It's Friday and we’ll be spending the weekend camped out with a computer and an ungodly number of Eggos—because Netflix is bringing Stranger Things to Roblox. 

CONTENT CREDENTIALS

TikTok’s latest tool “instantly recognizes and labels” AI-generated content

The launch: TikTok is teaming up with the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA) to foster transparency in the realm of AI. The first product of that partnership: Content Credentials.

• According to a TikTok Newsroom post, the innovative new tool is designed to “instantly recognize and label” AI-generated content. Users can expect to see the impact of Content Credentials almost immediately; the tech rolled out yesterday and is currently available on images and videos, with support for audio-only clips coming “soon.”

The context: This isn’t TikTok’s first step in limiting AI-related misinformation. The platform began requiring users to identify AI-generated content last summer; since then, its in-app labels have been used by more than 37 million creators.

• Although TikTok is the first video sharing platform to join the Adobe-led Content Authenticity Initiative, it isn’t alone in advocating for transparency in AI. Competitors like YouTube and Instagram have introduced similar content labeling products—although none quite so universal as Content Credentials.

Why it matters: The potential applications of Content Credentials go way beyond TikTok. The app’s new tool gives users the ability to identify whether videos require labels even after they’ve been reposted to other platforms. That wider usability means that Content Credentials could establish a cross-platform standard—if TikTok’s rivals are willing to adopt the new system.

HEADLINES IN BRIEF 📰

• Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery are reportedly joining forces to offer a super-sized streaming bundle that will include Max, Disney+, and Hulu. (Tubefilter)
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• In a recent interview, Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey told Mike Solana of Founders Fund that Bluesky is “literally repeating all the mistakes” he made during his tenure at Twitter. (Engadget)

• Reebook is teaming up with Futurverse to launch “Reebok Impact,” an Instagram-based AI experience that will allow users to create digital sneakers. (VentureBeat)
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• A new Hulu docuseries walks viewers through the evolution and cultural impact of Black Twitter. (The Hollywood Reporter)

COLUMNS • CREATORS ON THE RISE 📈

This model-turned-creator is gearing up for big-screen success

How it started: Madeline Ford was “determined to get people to watch” her videos. The year was 2019 and TikTok was on the rise—but despite having 700,000 Instagram followers and five years of modeling experience under her belt, Ford’s videos weren’t exactly catching fire.

• A few of her friends had already gone viral, so the creator uploaded “a bunch of random things” in the hopes of replicating their success. Nothing worked.
  
  

• Then, on a whim, Ford decided to film a day-in-the-life video of her modeling career. She visited her agency, attended a shoot, and offered some advice to aspiring models. By the end of the day, the clip had scored over a million views.
  
  

• Modeling seemed like Ford’s ticket to TikTok fame…and then COVID hit. With the industry shut down, the creator was forced to pivot. Her content evolved to include everything from daily vlogs to lip-syncs and skits—and her audience stuck around for all of it.

How it’s going: Nowadays, TikTok makes up around 90% of Ford’s career. The success of her content and subsequent brand deals have allowed her to take a long break from modeling (a move crucial for her mental health), and she’s enjoyed interacting with her community through IRL events like TikTok’s Arizona-based In the Mix concert.

What’s up next: Ford is currently zeroed in on TikTok, where she now claims more than 2 million followers. Down the line, however, the creator says her dream is to “go more in an acting, film, television direction.”

• Our advice: fans of Ford’s channel should probably start preparing themselves for the thrill of seeing their favorite creator on the big screen.

RAP BATTLE

Kendrick Lamar and Drake’s viral feud is a gold rush for creators

The feud: If you’ve checked the news or scrolled through YouTube this month, then you’re probably aware of Drake and Kendrick Lamar’s viral feud. Four of the top six spots in YouTube Music’s trending music video rankings currently belong to the latter artist’s diss tracks, while Drake’s retorts claim the remaining two.

• In total, Drake has scored nearly 20 million YouTube views between “The Heart Part 6” and “Family Matters,” while Lamar has picked up 70 million views with provocative hits “Euphoria,” “Meet The Grahams,” and “Not Like Us.”

The victors: That dramatic rap battle is still raging on, but a clear winner has already emerged: the creator community. Lamar and Drake’s decision to release copyright claims on their viral diss tracks has allowed creators to monetize associated content without fear of takedowns or other trouble.

• Streamer No Life Shaq says he’s already made a “ridiculous amount of money” by providing coverage of the artists’ feud—and he’s not the only one raking in “life-changing” revenue.

Why it matters: As the streamer pointed out, Drake and Lamar’s abdication of copyright claims has already proven to be a huge source of growth for small creators. If other chart-topping artists follow their lead, the monetary impact could reshape creators’ content strategies altogether:

WATCH THIS 📺

It’s been 15 years since the internet went wild for the anomalocaris

The specimen: Back in 2009, hundreds of thousands of YouTube and Tumblr users collectively fell in love with an unexpected pied piper: the anomalocaris. A viral tribute to the prehistoric arthropod now stands as a testament to the wholesome side of early YouTube—and it has the Evanescence soundtrack to prove it.

• The anomalocaris may have died out 500 million years ago (give or take a few millennia), but its admirers have stuck around. Recent comments on the 15-year-old video remind its 1.8 million viewers of the days “when kids would just upload a fun edit of their favourite Prehistoric beasties for the sake of it” (per @flightlesslord2688). What a time to be alive.

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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.