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It's Tuesday and if you’re not using ChatGPT, you might be the odd one out. According to OpenAI, the chatbot now claims 200 million active weekly users.

Today’s News

CONVENTION CIRCUIT

VidSummit kicks off today. Here’s Tubefilter’s official guide to the big event:

The conference: VidSummit 2024 has arrived. A record 3,500 attendees will hit the Irving Convention Center between today and September 5 to tap into an impressive array of expert keynotes, multi-creator panels, and workshops.

This year is set to be VidSummit’s biggest since its founding by video marketing strategy consultant Derral Eves, who launched the creator-focused biz dev conference in 2014. To put the event’s stacked schedule into perspective, we’ve compiled an official Tubefilter guide to the must-see programming of VidSummit 2024. Here’s a sneak peek:

TUESDAY, SEPT. 3

• 7-9 p.m.: Spotter Kickoff Party

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 4

• 9 a.m.: The Eras: How to Successfully Pivot your Channel with HopeScope (Check out a preview here.)
  
  

• 11:10 a.m.: How to Maximize Views on YouTube with EYstreem (EYstreem’s production company just landed a $5 million investment from Spotter to build Australia’s biggest content creator studio)
  
  

• 2:40 p.m.: Unlocking Infinite Worlds: The Power of Content Creators with UGC with Typical Gamer and Chad Mustard (Don’t underestimate the power of UGC in the gaming industry. Roblox alone generated $1.2 billion in the creator economy between 2017 and 2023.)
  
  

• 5 p.m.: Keynote: MatPat & Stephanie Patrick

THURSDAY, SEPT. 5

• 9 a.m.: Keynote: Preston Playz
  
  

• 11 a.m.: The 7-Figure Creator: Legal | Brand Deals | Equity & Exits with Tyler Chou (Creators making successful exits from their own channels has been a hot topic lately, and we think this panel from Chou—who helped one client exit their channel for an eight-figure sum—could offer valuable insight.)
  
  

• 11:50 a.m.: Keynote: Derral Eves
  
  

• 5 p.m.: How to Build an International Audience with La Famille Ventura (Definitely worth checking out since YouTube now allows creators to dub content in multiple languages.)
  
  

• 6-9 p.m.: Vimeo Afterparty

Check out the full Tubefilter guide here, or head over to VidSummit’s website to snag a last-minute ticket. VidSummit is a Tubefilter partner.

🔆 SPONSORED 🔆

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The solution: Spotter Studio

Spotter Studio is an integrated brainstorm partner, project manager, and research assistant. Combining real-time data insights, cutting-edge AI models, and personalized ideation, its suite of creative tools streamlines workflow so creators can focus on doing what they do best—making winning videos. 

Inspired by creators, built by experts

Spotter Studio teamed up with leading experts and creators like Dude Perfect, Kinigra Deon, and Colin and Samir on ideation, packaging, and storytelling to bring the software to life. Whether you’re looking to enhance your video titles, perfect your thumbnails, or streamline your entire production process, Spotter Studio offers a comprehensive solution tailored to your unique creative style.

"Spotter has become my partner in creativity. And as a solo creator, that means having more time to enjoy the process." - SystemZee

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HEADLINES IN BRIEF 📰

• A U.S. federal judge has ruled that states can’t require social media platforms to prevent teens from viewing certain types of content. (Engadget)
  ​

• Google says a new “information panel” situated above YouTube search results will offer users insight into “candidate details, such as their political party, and a link to Google Search.” (Engadget)

• The Brazilian Supreme Court has unanimously upheld a nationwide suspension of X following the platform’s failure to name a legal representative in Brazil. (Bloomberg)
  
  

• One platform is already benefiting from Brazil’s X ban. Bluesky says it saw “all-time highs for activity” late last week, with over 500,000 users joining in just two days. (TechCrunch)

FYP 2.0

TikTok is giving users a way to customize the content that shows up on their FYP

The update: TikTok is offering users more control over the content that pops up in their recommendations. As first reported by The Verge, viewers can now adjust sliders that affect the frequency of specific video categories on the For You Page.

Those sliders can be found in the “manage topics” section of TikTok’s content preferences tab and include options like “creative arts,” “dance,” “current affairs,” and “humor.”

The context: TikTok recommendations have been under fire for a while now, with legislators and researchers alike calling attention to the FYP’s deleterious effects on mental health. TikTok has already been compelled to release a depersonalized version of its platform in the E.U., where the region’s Digital Services Act mandated the development of a new algorithm.

By introducing adjustable sliders to the U.S.—where the rise of Bluesky has indicated a clear interest in customizable social feeds—TikTok may be able to staunch public concern while simultaneously shoring up its own legal status.

A U.S. Appeals Court recently ruled that recommendation algorithms may interfere with the “safe harbor” protections that stop platforms from being held legally accountable for the content they host. If TikTok wants to continue benefiting from those protections, adjusting its recommendations mechanism to promote user choice is a smart move.

BUSINESS-IN-A-BOX

This new “business-in-a-box” platform gives creators 100% ownership over their data and distribution

The big idea: Creators frustrated by the unpredictable whims of big platforms should keep an eye on COY Creator. The company is launching a “business-in-a-box” platform, which allows creators to consolidate content, live events, and merch without giving up ownership of their data—or relying on a service beholden to shareholders.

COY (which stands for “Capitalize on You”) provides creator partners like prankster Ed Bassmaster and Vine legend King Bach with assets to build custom sites where they can engage with fans and control multiple revenue streams. CEO Matt Silk and CRO Will Keenan said the company aims to “address a significant gap in the creator economy” by developing a platform that doesn’t rely on shareholders.

The benefits of that setup are clear; top-down changes driven by shareholders can cause chaos for the creators, while rules designed to support advertisers make monetization difficult for channels that push the limits of “ad-friendly” content.

 The details: COY encourages creators to continue benefiting from the “safety nets” provided by content giants like YouTube while tapping into its armory of “tools for brand sponsorships, creator collaborations, e-commerce, and financial services.” Revenue streams like subscriptions, paywalls, gifts, personalized video requests, and sponsorships can also be integrated into COY-developed sites, while AI-powered tools like chatbots and marketing guides are currently in development.

Keenan—an accomplished creator economy vet who previously worked at Maker Studios and Endemol Beyond—is in charge of beefing up the roster of creators who will be leveraging those tools. So far, the exec has inked deals with partners ranging from Bassmaster to Sopranos actor Drea DeMatteo and Bollywood celebrity Shweta Pandit.

WATCH THIS 📺

Your next YouTube horror obsession has arrived

The creator: Curry Barker is back. After earning a spot among YouTube’s horror elite with the release of his 2023 short The Chair (5.5 million views), the writer/director/actor has debuted a brand-new film.

The film: Milk & Serial hit YouTube on August 8 and has since garnered rave reviews from established horror publications like Bloody Disgusting—despite costing just $800 to produce. In total, the influencer-themed found footage film now claims nearly 450,000 views.

Viewers who haven’t yet enjoyed the thrill of a Barker-directed horror flick should tune in ASAP—because the creator’s next project (a film from Fall and 47 Meters Down producer James Harris and his company Tea Shop Productions) won’t be available for free.

Creator economy marketing starts here. Get in touch to advertise with Tubefilter.

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