Is TikTok Finally Getting Banned?

Is TikTok Actually About to Get Banned?

Last Thursday, a House committee unanimously approved a bill that could lead to a nationwide ban of TikTok. Now, the bill is headed to a floor vote this week. 

If passed, the bill would give ByteDance 165 days to sell TikTok. If they don’t, TikTok would be removed from all electronic devices in the United States, and it’d be illegal for app stores to make it available for download.

TikTok has since tried to mobilize users, adding a pop-up that encourages people to call officials and urge them not to ban the app. It’s unclear what will happen, but we’ll keep you posted.

Creators Promoting Drugs in Paid Partnerships

Creators are teaming up with medspas and GLP 1 programs to promote weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. But is this ethical?

Stephanie Gosk at NBC News interviewed creators on both ends of the spectrum. One creator said she’s proud of her partnership with Weight Watchers’ GLP 1 program, and another creator said she’s tired of receiving emails about these partnership opportunities.

Our take? It raises a few red flags. Given that most brand deal contracts require creators to agree not to disparage the brand or product they’re promoting, we’re curious what this looks like for a drug. Can creators share the risks, like hair loss and intestinal paralysis? And if not, isn’t it a bit unethical? What do you think?

Twitch Gets an Update

In an open letter from the Twitch CEO, exciting news was shared—Twitch’s mobile app is getting a major redesign. This is the first major update since 2019, and it’ll bring a “more modern, immersive viewing experience.”

The update includes adding a scrollable feed of live streams or clips you may enjoy, which we imagine will function similarly to Instagram or TikTok. It’ll also include new capabilities for the Stories feature, allowing users to share quick updates with the community.Quick Links

Should Companies Have Stock in YouTube Channels?

Last week, rumors spread that Disney owned a portion of MrBeast’s YouTube channel. While this false claim was shot down fairly quickly, it got us thinking—should brands be able to own a portion of creators’ YouTube channels?

MrBeast’s channel was reportedly going for $5B—which we now know isn’t true—but let’s assume this is close to what the channel is worth. Similar to owning stock in Skims, VIPKid, or Lendable, which are all valued at roughly $5B, companies could own stock in a creator’s channel. We assume this would come with a level of sponsorship, which could be a smart move for companies to dominate certain niches.

What do you think? Would this be feasible? And if so, would it be a good idea, or is it a recipe for disaster?

Quick Links

📱 ReesaTeesa signs with CAA for representation.

💸 TikTok’s Creativity Program gets a facelift that could increase your earnings.

💲 The pricing strategy OnlyFans creators use to make millions.

🎥 MrBeast switched his content to a slower pace and it actually worked.

👗 Marianna Hewitt joins REVOLVE as Creative Director.

See ya next week,

Karat