It’s Friday and Dungeons & Dragons lovers will soon be able to while away the weekend by tuning into a 24-hour streaming channel designed just for them.

YOUTUBE VS. AD BLOCKER

YouTube isn’t thrilled that you’re using ad blockers

YouTube’s approach to ad blockers has always been pretty laid-back—until now. The platform’s latest test feature reminds viewers with ad blockers installed on their internet browsers that “ads allow YouTube to stay free for billions of users worldwide.” That messaging also offers ad-resistant users a useful suggestion: if they really want to “go ad-free,” then they can pay $11.99 a month for YouTube Premium.

YouTube confirmed its new anti-ad blocker messaging in a recent statement to BleepingComputer:

The move makes sense given YouTube’s heavy reliance on ad revenue. By some estimates, publishers lost $22 billion in a single year thanks to ad blockers—and that was nearly a decade ago. Fast forward to 2023, and Adblock for YouTube has now received more than 10 million installs on Google Chrome, while AdBlocker for YouTube reaches 500,000 users on Firefox.

YouTube’s rationale probably won’t hold much weight for users.

Some indignant viewers have already responded to the video giant’s new messaging by highlighting pieces of software that block attempts to block ad blockers (say that three times fast). Other users may simply avoid the platform altogether if ads become unavoidable; in a recent survey, 61% of respondents said they would be unlikely to return to a website if it disabled their ad blocker without their consent.

HEADLINES IN BRIEF 📰

• A new update will allow individual Pinterest creators to direct users to other websites by including external links in Pins. (Tubefilter)
  ​

• Shorts dominated global YouTube charts in April, with 72 of the top 100 most-viewed channels being primarily active on YouTube’s TikTok competitor.

  (Tubefilter)
  ​

• Twitter owner Elon Musk announced in a tweet posted yesterday that he’s “hired a new CEO for X/Twitter.” (Gizmodo)
  ​

• Netflix has reportedly switched from an in-person to virtual upfront after learning that Writers Guild of America strikers were planning a demonstration at the event. (The Verge)

DATA • YOUTUBE MILLIONAIRES 📈

Meet the couple taking over YouTube with everything from chicken nuggets to rock songs

When Hannah and Regal first started posting videos, they didn’t intend to become an iconic TikTok couple—they just wanted to give Regal’s music a little publicity. Instead, viewers began gravitating towards vlogs about their day-to-day lives as newlyweds.

It all started with a bubble bath (and around 100 chicken nuggets).

Hannah and Regal’s fans won’t be surprised to hear that one of the couple’s first viral videos featured a sweet romantic gesture. The duo were on their honeymoon when Regal had the idea to put together a giant bubble bath for Hannah. She took a quick video of her reaction and posted it to TikTok without high expectations. Within a couple days, that clip had hit a million views.

It took even less time for Hannah and Regal’s second viral video to take off. That vlog—which highlighted Hannah’s love of Chick-fil-A nuggets—cemented their status as a beloved online couple. By 2022, the duo’s couples content had taken off on both TikTok and YouTube Shorts:

Together, Hannah and Regal now claim 4 million TikTok followers and nearly 2 million YouTube subscribers. Amid a library full of prank videos and pregnancy vlogs, Regal’s music has remained at the forefront of their minds. The artist (who describes his sound as “pop-based with elements of hip hop and rock”) has his sights set on one major goal: “to get a top 40 record.”

Considering Hannah and Regal’s online success, that aspiration might not be too far off—especially given that Royal’s biggest fan is a wildly successful content creator with a few million admirers of her own.

FRESH PERSPECTIVES

Google’s latest search strategy involves showing users more TikTok videos

Google is doing whatever it takes to keep up with Gen Z. At its annual Google I/O conference, the tech giant announced the expansion of “Perspectives,” which will make it easier for users to access YouTube, TikTok, and Reddit content within relevant search results.

That shift is a long time coming.

Google’s ranking algorithm has long excelled at surfacing content from relevant websites—but with more and more information stemming from social media platforms, the inadequacies of Google’s results have become increasingly apparent.

Perspectives aims to solve that problem by showing up on search pages when Google determines that user queries “would benefit from others’ experiences” (per TechCrunch). In those cases, result pages will include question-and-answer threads, forum discussions, posts, and videos from various social media platforms. Info about online influencers will also be more readily available: when users search for creators, they’ll find details about those stars’ ages, biographies, and careers.

Will Perspectives be enough to tempt young users away from TikTok?

The expansion of Perspectives is part of Google’s ongoing effort to win back TikTok viewers who have become accustomed to using the app as a go-to search engine. Unfortunately for Google, TikTok is well aware of its users’ habits—and it’s already expanded its search businesses to include new ad formats and longer video descriptions.

Perspectives isn’t the only trick up Google’s sleeve. The tech giant has also been ramping up its AI technology, which means users can expect to see generative responses on results pages in the near future.

WATCH THIS 📺

Frankenstein fans have a new film to look forward to

If you’re into mad scientists and spooky resurrections, then you should probably check out the teaser for Poor Things.

The Frankenstein-esque film stars Emma Stone as the newly-revived experiment of Willem Defoe, a Victorian-era scientist who—like all famous necromancers—quickly loses control over his new charge. A mustachioed Mark Ruffalo is there too, which is always a plus.

Was this email forwarded to you? Subscribe here.​

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