#Podcasting Revenue

[jellogram]

It's crazy how like, Logan Paul was rebuilding his image at one point. He was criticizing himself for past actions. He was talking shit about his brother's shitty actions. In the first year or two of his podcast I was seeing people talk about how it seemed like he was improving as a person, or at least not sounding like quite the same immature fuckwad that he was before.

And then he went you know what? Fuck that. I want to team up with two other fuckwads and sell mold to children.

[hyruviandoctor]

Hey since the ads are everywhere right now with that awful flesh hat guy, I thought you guys should be aware that Tubi is owned by Fox. Like, the Rupert Murdoch Fox. The Fox that owns Fox News. The Fox that radicalized everyone's family into hatemongers. Tubi is (or at least was) the only arm of their business that was profitable, largely because they do not advertise that they're owned by Fox and are purposefully going after young adults and teenagers who typically lean left (because those people will not touch their other streaming service or their cable network). Just something to be aware of if you decided to sign up to watch the Super Bowl.

[earningtrends]

Strategies for monetizing YouTube and podcasting

Unleash Your Online Dominance: Proven Tactics for Maximizing YouTube and Podcast Earnings In the ever-evolving digital landscape, YouTube and podcasting have emerged as powerful platforms for entrepreneurs and business owners to captivate audiences, build brand loyalty, and unlock lucrative revenue streams. Mastering these dynamic mediums can propel your venture to new heights, positioning you…

[sudokufriend]

i also feel as though the reason that it’s so popular with allistic folks with no emotional connection to any autistic person is because of allistic people’s tendency to voyeuristically want to cure autistic people. separately from parents of autistic children being deeply ableist that they believe that their child would be better off dead from ‘corrective’ abuse than autistic, these people love to look at us, and instead of correcting their ableist behaviour and beliefs, instead they want to stand firm in their belief that we can be saved. they don’t have compassion for the vulnerable in their population, they want to be told that we’re not vulnerable, and deny the very real harm caused to us by them.

these people don’t believe in indigo children or whatever either. but it is functionally the same thing, they just want a scientific coat of paint to help excuse their ableism. it feels like an argument against those ‘annoying’ autistic activists who keep telling them to meet people where they’re at, and allows these ableists to say ‘nuh uh! i have a study that discredits you (and your community work and decades of lived experience)!’

like the reason andrew wakefield’s bogus autism and vaccine study got spread so far despite near immediate pushback from scientists is because the media - and the public more widely - fetishises us, and affirms their belief that autistic people need to be saved, and not met where we are at. in a world where everyone is capable of the same actions and level of thought, no one needs accomodations, and no one (allistic people) needs to be inconvenienced again.

'The Telepathy Tapes' is Dangerous, Unscientific Nonsense that Promotes a Widely Discredited "Communication Method" Used to Abuse Autistic Kids

Facilitated Communication is bunk, with many facilitators having used it to put words in the mouths of children. This massively popular podcast is just the latest instance of abuse involving FC.

I have been getting a lot of questions lately about the incredibly popular podcast The Telepathy Tapes, which briefly unseated The Joe Rogan experience as the most listened-to show on the Spotify charts this past fall, and has been occupying a comfortable position in the top five most popular podcasts ever since. The Telepathy Tapes has an enviable 4.6 star rating on Apple Music and a 4.8 on Spotify, with nearly 5,000 reviews on each platform apiece, and the show’s been covered everywhere from Variety and The Atlantic to the Rogan-esque Jay Shetty show.

For the uninitiated, it’s show about how nonverbal Autistics have psychic powers. Yeah, I’m distressed at how well it’s caught on, too.

Per Spotify, “The Telepathy Tapes dares to explore the profound abilities of non-speakers with autism - individuals who have long been misunderstood and underestimated. These silent communicators possess gifts that defy conventional understanding, from telepathy to otherworldly perceptions, challenging the limits of what we believe to be real…Through emotional stories and undeniable evidence, The Telepathy Tapes offers a fresh perspective on the profound connections that exist beyond words.”

Much of the ‘undeniable evidence’ that The Telepathy Tapes relies upon comes from the practice of facilitated communication (FC), a widely discredited interpretation method in which an abled facilitator supposedly draws words out of a nonverbal Autistic client by taking hold of the client’s arm or hand and “assisting” them in typing out meaningful messages.

Facilitated communication (also known as assisted typing, supported typing, or the rapid prompting method) was introduced by a variety of different practitioners and support staff throughout the 1960s and 1970s — it seems many care providers who worked with Autistic kids each independently had the idea of being a disabled child’s “voice” by helping them type.

The facilitated communication method was dismissed as unscientific by practitioners in Denmark in the 1970s. Then, FC reemerged in popularity throughout the 1980s and 1990s largely thanks to the advocacy of an Australian special educator named Rosemary Crossley. News articles throughout the period celebrated FC as a revolutionary new method that could help bring notoriously hard-to-reach Autistics outside of themselves. Gruesome accusations of child sexual abuse were collected by teachers and specialists using FC on their nonverbal students, leading to incarcerations even when there wasn’t any other evidence.

Facilitated communication was experiencing a major boom. And then, over 40 peer-reviewed studies came out showing no evidence that facilitation communication actually worked — virtually all of it suggesting that facilitators were ‘interfering’ with nonverbal clients’ reports. Throughout the 1990s, the American Psychological Association, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, and the International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication all issued strong statements against the use of facilitated communication, all of which it stands by to this day.

To quote from the American Speech-Language Hearing Association’s current guidelines on the subject:

FC is a discredited technique that should not be used. There is no scientific evidence of the validity of FC, and there is extensive scientific evidence—produced over several decades and across several countries—that messages are authored by the "facilitator" rather than the person with a disability. Furthermore, there is extensive evidence of harms related to the use of FC. Information obtained through the use of FC should not be considered as the communication of the person with a disability.

I wrote all about the history of Facilitated Communication and The Telepathy Tapes. You can read the full thing for free (or have it narrated to you by the Substack app) here.

[unkstaarwysbr]

Navigating the Midseason Tournament: A Multifaceted Discussion

In TSDS 279, the participants embark on an exploration of the format and significance of the proposed midseason tournament. One participant highlights the potential prestige associated with the tournament’s championship game, suggesting it could elevate the event to a coveted status within the season. This implies that teams will be motivated to compete fiercely and claim victory, infusing a new…

[aeth-eris]

★ how to maximize profits via 2nd house ★

aries in the 2nd house can maximize profits by capitalizing on their entrepreneurial drive and competitive spirit. aries benefits from fast-paced, high-energy ventures where they can lead and make quick decisions. they might excel by launching a fitness training program, offering personal coaching services, or starting a motivational brand that sells products like athletic apparel, energy drinks, or performance gear. aries could also find success with subscription boxes focused on high-adrenaline hobbies like hiking, martial arts, or adventure sports. by embracing ventures that allow them to innovate quickly and take the lead, aries can build profitable businesses that leverage their passion and high energy.

taurus in the 2nd house is well-suited for steady financial growth through high-quality, long-term investments and products. they thrive in businesses that emphasize luxury, beauty, and quality, such as a high-end skincare line, organic foods business, or eco-friendly clothing brand. taurus could also consider starting a boutique furniture store that sells artisan-crafted or vintage items, as they appreciate products with enduring value. with their talent for creating a comforting atmosphere, taurus might excel with a bed and breakfast, a spa, or a wellness center that offers relaxation services. taurus maximizes profits by focusing on products that prioritize quality and offer a luxurious experience, appealing to clients who value longevity and craftsmanship.

gemini in the 2nd house can boost profits by tapping into their adaptability and communication skills, especially in diverse, mentally stimulating fields. they could thrive by starting a digital marketing agency, offering copywriting or editing services, or launching an online course platform that covers a wide range of topics to cater to curious minds. with their natural social skills, gemini could also excel in creating a networking app or social media consulting service. offering services like translation, podcasting, or even freelance journalism can keep income flowing, as gemini is well-suited to manage multiple streams of revenue. their knack for curiosity-driven ventures and networking makes them ideal for businesses that involve idea-sharing, quick adaptability, and community engagement.

cancer in the 2nd house can increase earnings by focusing on nurturing and emotionally resonant businesses that bring comfort to others. they might start a home-cooked meal delivery service, a childcare center, or a family-focused event planning service that organizes intimate gatherings like birthdays and reunions. cancer could also do well in real estate, particularly with home staging or property management that emphasizes creating warm, inviting spaces. they could excel in interior decorating, especially with a focus on cozy, family-oriented spaces, or start a handcrafted candle or blanket line. by building businesses that revolve around care, comfort, and family, cancer can create loyal clients and establish long-term success through emotional connections.

leo in the 2nd house maximizes profits by showcasing their creativity and leadership, often excelling in businesses that allow them to stand out and build a brand. leo could find success with a personal brand consultancy, fashion line, or luxury event planning business. they might enjoy launching a social media channel focused on lifestyle or self-improvement, where they can attract sponsorships or sell branded merchandise. leo also thrives in roles where they can influence and inspire others, so they might consider starting a motivational speaking business, an acting or dance academy, or a high-end boutique. with their flair for self-expression, leo profits best when they create high-quality, visually captivating products and services that let their star power shine through.

virgo in the 2nd house finds financial success through practical, detail-oriented services that provide high value and efficiency. they excel in businesses that involve organization, health, and precision, such as financial consulting, tax preparation, or a personal organizing service. virgo might also thrive with a nutrition or wellness coaching business, offering tailored health plans or holistic products like herbal supplements or self-care kits. a digital bookkeeping service, copyediting business, or virtual assistant agency could also bring them steady profits, as virgo’s meticulous nature appeals to clients who seek reliability and structure. by focusing on services that emphasize quality and organization, virgo builds a reputation for excellence that attracts a steady client base.

libra in the 2nd house can increase earnings by leveraging their skills in diplomacy, aesthetics, and partnerships. they could start a wedding planning business, a floral design company, or a luxury lifestyle brand that sells carefully curated home décor items. libra would also excel in public relations consulting or brand management roles, where they can help clients present a refined, balanced image. creating a high-end art gallery, a boutique law firm, or a relationship coaching service could also align well with libra’s skills. libra thrives in partnership-focused ventures, so building collaborative business models or co-founding a business with others can also enhance their profitability and bring a sense of harmony to their financial life.

scorpio in the 2nd house maximizes profits by tapping into their ability to handle intensity and complexity, often succeeding in fields like finance, psychology, and research. scorpio could build wealth by creating a private investigation firm, a psychotherapy practice, or a financial planning service specializing in wealth management or estate planning. they might also thrive in real estate investment, particularly with properties that need transformation, such as flipping houses or managing rental properties. scorpio may also excel in businesses related to holistic healing, offering reiki or shadow work coaching. by focusing on industries that require trust, depth, and resilience, scorpio can attract clients who value privacy and are willing to invest in transformational services.

sagittarius in the 2nd house can increase profits by embracing their love for adventure, growth, and education. they could launch a travel agency specializing in unique cultural experiences, a language learning platform, or a motivational speaking business that offers courses and workshops. sagittarius could also thrive by creating a publishing company focused on philosophical or inspirational content or starting a tour guiding business for international destinations. their enthusiasm for knowledge makes them great at teaching, so they might consider offering online courses or starting a coaching business in a field they’re passionate about. by aligning with growth-oriented ventures, sagittarius can attract an audience that values inspiration and big-picture thinking.

capricorn in the 2nd house maximizes profits through disciplined, long-term planning and a practical approach to business. they’re well-suited for businesses like a corporate consulting firm, project management agency, or investment portfolio service. capricorn could also do well in real estate development, particularly with rental properties or commercial buildings. they might find success by starting a financial advisory firm or creating a luxury goods company focused on high-end, timeless products like leather goods or fine jewelry. by aligning with industries that reward patience and professionalism, capricorn can build a solid financial foundation and enjoy steady growth, often seeing long-term success through conservative but reliable investments.

aquarius in the 2nd house can increase profits by focusing on innovation, technology, and humanitarian ventures. they might launch a tech startup, a renewable energy company, or a social media platform that prioritizes community and ethical interaction. aquarius could also find success with a nonprofit organization focused on social justice, an eco-friendly product line, or a collaborative workspace for creatives and freelancers. their futuristic mindset makes them perfect for ventures in artificial intelligence, blockchain technology, or virtual reality. by aligning their finances with progressive and forward-thinking industries, aquarius can attract clients and customers who value innovation and social impact.

pisces in the 2nd house maximizes profits by leaning into their creativity, compassion, and spirituality. they may thrive in a music or art therapy practice, a spiritual coaching business, or a holistic wellness center that offers services like yoga, meditation, and crystal healing. pisces could also succeed by creating a boutique art studio, a dream journal line, or a subscription service for wellness products like essential oils, herbal teas, and calming rituals. they’re drawn to businesses that help others heal or connect with their inner selves, so they may also find success in fields like astrology, psychic readings, or intuitive counseling. by aligning with businesses that emphasize emotional well-being and creativity, pisces can build a profitable venture that resonates deeply with clients who seek personal and spiritual growth.

[dessarchive]

now introducing the future of music and entertainment, endless options of sound (eos)

eos is an app that i script into most of my drs. i got inspired to create it after coming across a video on youtube of someone re-designing spotifys UI. i’ve used spotify, apple music, amazon music, youtube music, and many more music streaming services and none of them ever lived up to my expectations, so i thought why not create what i’ve always wanted? i took a long hard look at all of the features i wish the current apps had and put them all into one. i posted about it before on my previous account but didn’t go into the actual details much. it started as a music streaming app when it was launched but became much more than that. it’s one of my favorite parts of my drs because i’m an avid music listener and the features are to die for. eos is the only music streaming app in my drs. i also have a ceo dr where i’m the ceo of it because this app has basically become my child!!! anyways here’s what i have after working on it for months!

eos was launched on october 31, 2001 by robyn fenty (she’s older LMAO) and aliyah haughton. the app immediately gained popularity as the first and only music streaming service. it was created as a space where everyone could enjoy music. years later it implemented audiobooks, podcasts, music videos, interviews, merch, and concert tickets. it stands out with its flawless performance that never crashes or has bugs, its exceptional algorithm for fresh experiences each playtime, and its features like eosoulmates that connects users through shared music tastes.

lyrics and subtitles are always available in any language desired by the user and the platform includes organization like no other. exclusive presale codes are able for top listeners of specific artists because the app has its own ticketing system. eos is free for all users as the founders wanted to make a space to unify people during life’s challenge. to maintain this while making sure artists are fairly paid, revenue is generated through a share of concert ticket and merchandise sales, in-app donations directly supporting artists, non-intrusive sponsorships and partnerships, and grants from philanthropic organizations. this guarantees that eos stays true to making music accessible while supporting creators and users globally.

to expand on existing sounds of music and entertainment, the service implemented dolby atmos to its highest quality with no extra price to artists for using it.

eos also features eos karaoke: sing it your way. within this are lyrics that are displayed in perfect sync with customizable highlighting options, while users can adjust the original vocals (mute, reduce, or add harmonies) for a personalized performance. advanced pitch tracking gives real-time feedback, along with timing guides and a practice mode for perfecting songs. voice effects like reverb, autotune, and fun filters are available to take things to a higher level or have fun with friends and family. dual-screen mode connects to tvs for party setups and users can enjoy duets with friends or group singing for up to 10 people. karaoke playlists are curated based on mood, listening habits, or vocal range. sessions can be recorded and shared with friends or on social media. a scoring system with feedback helps users improve their singing while earning fun badges. eos karaoke also offers live virtual karaoke rooms, offline mode for downloaded tracks, and customizable themes for lyric screens and backgrounds. a special kid-friendly mode ensures the fun for all age groups.

eos allows music and entertainment to be accessible, fun, and, immersive to everyone.

[theambitiouswoman]

15 ways to diversify your income & take control of your financial future:

1. Start a side hustle

💻 Freelancing: Offer services like writing, graphic design or virtual assistance

📦 E-commerce: Sell products on platforms like Etsy, Shopify, Amazon

📸 Content creation: Monetize social media through brand partnerships or affiliate marketing

2. Invest in assets

🏡 Real estate: Buy rental properties or invest in REITs

📈 Stocks and bonds: Build a diversified investment portfolio

💎 Crypto or precious metals: Explore alternative investments

3. Create passive income

📚 Digital products: Write an eBook, create an online course or sell templates

🎥 YouTube channel: Earn through ad revenue, sponsorships, and memberships

📊 Affiliate marketing: Partner with brands to earn a commission on referrals

4. Start a business

👗 Product based business: Create and sell your own brand of beauty, fashion or wellness products

🛠️ Service based business: Start consulting, coaching, or offering niche services

5. Build Your personal brand

💼 Public speaking: Get paid for sharing your expertise

🎤 Podcasting: Monetize through sponsorships or exclusive content

6. Invest in education

📖 Upskill: Learn high demand skills that increase your earning potential

👩‍🏫 Teach: Offer paid workshops or mentoring programs

[technofeudalism]

i've got one more wall of text in me for today. i'm sorry, but hopefully this helps more people than it annoys.

i understand the concerns people have about social media being captured to technofascist oligarchs and i share them.

however, and you can call me a boomer for this if you'd like, i am way more worried about the fact that we are watching a scarier replay of the 2016 hyper-normalization of Donald Trump already being carried out in mainstream/establishment news outlets.

Some political operatives on the right, who saw mainstream media coverage of Trump’s first term as overly hostile, say the way the press covered Trump’s first term unwittingly did him a favor.   “I do expect that the media coverage will be a little different in tone,” one national Republican strategist told The Hill this week. “Not because the media is all of a sudden planning on being more objective and less biased, but because they probably finally recognize that their over-the-top hysterical coverage has done nothing but help Trump politically.”  

there are many reason this freaks me out worse, but i can sum up a couple of them.

the rhetoric this time is a magnitude more insane and suddenly alarmingly expansionist. logic would suggest this would justify an even more critical evaluation from the media that they are seemingly neglecting to provide.

the public, thanks to total dereliction of duty by the Democrats, are far more geared up for fascist shit than ever, but are totally ignorant to how this is going to happen (concentration camps)

speaking of the Democratic party: following a series of humiliating, high profile L's, the party finds themselves leaderless and less popular than they've been in 30 years at the worst time. when asked to name the leader of the Democratic Party, 49% of registered voters couldn’t name a person or said “nobody.”

before i continue, i know that there has been a dramatic decrease in people who get their news from traditional media and instead rely on social media, podcasts and the like. that makes sense. people aren't watching cable news anymore, chiefly because fewer and fewer people under the age of 30 even have cable TV and they definitely aren't paying for a New York Times subscription.

but what people fail to consider is that the "news" people consume via social media is often rehashed or half-baked, word of mouth versions of reporting conducted by the mainstream media or the journalists who work for them. there are still journalists working for these publications who take advantage of the increased exposure podcasts provide and go on them to talk about their writing.

people hear the same stories at the end of the day, but the way the issue is initially framed when the story first "breaks" and how it is approached by other outlets who follow up on it is significant. it's a lot less work to have to clean up and suppress news on your platform when the news is already favorable to your cause.

think along the lines of a massive disinformation campaign emerging from one outlet, social media being thrown into a complete frenzy and the only journalist who knows the truth from another outlet hesitating to speak out because of threats from his publisher to keep outrage revenue high or, perhaps more ominously, to directly serve the interest of the fascists in charge.

the US media has always been servile to whims of corporate interests because... well... they are owned by the corporate interests.

but up until today, i was holding out some sliver of hope that even if the NYT, for example, wasn't taking up antifascist actions, they would hold onto a tiny bit of reliability as a further watered down version of itself. an increasingly rare, delicate weapon against misinformation on social media, as opposed to being another tool wielded by fascists on aforementioned social media to grow legitimacy and manufacture consent.

then i saw this. my feeling is now that if the New York Times can't even write a headline - with THAT photograph underneath it - that says in plain English "Elon Musk Makes Nazi Salute Twice at Trump Inauguration," then there is going to be a frightening decrease in quality journalism being funded by mainstream outlets coming.

if you are not sure what to do and you want to be well informed, i have two suggestions. the first and most important, most difficult one that is a skill hard to master, is to develop decent media literacy and an ability to derive context from history.

the second is to build a network of trustworthy local, national and global sources that you can count on. ideally, they would be completely independent and free from editorial oversight or corporate control.

here are some of my recommendations. all of them are flawed. never rely on one source. do not immediately accept something as the truth from any single source. everyone is capable of accidentally getting a detail wrong, or even deliberately misleading.

Dropsite News - ran by Ryan Grim, Jeremy Scahill

The Intercept - sadly running out of money, alleged CIA ties

Democracy Now! - more center-left, better domestically

Jacobin - wide variety, sometimes shitty takes, Alex Press is great

The Grayzone - this one is controversial (mainly just to liberals) and they make no qualms about being committed to reporting from an anti-imperialist view of the world

Black Agenda Report - perspective from Black leftists. founded by Glen Ford (RIP), a Black Panther and accomplished investigative journalist

Hasan Piker - hate him, love him, neutral, doesn't matter. he's the largest independent political commentator on the left (by far), covering news and misinformation 9 hours a day. you can think he has shit takes, but he's still a reliable source and has been insanely accurate with his opinions

The Majority Report - been around forever, Sam Seder & Emma Vigeland are amazing, once home to the incredible Michael Jamal Brooks (RIP)

Breakthrough News

Labor Notes

Ben Norton @ Global Political Economy

Caitlin Johnstone (AUS)

these are just what i could come up with but there are many more if you do a little bit of digging using these as a baseline. just remember that the source ultimately is irrelevant and will have it's own biases. it is up to you to separate fact and fiction.

[neil-gaiman]

Hello, Mr. Gaiman:

My friend and I started a podcast recently where we discuss the Marvel Cinematic Universe and fanfiction related to Marvel. At first we didn’t think the strike would relate to our independent project and we’ve planned to dedicate the beginning of our next episode to aline our support for the strike.

But since our podcast is fan promotion for Marvel we are wondering if it would be better to pause.

Please, let me know your opinion.

Thank you

If you have a podcast where you are contracted as an influencer to promote a studio, then you should absolutely stop.

If you are making a fan podcast about Marvel movies then there's no reason to stop and every reason to talk in each episode about the strike and what it's about, and how Marvel movies have so far made over 28 billion dollars in profit*, and that all of the Writers financial Demands could be settled with about half a percent of those profits.

*not revenue. Profit.

[gaykarstaagforever]

I think Todd in the Shadows is also a good example of how long it can take to put out videos, if you're researching / writing / producing them yourselves:

One a month? One every three months? It takes time to do all this.

If someone is dropping a weekly hour-long commentary video that isn't just them podcast-ranting about too many gays, they either work with a team, or are stealing.

And if they work with a team, they should credit them, so we know whose art or words are a part of this.

Sarah Z does it like this.

Jenny Nicholson does two huge videos a year, because I'm pretty sure she does them all herself. This content takes MONTHS to put together.

If you like a non-corporate channel and they're dropping slick videos daily or weekly, that's a red flag. You should probably narrow your eyes at where this content is coming from.

...Or they just don't sleep and use hard stimulants. But that also makes the content suspect, in its own ways.

You're not an unsupervised 11 year old. Be more mindful about what you're consuming. Stop generating revenue for dipshits who don't want real jobs.

"HEY I DON'T CARE IT IS JUST CONTENT I'M TIRED AND -- "

You can either stand against the dystopia, or get eaten by it. Grow the fuck up.

[vague-humanoid]

This is the story of how Google Search died, and the people responsible for killing it.

The story begins on February 5th 2019, when Ben Gomes, Google’s head of search, had a problem. Jerry Dischler, then the VP and General Manager of Ads at Google, and Shiv Venkataraman, then the VP of Engineering, Search and Ads on Google properties, had called a “code yellow” for search revenue due to, and I quote, “steady weakness in the daily numbers” and a likeliness that it would end the quarter significantly behind.

@quasi-normalcy @britomartis

[bekabloodhound]

The last Bandcamp Friday of the year is tomorrow!! That's where Bandcamp waives their revenue share for 24 hours and passes the funds directly to the artists. It's the perfect opportunity to see if any of your top Spotify wrapped artists, podcasts and audio dramas can be supported more directly! Let's give our favs a year-end bonus!

[sam-keeper]

baby you spent time editing that podcast but uploaded just to spotify?

baby you drew that comic but put it on webtoons or tapas?

baby you wrote that whole essay but put it on substack or medium?

you're worth so much more than just content for some ceo to make ad or subscription revenue off of

[probablyasocialecologist]

Gyan Abhishek is standing in front of a giant touch screen, like Jim Cramer on Mad Money or an ESPN talking head analyzing a football play. He’s flicking through a Facebook feed of viral, AI-generated images. “The post you are seeing now is of a poor man that is being used to generate revenue,” he says in Hindi, pointing with his pen to an image of a skeletal elderly man hunched over being eaten by hundreds of bugs. “The Indian audience is very emotional. After seeing photos like this, they Like, Comment and share them. So you too should create a page like this, upload photos and make money through Performance bonus.”  He scrolls through the page, titled “Anita Kumari,” which has 112,000 followers and almost exclusively posts images of emaciated, AI-generated people, natural disasters, and starving children. He pauses on another image of a man being eaten by bugs. “They are getting so many likes,” he says. “They got 700 likes within 2-4 hours. They must have earned $100 from just this one photo. Facebook now pays you $100 for 1,000 likes … you must be wondering where you can get these images from. Don’t worry. I’ll show you how to create images with the help of AI.”

[...]

Abhishek has 115,000 YouTube subscribers, dozens of instructional videos, and is part of a community of influencers selling classes and making YouTube content about how to go viral on Facebook with AI-generated images and other types of spam. These influencers act much like financial influencers in the United States, teaching other people how to supposedly spin up a side hustle in order to make money by going viral on Facebook and other platforms. Part of the business model for these influencers is, of course, the fact that they are themselves making money by collecting ad revenue from YouTube and by selling courses and AI prompts on YouTube, WhatsApp and Telegram. Many of these influencers go on each others’ podcasts to discuss strategies, algorithm changes, and loopholes. I have found hundreds of videos about this, many of which have hundreds of thousands or millions of views.   But the videos make clear that Facebook’s AI spam problem is one that is powered and funded primarily by Facebook itself, and that most of the bizarre images we have seen over the last year are coming from Microsoft’s AI Image Creator, which is called “Bing Image Creator” in instructional videos.

[...]

The most popular way to make money spamming Facebook is by being paid directly by Facebook to do so via its Creator Bonus Program, which pays people who post viral content. This means that the viral “shrimp Jesus” AI and many of the bizarre things that have become a hallmark of Zombie Facebook have become popular because Meta is directly incentivizing people to post this content.

6 August 2024

[zuzsenpai]

the Watcher situation is nuanced, but in all honesty their treatment of current patrons is EGREGIOUS. As a patron, I've been donating to them because I love them and wanted to support them and had the ability to do so. I did this under the assumption that people who couldn't manage to support them would still get their content. That's not happening anymore.

And now they're like, "hey have you been a patron for all this time? Now you get.... nothing but a podcast! We're not giving you any new early access video content! Isn't that neat? OH and if you are a $100/month patron, we'll give you a shoutout on our main channel, which you STILL HAVE TO PAY TO SEE." I doubt anyone wants to give them that much for a measly podcast, but it's laughably terrible.

I've been a $5/month patron for a while. I'm a long time fan. But like I said, I did this because I knew there were people who couldn't pay for their content. They have a fanbase of Gen Z and Millennials, a lot of whom have debt and very little expendable income for a streaming service that gives them ONLY Watcher content.

It's nuanced though. I get that patreon and youtube weren't giving them what they wanted. They have staff/crew/other expenses to pay. But the way I'm seeing this headed, it sounds like they're not going to gain a lot of subscribers. And they're going to lose a significant amount of their patreon revenue-- that's a definite.