#Influencer Marketing Platform Industry

[industrynewsupdates]

Influencer Marketing Platform Procurement Intelligence: Trends and Outlook

The influencer marketing platform category is anticipated to witness growth at a CAGR of 31.9% from 2023 to 2030. In 2022, North America accounted for 30% of the market share followed by Europe and Asia-Pacific. Europe witnesses the fastest growth rate owing to wider adoption of branding practices and concentrating on expanding their market penetration and gaining a sizable consumer base through micro & nano-influencers.

In 2022, the fashion and lifestyle segment held substantial industry share in terms of end-usage owing to the growing number of high-end lifestyle and fashion brands trying to be more approachable to consumers. Influencers are used by a number of fashion brands to promote new apparel and accessories, keeping the public up to date on the newest trends. The potential of influencer marketing to build brand awareness in the fashion sector is one of its greatest benefits. Due to the proliferation of social media, it is difficult for companies to differentiate themselves from the competition because consumers are continually exposed to marketing from multiple brands. However, influencers have the ability to break through the clutter and connect with a niche audience.

Technologies such as virtual influencers, artifical intelligence, and data analytics are expected to strengthen influencer marketing platforms. In order to target the ideal customers, a virtual influencer gives more creative freedom and cost-effective customization. Several brands and businesses are having trouble evaluating the platform's outcomes even after it has been widely adopted. As a result, rising smartphone adoption, increased use of high-speed internet, rising numbers of social media accounts, falling data streaming costs, and the incorporation of cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) are all contributing to the growing demand for video content and live interactive sessions.

Order your copy of the Influencer Marketing Platform Procurement Intelligence Report, 2023 - 2030, published by Grand View Research, to get more details regarding day one, quick wins, portfolio analysis, key negotiation strategies of key suppliers, and low-cost/best-cost sourcing analysis

Influencer marketing platforms saw a huge increase in popularity after the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic. The advertising agencies and production companies were compelled to postpone the planned commercial shoots due to the government-mandated lockdown limitations, which prompted the businesses to turn towards alternative promotion strategies such as influencer marketing. Influencer marketing was also made more prevalent by the increased social media activities during the lockdown. This trend is being continued even after there are no further lockdowns and the pandemic is in control. As a result, the outbreak of pandemic supported the global category in several ways such as increased number of live streams, bringing platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels into popular culture, fueling emergence of micro influencers, creation of authentic content in an unusual timeframe, discovering other paths to purchase, redistribution of media & advertising budgets, and higher consumption of content.

Influencer Marketing Platform Intelligence Highlights

• The global influencer marketing platform category is moderately fragmented, with majority of the key market players offering comprehensive solutions with a wide variety of features.

• India is the preferred low-cost/best cost country for sourcing influencer marketing. As the nation's digital infrastructure is getting better and more Indians have access to the internet, numerous opportunities are opening up for both businesses and marketers.

• The threat of new entrants is anticipated to stay low and it is relatively easy for new companies to start up and compete with established players.

• License cost / subscription fee, personnel, maintenance & upgradation, training & certification costs, and support are the major cost components of Influencer Marketing Platforms. Other costs include utility costs, administrative expenses, renewal costs, data migration costs, and security.

List of Key Suppliers 

• AspireIQ, Inc.

• CreatorIQ

• Grin Technologies Inc.

• JuliusWorks, LLC

• Klear.com Ltd.

• Kolsquare

• Mavrck LLC

• NeoReach

• Onalytica Ltd

• Traackr, Inc.

• Upfluence

• Webfluential Global Limited

Browse through Grand View Research’s collection of procurement intelligence studies:

• Business Intelligence Procurement Intelligence Report, 2023 - 2030 (Revenue Forecast, Supplier Ranking & Matrix, Emerging Technologies, Pricing Models, Cost Structure, Engagement & Operating Model, Competitive Landscape)

• Creative Advertising Procurement Intelligence Report, 2023 - 2030 (Revenue Forecast, Supplier Ranking & Matrix, Emerging Technologies, Pricing Models, Cost Structure, Engagement & Operating Model, Competitive Landscape)

Influencer Marketing Platforms Category Procurement Intelligence Report Scope

• Influencer Marketing Platform Category Growth Rate: CAGR of 31.9% from 2023 to 2030

• Pricing Growth Outlook: 5% - 10% increase (Annually)

• Pricing Models: Subscription-pricing, Competition-based pricing

• Supplier Selection Scope: Cost and pricing, Past engagements, Productivity, Geographical presence

• Supplier Selection Criteria: Years in service, geographic service provision, certifications, influencer search & discovery, free trials / demos, performance tracking, creator marketplace, content management, campaign analytics, and others

• Report Coverage: Revenue forecast, supplier ranking, supplier matrix, emerging technology, pricing models, cost structure, competitive landscape, growth factors, trends, engagement, and operating model

Brief about Pipeline by Grand View Research:

A smart and effective supply chain is essential for growth in any organization. Pipeline division at Grand View Research provides detailed insights on every aspect of supply chain, which helps in efficient procurement decisions.

Our services include (not limited to):

• Market Intelligence involving – market size and forecast, growth factors, and driving trends

• Price and Cost Intelligence – pricing models adopted for the category, total cost of ownerships

• Supplier Intelligence – rich insight on supplier landscape, and identifies suppliers who are dominating, emerging, lounging, and specializing

• Sourcing / Procurement Intelligence – best practices followed in the industry, identifying standard KPIs and SLAs, peer analysis, negotiation strategies to be utilized with the suppliers, and best suited countries for sourcing to minimize supply chain disruptions

[techdriveplay]

How Many Men Follow Fashion Bloggers?

In recent years, the influence of fashion bloggers has grown exponentially, impacting not only women’s fashion but also men’s style choices. This raises the question: how many men follow fashion bloggers, and what drives their engagement with these style influencers? Statistics: 45% of men aged 18-34 follow at least one fashion blogger on social media. 30% of men aged 35-49 are subscribed to…

[cmibloggers]

Influencer marketing platforms are specialized online solutions designed to assist brands in their influencer marketing campaigns. Read More: https://cmi-reports.blogspot.com/2023/06/analysing-role-of-influencer-marketing.html

[jingwei]

Timeskip Gakushu | Why a Tech CEO?

Gakushu's choice to pursue an MBA at MIT and become the CEO of a tech company in Silicon Valley at 23 made too much sense. With HIS ambition, he would excel in a field where intellect and innovation are highly valued. Silicon Valley would provide him with the platform to showcase his abilities and give him the opportunity to exercise his influence on a much grander scale compared to his timeskip reign in high school.

Gakushu's career track | from blazardragon

Choosing MIT for his MBA was definitely a deliberate decision to associate himself with one of the world's top institutions for technology and business education. Not only would it enhance his knowledge but also establish valuable connections within the tech community, which is something we already know he would prioritize because he puts a lot of importance in networking.

Gakushu thrives in the tech industry because of the dynamic and innovative nature of the field. His intellect would find resonance in an industry where constant learning and adaptation are paramount. The fast-paced evolution of technology demands individuals who can quickly grasp new concepts and lead teams through rapid advancements, just like how we've seen him throughout the progression of Assassination Classroom.

Such an industry involves strategic maneuvering, negotiations, and complex interpersonal dynamics, areas where his manipulative prowess becomes a valuable asset. His inclination to control and dominate complements with the high-stakes nature of tech business, where companies strive to outperform rivals and establish market dominance.

The global and interconnected nature of the tech sector also caters to Gakushu as evidenced by his recruitment of overseas friends during the pole-topping tournament. His choice of career, with its collaborative and diverse environment, allows him to leverage these connections and resources.

Gakushu greeting the foreign exchange students for pole toppling.

Gakushu's moral compass, which consistently clashed with his father's extreme methods, might have found solace in technology's potential for positive impact. Many tech companies focus on innovation for social good, which could provide an avenue for him to contribute positively to society while maintaining that competitive edge that drives him forward.

[thebibliosphere]

You said the phrase "the mysteries of publishing" and honestly that's wild to me. I knew the publishing industry was shitty, but I had no idea it was also mysterious/secretive because the vast majority of what I know of it has come from you and Brandon Sanderson, and both of you are very up front and open about your gripes with publishing

There's always been systemic gatekeeping from traditional publishing (lack of diversity in publishing is not an accident, it is intentional), and there have always been a few jerks in indie-pub who intentionally give out bad-faith advice to try and sabotage the "competition," but they get called out by the community pretty quickly.

Where things can become (unintentionally) mysterious, is when people look at all the information available to them and freeze because they don't know where to start.

Indie and self-publishing is daunting, not just from a creative aspect, but administrative as well. It can be especially difficult if you struggle with executive dysfunction or other information-processing issues.

But if you take your time, ask questions in writing groups/forums -- reach out to author friends if you have them -- or even just contact customer service, you usually get it figured out.

This recent trend-- and it's gotten really bad over the pandemic-- with people conflating being an author with being an influencer, (and some do both well, but many don't.), and there's an almost MLM (multilevel marketing, not men-loving-men. Just clarifying seen as how this is Tumblr 😅) vibe to the way some of them are pushing their platforms harder than their work.

And people think, hey, this person has a million followers on TikTok; they must know what they're talking about!

So they sign up for the "classes" being promoted by these influencer management hubs, and while I am sure some of them are legit, if a lot of them are getting the same emails I'm getting, it's the bare minimum shit that you can find on google.

Maybe if you're lucky, they'll talk you through figuring out international royalties. Chances are they'll just regurgitate David Gaughran's 'Let's Get Digital: How To Self-Publish And Why You Should' -- WHICH YOU CAN GET FOR FREE-- and frame it behind girl-boss empowerment vibes spun through the lens of being a boss-babe author.

When truthfully, this person probably earns more from your clicks and views than anything they've written. There's more money to be made in the hustle of appearing successful and pretending like this wealth of information is secretive and unknown.

And I want no part of that.

[probablyasocialecologist]

Internet politics have been shaped by a cyberlibertarian framing best exemplified by the writings of Electronic Frontier Foundation cofounder John Perry Barlow, whose Declaration of the Independence of Cyberspace became a key statement of principles for digital activists. His manifesto targeted its ire at governments, telling them, “You have no sovereignty where we gather.” He made no mention of the harmful influence corporations could have on online spaces, which was a reflection of Barlow’s personal politics. He was not only a speechwriter for Dick Cheney in the 1970s, but the Declaration itself was published at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland in 1996. This cyberlibertarian framing of digital politics and its focus on speech over political economy has proved beneficial for tech companies for many years. As US tech firms went global, digital activists frequently opposed government efforts to regulate or restrict tech platforms as threats to their citizens’ digital rights and freedom of expression, largely ignoring the economic impacts of US economic imperialism in those countries. In the process, US companies were able to dominate international markets and few countries were able to establish the necessary economic protections to develop serious competitors to the American giants. In countries like China, where protections were effectively implemented, digital and human rights groups rarely paid any mind to the economic component of those policies; they were narrowly positioned as censorship measures. The Great Firewall is used to restrict what Chinese internet users can access and post online, but it is also an economic measure. China protected its tech sector in a similar way that Japan and South Korea protected their automotive and electronics industries in decades past, spawning globally competitive, export-oriented companies like Toyota and Samsung. China’s Great Firewall allowed it to do the same, creating serious competition for Silicon Valley that would have never happened without economic protectionism. Digital rights activism served the global ambitions of the tech monopolies forming in Silicon Valley and Greater Seattle by positioning attempts at restricting platforms and making companies abide by local rules and norms appear as overbearing government intrusions on people’s rights. In the cyberlibertarian framing, government — not corporations — are the enemy, and that was reflected in the way many activists long approached tech policy. It certainly doesn’t seem like a coincidence that it also served US commercial and geopolitical ambitions. Where countries previously placed ownership restrictions on its media and telecommunications sectors and invested in public broadcasters, that was all out the window with the internet. Foreign governments were expected to accept the dominance of US firms, or else be accused of breaching their citizens’ rights.

6 September 2024

[cherrygirlystuff]

From Myspace to Spotify: The Journey of Indie Sleaze Music in the Digital Age 🌐

Hey there, indie dreamer! 🎸 Ready for a nostalgic trip through the evolution of indie sleaze music? From the early days of Myspace to the modern streaming era on Spotify, indie sleaze has undergone a wild transformation. Let's dive into how this raw, rebellious genre has adapted and thrived in the digital age, and why it’s still resonating with listeners today.

1. The Myspace Era: Indie Sleaze’s First Digital Playground

Back in the early 2000s, Myspace was the epicenter of indie music discovery. It was the place where bands could upload their tracks, connect with fans, and build a following without needing a major label. Indie sleaze artists were quick to embrace this new digital frontier, using Myspace as their stage and connecting with a global audience in ways that had never been possible before.

DIY Spirit: Myspace was a haven for the DIY ethos that indie sleaze embraced. Bands like The Strokes, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and Arctic Monkeys used the platform to share their music directly with fans, bypassing traditional media and labels. Their raw, unpolished sound fit perfectly with the unfiltered vibe of Myspace.

Visual Aesthetic: Bands and fans alike used Myspace’s customizable profiles to express their indie sleaze style. With an abundance of glittery backgrounds, band posters, and those iconic “Top 8” friend lists, the platform was a digital reflection of the era’s grungy, glamorous aesthetic.

2. From Downloads to Streams: The Shift to Digital Platforms

As the digital music landscape evolved, so did indie sleaze. The rise of platforms like iTunes and, later, streaming services like Spotify changed the way music was consumed and shared. This transition brought new opportunities and challenges for indie sleaze artists.

Digital Downloads: Platforms like iTunes allowed fans to buy and download individual tracks, making it easier for indie sleaze bands to reach new audiences. Artists could release singles and EPs without needing a full album, and fans could curate their own playlists of their favorite tracks.

Streaming Services: Enter Spotify, Apple Music, and other streaming platforms. The shift from downloads to streaming changed everything. Indie sleaze bands had to adapt to a world where music was less about owning tracks and more about playlist placement and algorithmic recommendations.

3. The Rise of Playlists and Algorithmic Discovery

One of the biggest changes in the music industry over the past decade has been the rise of playlists and algorithmic discovery. For indie sleaze artists, this new way of reaching listeners has both benefits and challenges.

Playlist Power: Playlists like Spotify’s “Discover Weekly” and “Release Radar” have become crucial for indie artists. Getting featured on a popular playlist can lead to a surge in streams and new fans. Indie sleaze tracks with their catchy hooks and raw energy often find a perfect home on these curated lists.

Algorithmic Challenges: While algorithms help discover new music, they also mean that artists need to navigate an ever-changing digital landscape. Standing out in a crowded field requires savvy marketing, consistent releases, and a strong online presence. Indie sleaze bands are learning to leverage social media and streaming data to connect with listeners and build their brand.

4. The Influence of Social Media: TikTok and Beyond

The rise of social media platforms like TikTok has brought a whole new dimension to music discovery. For indie sleaze, TikTok’s short-form video format and viral trends have become a new way to connect with fans and introduce their music to a wider audience.

Viral Hits: TikTok has the power to turn obscure indie tracks into viral sensations. Songs that capture the spirit of indie sleaze—whether through their raw lyrics, catchy beats, or nostalgic vibes—are finding new life on the platform. Creators use these tracks in videos, dance challenges, and memes, leading to a resurgence of interest in the genre.

Fan Engagement: Social media allows artists to interact directly with their fans, building a community around their music. Indie sleaze bands are using platforms like Instagram and Twitter to share behind-the-scenes content, engage with fans, and keep their audience updated on new releases.

5. The Revival of Indie Sleaze: A New Generation Embraces the Sound

Despite the changes in how music is consumed, indie sleaze is experiencing a revival. A new generation is discovering and embracing the genre, inspired by the nostalgia of the early 2000s and the raw, unfiltered energy that indie sleaze represents.

Nostalgic Resurgence: The early 2000s sound is making a comeback, with both new and old artists embracing the grunge pop aesthetic. The rise of vintage-inspired fashion and music is bringing indie sleaze back into the spotlight, with playlists and radio stations dedicated to the genre.

Cultural Impact: Indie sleaze’s influence is seen in modern fashion, film, and art. The grungy, carefree style of the early 2000s is being reinterpreted for today’s audience, blending nostalgia with contemporary creativity.

Final Thoughts, Babe: The Journey Continues

From the DIY spirit of Myspace to the streaming era of Spotify and the viral world of TikTok, indie sleaze has navigated a complex and ever-changing digital landscape. Despite the challenges, the genre remains as vibrant and relevant as ever, resonating with both old fans and a new generation discovering its raw, rebellious charm.

So next time you’re curating your playlist or scrolling through social media, remember the journey indie sleaze has taken to get here. Whether you’re rediscovering the classics or finding new favorites, the spirit of indie sleaze lives on—gritty, glamorous, and forever cool. 🎶✨

[sunshinesmebdy]

Pluto in Aquarius: Brace for a Business Revolution (and How to Ride the Wave)

The Aquarian Revolution

Get ready, entrepreneurs and financiers, because a seismic shift is coming. Pluto, the planet of transformation and upheaval, has just entered the progressive sign of Aquarius, marking the beginning of a 20-year period that will reshape the very fabric of business and finance. Buckle up, for this is not just a ripple – it's a tsunami of change. Imagine a future where collaboration trumps competition, sustainability dictates success, and technology liberates rather than isolates. Aquarius, the sign of innovation and humanitarianism, envisions just that. Expect to see:

Rise of social impact businesses

Profits won't be the sole motive anymore. Companies driven by ethical practices, environmental consciousness, and social good will gain traction. Aquarius is intrinsically linked to collective well-being and social justice. Under its influence, individuals will value purpose-driven ventures that address crucial societal issues. Pluto urges us to connect with our deeper selves and find meaning beyond material gains. This motivates individuals to pursue ventures that resonate with their personal values and make a difference in the world.

Examples of Social Impact Businesses

Sustainable energy companies: Focused on creating renewable energy solutions while empowering local communities.

Fair-trade businesses: Ensuring ethical practices and fair wages for producers, often in developing countries.

Social impact ventures: Addressing issues like poverty, education, and healthcare through innovative, community-driven approaches.

B corporations: Certified businesses that meet rigorous social and environmental standards, balancing profit with purpose.

Navigating the Pluto in Aquarius Landscape

Align your business with social impact: Analyze your core values and find ways to integrate them into your business model.

Invest in sustainable practices: Prioritize environmental and social responsibility throughout your operations.

Empower your employees: Foster a collaborative environment where everyone feels valued and contributes to the social impact mission.

Build strong community partnerships: Collaborate with organizations and communities that share your goals for positive change.

Embrace innovation and technology: Utilize technology to scale your impact and reach a wider audience.

Pluto in Aquarius presents a thrilling opportunity to redefine the purpose of business, moving beyond shareholder value and towards societal well-being. By aligning with the Aquarian spirit of innovation and collective action, social impact businesses can thrive in this transformative era, leaving a lasting legacy of positive change in the world.

Tech-driven disruption

AI, automation, and blockchain will revolutionize industries, from finance to healthcare. Be ready to adapt or risk getting left behind. Expect a focus on developing Artificial Intelligence with ethical considerations and a humanitarian heart, tackling issues like healthcare, climate change, and poverty alleviation. Immersive technologies will blur the lines between the physical and digital realms, transforming education, communication, and entertainment. Automation will reshape the job market, but also create opportunities for new, human-centered roles focused on creativity, innovation, and social impact.

Examples of Tech-Driven Disruption:

Decentralized social media platforms: User-owned networks fueled by blockchain technology, prioritizing privacy and community over corporate profits.

AI-powered healthcare solutions: Personalized medicine, virtual assistants for diagnostics, and AI-driven drug discovery.

VR/AR for education and training: Immersive learning experiences that transport students to different corners of the world or historical periods.

Automation with a human touch: Collaborative robots assisting in tasks while freeing up human potential for creative and leadership roles.

Navigating the Technological Tsunami:

Stay informed and adaptable: Embrace lifelong learning and upskilling to stay relevant in the evolving tech landscape.

Support ethical and sustainable tech: Choose tech products and services aligned with your values and prioritize privacy and social responsibility.

Focus on your human advantage: Cultivate creativity, critical thinking, and emotional intelligence to thrive in a world increasingly reliant on technology.

Advocate for responsible AI development: Join the conversation about ethical AI guidelines and ensure technology serves humanity's best interests.

Connect with your community: Collaborate with others to harness technology for positive change and address the potential challenges that come with rapid technological advancements.

Pluto in Aquarius represents a critical juncture in our relationship with technology. By embracing its disruptive potential and focusing on ethical development and collective benefit, we can unlock a future where technology empowers humanity and creates a more equitable and sustainable world. Remember, the choice is ours – will we be swept away by the technological tsunami or ride its wave towards a brighter future?

Decentralization and democratization

Power structures will shift, with employees demanding more autonomy and consumers seeking ownership through blockchain-based solutions. Traditional institutions, corporations, and even governments will face challenges as power shifts towards distributed networks and grassroots movements. Individuals will demand active involvement in decision-making processes, leading to increased transparency and accountability in all spheres. Property and resources will be seen as shared assets, managed sustainably and equitably within communities. This transition won't be without its bumps. We'll need to adapt existing legal frameworks, address digital divides, and foster collaboration to ensure everyone benefits from decentralization.

Examples of Decentralization and Democratization

Decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs): Self-governing online communities managing shared resources and projects through blockchain technology.

Community-owned renewable energy initiatives: Local cooperatives generating and distributing clean energy, empowering communities and reducing reliance on centralized grids.

Participatory budgeting platforms: Citizens directly allocate local government funds, ensuring public resources are used in line with community needs.

Decentralized finance (DeFi): Peer-to-peer lending and borrowing platforms, bypassing traditional banks and offering greater financial autonomy for individuals.

Harnessing the Power of the Tide:

Embrace collaborative models: Participate in co-ops, community projects, and initiatives that empower collective ownership and decision-making.

Support ethical technology: Advocate for blockchain platforms and applications that prioritize user privacy, security, and equitable access.

Develop your tech skills: Learn about blockchain, cryptocurrencies, and other decentralized technologies to navigate the future landscape.

Engage in your community: Participate in local decision-making processes, champion sustainable solutions, and build solidarity with others.

Stay informed and adaptable: Embrace lifelong learning and critical thinking to navigate the evolving social and economic landscape.

Pluto in Aquarius presents a unique opportunity to reimagine power structures, ownership models, and how we interact with each other. By embracing decentralization and democratization, we can create a future where individuals and communities thrive, fostering a more equitable and sustainable world for all. Remember, the power lies within our collective hands – let's use it wisely to shape a brighter future built on shared ownership, collaboration, and empowered communities.

Focus on collective prosperity

Universal basic income, resource sharing, and collaborative economic models may gain momentum. Aquarius prioritizes the good of the collective, advocating for equitable distribution of resources and opportunities. Expect a rise in social safety nets, universal basic income initiatives, and policies aimed at closing the wealth gap. Environmental health is intrinsically linked to collective prosperity. We'll see a focus on sustainable practices, green economies, and resource sharing to ensure a thriving planet for generations to come. Communities will come together to address social challenges like poverty, homelessness, and healthcare disparities, recognizing that individual success is interwoven with collective well-being. Collaborative consumption, resource sharing, and community-owned assets will gain traction, challenging traditional notions of ownership and fostering a sense of shared abundance.

Examples of Collective Prosperity in Action

Community-owned renewable energy projects: Sharing the benefits of clean energy production within communities, democratizing access and fostering environmental sustainability.

Cooperatives and worker-owned businesses: Sharing profits and decision-making within companies, leading to greater employee satisfaction and productivity.

Universal basic income initiatives: Providing individuals with a basic safety net, enabling them to pursue their passions and contribute to society in meaningful ways.

Resource sharing platforms: Platforms like carsharing or tool libraries minimizing individual ownership and maximizing resource utilization, fostering a sense of interconnectedness.

Navigating the Shift

Support social impact businesses: Choose businesses that prioritize ethical practices, environmental sustainability, and positive social impact.

Contribute to your community: Volunteer your time, skills, and resources to address local challenges and empower others.

Embrace collaboration: Seek opportunities to work together with others to create solutions for shared problems.

Redefine your own path to prosperity: Focus on activities that bring you personal fulfillment and contribute to the collective good.

Advocate for systemic change: Support policies and initiatives that promote social justice, environmental protection, and equitable distribution of resources.

Pluto in Aquarius offers a unique opportunity to reshape our definition of prosperity and build a future where everyone thrives. By embracing collective well-being, collaboration, and sustainable practices, we can create a world where abundance flows freely, enriching not just individuals, but the entire fabric of society. Remember, true prosperity lies not in what we hoard, but in what we share, and by working together, we can cultivate a future where everyone has the opportunity to flourish.

[someone-will-remember-us]

Adults-only website OnlyFans has made aspiring porn stars rich and celebrities richer. But a Reuters investigation found a darker side: More than 120 people have complained to U.S. police agencies that they were featured in the site’s sexually explicit content without their consent – including a woman who alleged a video of her rape was sold on OnlyFans. Laws often protect web giants while victims struggle for justice.

SAMMY remembers nearly every detail of the night in April 2022 when she says two men raped her.

The Miami apartment, stark and empty, where it happened. The loud music as she screamed and told them to stop. The fear and the pain, the overwhelming sense of powerlessness.

Sammy, recalling the night in an interview, also remembers seeing a phone perched on a dresser and thinking: Am I being filmed?

Two months later, on June 30, an edited recording of Sammy’s alleged assault was posted on OnlyFans, a website where people can create porn and charge for it. The video was marketed by one of her alleged assailants as “train” sex, jargon for multiple men having sex with one woman, according to screenshots obtained by Reuters.

“The full train video is here guys,” he said on OnlyFans. “Who wants it?”

OnlyFans is an adults-only website where anyone – celebrities, porn stars, cash-strapped moms and aspiring influencers – can sell sexually explicit videos of themselves. Top earners make millions of dollars a year. Created in 2016, OnlyFans now boasts almost 240 million users and has achieved mainstream fame. Beyoncé namechecked it in a song lyric. Rapper Iggy Azalea said it had brought her a small fortune.

But other people have reaped pain, not profit. They describe lives upended after sexually explicit content featuring them was posted and sold on OnlyFans without their consent. Some videos, like Sammy’s, involve alleged sexual assault. Law enforcement has struggled to monitor such nonconsensual pornography on the website, while victims often have limited legal recourse.

OnlyFans says it is building “the safest social media platform in the world.” But a Reuters investigation identified 128 cases in which women and men complained to U.S. law enforcement agencies that sexual content featuring them ended up on OnlyFans without their permission – and was often sold for profit – between January 2019 and November 2023.

Under public records laws, Reuters sought documents on cases involving OnlyFans from more than 250 of the largest law enforcement agencies in the United States – the platform’s biggest market. Fifty-six of them produced records in which people complained of explicit, nonconsensual posts on OnlyFans. Reuters also interviewed police officers, prosecutors, legal experts and nine people who said their sexual images appeared without their consent.

Most of the 128 police complaints were lodged by women against men who were former sex partners. They often said the content was produced consensually but was posted without their permission – or even their knowledge. In about 40% of the complaints, the videos also appeared on other popular social media sites, usually as snippets to promote lengthier and more explicit material for sale on OnlyFans.

The cases highlight how technology has transformed modern relationships and the porn industry. Today, anyone with a cellphone and an internet connection can make and distribute sexual videos and images. Filming and sharing these is now an accepted part of many intimate encounters – so long as it’s a lovers’ secret. Posting those videos online, however, can feel like a major betrayal. It can also be illegal.

Some women said their unwanted appearance on OnlyFans had nearly destroyed their lives.

“A whole company has made money off of my biggest trauma,” said Sammy, 21, in her first public comments on the case. She requested that her full name be withheld.

In Texas, a woman described being forced to install a home security system after being harassed by stalkers who saw an OnlyFans video of her that went viral. A Nebraska woman said she struggled to go out in public, terrified that people might recognize her from a sex video her ex-boyfriend was selling on OnlyFans for $15. An Illinois woman said she learned that naked images of herself were circulating from her teenage daughter, who saw them online.

In response to a detailed account of Reuters’ findings, an OnlyFans spokesperson said that “in the few examples where bad actors have misused our platform,” OnlyFans “removed the content swiftly, banned the user and actively supported investigations and prosecutions.”

The spokesperson said OnlyFans had reviewed the cases of Sammy and others described in this report and found that those accounts were deleted either by OnlyFans moderators or the creators themselves. Those deletions sometimes occurred a year or longer after women complained to police, a Reuters review of police records and account information from OnlyFans found.

The spokesperson didn’t elaborate on the cases but said OnlyFans tightened its consent verification procedures in late 2022. The company requires “proof of identification and consent from all individuals featured in any explicit content uploaded to our platform, and we moderate all uploaded content,” she said.

She declined to respond to questions about how explicit content of non-consenting adults could have ended up on the site when OnlyFans says it moderates everything.

Combining social media glamor and the business of sex, OnlyFans casts itself as a new breed of adult website. Most big porn sites offer content for free and make money mainly from advertising. At OnlyFans, revenue is generated by its 3.2 million creators, most of them amateurs. They sell content to their subscribers, or “fans,” usually for a monthly fee of between $4.99 and $50. One-off sales of videos and images through the site’s direct-messaging function can be even more lucrative.

The terms are attractive for OnlyFans creators: They keep 80% of their fans’ payments. For OnlyFans, which takes the rest, it’s a goldmine. According to the most recent filing by its British parent company, Fenix International, OnlyFans’ pre-tax profit in 2022 reached $525 million – almost a hundred-fold increase in just three years. Revenue expanded at least twenty-fold to more than $1 billion.

OnlyFans doesn’t know how many of its creators are making “adult content,” the spokesperson has said. The platform says it also features sports, music and other non-explicit material.

Beyond the United States, OnlyFans has also seen explosive growth – along with allegations of abuse against celebrities and other content creators.

In Australia, a Queensland man faces trial after being accused of filming himself raping his unconscious girlfriend in 2021 and uploading the video to OnlyFans, according to court records. The man hasn’t entered a plea, a court official said. In Thailand, a married couple was arrested in October on suspicion of drugging and raping four women and a 17-year-old girl, then selling videos of the acts on OnlyFans, Thai police said. The couple hasn’t entered a plea but denied the rape charges, police said.

In Romania, former kickboxer Andrew Tate is awaiting trial on rape and sex-trafficking charges connected to running an operation that allegedly forced women to create porn for OnlyFans, said Romanian prosecutors. Tate denies the charges.

In Britain, Stephen Bear, a former reality show contestant, was sentenced in March 2022 to 21 months in jail after posting a sex video of his ex-girlfriend on OnlyFans without her permission. Bear, who denied all charges, was released in January after serving half his sentence. He didn’t respond to a request for comment. Reuters documented another 17 cases in Britain in which people had complained to UK authorities of nonconsensual porn appearing on OnlyFans, according to public records obtained from the country’s police forces.

Despite the attention generated by high-profile cases, law enforcement officials say the sheer size of OnlyFans and the paywalls surrounding its individual creators have made it nearly impossible to monitor systematically. OnlyFans is largely a black box to outsiders, much less accessible than social media sites like Instagram, X and Facebook.

The paywall “absolutely, unequivocally adds a barrier,” said Joseph Scaramucci, a deputy sheriff in Texas who formerly worked on a U.S. Department of Homeland Security anti-human trafficking task force. Some law enforcement agencies won’t subscribe to OnlyFans accounts due to budgetary constraints, he said.

There are other reasons perpetrators of nonconsensual porn aren’t held to account, Reuters found. Some people were reluctant to press charges against former lovers. Police often lack expertise in gathering technical evidence of cyber-crimes or view the cases as low-priority misdemeanors. Women can be hesitant to share explicit images with male police and prosecutors.

No federal law specifically criminalizes nonconsensual porn. It has been prosecuted under federal anti-trafficking statutes in at least three cases – none of which involved OnlyFans. Complaints typically are handled by local authorities enforcing a patchwork of state laws, and they usually focus on individuals who post abusive content, not on the sites that host it.

OnlyFans CEO Keily Blair has said that “100 percent” of content is reviewed by human moderators aided by artificial intelligence. But the cases documented by Reuters, including the video of Sammy’s alleged rape, point to significant gaps in this system.

“The victim is clearly saying no” in the video, said Todd Falzone, a lawyer for Sammy. “So if they were really moderating that video, they would have seen and heard that.”

Her alleged assailants, Michelson Romelus and Bendjy Charles, face charges of sexual battery and distributing obscene material. They have pleaded not guilty.

Separately, in federal court in Florida, Sammy is suing the two men – and OnlyFans. Her lawsuit is the first to take on the platform itself under a federal sex-trafficking law that prohibits companies from financially benefiting from commercial sex abuses, according to a Reuters review of court filings and interviews with legal experts.

Sammy’s sex-trafficking claim is part of a growing number of lawsuits by people who accuse social media sites of profiting from abusive sexual content. The suits could signal a reckoning for OnlyFans and others in the industry, said five lawyers who specialize in porn and sex-trafficking cases.

“The legal landscape has shifted,” said Julie Dahlstrom, a human trafficking expert at Boston University School of Law. “You’ve seen judges interpreting trafficking laws more expansively,” and “lawyers and survivors understanding that they can bring those cases.”

NO FACE, NO CASE

For some people, the shock of seeing their naked images on OnlyFans was followed by a futile fight for justice.

Amanda Dicrosta’s battle began in Florida in February 2022, when she walked into the Tampa Police Department to file a sexual cyber-harassment complaint against her ex-boyfriend, Mike McFarland, a former player for the National Football League’s Indianapolis Colts. “I was just hoping that they would take me seriously,” she said.

The two had dated for about a year and then split up. McFarland afterward posted videos of them having sex on his OnlyFans and Twitter accounts without her permission, she told police.

Dicrosta, 28, told police that McFarland recorded some of the sex videos without her knowledge or consent. She knew other videos existed but said the couple had an understanding that those were private.

When Dicrosta first learned in June 2020 that McFarland, 32, had posted the videos on OnlyFans, she confronted him, and he initially took down the videos, she wrote in a sworn police statement. But in August 2021, when she revisited McFarland’s OnlyFans account, she discovered not just those videos but also new ones recorded without her knowledge, she told police.

When she saw videos of her advertised on OnlyFans for $5 each, she felt sick. McFarland had “exposed my entire body for $5,” Dicrosta told Reuters. “I can’t even buy a full meal at McDonald’s for $5.”

Dicrosta said she contacted McFarland again. This time, he refused to take down the videos, she told police.

On Twitter, McFarland posted snippets of the videos with links to his OnlyFans account, according to screenshots Dicrosta provided to Reuters and police. Another ex-boyfriend recognized her body in the videos and shared them with friends, some of whom assumed she was now in the business of “doing porn,” she said.

McFarland told police that Dicrosta knew the recordings would be posted on OnlyFans and Twitter. “It was with her consent,” he told Reuters. “I have nothing to lie about.”

X, as Twitter has been renamed, declined to comment on Dicrosta’s case but said it works to limit sensitive adult content from being shared.

After consulting with the state attorney’s office, police told Dicrosta the case couldn’t be prosecuted. The videos showed her private parts, underwear and a bathing suit – but not her face. For the case to proceed in court, the police report said, the videos had to include information that more specifically identified her.

Police closed Discrosta’s case in July 2022 and told her they’d reopen it if she located any such videos.

“I felt hopeless,” she said. “Do I just need to strip naked and show you my naked body for you to believe me? What am I supposed to do? How am I supposed to prove to you that this is me?”

To violate Florida law, explicit images shared nonconsensually must contain “personal identification information,” such as unique physical attributes.

Mary Anne Franks, a professor at the George Washington University Law School in Washington D.C., studies the issue of nonconsensual porn and is familiar with Florida’s law. After reviewing Dicrosta’s case at Reuters’ request, she said the case could have been prosecuted because there was enough context of Dicrosta in the video to allow someone – in this case, a former boyfriend – to recognize her.

The case speaks to a broader problem, Franks said: Not all police departments are familiar with the nuances of laws on nonconsensual porn, especially as some laws are relatively new.

A Tampa police spokesperson said that detectives “dedicated over five months to the investigation,” but the evidence did “not meet the criteria to establish a criminal violation.”

Dicrosta felt angry and let down. She thought about the “personal identification information” demanded by Florida law and came up with another way to protect herself in case a sexual partner secretly filmed her in the future.

She walked into a tattoo parlor and had the words “not yours” etched on her backside.

BARRIERS TO PROSECUTION

Dicrosta’s experience illustrates the long odds of holding people who post nonconsensual porn to account.

Of the 128 U.S. cases Reuters documented, only 28 ended in an arrest and eight resulted in any sort of criminal conviction. Three people went to jail – two for 48 hours each.

Police closed 90 of the cases, including nine for lack of evidence, 12 because investigative leads were exhausted, and 10 because the accusers decided not to pursue charges. The other 38 remained open, including 15 cases marked as “inactive.”

Police documented some cases for “informational purposes only” when the accusers didn’t want to pursue charges but wanted a record of the incident.

Forty-eight states, Washington D.C., Guam and Puerto Rico have criminalized nonconsensual porn in the past two decades. But many laws have loopholes or are weakly enforced, according to lawyers, academics and victim advocates. Repeated efforts by the U.S. Congress to pass federal laws that criminalize nonconsensual porn have failed, largely due to objections by free-speech advocates.

Thirty-eight states classify the sharing of nonconsensual porn as misdemeanors, a low-priority crime for some police departments. Some investigators blame the victims for allowing themselves to be filmed, said Franks, the law professor. “There’s not much sympathy for victims to begin with,” she said.

Many of the state laws now used to fight nonconsensual porn are designed to combat “revenge porn,” in which someone posts explicit images to retaliate against a former partner. But in the OnlyFans cases documented by Reuters, the motive often isn’t just retribution. It’s money.

That’s a barrier to prosecutions in some jurisdictions.

In Florida’s Okaloosa County, a man contacted the sheriff’s office in September 2022 after discovering his ex-girlfriend posted a sex video of them on OnlyFans without his permission. Under Florida law, however, the video must be published with intent to cause “substantial emotional distress.”

“Although the victim expressed emotional distress, the intent of the suspect was financial gain, and therefore the elements of this crime have not been met,” the investigating detective said in the case report, which redacted the man’s name.

Police dropped the case.

‘IT NEVER ENDS’

Many OnlyFans creators rely on other social media to promote their content to potential subscribers. Some videos on OnlyFans are published or leaked on other porn sites. And some are disseminated so widely that victims are powerless to stop them.

Adreiona Prater said she was caught in a viral nightmare.

Prater was 18 when a sex video of her appeared on OnlyFans and other websites. She was attending junior college, studying criminal justice, in Tyler, Texas, in July 2019, when she met and briefly dated Anthony Reshon Scott, then 20.

Prater said she reluctantly allowed Scott to record them having sex but afterward asked him to delete the video. Scott assured her he did, she told police.

In February 2020, Prater discovered the video on Pornhub, another big porn site, and contacted Tyler police. She said she dropped the case after Scott promised to take the video down, but later discovered it on OnlyFans. She watched helplessly as it took off on social media.

On Oct. 6, 2020, a clip appeared on Scott’s Twitter account, revealing her face and naked body, police records show. The caption read, “Check out my onlyfans with over 200+ girls,” and provided a link to Scott’s OnlyFans page. An eight-minute version was also posted to Reddit by an anonymous user, watermarked with the address of Scott’s OnlyFans account.

In comments under the Reddit post, someone identified Prater by posting her social media information, according to screenshots she shared with police. On Instagram, one person asked her: “That was you in that onlyfans vid?”

After being harassed by online stalkers, Prater said she installed a home security system, changed her phone number and called police again, this time in Arlington, Texas, where she’d recently moved.

“I just felt so scared,” she said.

An Arlington police detective investigating Prater’s report ran into a problem: the OnlyFans paywall. It required a $5 monthly subscription fee. “So I was unable to view the contents,” Detective Jacklyn Donalson wrote in a case report. Donalson told Reuters she knew from experience that it would be tough to convince her superiors to pay for a porn subscription, especially when there was no guarantee it would provide usable evidence.

“Like all government agencies, our resources are finite,” said Tim Ciesco, spokesperson for the Arlington Police Department. “We have to be strategic about the way we disperse them.”

The case might have stalled there. Without a subscription, there’s almost no public information on OnlyFans accounts available to investigators. Some seek subpoenas to force OnlyFans to disclose account information, but that involves persuading a court that it’s relevant to an investigation.

In Prater’s case, however, Donalson said she ultimately was able to document enough evidence of a crime without Scott’s OnlyFans information because the video appeared on other platforms, including Twitter.

Spokespeople for Reddit and X didn’t comment on Prater’s case but said their platforms strictly prohibit nonconsensual porn. Pornhub operator Aylo said it “expeditiously” removed the video when it learned about it.

In August 2021, a Tarrant County grand jury indicted Scott for violating Texas’ “revenge porn” law, a felony. The jury cited his Twitter post that advertised his OnlyFans page.

In a conversation that Prater recorded and submitted to police, Scott told her he would pay her to drop the charges, according to the recording, which Reuters reviewed. This time, Prater refused.

Scott pleaded guilty in June 2022 to publishing intimate visual material without Prater’s consent, and received three years of community supervision, akin to probation. “I didn’t do anything wrong,” Scott said in an interview. “I want to leave it at that.”

As police investigated her case, Prater wrote to OnlyFans on Feb. 23, 2021, to complain about the video and give them the name of Scott’s OnlyFans account. The company replied the next day, saying the video would be removed if confirmed to be nonconsensual, according to a screenshot of the message that Prater shared with Reuters.

“We take all reports of this nature extremely seriously,” a help desk representative wrote to her.

Prater said she never heard from OnlyFans again.

According to OnlyFans, the complaint contained “no actionable information.” The company did not elaborate but told Reuters its moderators deactivated the account in April 2022 – more than a year after Prater’s takedown request.

Versions of the sex video remain online, the OnlyFans watermark still visible.

“I still get harassed about it to this day,” Prater said. “It never ends.”

’MY HEART DROPPED. IT WAS ME’

The surge of pornography unleashed by OnlyFans and other websites in the smartphone era is reminiscent of the “Golden Age of Porn,” a period in the 1970s and 1980s when another technological advance – home video players – brought porn to a much wider audience.

As the porn market expands, turbo-charged by social media, so does the challenge of verifying consent.

OnlyFans’ terms of service say creators must have documents to prove the age, identity and consent of other people who appear in their content, unless OnlyFans has already vetted those people as creators too. But multiple creators said in interviews that they have uploaded porn featuring others without providing that proof.

The OnlyFans spokesperson said the company strengthened procedures in late 2022 to require proof of consent before creators could post content on the platform. Yet Reuters found more than a dozen cases filed with U.S. law enforcement agencies in 2023 in which people alleged that explicit videos or images were posted without their consent.

In addition, of the nine people Reuters interviewed who said they were victims of nonconsensual porn, all said they were never asked for documents.

“Even if you have content moderation rules that are fairly clear against nonconsensual intimate images, those rules are abused regularly,” said Danielle Citron, a University of Virginia School of Law professor who has studied online abuse on porn platforms.

While CEO Keily Blair pledges that OnlyFans monitors 100% of content, the terms of service say the company has no obligation to do so: “We are not responsible for reviewing or moderating Content.”

The company spokesperson didn’t address the apparent inconsistency but said: “We know the legal identity of all our creators and work closely with law enforcement around the world. This approach means OnlyFans is an extremely hostile environment for anyone” seeking to share nonconsensual sexual content, she said.

Some women said they were only able to confirm suspicions or rumors of their appearance on OnlyFans by buying access to images or videos of themselves.

Jennifer Aviles told police she initially heard about the explicit videos of herself from her 15-year-old daughter. The teen discovered Twitter posts by Aviles’ ex-boyfriend, William Lewis, that advertised his OnlyFans account with images of her face and body.

“I got my only fans set up if y’all want to see some really GOOD STUFF,” Lewis tweeted on Oct. 18, 2020.

“I looked at it and my heart dropped. It was me,” Aviles, 40, of Woodstock, Illinois, recalled in an interview.

Aviles knew that explicit images and videos had been taken during their eight-year relationship. “I enjoyed being recorded, then watching afterwards,” she said. “I think it’s why most people consent to do intimate videos.”

But she told police that she had asked Lewis to delete the images after they broke up. “Being vulnerable like that involves a lot of trust. Little did I know years later it would haunt me.”

Wanting to know exactly what Lewis had posted of her on his OnlyFans page, she paid for a $50 monthly subscription to his account, she said. She discovered photos and videos of her naked body and of her engaged in sexual acts with Lewis.

Aviles called the Woodstock Police Department.

On Aug. 29, 2021, a detective brought Lewis, 41, to the police station for questioning. During the videotaped interview, which Reuters reviewed, Lewis initially denied posting explicit material of Aviles on OnlyFans or Twitter. Then he said he couldn’t remember. Then he broke down in tears. “I’m hoping this doesn’t ruin the rest of my life,” he said.

In May 2022, Lewis pleaded guilty to one count of nonconsensual dissemination of a sexual image – a felony. He received 24 months of probation.

“I am remorseful,” Lewis told Reuters. “I do feel bad about putting it out there into the universe.”

OnlyFans confirmed it responded to a police inquiry about Aviles’ case in March 2021 and that the account had been deleted the previous November. X didn’t comment on the case but says it bans non-consensual nudity on the platform.

Far from giving consent, 11 women and five men involved in the cases reviewed by Reuters told police they had no idea that images featured on OnlyFans even existed until after they had been posted. Each said the videos had been recorded without their knowledge.

Taysha Blase, 29, was among them.

The Nebraska woman said she had subscribed to her ex-boyfriend’s OnlyFans account out of curiosity. What she found distressed her. Her ex, Vincent Tran, 31, sent out a notification in July 2021 offering his OnlyFans subscribers a 47-second sex video of a “PAWG,” or Phat Ass White Girl, for $15.

The video showed a distinctive tattoo. Blase said it was hers.

The next morning, Blase contacted the Omaha Police Department. She told Reuters she also submitted an online complaint to OnlyFans about Tran’s account but never received a response. According to OnlyFans, “no actionable information” was provided to the platform at that time.

About a month later, Blase said, she heard from the police that her case would be forwarded to the domestic violence unit. By that time, Tran had taken down the video, but Blase still wanted him charged, fearing the post could resurface, she said.

For months, Blase said, she felt distraught and uncomfortable in public, wondering who might have seen her on OnlyFans. “For all I know,” she said, “that person may now know what the most intimate parts of my body look like, and there’s nothing that I can do about it.”

On Dec. 12, 2023 – more than two years after Blase reported the incident to police, and nearly four months after Reuters first inquired about the case – an arrest warrant was issued for Tran. It alleged he recorded and distributed an intimate video of Blase without her consent – felonies in Nebraska.

Tran remains at large. Reuters reached him by telephone, however, and asked about the case.

“That’s something I don’t want to talk about,” he said.

‘WHEN I HAVE SEX … I ALWAYS FILM IT’

One alleged victim of nonconsensual porn is setting her sights on OnlyFans itself: Sammy, the college student.

Her lawsuit, filed in November 2022 in federal court in southern Florida, isn’t just about her alleged rape, but also about who profited from it.

It’s the first of its kind against OnlyFans and tests whether the website is liable under federal statutes designed to protect people from companies that “knowingly” benefit from sex trafficking – defined as commercial sex produced under “force, fraud, or coercion.”

“Those types of claims require that there be a financial benefit to the platform,” said Carrie Goldberg, a New York lawyer specializing in nonconsensual porn cases. “There’s really no easier platform to prove that for than OnlyFans,” she said, because the website takes a 20% cut of every transaction.

Sammy’s lawsuit cites violations of the same sex-trafficking laws used in a high-profile case against Pornhub. In 2021, its parent company, MindGeek, settled a sex-trafficking lawsuit brought by 50 women who accused the site of hosting nonconsensual porn and sought $100 million in damages.

The parent company – now called Aylo Holdings – said it has comprehensive safety measures to eradicate illegal material.

Sammy’s case, if successful, could bring similar attention to OnlyFans and its effectiveness in policing millions of creators, four legal experts told Reuters. It could also spur more lawsuits, they said.

OnlyFans did not comment on the experts’ assessments.

In a court filing, OnlyFans’ U.S. subsidiary, Fenix Internet, said it will seek to have Sammy’s sex-trafficking case dismissed, citing free-speech protections that shield social media platforms and other websites from liability for content posted by users. If the two men did post the video, they would have violated OnlyFans’ terms of service, the company said.

Sammy’s lawsuit against OnlyFans is on hold pending the outcome of the criminal case against the men, Romelus and Charles.

Reuters couldn’t access the video of Sammy’s alleged rape posted on OnlyFans, which her attorney said lasted about 10 minutes. Instead, reporters viewed screenshots and listened to parts of the recording played by Miami-Dade detectives while questioning Romelus and Charles. They also pieced together Sammy’s story from other law enforcement records and interviews with her.

It was spring break in 2022, when Sammy, a music production student and aspiring singer, met Charles, 24, on a dating app. He invited her to a party at his apartment, she told police and Reuters.

She was excited when Charles picked her up that night with Romelus, 27, in the passenger seat. But when the three arrived at the apartment, no one else was there. After some drinks and dancing, the men grew sexually aggressive, she said.

Their behavior culminated in an attack in the bedroom, where Sammy said she was stripped, slapped, raped and sodomized – all while a phone recorded her from atop a dresser.

“I was disoriented, shocked, scared,” she told Reuters. “I was just overwhelmed with how powerless I felt.”

She gathered her clothes and tried to take refuge in the living room, she said, but was again raped there. She said Romelus stood over her, holding his phone close to his head. At the time, Sammy thought he was on FaceTime, talking to someone, and shielded her face with her hands.

In fact, police said, Romelus was recording.

Afterward, the men took her to the workplace of her friend, Chris Philbert. As he drove her home, she broke down, punching the dashboard and swearing, Sammy and Philbert said in interviews. She opened the car door and tried to hurl herself onto the highway, because it felt “like the moment I’m supposed to die,” Sammy said. Her friend pulled her back in. “It was bad,” Philbert said. “It was just a terrible situation.”

Later, she checked herself into a hospital, where she called police.

Meanwhile, Philbert, after learning from Sammy that she might have been filmed, found Romelus’ OnlyFans page. Using OnlyFans’ messaging function, he said he was interested in buying a video of three people having sex, according to screenshots of his chats with Romelus provided to Reuters by the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s office.

On June 30, Romelus sold Philbert the video for $20, the screenshots showed. “More good videos coming my boy,” he told Philbert.

Philbert shared the video with investigators, and on July 26, 2022, Miami-Dade police arrested Romelus and Charles. They both denied they had raped Sammy. “Nobody forced her,” Romelus said in a video-recorded interview with two detectives, which Reuters reviewed.

The detectives played the OnlyFans video for Romelus on a phone. “In the video she says, ‘No, stop.’ Did you hear her?” Detective Nicole Wells said to Romelus. “She’s pushing you off.”

Romelus said he thought she was protesting because he was penetrating her too deeply. She knew she was being recorded and consented, he added. “When I have sex with somebody I always film it.”

When the detectives played the video for Charles, he said he couldn’t hear Sammy saying no and didn’t know the video had been posted on OnlyFans.

It’s unclear how long OnlyFans hosted the video or how many customers viewed it. Eleven days after it was posted, a lawyer for Sammy emailed police and said she was seeking to have it removed from the site “ASAP,” according to Miami-Dade Police Department records. The video has since been removed.

According to OnlyFans, it deactivated the account on July 29, 2022 - three days after Romelus’ arrest. It didn’t comment further on the case.

The OnlyFans video remains key evidence against the defendants, who are out on bond and due to stand trial later this year. Charles declined to comment, as did the public defender’s office representing Romelus.

The detectives questioned Romelus for an hour on the day of his arrest, then left him alone in the interview room.

A camera in the room continued to record.

He sank his head into his hands and spoke quietly to himself. The man who had filmed Sammy seemed unaware he was now being filmed himself.

“I should have never posted that video,” Romelus said. “I’m so stupid.”

[louisisalarrie]

1000 fans theory? tell me more?

hellooooo lovely. of course! welcome to the show!

The 1000 Fans Theory was an essay written by Kevin Kelly, who was (still is? Idk) an influential entertainment and media journalist in 2008. It’s been both widely celebrated, and debated, over the years, and while it’s still referred to these days, it’s not as solid as it once was due to the way creators of the entertainment industry (including influencers) use social platforms and communicate with fans, the awful economy, and the development of so many more media channels now involved in marketing. The artist-to-fan relationship these days is more important than ever, but so much harder to facilitate and uphold due to the influx and oversaturation of media, and people’s attention spans. So I use it loosely sometimes, but let’s dig in to the bulk of it.

This theory, in short, was somewhat initially proposed as an alternative path than trying to just aim for stardom.

The main takeaways from it are:

- the internet is extremely valuable for artists to cultivate and uphold the longevity of their direct artist to fan relationship

- a “true fan”, I guess what we’d call “stans” these days, is someone who will spend approx $100 a year (a bit over $8 per month) on your content/merch/music/art whatever it may be. 1,000 of those? You’re making $100,000 a year.

- however, this is premised on developing a direct relationship, so no middle men taking cuts (managers, publishers, etc.), which was proposed as we now have the internet to cut out a lot of those middlemen (which, again, over time, people have found a way to make money and become said middlemen)

Now, this theory was roughly reliant and in response to the Long Tail Theory, which is a business/marketing/strategy theory that doesn’t really hold up anymore, because of the powerful players in the industry adjusting algorithms and shoving the same big artists in our face over and over again. So it means that people aren’t connecting and finding artists in the way that they once were, because of “songs that you may like” or Twitter recommendations or sponsored ads or whatever, getting in the way. It’s harder to be a niche artist and gain the 1000 true fans or any fans at all, these days.

So, the direct fan to artist relationship is now so much different to what it was back in 2008. And there are heaps of middlemen in play. And everything is so expensive. And even if you were just getting $100,000 a year directly from fans, you would still be paying a heap of overheads running your own business/career.

Anyway

I refer to this theory mainly because it is so much more of a surefire way to have a long-standing and solid career, rather than jump in the deep end and try and spread yourself so thin to reach as many people as possible, that you actually miss out on True Fans and only receive casual fans. It’s the reliance on the algorithm, as opposed to the loyalty of your actual fans and fostering a community. And look… it works for some people. But oftentimes, these folks can end up as one hit wonders or have their career fizzle out hard and fast because they can’t rely on True Fans to buy everything they put out and engage with their posts. They’re seen as fake/money hungry/celebrities who don’t care about their fans. It’s just a different experience.

This theory is old, and works far better in relation to smaller artists when building a platform, and doesn’t super duper relate exactly to louis’ career by any means, but I will say that the dedication and fan loyalty that he has, in comparison to artists that have a more casual fanbase/not as many True Fans, will concrete his career and he wont fall. We won’t let him fall.

You can read the essay online, and also debates against it/updates to the world we live in now, and yeah, it doesn’t hold up as well anymore. But the point stands that if you have a dedicated amount of True Fans who will buy everything you put out, go to shows when you’re in town, engage with your content etc., you are way less likely to burn out hard. And he has our loyalty because of the artist-to-fan relationship we have. It’s not about quantity, it’s about quality. Having 1,000 fans who buy everything and go to your shows, over having 10,000 followers who barely engage with you, is a massive difference to a successful career, and is much to be said for the debates about louis’ streaming/follower numbers.

It may seem like common sense, but definitely is an interesting read when you deep dive into the essay. Anyway, that’s that!

[ausetkmt]

This marks the first week of Black Music Month. 

Declared in 1979 by President Jimmy Carter, the month-long observance celebrates the work of Black artists and music industry giants throughout the years.

In honor of the month, here are five Black-owned music and media applications and programs to check out for the start of Black Music Month. 

Deepr: Launched recently by software designer Austin Webster and a music industry entertainment attorney with experience working for Motown, Darrell Thompson, Deepr is described as a mix of “Shazam and ImDB.” Led alongside a board made up of award-winning musicians and producers such as Drumma Boy, Teddy Riley and Dallas Austin, the app helps users discover new tracks through instant searches. Once the song is recognized, Deepr provides insight into the creators of the track, providing information on both the musicians and the writers. The app recently launched a new widget that allows users to do a deep dive into songs played in shows right as they’re watching the episode. Deepr is available on both the Google Play store and the Apple Store for download.

Splits App: Designed by Jammber CoFounder and CEO Marcus Cobb, the Splits App helps those who are songwriters with tracking information on their work. Using the app, musicians can track the ownership percentage of each contributing writer on the song. As one of the only rights management services app in stores, the Jammber Splits app also helps users officially register their songs and collect any royalties made from the sales of the track. The app is available on the Apple App Store for download.

Fanbase: Created by the son of the late legendary singer Isaac Hayes, Isaac Hayes III, the Fanbase app is for musicians, influencers, artists and any other person who wants to expand their reach. Created in 2018, the app is a subscription social media platform that works to motivate Black content creators and have their work be rewarded with monetary value to bridge the equity gap on other social media sites. With the Fanbase app, every content creator’s work is guaranteed protection. Celebrities that have already endorsed the app by signing up include Snoop Dogg and Charlamagne Tha God, amongst others. The Fanbase app is available for download on both the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store.

The LABZ: Created by founder and CEO Farah Allen, The LABZ is an app that serves multiple purposes with partnerships with companies such as Comcast, Netflix and Amazon. It is a technology platform that allows users to create in an immersive online space. Previously, the app has been used extensively by musicians to collaborate on tracks in real-time.  

Breakr: Founded by four Florida A&M University alumni, Ameer Brown, Anthony Brown, Rotimi Omosheyin and Dan Ware, the Breakr music app helps with “direct-to-creator relationships.” The music marketing platform helps artists share their work by connecting with influencers as part of a collaboration. With these campaigns, the app ensures that content creators are getting paid for their work.

[bestworstcase]

klasdaskdasldas. i have a. great multitude of follow-up questions after the incarnadine post and i am struggling to decide which to ask, if that's okay? uhhhhhhh. i'm definitely curious about the Alsius Meritocratic Party/changes between Mantelian government and Atlesian government!

( the incarnadine post )

brief background: the pre-war mantle had a legislative assembly for which all adult citizens were eligible and selected by lot each year; military and civil magistracies were both elected by the assembly, and the assembly’s agenda was set for it by a theocratic executive body called the chancery. (the state religion was a highly syncretic form of madagian – worship of the four maidens – which remains the dominant religion in atlas today). notionally, the chancery was an elective body but in practice the state church was the king-maker, and decades preceding the great war were marked by a steady erosion of state power from the assembly and the (already somewhat impotent) judiciary.

post-war, reforms imposed by the vytal accords stripped executive power from the chancery (which still exists as the governing body of the state church, itself much diminished in political power) and replaced it with an executive council (6 elective seats, 3 appointed by the elected councilmen). the magistracies and judiciary were also restructured and strengthened but that’s not particularly relevant for the subject of this post; the assembly largely did not change, other than penalties for absences being reduced and the establishment of a procedure for the assemblies to impeach members of the council under certain circumstances.

so!! the executive council has no direct legislative power but because it sets the agenda for the assembly, it exercises quite a lot of indirect legislative influence (in that the council can kill any proposed law by declining to call the assembly for a vote). that plus it’s being elective plus its small size makes it the most powerful branch of the atlesian government and the one political parties typically focus most on controlling.

the AMP arose in reaction to post-war social reforms, primarily related to faunus civil rights but also a raft of new labor laws, which precipitated a migration of wealthy mantelians (in particular, former slave owners, most of whom had operated dust mines reliant on enslaved labor) to the swiftly-growing suburb surrounding atlas academy. (before the great war, atlas academy had been called alsius; hence ‘alsius meritocratic party’)

early on, the main thing the AMP stood against was a set of government programs to bring newly-emancipated fauni into a level economic playing field, which were funded largely by taxes targeted narrowly on industries where slave labor had been ubiquitous. by the present day, the party platform has moderated away from overtly anti-fauni policies (as these are politically toxic) to a broader anti-regulatory, anti-union position. the AMP is reviled in mantle but popular in atlas, which—because four of the six elective council seats are allotted to districts in atlas—has resulted in the AMP holding council majorities more often than not for the last few decades.

aside from the disdain for business regulation and worker rights, the modern AMP platform is built around a philosophy that equal opportunity is desirable, but shouldn’t be achieved by ‘penalizing success’ (i.e., imposing regulations or higher taxes on corporations and wealth). staunchly pro-military, strong support for heavy investment into public education and healthcare, socially egalitarian (nominally; there’s a noticeable covert hostility toward faunus rights still), against government subsidization of industries except for dust mining (although the fringe of the party wants to slash these too; the problem is that atlas/mantle would be uninhabitable without dust, but dust mining in the tundra is incredibly costly. the SDC runs its solitan mines at a loss it offsets in other more profitable markets, further shored up by military contracts; every other atlas-based mining competitor is dependent on government subsidies to stay afloat.)

currently the AMP holds four seats on the council. there’s a popular movement in mantle to expand the number of council seats to eleven by breaking up the mantle ‘districts’ into a seat per major borough, but that has virtually no chance of getting off the ground until/unless an atlas seat flips.

(the non-elective seats are held by 1. headmaster of atlas, 2. army general, and 3. governor of mantle, with the former two currently both held by ironwood; the votes for/against calling an assembly to vote on this proposal are currently three for, five against. if one of the AMP-held atlas seats flips it’ll be four-four and the thinking is that ironwood may be persuadable. if it goes to the assembly it’s all but guaranteed to pass, because the nature of the assembly—a set proportion of the citizen population, selected annually by random lot—means it’s statistically likely in any given year that the assembly’s majority will be working- and middle-class mantelians)

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

Elon Musk’s Malign Influence in Brazil

At 11:02 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time on April 7, 2024, Elon Musk—billionaire investor, tech CEO, and would-be Imperator of Mars—posted on the social media platform he owns, calling for the judge who presides over Brazil’s powerful Superior Electoral Tribunal (TSE) to “resign or be impeached.” In Musk’s view, the judge, Alexandre de Moraes, was guilty of the high crime of censorship.

Days before, Substack author Michael Shellenberger reprised his Twitter files gambit in a post accusing the TSE of “anti-democratic election interference” and decrying the “birth of the Censorship Industrial Complex in Brazil.” The Republican-controlled United States House Judiciary Committee later released a sealed Brazilian Court order, apparently obtained by subpoena, showing that the TSE had ordered Musk to take down about 150 accounts involved in spreading false information about the 2022 Brazilian elections. False claims of fraud in that election culminated in an attempt by ousted President Bolsonaro’s supporters to spark a coup d’etat. In defiance of the TSE, Musk said he would reinstate those accounts; in response, Moraes announced he would include Musk in an investigation into the “digital militias” which contributed to the January 8th, 2022 riots which followed Bolsonaro’s loss. Musk ultimately relented. The accounts remained offline, and the platform formerly known as Twitter avoided a potential ban in one of its largest markets.

In the Brazilian context, Musk is perhaps best understood as a far-right variant of what the US government sometimes calls “malign foreign influence” (a term I have long disliked for its potentially xenophobic interpretations, despite the often good intentions of those that use it). Even when he plays the fool, Musk and his ilk should be considered with deadly seriousness.

Continue reading.

[odinsblog]

Billionaire fossil fuel mogul David Koch died August 23, 2019. Though he will rightfully be remembered for his role in the destruction of the earth, David Koch’s influence went far beyond climate denial. Ronald Reagan may have uttered the famous words, “Government is not the solution to our problem, government is the problem” back in 1981—but it was David Koch, along with his elder brother Charles and a cabal of other ultrarich individuals, who truly reframed the popular view of government. Once a democratic tool used to shape the country’s future, government became seen as something intrusive and inefficient—indeed, something to be feared.

“While Charles was the mastermind of the social reengineering of the America he envisioned,” said Lisa Graves, co-director of the corporate watchdog group Documented, “David was an enthusiastic lieutenant.”

David Koch was particularly instrumental in legitimizing anti-government ideology—one the GOP now holds as gospel. In 1980, the younger Koch ran as the vice-presidential nominee for the nascent Libertarian Party. And a newly unearthed document shows Koch personally donated more than $2 million to the party—an astounding amount for the time—to promote the Ed Clark–David Koch ticket.

“Few people realize that the anti-American government antecedent to the Tea Party was fomented in the late ’70s with money from Charles and David Koch,” Graves continued. “The Libertarian Party, fueled in part with David’s wealth, pushed hard on the idea that government was the problem and the free market was the solution to everything.”

In fact, according to Graves, “The Koch-funded Libertarian Party helped spur on Ronald Reagan’s anti-government, free-market-solves-all agenda as president.”

Even by contemporary standards, the 1980 Libertarian Party platform was extreme. It called for the abolition of a wide swath of federal agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration, the Department of Energy, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Federal Aviation Administration, the Bureau of Land Management, the Federal Election Commission, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, the Federal Trade Commission, and “all government agencies concerned with transportation.” It railed against campaign finance and consumer protection laws, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, any regulations of the firearm industry (including tear gas), and government intervention in labor negotiations. And the platform demanded the repeal of all taxation, and sought amnesty for those convicted of tax “resistance.”

Koch and his libertarian allies moreover advocated for the repeal of Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and other social programs. They wanted to abolish federally mandated speed limits. They opposed occupational licensure, antitrust laws, labor laws protecting women and children, and “all controls on wages, prices, rents, profits, production, and interest rates.” And in true libertarian fashion, the platform urged the privatization of all schools (with an end to compulsory education laws), the railroad system, public roads and the national highway system, inland waterways, water distribution systems, public lands, and dam sites.

The Libertarian Party never made much of a splash in the election—though it did garner almost 12 percent of the vote in Alaska—but doing so was never the point. Rather, the Kochs were engaged in a long-term effort to normalize the aforementioned ideas and mainstream them into American politics.

(continue reading)

[michaelespositostatenisland]

Michael Esposito Staten Island - Influencer Marketing Strategies for Explosive Brand Influence and Business Growth

The advent of the digital age has introduced a fresh phase of consumer behavior. Gone are the days of blind trust in traditional advertising. Today's savvy audiences crave authenticity, connection, and recommendations from trusted voices. This is where influencer marketing steps onto the stage, offering a potent blend of brand storytelling and audience engagement. Michael Esposito Staten Island - Mastering Influencer Marketing for Effective Brand Influence demonstrates how this approach can be leveraged to achieve remarkable results.

However, navigating the vast influencer landscape can feel like wandering through a social media jungle. Fear not, intrepid marketer! By wielding the following strategies, you can craft an influencer marketing campaign that ignites brand influence and propels your business towards exponential growth.

Know Your Audience: Precision Over Popularity

The initial step involves discarding the mindset that favors larger sizes as inherently better. Despite the substantial followings of mega-influencers, their ability to reach a specific audience may not be as effective as that of carefully chosen micro-influencers. Research conducted by Socialbakers demonstrates that micro-influencers (typically with 10,000 to 50,000 followers) frequently achieve engagement rates that surpass those of mega-influencers by sixfold. Here's why:

Niche Expertise: Micro-influencers tend to cultivate deep connections with their followers, fostering a sense of community and trust built around a specific niche. Partnering with micro-influencers within your target demographic allows you to tap into a highly engaged audience already receptive to your brand message.

Authentic Advocacy: Forget robotic endorsements. Micro-influencers are often passionate about the industries they represent, making their content feel genuine and relatable. This authenticity resonates with audiences who yearn for real connections and honest recommendations.

Embrace the Power of Storytelling: Content is King (and Queen)

Effective influencer marketing goes beyond product placement. It's about weaving brand narratives into the fabric of the influencer's content. Here's how to unlock the power of storytelling:

Collaborative Content Creation: Don't dictate; collaborate. Work with influencers to understand their content style and create campaigns that feel organic within their feed. This ensures brand messaging resonates seamlessly without compromising the influencer's voice or authenticity.

Interactive Experiences: Move beyond static images. Leverage the power of interactive formats like live streams, Q&A sessions, and interactive polls to foster real-time engagement with your target audience. Encourage user-generated content (UGC) that furthers the brand narrative and fosters a sense of community around your brand.

Data-Driven Content Strategy: Don't be afraid to experiment. Track what resonates best with your target audience by analyzing engagement metrics across different content formats. Use this data to refine your influencer selection process and create future content that sparks conversations and drives action.

Harness the Power of Social Listening: Identify Your Brand Advocates

Social listening tools offer a goldmine of insights to identify potential influencer partners. These platforms allow you to monitor conversations within your industry and identify individuals who are already organically discussing products or services relevant to your brand. Look for voices generating positive buzz and engaging their audience with informative and engaging content. This approach allows you to:

Discover Untapped Gems: Unearth passionate advocates who may not yet be on your radar. These individuals already possess brand affinity and their genuine enthusiasm has the power to resonate deeply with your target audience.

Understand Influencer Performance: Analyze the types of content and messaging that resonate with audiences within your target demographic. This can help you curate collaborations that are more likely to generate positive sentiment and drive conversions.

Measure and Adapt: Refining Your Influencer Marketing Strategy

Don't think of an influencer marketing campaign as a one-shot deal. It's more like a strategic partnership that needs continuous optimization. Track key metrics across all platforms, including:

Engagement Rates: Measure likes, comments, shares, and saves to gauge audience interaction with the influencer's content.

Website Traffic: Track how many visitors are directed to your website through the influencer's channels.

Conversion Rates: Analyze how many visitors take action on your website, such as making a purchase or signing up for a newsletter.

By analyzing these metrics, you can:

Refine Influencer Selection: Identify influencers who consistently deliver the strongest results for your brand.

Optimize Content Strategy: Learn what types of content resonate most with your target audience.

Adapt Campaign Goals: Refine your goals based on the campaign's performance and adjust your strategy for future collaborations.

Finally, influencer marketing stands as a formidable strategy for brands to cultivate brand influence and drive business growth in the digital age. By embracing effective strategies, nurturing authentic partnerships, and adapting to evolving trends and technologies, brands can harness the full potential of influencer marketing to propel their influence and achieve sustained business growth. Michael Esposito Staten Island: Harnessing Influencer Marketing for Business Growth provides valuable insights into how brands can successfully leverage this approach. As the influencer marketing landscape continues to evolve, staying abreast of emerging strategies and technological advancements will be pivotal for brands aiming to elevate their influence and drive exponential business growth.

In summary, influencer marketing strategies play a pivotal role in shaping brand influence and driving business growth, offering brands a compelling avenue to resonate with their audience, foster credibility, and achieve sustained success in the competitive digital landscape.

[music-ntproduction]

Discover the Benefits of Music Worx: A Comprehensive Guide

Are you an artist or DJ looking to make waves in the music industry? Look no further than Music Worx! This comprehensive guide will unveil Music Worx's plethora of benefits, from boosting your music career to reaching a wider audience. Let's dive into how this powerful platform can take your music promotion game to the next level.

How Music Worx Can Benefit Artists And Djs

Music Worx provides a valuable platform for artists and DJs to showcase their work to a global audience. By utilizing this service, musicians can gain exposure and recognition in the industry, ultimately leading to increased opportunities for collaboration and performance.

One key benefit of Music Worx is its ability to connect artists with record labels, radio stations, and music influencers. This networking opportunity can open doors for artists looking to expand their reach and grow their fan base.

Moreover, Music Worx offers detailed analytics that allows users to track the performance of their releases. Artists and DJs can monitor metrics such as downloads, streams, and chart positions, enabling them to make informed decisions about their promotional strategies.

Music Worx is a powerful tool for emerging talents seeking to establish themselves in the competitive music landscape.

The Features Of Music Worx

Music Worx offers many features designed to streamline music promotion for artists and DJs. One standout feature is its user-friendly interface, making it easy to navigate and use even for those new to the platform.

With Music Worx, users can access a vast database of tracks across various genres, providing ample opportunities for discovery and collaboration. The platform allows artists to submit their music directly to record labels and industry professionals, increasing visibility and potential career opportunities.

Music Worx offers detailed analytics and feedback on-track performance, allowing users to make informed decisions about their promotional strategies. The ability to create personalized promo pools for specific audiences further enhances targeted marketing efforts.

Music Worx is a comprehensive tool that empowers musicians to elevate their careers in the competitive music industry.

How To Use Music Worx Effectively For Music Promotion

Are you an artist or DJ looking to elevate your music promotion game? Music Worx is here to help you amplify your reach and connect with a broader audience.

Create a compelling profile on Music Worx that effectively showcases your brand and music style. This will grab the attention of potential listeners and industry professionals browsing the platform.

Utilize the platform's playlist submission feature to get your tracks in front of influential curators who can boost your visibility. Engage with other users by commenting on tracks, sharing feedback, and networking within the community.

Take advantage of Music Worx's analytics tools to track the performance of your releases and gain valuable insights into listener behavior. Use this data to refine your promotional strategies and tailor your content for maximum impact.

By leveraging all of Music Worx's powerful features, you can take control of your music promotion efforts and unlock new opportunities for success in the competitive music industry.

Tips For Maximizing The Benefits Of Music Worx

By following these tips and using Music Worx to its full potential, artists and DJs can maximize this powerful platform's benefits. From accessing new promotional tools to connecting with a global network of industry professionals, Music Worx offers unparalleled opportunities for advancing your music career. Embrace the features, engage with the community, and watch your music reach new heights with Music Worx. Start making waves in the music industry today!