TOGETHER WITH

It's Tuesday and Snapchat's new AI selfie tool is designed to make even your wildest travel ‘Dreams’ come true (as long as they’re limited to digital destinations, of course).

CARDS ON THE TABLE

Parents are suing Roblox for (allegedly) exposing their kids to illegal gambling

Should Roblox be doing more to keep its digital currency out of the wrong hands? According to a new lawsuit, the online platform isn’t controlling the use of Robux on unsavory third-party sites.

Concerned parents say Roblox actively profits from illegal gambling.

A complaint filed by Rachel Colvin and Danielle Sass in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California says their kids have lost “thousands of Robux” on external sites. For anyone unfamiliar with Roblox’s digital dough, here’s a basic definition:

Of course, Robux isn’t just used on Roblox itself. Off-platform, players can wager their digital funds on casino games by visiting sites like RBLXWild, which pitches itself as an “exclusive ROBLOX case opening site.” Users who lose on those sites—which reportedly lack effective age verification systems—can say goodbye to the IRL money they used to buy Robux.

Although Roblox’s terms of service explicitly forbid “experiences that include simulated gambling,” Colvin and Sass’ suit notes that the platform “tracks both the flow and/or exchange of Robux” across the web. Roblox gets a 30% cut of each of those transactions—even when they occur off-platform.

Colvin and Sass’ suit asks that the court declare Roblox‘s lack of action against gambling sites illegal, in addition to granting financial restitution.

🔆 SPONSORED 🔆

Ready to grow your brand? Here’s a 3-step guide to funding your future with Spotter:

As a YouTuber, expanding your brand is a big step. Maybe you’re ready to grow your team, set up a studio, or launch a new project. Either way, Spotter is here to make it happen. In fact, their team of experts has already invested $775 million in creator careers, with personalized funding deals ranging from $100,000 to $50 million.

Here’s how to ​kickstart your funding journey​ with Spotter:

Step 1: Visit the website to hear what top creators have to say 💬
Spotter’s website is full of FAQs and creator stories. Learn more about Airrack’s funding journey, or find out how Deestroying has leveled up his channel.

Step 2: Get in touch with the team 🤝 ​
Fill out a quick online contact form​ and Spotter experts will reach out ASAP. After that initial conversation, you’ll receive upfront funds within a matter of days.

Step 3: Spend your fresh capital however you choose 💸 
Spotter is committed to helping creators achieve financial and creative freedom—meaning you can use your new funds to reinvest in yourself. And if you ever do need support?

Spotter’s community team is on hand to provide invaluable YouTube performance insights, personalized guidance, and the additional resources you need to succeed at scale.

​Start your funding journey →

HEADLINES IN BRIEF 📰

• YouTube is joining forces with Universal Music Group to introduce a new “Music AI Incubator.” (Tubefilter)
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• Luxury fashion expert Charles Gross has signed with UTA for representation in all areas. (Tubefilter)
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• Apple Podcasts’ newly-debuted subscription analytics tools will give creators a closer look at their audience demographics. (The Verge)
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• A new report from Apptopia found that Triller has garnered roughly 72.3 million lifetime downloads—a far cry from the 550 million sign-ups claimed by the app on its S-1 filing. (TechCrunch)

DATA • GLOBAL TOP 50 📈

This Shorts star is embracing the power of Schadenfreude—one wax strip at a time

After collecting 17 billion views in just three years, Junya has learned a thing or two about social media success.

One of the Japanese star’s main takeaways: pain is power.

It’s no secret that the internet has a thing for Schadenfreude, but Junya takes that obsession to the next level. In fact, the creator’s top five videos all revolve around some form of self-inflicted pain—from tearing off leg hair with wax strips to literally inhaling jello. Those Shorts may make some viewers cringe, but Junya’s 27.8 million subscribers don’t seem to mind. As of this week, the creator’s most-watched clip (aka the aforementioned jello-inhaling video) has earned nearly 330 million views.

That success comes at a hefty price (including a fair amount of hair), but Junya seems happy enough to pay it. The YouTube star’s wide smile hasn’t dimmed one bit since the launch of his channel in 2020. And despite his frequent self-flagellation, Junya has a lot to smile about:

• During our latest seven-day count, the comedian picked up 213.4 million weekly views on YouTube.

• That massive total was good for a 19% week-over-week bump.

• The result: Junya’s channel now sits at 49th place in our Global Top 50 chart.

BLOCK HEADS

X’s decision to ditch its blocking function is driving users to Bluesky

One of Elon Musk’s latest X announcements is doing big things for Blueksy. The billionaire revealed on August 18 that X’s blocking feature would soon be restricted to direct messages.

The next day, the daily number of Bluesky registrations jumped from 536 to 5,616.

That sudden increase (per TechCrunch) signals some uneasiness among X’s user base. Although X software engineer Aqueel Miqdad confirmed that the platform intends to “make mutes stronger” in order to compensate, many users voiced concerns about the removal of a blocking function. Monica Lewinsky and the Auschwitz Memorial criticized X’s decision in widely-shared responses.

Bluesky could offer former Twitter loyalists a promising new community (if they’re willing to overlook the occasional technical difficulties). But the decentralized platform isn’t necessarily a haven for users seeking to escape Musk’s style of decision-making: one of the platform’s key backers—Twitter Co-Founder Jack Dorsey—has already noted his approval of X’s mute-first approach.

Of course, X needs more than the approval of industry vets to move forward with its anti-block vendetta. As Electronic Frontier Foundation Director of Cybersecurity Eva Galperin told The Washington Post, “If your app hosts user-created content, you need to give them the ability to block abusive users.” That means X may need to prove its new strategy to both Google Play and the App Store if it hopes to stay on digital shelves.

WATCH THIS 📺

The Numa Numa guy is back with the same irresistible moves and some fresh new tunes

If you remember the iconic “Numa Numa” video that took over the internet in 2004, then you’ll probably want to check out Gary Brolsma’s latest video. The lip-sync legend debuted a new take on his decades-old video earlier this month.

Luckily for fans, that clip isn’t Brolsma’s only dip into catchy tunes. Since posting his exuberant take on O-Zone’s “Dragostea Din Tei” in 2004, the internet sensation has dropped several albums of his own—including Weird Tempo, Haunted House of Pancakes, and Frosting Covered Cakes.

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Today's newsletter is from: Emily Burton, Sam Gutelle, and Josh Cohen. Drew Baldwin helped edit, too. It's a team effort.