short-form video series on YouTube chronicles the battle between the Skibidi Toilets — toilets with human heads — and people who have CCTV cameras, speakers and televisions for heads.
By Taylor LorenzHow an unfiltered tween became a social media sensation
Videos outlining things she hates, or things that make her mad, or things that disgust her, have made Evelyn a phenomenon.
By Taylor LorenzHere’s what happened when an OnlyFans star booked a stadium for a party
The party’s planning offered a sign of how established the industry of online content creation has become. Its cancellation shows the stigma still attached to OnlyFans.
By Drew Harwell‘Wedding of the Century’ groom faces prison, accused of firing at police
Jacob LaGrone, whose lavish Paris wedding with Madelaine Brockway went viral, faces up to life in prison for allegedly firing a gun at North Texas police officers.
By Timothy BellaNews outlets turn to Reddit as Musk’s X descends into chaos
But where to post on Reddit, with its thousands of subreddits, can present an ethical dilemma.
By Taylor LorenzNewsletter platform Substack takes aim at YouTube
Substack’s new video creation and editing tools put it in competition for creators with video-centric platforms like TikTok and Instagram.
By Taylor LorenzColorado’s football team is winning online, despite losing on the field
Online enthusiasm for the University of Colorado football team hasn’t flagged, despite its losing record.
By Taylor LorenzVideo chat app Omegle closes amid controversy over use by pedophiles
Omegle was founded in 2009 to connect strangers online over video chat. Its founder, Leif K-Brooks, acknowledged it was used for “unspeakably heinous crimes.”
By Leo SandsInside an OnlyFans empire: Sex, influence and the new American Dream
The fast-growing platform is the creator economy at its most bluntly transactional, where sex is just another unit of content to monetize.
By Drew HarwellTrump Jr. tells court artist ‘make me look sexy,’ points to fake SBF sketch
A fake — and flattering — courtroom sketch of Sam Bankman-Fried was the inspiration for Donald Trump Jr.’s request to the courtroom sketch artist during his family’s civil fraud trial.
By Timothy BellaContent creators surge past legacy media as news hits a tipping point
A recent report found that while the audience for traditional news outlets is shrinking, the online audience for independent news sources is growing.
By Taylor LorenzFrom mommy bloggers to TikTok stars: How creators built a $250B industry
A brief history of the rise of the lucrative creator economy.
By Taylor Lorenz and Drew HarwellMillions work as content creators. In official records, they barely exist.
Millions of Americans have ditched traditional jobs to join the creator economy. In official records, they barely exist.
By Drew Harwell and Taylor Lorenz