TOGETHER WITH

It’s Friday and Mentra wants creators to know that its Live Camera Glasses can “instantly stream to any social media platform”—including OnlyFans.

Today’s News

POLITICS AS USUAL

A Congressman just proposed a “Creator Bill of Rights”

The proposal: A newly proposed bill aims to deliver “fair treatment, transparency, and economic opportunity” for the “ten million Americans” who work in the modern creator economy. That “Creator Bill of Rights” was introduced by Representative Ro Khanna (D-CA), who is working with Creators 4 Mental Health to provide institutional support to platform-based professionals.

As of now, the seven-point proposal centers on themes like stable benefits for creators, clear terms for revenue-sharing agreements with platforms, cross-platform guardrails, and protections against threats like algorithmic deranking and AI.

Creators 4 Mental Health Founder and CEO Shira Lazar described the Bill of Rights as a lifeline for professionals currently operating “without basic protections or frameworks of support.” Khanna echoed that sentiment in a statement of his own.

The context: The question of collective creator advocacy has been discussed for years. Early organizational attempts, such as Hank Green’s Internet Creators Guild, struggled to gain traction, but the current state (and growing influence) of the $250 billion global creator economy has amplified calls for change.

As a result, support for creators has become a rare bipartisan cause. President Biden hosted a White House summit to improve his administration’s relationship with creators, and President Trump has continued that outreach by inviting creators to apply for White House press credentials.

Numerous advocacy groups have thrown their weight behind those federal efforts. The Creators Guild of America has established itself as a new service organization, and SAG-AFTRA plans to invite influencers into its ranks.

Creators 4 Mental Health is another org building stronger foundations for social media professionals. After establishing mental health care for creators, Lazar’s initiative published a sweeping study on the subject. Among other findings, the report noted that 89% of creators lack access to specialized services they need to battle boogeymen like burnout.

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The next phase of podcasting will take center stage at MIP London 

In 2025, the inaugural edition of MIP London welcomed over 2,800 digital creators, TV producers, platforms, distributors, buyers, and brands from 74 countries.

From February 22-24, 2026, the international content market will once again unite the global media industry for three days of first-look screenings, one-on-one networking, and more.

The next phase of podcasting will be at the center of MIP London 2026.

On February 24, a panel held at the IET London will bring together the foremost experts in podcasting, including…

• Georgia Brown, Chief Content Officer, Podimo

• Lina Rezina, Head of  Top Creator Management at Patreon

• Wayne Davison, Chief Revenue  Officer, Little Dot Studios

• Josh Woodhouse, Regional Managing Director for Acast, UK & Ireland 

That panel is just the beginning. As part of an innovative new conference programme, MIP London attendees will gain access to a series of expert-led sessions and showcases focused on emerging cultural trends, micro-dramas, the creator economy, streaming, and AI.

350+ international buyers are headed to MIP London, including senior acquisitions and commissioning executives from Amazon Studios, Netflix, Paramount, The  Walt Disney Company, National Geographic, PBS and Samsung. 

Will you join them?

HEADLINES IN BRIEF 📰

• Bluesky has announced the expansion of its Live Now beta (which “lets you add a temporary LIVE badge to your avatar”) to all users. (Bluesky)
  
  

• OpenAI has launched ChatGPT Translate, a new tool that claims the ability to “translate across 50+ 
languages—instantly.” (Engadget)
  
  

• Subscribers to premium Spotify plans can expect to see price increases of $1 to $2 beginning in February. (Engadget)
  
  

• Netflix has announced a new multi-year deal with Sony that will make its platform the “exclusive Pay-1 streaming home of Sony Pictures’ feature films following full theatrical and home entertainment runs.” (Netflix)

YOUTUBE TALK

YouTube is expanding monetization for controversial content

The update: YouTube is shaking up its guidelines for ad-friendly content. According to an update posted to the platform’s Creator Insider channel, videos that touch on certain sensitive issues will now be eligible for full monetization—as long as they avoid graphic depictions of those subjects.

The context: The original restrictions on sensitive content were tightly enforced during the 2017 Adpocalypse, when advertiser qualms about inappropriate pre-roll placements led YouTube to strengthen its grip.

In recent months, however, YouTube’s approach to sensitive content has gone through a noticeable evolution. The platform’s moderators were reportedly told to ease up on videos that touch on divisive political, social, and cultural issues, and YouTube has also attempted to limit the role automated technology plays in demonetization decisions.

Shifting brand attitudes have likely influenced that pivot, as some companies have indicated that they’re comfortable running ads on videos that could be considered “advertiser-unfriendly.” Recent editions of our Gospel Stats Weekly Brand Report for instance, have included more companies with ties to misinformation. Most recently, MAGA-aligned MyPillow sponsored five of the top 1,700 branded YouTube videos of the week.

Ultimately, YouTube’s evolving approach is more about shifting responsibility than it is about slackening the rules. Another recent update added more parental controls, including the ability to prevent youth accounts from watching Shorts.

The takeaway: YouTube still has clear guidelines for what it considers to be ad-friendly—but it also wants parents to be the moderators within their families.

AI ERA

Can brands bridge the AI “perception gap”?

The research: AI is everywhere—but not everyone is happy about it. A study conducted by the IAB in conjunction with Sonata Insights has exposed a clear “perception gap” between consumers’ AI-related reservations and brands’ bullish opinions.

That study drew from a survey of over 500 Gen Z and Millennial respondents and 100 advertising industry executives. The only clear result: none of those parties feel the same about AI.

• 39% of Gen Z consumers expressed negative feelings about AI, compared to 20% of Millennials.
  
  

• Meanwhile, only 10% of ad execs described brands using AI as “manipulative,” whereas 20% of consumers agreed with that sentiment.
  
  

• Perhaps most tellingly, 82% of ad executives believe Gen Z/Millennial consumers feel very or somewhat positive about AI-generated ads—but only 45% of consumers actually said they feel that way.

The takeaway: So, what can brands do to close the gap? For one, companies can make an effort to acknowledge (and theoretically ease) consumer anxiety by being upfront about their AI use. After all, consumers aren’t just wary about the future impact of AI; they’re freaked out about how quickly it’s already risen and anxious about how hard it can be to distinguish AI-generated content from human creations.

For that reason, disclosures are a must. 73% of consumers who responded to the IAB survey said clear disclosures would either increase or have no impact on their likelihood to purchase corresponding products or services.

The IAB wants to help brands build consumer trust. Alongside its study, it has released an AI Transparency and Disclosure Framework that teaches brands how to discuss AI use in their ads.

WATCH THIS 👀

IShowSpeed just made streaming history

The livestream: IShowSpeed just became the first creator to stream live from inside the Great Pyramid of Giza.

While MrBeast made headlines for his own visit to the pyramids last year, YouTube’s most-subscribed-to star didn’t actually going live—making Speed’s recent broadcast a record-setting event. The Twitch star’s stream gave viewers an inside look at one of the Seven Wonders of the World, complete with expert insights from an archaeologist.

We’ve seen before how much traffic iShowSpeed’s globe-trotting tours can bring in, and some countries have bet big on the theory that those views could translate into IRL tourist visits. Based on the exclusive nature of Speed’s pyramid stream, we’re guessing Egypt is buying into that concept.

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Today's newsletter is from: Emily Burton, Drew Baldwin, Sam Gutelle, and Josh Cohen.