#content creator year in review 2020

[genericpuff]

So I watched ChattyMia's Lore Olympus video which was great and everyone should watch it. It seems most people who do series reviews of the Lore Olympus don't like the comic for obvious reasons. Then I was reminded by the end that the comic is expecting a TV series which is in development hell. It made me think that Rachel might be better off not having a Lore Olympus TV show. Most praise for the series died awhile ago as the story became an utter mess. If it did get a TV show, people will see the early red flags like the age gap, the treatment of Minthe, trying to excuse cheating, Hades horrible behavior to workers, nymphs being discriminated with no pushback, etc. If some of them read the comic for spoilers they would later see the other big red flags of the series. Excusing slave labor, Persephone threatening the lower class, Hera getting with Echo a 'trash nypmh' as she once called Minthe, Apollo gets community service, the continued mistreatment of Demeter etc. Which I feel will cause everyone to go 'wtf is this series? 50 Shades of Grey mixed with Keeping Up with the Kardashians?'. Then you have to wonder if some of them will do a deep dive and find the stuff about Rachel's tie to Lolita. It would be especially bad if a bigger content creator talked about it. And we already know Rachel doesn't handle criticism the best (i.e. the struggle street tweet, the Minthe cosplay situation or even the merch). So I could only imagine how much worse it would be for her if Lore Olympus got a TV show and more eyes got drawn to it and her. It would no longer be just confided to the web comics fanbase but the much larger TV one. Unless Rachel seriously considered rewriting the TV script (or rekindling it lol) I don't see how a TV adaptation of her show would be good press for her.

Yess I've seen that video, it's great! She did a great job summarizing a lot of the biggest core issues with LO's story and art without getting too lost in the sauce (though god knows the rabbithole of LO's issues runs INCREDIBLY deep in an equally fascinating and "oh god what the fuck did I just read' kind of way), her video editing was very entertaining and her Persephone cosplay was a great touch 😎

That said, regarding the thought of "most people who do series reviews of LO don't like the comic", there is an amount of bias we have to acknowledge there - there's often a lot more to say in the negative rather than the positive. By extension, people who simply enjoy LO and don't participate much in the online discussion surrounding it or the discourse concerning it are less likely to make 2 hour videos analyzing it. So while the popular opinion of LO has shifted more towards a negative point of view, that doesn't mean that fans of the comic don't exist - it's just that most of those fans are blissfully enjoying the comic and can only sum it up as "it's very pretty and the plot is great", whereas many people who didn't enjoy it are more likely to voice their opinions as to why in far more explicit detail (though on the flipside of that, it also goes to show that there's a lot more to analyze in LO's flaws than its strengths - it's ironic that the fans often don't have much to say beyond "it's cute" or "I relate to Persephone" and anything further than that is relegated to pure headcanon pieced together by assumption and best guesses to make up for Rachel's lack of writing).

All that aside though, regarding the TV adaption, at this point it's less a matter of reception and more a matter of relevancy. The perfect time to release or at least show us proof of the LO TV show was years ago, when the comic was at its peak between 2020-2021. The second best time was at last year's NYCC when Rachel was a headlining guest. The fact they still had nothing to show for it at this year's NYCC, with Rachel nowhere to be seen and instead focusing more on the Freaking Romance adaption with Snailords filling the role as their featured guest (an equally if not even more problematic creator), is astounding, but unsurprising.

To me, LO feels like a real life case of "Tortoise and the Hare". Back at the start of it all, in 2017-2018, it was doing what no other comic on the platform was doing, presenting us a retelling of the Hades and Persephone story - which was very popular on Tumblr at the time - through a modern setting and with art that was incredibly unique for the platform. That, paired with WT's aggressive marketing, propelled it far ahead every other comic on the platform, creating a gap so massive that even the comics in second place on the trending tabs still weren't even close to LO's lead in terms of stats and money.

But then it got complacent. Quality of the comic's writing and art dropped, it was becoming increasingly obvious that LO had become no more than a marketing grift akin to the likes of Harry Potter - easily turned into books, t-shirts, socks, coloring books, figures, etc. - and that gave way to an increase of criticism towards it, criticism that had always somewhat existed even as far back as its days on Tumblr, but was now amplified by the existing ongoing proof that LO was never all it was cracked up to be.

Now, at best they shill $200+ figurine pre-orders, but the show is nowhere to be seen and, with the comic now finished and locked behind Daily Pass, its relevancy is dying out. "Rachel Smythe Presents" still has nothing to show for itself, Rachel's IG and Twitter seem to be purely for merch-pushing by the Inklore team, and Rachel has, at best, two new series that she suddenly announced but, in her words, don't even have anything written or planned for them yet beyond the taglines that were thrown together for her socials.

Meanwhile, the rest of the Greek myth retelling industry is in a renaissance. Hades is still a massively popular game, with its sequel now in early access; Epic: The Musical has been making waves on Spotify and TikTok far exceeding that of LO's in terms of audience reach, and even has more to show for itself in the way of official animations than LO ever has; and now Kaos has recently launched its first season after being in production since 2018 - yes, you read that right, it got commissioned around the exact same time LO became an Originals series which suggests the idea for it was already floating around and being pitched prior to LO - and, frankly, has beaten LO at its own game by achieving everything LO set out to do - weaving a Greek epic-style story in a modern setting, balancing romance with prophecies and world-ending stakes. It took a while, but Kaos made it past the finishing line, while LO has been dragging itself behind it, still making empty promises that a TV show is "still in the works" and "coming soon", with not a single thing to show for itself.

LO may have gotten a head start in being the "sleek, modern, sexy Greek myth retelling" by the virtue of being a weekly webtoon, but slow and steady wins the race - the productions that have taken their time cooking in the oven are now coming out as beautiful and delicious as we, the guests at the table, were told would be, while LO is simply the short-term gratification junk food that bombards us with gimmicks but sits like a rock in our stomachs and leaves us unfulfilled and wishing for a better meal.

Those better meals are here now and they were absolutely worth the wait.

[fluffywolverine]

percy jackson tv show airs tomorrow.

it's been 3,5 years since the announcement. 3,5 years of waiting. we were getting scraps of information - that it will be developed by disney+, who the showrunners will be.

2020 turned to 2021. still waiting.

then 2022 came. we saw percy for the first time and we loved him immidiately. then we got more and more. annabeth, grover, other campers. the gods.

we got the first teaser trailer. it showed us barely nothing, but we couldn't have been happier. it showed camp half-blood. it felt like home.

2022 turned to 2023. still waiting.

we got another teasers. a full trailer, which finally showed us more, which made the anticipation even more anxious. we had our doubts, but we were hopefull.

the release date dropped. we feared we'll have to wait till 2024, but it seemed like the christmas came early - quite literally, 20th december to be precise.

the actors strike was long, we were sad and angry we might not see our precious, wonderful actors promoting something they loved so much. but the studios bowed to the creators. actors won. we all won.

2023 almost came to an end. november, the last month ever without percy jackson tv show, ended. still waiting.

and then december started. we got posters, clips, photos. so much content we craved for when the only thing we had was an announcement. we were suddenly spoiled with so much content, that we weren't even able to see everything.

the nyc premiere took place. first reviews came. the critics approved it. the lucky fans, who saw the first episodes, loved it. we were ecstatic.

and suddenly it's december 19th. the wait is almost over.

percy jackson tv show airs tomorrow.

so prepare your camp half-blood t-shirts. wear your beat necklaces with pride. have some blue snacks. celebrate the way you want.

rejoice, demigods, this is our time. we made it.

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Payton Armstrong, Jack Winstanley, Noah Dowe, Ben Van Bloem, and Kayla Gogarty at MMFA:

After rolling back its election misinformation policy last year, YouTube allowed right-wing media figures to undermine confidence in the 2024 election results even before any votes were cast, with streamers asserting that “the only way this election can be won from the left is if it's stolen,” suggesting that “illegal ballots” might be “slipped in” in Pennsylvania, and claiming that Democrats are trying “to rig and steal the election” including with an “illegal alien push.”

In December 2020, after states certified their election results, YouTube began removing content with false claims that widespread fraud had changed the outcome of the election, but the platform reversed that policy in June 2023, saying that it would “stop removing content that advances false claims that widespread fraud, errors, or glitches occurred in the 2020 and other past US Presidential elections.” (The decision was cheered by right-wing media.) Over the last year, right-wing creators have exploited YouTube’s policy rollback, especially in the months leading up to the 2024 presidential election. In July, for instance, Media Matters reported that after becoming co-chair of the Republican National Committee in March, Lara Trump repeatedly engaged in election denial on her show that streams on YouTube.  Right-wing podcaster Steven Crowder even acknowledged the policy change during an August stream on the platform, saying, “Here’s another way that they try to steal this election from you. And we’re allowed to say that on YouTube now, which is great.”

New Media Matters study finds hundreds of videos on YouTube with election misinformation

In a new study, Media Matters reviewed YouTube content streamed or uploaded between May 1 and August 31 by 30 right-wing channels or channels that hosted notable right-wing figures. We found 286 videos — totaling at least 44 million views and including at least 93 monetized videos — that contained misinformation about the 2020, 2022, and/or 2024 elections. 

According to our study, former Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani was the most prolific election misinformer, accounting for 77 of the 286 videos, and right-wing streamer Benny Johnson had the most videos that we observed with preroll ads. We found that in the two months after WABC canceled Giuliani’s radio shows (May 10 through July 12), he relentlessly claimed on YouTube that the 2020 election was “stolen” and Democrats were “going to cheat” in the 2024 election. More details on these findings can be found here.

We also found Johnson pushed election misinformation in dozens of monetized YouTube videos from May through August. These videos — which each included preroll ads, paid promotions, and/or Super Chats — have earned millions of views. More details on these findings can be found here.

YouTube permitted numerous right-wing pundits spew out content undermining the confidence of the 2024 election results to push out nonsense about “stolen” and “rigged” elections.

See Also:

MMFA: YouTube is profiting from Benny Johnson’s election misinformation

MMFA: YouTube has provided a home for Rudy Giuliani's election denial after WABC canceled his radio shows

[historyhermann]

Villainous Review

Villainous, also known as Villanos, is animated series which mixes the science fantasy, morbid humor, and comedy horror genres. Alan Ituriel, a veteran of the Mexican animation industry, is the series creator. This series is produced by Ituriel's A.I. Animation Studios and Cartoon Network. Humberto Cervera and Mayte Sanz are also executive producers. There will be spoilers.

Reprinted from Pop Culture Maniacs and Wayback Machine. This was the thirty-third article I wrote for Pop Culture Maniacs. This post was originally published on May 26, 2023.

This series flips the script often employed in superhero fiction such as Masters of the Universe: Revelation, Tokyo Mew Mew (and the reboot), Sailor Moon, Sailor Moon Crystal, Vixen, and Young Justice. It focuses on the Black Hat Organization, run by the villainous Black Hat (voiced by Ituriel). He is assisted by his team of three aides: Dr. Flug (voiced by Yian Riuz), Demencia (voiced by Cindy Eliz Pérez), and 5.0.5. (voiced by Mark Fischbach). They are contracted by other villains to "solve" their problems with heroes, either directly or indirectly, or sell inventions created by Dr. Flug. Their plans often go awry with comical and absurd consequences.

Villainous has garnered a massive following since the first webisodes premiered in 2012, followed by efforts by Ituriel to pitch the series to Cartoon Network. This resulted in the pilot airing in June 2019. The series had a backdoor pilot in the Season Two Victor and Valentino episode "Villainy In Monte Macabre", in October 2020. There were 29 shorts featuring the same characters, which aired from May 2017 to February 2019 on the Cartoon Network Latin America YouTube channel. Even one "episode" was released which consisted of the creators rick-rolling the show's fans.

Some have posted their own dubs of the show's six episodes, which were released in Spanish language in October 2021, on HBO Max LA, and other content. Their recent, and official, release as part of "Season 1a" on the newly renamed "Max" streaming service (formerly known as "HBO Max"), makes them more accessible to new and old fans alike.

The first episode of Villainous sets the tone. A superhero named Sunblast (voiced by Roly Gutiérrez) beats up a villain, Penumbra (voiced by Rebecca Manriquez), because his new punching bag hasn't been delivered. It is also a good introduction to each of the characters: a nervous and nerdy scientist in his 20s named Dr. Flug who wears a paper bag over his head, a green-haired mischief-loving fan of Black Hat named Demencia, and a big blue bear named 5.0.5. The latter is a contradiction, as he was intended to be evil, but is very loving, and likes hugging people. He also serves as the housekeeper-of-sorts of the Black Hat Organization (BHO).

Even from the first episode you can somewhat sympathize with these villains, despite their trapping of Sunblast in a jar, punching Ringworm (voiced by Sean Davis) into submission, and dropping heroes in pits without a second thought. This sympathy is clear when the three protagonists are yelled at by Black Hat for doing a "mediocre" job. One character in particular, Dr. Flug, is scared of his boss (Black Hat), ghosts like Emilia (voiced by Jackie Rodriguez), wrestlers, and almost being killed by heroes.

I liked how the series mixes humor with violence and "course language". For instance, a group of kids, based on Scooby-Doo protagonists, are scared off by a possessed fence. Later, the unstoppable Bulldozer (voiced by David Steel) attempts to destroy the Outlaw House (voiced by Alex Texeira). He is stopped by 5.0.5., as bears terrify him after one bit him years ago.

Sometimes this comedy is continued during the episode credits. In the episode 2 credits, Bulldozer ends up in the cave house of the three protagonists of We Bare Bears (Grizzly, Panda, and Ice Bear), another CN series. In the credits of the fourth episode, the heroic Airlock (voiced by Jinon Deebs), a short-haired White woman, is eaten by a space monster. This is after she escaped the show's protagonists because she found them as very "annoying".

This brings me to another part which I enjoy about Villainous: crossovers with other series. The third episode, reportedly a homage to the Mexican wrestling films of the 1960s, features characters from Victor and Valentino and Helluva Boss in the stands. A few episodes later, Johnny Bravo, from the series of the same name, is a background character, while the robotic lawyers for Black Hat bring plagiarism cases against characters from Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends.

That same episode also features Harvey Birdman from the Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law, and characters from Grim and Evil like Hector Con Carne. Again, these are all CN series, which makes the crossovers all the more interesting.

In the third episode of Villainous, the three protagonists are tasked at eliminating a luchador named El Valiente (voiced by Jose Aparicio) by their client, Adelita Guerrero (voiced by Margarita Coego). It reminds me of three series: Carmen Sandiego, Elena of Avalor and Victor and Valentino.

In the latter two, there are episodes in which the protagonists, or supporting characters, are possessed by a mask, like Mascara Macabra (voiced by Aparicio) in this series, or another individual. As for Carmen Sandiego, the Season Three opening episode features Carmen attending a wrestling match in hopes of finding her mother.

The characters of Villainous become even more relatable in the last couple episodes. In the fourth episode, Dr. Flug's favorite series is spoiled by a sassy A.I. named V.I.R.U.S. (voiced by Sean Davis). Even worse, 5.0.5. is horrified when Black Hat ruins a children's show, almost akin to the Teletubbies. It becomes horrific after Black Hat causes the Sun to light the bears on fire.

The series pokes fun at itself. In one episode, the copycats/doppelgangers claim they are BHO in order to rake in profits for themselves. This is better executed than the "Pirates" episode of Cleopatra in Space, as each of the protagonists comes across a "stronger" version of themselves. Hilariously, and sadly, 5.0.5.'s counterpart is just a cactus. In that same episode, I liked how Dr. Flug blatantly interrupts the "origin story" of the other version of Black Hat, annoying him to no end.

The final episode of Villainous ends the series on bang. It focuses on a self-absorbed social media influencer named Miss Heed (voiced by Katherine Clavelo), who Dr. Flug knew when he went to the academy. She is far worse than those depicted in the first season of The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder, Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, or the currently airing Kizuna no Allele.

In fact, Heed has a special concoction she sprays on the city residents to make them love her. In an indictment of such influencers, also known as internet personalities or internet celebrities, and their power, Dr. Flug is able to take her down, with the assistance of Demencia. His kiss with her, is streamed and goes viral. It causes all of her zombie "fans" to fall out of love with her.

While some series would have stopped there, Villainous goes the extra step. Heed is pushed into a vat of her own liquid, ending her plan to be the "most-loved" hero. She is locked up in a maximum security prison. Fitting with her personality, she falls off her rocker, and demands that people need to love her. In one of the best scenes in the series, Flug, after learning about Goldheart's plan to eliminate all villains, tells Heed that she needs to love herself first (i.e. self-love) before she can love anyone else.

The entire sequence, at first, appears to reinforce retributive justice paradigms. The latter involves punishment being imposed unilaterally, no option for remorse, and crime in the domain of the state. This is interlinked with the narrative that violence is justified as long as it is directed at those deemed as "evil". It further involves heroes in league with the criminal system and has an assumption that villains cannot be rehabilitated. On the other hand, Villainous turns this around, as Heed is a hero and Flug is a villain, meaning that a "hero" is being locked away for something a "villain" would do.

While Flug's kiss is a one-off interaction, Demencia's romantic obsession with Black Hat spans the series. She believes that her romantic feelings will be reciprocated, but he likely doesn't care much about her. However, her love saves her from Heed's concoction, as she only has love for him. More than anything, Demencia is an obsessed fan. Perhaps her character is symbolic of out-of-control fans which feel the same way about public figures, to the detriment of themselves and those personalities.

All in all, this series has many similarities to Helluva Boss and Hazbin Hotel, especially the former. BHO somewhat resembles I.M.P. (Immediate Murder Professionals). The latter is contracted by demons in hell to assassinate people in the world of the living. The difference is that BHO specifically focuses on heroes and is only contracted by villains.

The last episode of Villainous, at present, lays the groundwork for future episodes. Goldheart (voiced by Oliver Roberts) seems to know Dr. Flug, declaring "Flug, what did you do now?" The efforts of BHO to counter him could be an important storyline.

A possible second season, might not follow a serialized format. The six current episodes have the same characters, but are not, serialized. Each episode could stand on its own. This does not diminish the series, however.

The voice actors for this series stand out. Apart from Ituriel, Yian Riuz, Cindy Eliz Pérez, and Mark Fischbach, who voice the protagonists, are all talented. Fischbach is a well-known YouTuber, with this as his first voice role. In contrast, Pérez previously played a character in BoBoiBoy Elemental Heroes, and Riuz in Mashed!

Similarly, Sahid Pabon, Roly Gutiérrez, Connie Fernandez, Yenni Ann, Guia Burns, and Jason Kessler, who voice villains, wrestlers, henchmen, and others in the series, are equally talented. They have lent their voices to characters in Monkey King Reborn, Legend Quest, Gintama, Leo De Vinci, Rainbow High, Kageki Shojo!!, and Kemono Friends.

This is also the case for the Spanish-language voice actors, such as José Antonio Macías, Melissa Gedeón, Lourdes Arruti, and Diego Valenzuela. They have voiced characters in video games, animated shorts, and productions such as Guardians of Oz, and Top Cat.

The producers of Villainous worked on The Flying Machine, Hua Se, Frankelda's Book of Spooks, Pucca, Pandalian, Eden, Tonikawa: Over the Moon for You, and Xi you ji. Kevin Manthei, the music composer, worked on Ben 10, Spider-Man, Robot Chicken, Ultimate Spider-Man, Polly Pocket, Hanny Manny, Invader Zim, and Generator Rex.

Other than the amazing dubbing by VOA Studios, in Miami, the show's crew includes alums from many series. This includes Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts, Dota: Dragon's Blood, Black Dynamite, Legend of Korra, OK K.O. Let's Be Heroes!, Danger House, Harvey Birdman Attorney at Law, and Scan2Go.

Villainous is more than a series with humor reminiscent of 1990s cartoons. It has themes about overcoming your inner demons and lampoons popular Cartoon Network series. This is accompanied by entertaining characters, which have intriguing dynamics and comraderie within the BHO, wonderful animation, character design, artwork, and creativity. What other series has villains traveling to their destination in a flying hat spewing smoke?

I haven't watched enough Invader Zim or The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy to say if Villainous is like those series. However, each character is interesting enough and the story is engaging that Villainous could run for many seasons. If Helluva Boss has aired 12 episodes, why can't Villainous do the same? Perhaps the cast could become even more diverse and LGBTQ characters could be added. The latter would further enhance the series.

Unfortunately, Villainous comes at a time of extreme flux at Max's parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery. This includes an error causing writers, directors, and creators to all be lumped together into one category. There has been an awful rollout of the "Max"  streaming service, in an inane effort to "attract" families.

This comes after the cruel content purge at HBO Max, former name for the service. It resulted in the removal of Infinity Train, Mighty Magiswords, Uncle Grandpa, Final Space, and Close Enough. None of them have been re-added to Max. The content purge on Hulu, and on Max, was discussed in a PCM podcast on May 22nd.

Despite the shenanigans of the corporate executives, I am hopeful that Villainous will be continued with additional episodes. All in all, I highly recommend Villainous as a series to watch.

Villainous is currently streaming on Max.

© 2023 Burkely Hermann. All rights reserved.

[iressails]

hi there!!! I’m your content creator secret santa 🤫🎄 how are you?? do you have anything you’re looking forward to this (holiday) season?

I’ve checked out your blog to see what kinds of things you enjoy, but I’d love to hear from you directly 😊

what are some of your favorite shows and movies? who are your favorite characters? ships? do you have any particularly favored music artists lately? maybe specific songs? maybe you even have some favorite books you’d like to share! what about favorite colors?

is there anything you absolutely DON’T want? lol just in case 😅

I hope you have a great rest of your week!

HII!!! I have been preparing for this question for a couple of days and right now immediately I've forgotten everything I know and like, and have ever liked.

[Pause to review my blog and get my thoughts in order]

i love red, green and orange. all the traffic lights baby!

Im looking forward to the holidays it's been... a year.

My ship (just the one rn *sob): I'm currently in Homicide: Life on the Street (1993 - 2000) hell. I love Frank Pembleton and Tim Bayliss with my whole heart, but a 30 year old show and 65 year old men are a bit of a hard ask even from a kind Santa. Bayliss was my first canon bi character on TV and I've not been right since.

Update: Earlier in the year I was heavily into Joanne Davidson/Kate Fleming from Line of Duty (2012 - 2021) until I was gratified by this fic: Bleed into me by Authorette and somehow never thought of it again.

(Yeah not sure about the non-canon (but one half queer in canon) unhappy ending cop duos being my shipping highlight of the year)

Movies: I love Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001), Pride (2014), Barber (2023), Gattaca (1997), Romy and Michele's High School Reunion (1997), Trust (1990)

Shows: Bob and Rose (2001), Homicide ..(ahahaha) Trust me (2017), Borderliner / Grenseland (2017)

People: I think Rebecca Ferguson, Raul Esparza, Hunter Schaefer, Lesley Sharp, Ethan Hawke, Carla Gugino, Laura Main, Brain Molko, Emma D'Arcy, Vanessa Kirby, Katie McGrath, Caity Lotz, Toby Stephens, Adrienne Shelly, Alexander Skarsgard, Patricia Arquette, Emerald Fennell and David Harbour are just so pretty

Characters: Omar Little (The Wire 2002 - 2008), Catherine Cawood (Happy Valley 2014 - 2023), Christine Chapel (Star Trek Strange new Worlds 2022), Alex Vause (Orange is the new black 2013 - 2019), Nomi Marks (Sense8 2015 - 2017), Joan Holloway/Harris (Mad Men 2007 - 2015), and Deran Cody (Animal Kingdom 2016 - 2022), Charles (Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994), Carrie Mathison (Homeland 2011 - 2020), Patsy Mount (Call the Midwife)

As for hates... I dont like too many fancy fonts on gifs, or double exposures that make people look like they have two heads (I'm guilty of this, yes, yes). Not big on the music. My spotify wrapped this year was where I was reminded that I had just listened to Alanis Morissette, The Crystal Method, Bright Eyes and Placebo and things-to-run-to as I always do. Every year. It is an utter wasteland.

Thank you in advance I'm sure whatever you make will be wonderful. I love this exchange so much. Both ways giving and receiving.

[kiyotakamine]

hi

Among Us[c] is a 2018 online multiplayer social deduction game developed and published by American game studio Innersloth. The game was inspired by the party game Mafia and the science fiction horror film The Thing.[10] The game allows for cross-platform play, first released on iOS and Android devices in June 2018 and on Windows later that year in November. The game was then ported to the Nintendo Switch in December 2020 and on the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S in December 2021. While the game was initially released in 2018 to little mainstream attention, it received a massive influx of popularity in 2020 due to many well-known Twitch streamers and YouTubers playing it, and due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A virtual reality adaptation, Among Us VR, was released on November 10th, 2022.

Among Us takes place in space-themed settings where players are colorful armless cartoon astronauts. Each player takes on one of two roles: most are Crewmates, but a small number play Impostors.[d] Crewmates work to complete assigned tasks in the game while identifying and voting out suspected Impostors (which appear identical to Crewmates) by means of social deduction, while Impostors have the objective of killing the Crewmates.

Among Us experienced a significant surge in playership in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic due to popularization by YouTube and Twitch content creators, and received favorable reviews from critics on account of its fun and entertaining gameplay. The game and its stylized characters have also been the subject of various internet memes.

Gameplay

In this gameplay screenshot of the original map, The Skeld, the white Impostor has killed the blue Crewmate. White's vision of the pink player has been partially obscured by the wall. Any player, including the killer, can report the dead body and trigger a meeting.

Among Us is a multiplayer game for four to fifteen players.[12] Up to three players are randomly[13] and secretly chosen to be the Impostor(s) each round. As of 2021, four playable maps are available, a spaceship called "The Skeld", an office building called "MIRA HQ", a planet base called "Polus",[14] or "The Airship", a setting from Innersloth's Henry Stickmin series.[15][16]The Crewmates can win the game one of two ways; either by completing all assigned tasks or by ejecting all Impostors. Impostors can likewise win in two ways; either by killing or ejecting all Crewmates,[e] or by sabotaging a critical system on the map (provided the Crewmates do not resolve it in time).[f][14][17][18][19] At the start of the game, Crewmates are assigned "tasks" to complete around the map in the form of minigames, minipuzzles, and simple toggles, mostly consisting of maintenance work on vital systems such as fixing wires and downloading data.[20] Impostors cannot complete tasks, but may pretend to perform "fake" tasks to feign appearance as legitimate Crewmates, Impostors, however, can perform sabotages, ranging from minor (such as disabling lights, making Crewmates blind) to critical (such as disabling oxygen generators), requiring immediate counteraction by Crewmates to prevent their deaths. Impostors may also enter and traverse ventilation ducts (commonly known as "venting"), and kill nearby Crewmates. To help Crewmates identify Impostors, there are various surveillance systems on each map, such as security cameras on The Skeld,[21] a doorlog system with sensors in MIRA HQ,[22] and a vitals indicator in Polus that shows the living status of all players.[14] In addition, certain "visual tasks" provide animated cues, such as scanning oneself in the Skeld's medbay. As Impostors cannot perform tasks, Crewmates can use visual tasks to confirm their identity to nearby Crewmates.[23]

Any living player may call a group meeting by reporting a dead body, or by pressing an Emergency Meeting button.[g][19][24][25] During meetings, players discuss — via the in-game text chat or an external voice chat application such as Discord[26][27][28] — who they believe to be Impostors based on available witness testimonies, with Impostors lying to hide their identity or falsely accusing other players. Impostors can be identified beyond reasonable doubt if they are seen venting or killing a Crewmate, but ultimately players must weigh the veracity or value of each other's statements. Players then vote for who they believe is an Impostor, if a plurality vote is obtained, the player who received the most votes is "ejected" from the game.[20][19] Players who are killed or ejected become ghosts, which can still perform tasks (Crewmates) or sabotages (Impostors) but are otherwise unable to be seen by or interact with living players. Effectively spectators, ghosts may see and pass through walls, follow players or other ghosts and chat with other ghosts.

A November 2021 update added additional specialized roles to the game: Crewmates can also be Engineers, Scientists, or Guardian Angels. Engineers can traverse vents like Impostors, albeit to a limited capacity. Scientists can check vitals at any time to see if any player has been killed recently. Ghosts of Crewmates can become Guardian Angels, which can temporarily protect living players from being killed. Impostors likewise can be Shapeshifters, allowing them to temporarily morph into other players and assume their color and appearance.

An alternative Hide and Seek gamemode was added in December 2022. There are no meetings or ejections, and a single Impostor (whose identity is known to the Crewmates) attempts to kill all Crewmates within a fixed countdown timer. Crewmates must hide or flee from the Impostor and can complete tasks to roll down the timer, as well as enter vents for a brief time to hide from Impostors. Crewmates are also given a display showing their proximity to an Impostor as well as the number of remaining Crewmates.[29]

Prior to each game, various options can be adjusted to customize aspects of gameplay, such as player movement speed, the allowed number of emergency meetings, number of tasks and visual tasks,[30] or whether or not an Impostor is revealed after being voted off, allowing participants to manually balance the game's settings to their desires.[31] Players may modify their own appearances with cosmetics, including skins, hats, visors and pets,[32][33] some of which are purchasable as microtransactions.

[ashereadsstuff]

"Fence: Disarmed" & Fence: Striking Distance" By: Sarah Rees Brennan & C.S Pacat (Creator)

Striking Distance (Fence 1) Release Date: September 29, 2020

Rating out of 5: .25

Disarmed (Fence 2) Release Date: May 18, 2021

Rating out of 5: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟(5/5)

Content Warnings: Bullying, Abandonment, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Classism, Infidelity, Ableism, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Racism, Domestic abuse, Toxic Relationship

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SYNOPSIS Striking Distance (fence 1):

The boys of Kings Row bout with drama, rivalry, and romance in this original YA novel by The New York Times bestselling author Sarah Rees Brennan—inspired by the award-nominated comic series by C.S. Pacat and Johanna The Mad.

Sixteen-year-old Nicholas Cox is the illegitimate son of a retired fencing champion who dreams of getting the proper training he could never afford. After earning a place on the elite Kings Row fencing team, Nicholas must prove himself to his rival, Seiji Katayma, and navigate the clashes, friendships, and relationships between his teammates on the road to state championships—where Nicholas might finally have the chance to spar with his golden-boy half-brother.

Coach Williams decides to take advantage of the boys' morale after a recent victory and assigns them a course of team building exercises to further deepen their bonds. It takes a shoplifting scandal, a couple of moonlit forest strolls, several hilariously bad dates, and a whole lot of introspection for the team to realize they are stronger together than they could ever be apart.

The first installment of this enticing original YA novel series by Sarah Rees Brennan, rich with casual diversity and queer self-discovery, explores never-before-seen drama inspired by C.S. Pacat's critically acclaimed Fence comic series and boasts original cover and interior art by Johanna The Mad.

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SYNOPSIS Disarmed (Fence 2):

The boys of Kings Row head to France with exes, rivalries, and secrets in this original YA novel by New York Times bestselling author Sarah Rees Brennan--inspired by the award-nominated comic series by C.S. Pacat and Johanna The Mad

The boys of Kings Row are off to a training camp in Europe! Surrounded impressive scenery and even more impressive European fencing teams, underdog Nicholas can't help but feel out of place. With the help of a local legend, though, he and the rest of the team finds it within themselves to face superior fencers, ex-boyfriends, expulsion, and even Nicholas's golden-boy, secret half-brother, the infamous Jesse Coste. Will Aiden and Harvard end up together, though? En garde!

The second installment of this enticing original YA novel series by Sarah Rees Brennan, rich with casual diversity and queer self-discovery, explores never-before-seen drama inspired by C.S. Pacat's critically acclaimed Fence comic series.

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MY REVIEW:

This book absolutely shattered my affection for the first installment and the entire series (though the comics are still holding up for me, at least for now).

You see, the first book earned a solid 5-star rating from me. I adored it, especially after binge-reading the comic books. But oh boy, this sequel fell flat. It felt like the longest 365 pages of my life, mainly due to Aiden and Harvard. Aiden and Harvard's perspectives had me rolling my eyes so hard that I put the book down for a whopping 8 months. Then, I made a promise to myself to power through it, even if it meant skimming their parts. But I ended up skipping them entirely because they grated on my nerves. Seriously, how is Harvard the team captain when he can't even hold a decent conversation with his best friend of 9 years, who happens to be his now-boyfriend? (major spoiler, BTW, thanks for that; I went through all the anguish just for the cover to spoil everything in less than 2 seconds) The only thing that kept me from throwing in the towel were Nicolas and the other guys.

In the first book, I felt for Aiden and understood the trauma that shaped him and his approach to life. However, the second book muddled it all up. Frankly, I'm expecting Harvard and Aiden to call it quits soon. They're way too dependent on each other, can't communicate to save their lives, and Aiden, in particular, comes across as downright enttitled

[lina-elam]

How to Make Money on TikTok: 6 ways for 2023📈🔥

1. Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing is a popular way to make money on TikTok. Brands often partner with TikTok influencers who have a significant following to promote their products or services. If you have a sizable following on TikTok and have built up your credibility, you can start collaborating with brands in your niche. You can promote their products through sponsored posts, product reviews, or unboxing videos. Many brands are willing to pay influencers anywhere from $50 to $50,000 per post, depending on their reach and engagement.

2. Live Streaming

TikTok allows its users to go live and interact with their followers in real-time. This feature is an excellent opportunity to monetize your following. You can earn virtual gifts from your viewers during your live streams, which you can convert into real money. The more gifts you receive, the higher your earnings. TikTok Live is available to users who have over 1000 followers.

3. Creator Fund

TikTok launched the Creator Fund in July 2020, which pays its creators for their content. To be eligible for the Creator Fund, you need to have at least 100,000 followers, 100,000 views in the last 30 days, and be over 18 years old. The fund pays creators based on the engagement and views they get on their content. The more views and engagement your videos receive, the higher your earnings.

4. Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing is another way to earn money on TikTok. If you have a significant following on TikTok, you can join affiliate programs and promote products to your followers. When your followers buy products through your affiliate links, you earn a commission. Many popular brands offer affiliate programs, and some even provide exclusive deals for TikTok influencers.

5. Selling Products

If you have your products to sell, TikTok is an excellent platform to showcase and market them. You can create short videos showcasing your products and share them with your followers. You can also include links to your website or online store in your bio or captions. You can sell anything from clothing to beauty products to digital products. TikTok has a large audience, and if you can create compelling content, you can drive sales to your products.

Conclusion TikTok has become a lucrative platform for creators to earn a living. If you want to make money on TikTok, you need to be consistent, authentic, and engaging. Building a following takes time and effort, but with the right strategies, you can grow your following and monetize your content. Try out the above methods and see what works best for you. TikTok is constantly evolving, and new monetization opportunities are always emerging. So, keep creating and experimenting, and who knows, you may become the next TikTok star.

[alysongills]

Earn Big with Top Supplement Affiliate Programs

Ever thought about making money from your love for health and wellness online? Supplement affiliate programs might be your ticket. With the supplement market hitting $193 billion in 2024, there's a big chance to make good money as an affiliate marketer.But which programs pay the best and offer the best deals? We'll explore the best supplement affiliate programs that can boost your earnings. These programs could change your financial life.Key Takeaways The supplement market is a $193 billion industry and growing rapidly - Supplement affiliate programs can offer lucrative commissions, often ranging from 6% to 30% per sale - Longer cookie durations (up to 60 days) provide more time to earn commissions on repeat purchases - Targeting well-known supplement brands with high-quality products can lead to more successful affiliate marketing campaigns - Diversifying your affiliate program portfolio across multiple supplement niches can maximize your earning potential

The Booming Supplement Industry

The supplement market has seen huge growth in recent years. It's now a big part of the wellness and healthcare world. A 2020 survey by the Council for Responsible Nutrition found 73% of Americans take supplements, up from 68% in 2015. This shows more people want products that help with their health and well-being.The market's size is huge too. It is worth over $190 billion this year and is expected to grow by 9.1% year on year. This shows supplements are popular, as people look for natural ways to improve their general health and meet their nutritional needs.The supplement industry has created a big supplement niche in the wellness supplements market. There are now many dietary supplements and nutritional retailers of vitamins available. This variety helps people find supplements that fit their health and wellness goals.The supplement market is a great chance for affiliate marketers and entrepreneurs. By working with top nutritional supplements brands and using affiliate programs, they can make money from the growing demand for health products.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0QTlRLk6H8

Bulk Supplements: The Power-Packed Program

If you want to make more money with supplement affiliate programs, Bulk Supplements is a great choice. This well-known supplement company gives a 15% base commission and more for your sales. They also offer a bonus for new affiliate marketers. With orders often over $120, you can earn a good amount by sharing their product line of wellness products.Bulk Supplements is a top merchant on the ShareASale affiliate network, making thousands of sales every day. They have gotten over 100,000 positive reviews on their online store and Amazon. This shows they care about product quality and making customers happy. As an affiliate, you'll get lots of marketing materials and a special unique affiliate link to add to your content creators and social media platforms.Whether you run a big fitness website or are just starting your online business, the Bulk Supplements affiliate program is a good choice. They offer a competitive commission rate and big affiliate commissions potential. Join their supplement affiliate program now and see how this bulk supplements brand can help you make more extra income for your supplement blogs and marketing efforts.

The Vitamin Shoppe: A Household Name

The Vitamin Shoppe is a well-known name, but its affiliate program is not impressive. It offers a wide range of high-quality supplements, vitamins, and wellness products. However, its affiliate marketing program is not as strong.A Modest Commission StructureThe Vitamin Shoppe's affiliate program, through the CJ Affiliate network, gives a flat commission of just 1%. This is much less than what other top supplement affiliate programs offer. However, there is the opportunity to increase this up to 10% with exposure. The cookie duration, or how long a customer's click is tracked, is only 7 days, which is very short.Despite these downsides, the brand's good name and wide product range, with over 25,000 items, might still attract some affiliates. The Vitamin Shoppe also puts effort into content marketing and has loyal customers. This could help affiliates make sales and earn commissions. Affiliate Program Commission Rate Cookie Duration The Vitamin Shoppe 1% flat rate 7 days Bulk Supplements 15% base commission Not specified Onnit 15% 45 days Life Extension Up to 12% commission 30 days

Onnit: Embrace Total Human Optimization

If you're looking to join an affiliate marketing program with a reputable supplement company, Onnit could be great. Onnit leads in the wellness products field. They offer a wide range of supplements, fitness equipment, and apparel. These products aim to help people reach "Total Human Optimization."Lucrative Affiliate CommissionsOnnit's affiliate program has a competitive commission rate of 15%. This is higher than many supplement affiliate programs. They also have a 45-day cookie window. This gives you a good chance to earn affiliate commissions from your referrals.To become part of Onnit's affiliate network, you need a established website or a social following of at least 5,000 people. This ensures that content creators and social media influencers with a strong online presence promote the brand to the right audience.Onnit's affiliate marketing program offers exclusive offers, marketing materials, and a unique affiliate link. These tools help you increase your earning potential. By working with a trusted supplement company like Onnit, you can benefit from their positive impact on fitness websites and supplement blogs in your product range.Whether you're a personal trainer, a life extension affiliate program fan, or a social media influencer, Onnit's affiliate program is a great choice. It's a next step for content creators and supplement bloggers wanting to grow their online presence and earn affiliate commissions in the supplement industry.

supplement affiliate programs: The Gateway to Profits

The health and fitness niche is very profitable for affiliate marketers. On average, health and fitness websites make over $7,000 a month. This is a great chance for smart affiliate marketers to make a good side income in the supplement industry.Supplement affiliate programs have many products, like vitamins, minerals, sports nutrition, and weight loss supplements. They often have high commission rates. For example, ClickBank offers up to 75% on digital products. Amazon Associates gives up to 10% on supplement sales.Also, how long affiliate relationships last is important. Some programs like Rootine and eVitamins have cookies that last 60 days or more. This means you can earn commissions on repeat buys and upsells.To do well in supplement affiliate marketing, pick reputable brands that match your audience's interests. By promoting quality, reliable products, you can gain loyal customers and increase your earnings. With the right affiliate programs and a good strategy, the health and fitness niche can lead to big profits for smart affiliate marketers.

A1Supplements: A Veteran in Sports Nutrition

A1Supplements is a leader in sports supplements, founded in 1989. It has been helping fitness lovers, athletes, and those who care about their health for over 30 years. They focus on quality sports nutrition and lifestyle supplements, making them a trusted brand.Profitable Affiliate OpportunitiesA1Supplements offers a great way for content creators and online businesses to make money. Through the CJ Affiliate and ShareASale networks, you can earn a 10% commission rate on sales. You also get a 30-day cookie window, which means you can earn commissions even if the customer buys later.Whether you're experienced or new to affiliate marketing, A1Supplements is a great choice. They offer high-quality products and exclusive offers. This lets you help your audience and make good money for your online business.

To start, sign up for the A1Supplements affiliate program through CJ Affiliate or ShareASale. After approval, you'll get lots of marketing materials. Use these to promote A1Supplements' products and make money from your efforts.If you want to earn more money and tap into the growing supplement market, think about joining the A1Supplements affiliate program. It's a smart move for your online business.

Rootine: Personalized Micronutrients

Are you tired of supplements that don't fit your needs? Rootine is changing the game with its personalized micronutrients. They use DNA tests, blood analysis, and lifestyle assessments to make vitamins just for you.First, you take a quick lifestyle quiz. Then, a DNA test and a blood sample follow. This info helps Rootine's experts make vitamins that fit your body perfectly. With over 700 trillion possible combinations, you know your vitamins are made just for you.Maximizing Bioavailability and AbsorptionRootine's microbeads are made for better absorption. They use organic, top-quality ingredients. These slow-release beads make sure your body uses the vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants well.Rootine cares about quality and making things personal. They work with a top lab in Europe for testing and follow FDA rules closely. This means their supplements are safe and work well.With Rootine, forget about generic supplements. Try personalized nutrition and see how it changes your health and happiness.

Life Extension: A Trusted Authority

Life Extension is a top name in dietary supplements and vitamins. Since 1996, it has been sharing knowledge through its magazine. This magazine teaches people about healthy living and life extension. A huge 98% of customers tell others about Life Extension, showing its trust and loyalty.Lucrative Affiliate OpportunitiesThe Life Extension affiliate program offers a 6% base commission. This might seem normal at first, but think about the average order value of $132 and the 4% conversion rate. This makes the earning potential much more appealing.For high-performing affiliates, the commission gets even better. Earn 9.5% per sale if you make $1,000 or more monthly. This goes up to 11% for sales over $5,000 and 12% for $10,000 or more.Affiliates have 30 days to make sales and earn commissions. This is great for both experienced content creators and new online businesses. The Life Extension affiliate program is a great way to make money from high-quality supplements and a healthy lifestyle.To start, sign up through the Commission Junction network. Then, promote Life Extension's quality products. This trusted brand will likely appeal to your audience and boost your sales.

eVitamins: The One-Stop Shop

eVitamins is your go-to for a wide variety of wellness products at great prices. They offer discounts up to 75% on select items, aiming to give you the best value and service. The real draw for creators and online businesses is their affiliate program.eVitamins has two affiliate programs, one in-house and another through CJ Affiliate network. The in-house program offers commissions from 12% to 20% per sale. The CJ Affiliate version gives 8% for new customers and 4% for repeat buyers. If a customer is referred by multiple programs, the commission goes to eVitamins first.The affiliate program also has a 60-day cookie window, giving you plenty of time to earn from sales. Sometimes, eVitamins even extends this period, helping you make more from your content creators and online businesses.If you want to make money from your supplement blog or grow a successful online business with wellness products, check out the eVitamins affiliate program. It offers great commission rates and an easy-to-use affiliate portal. It's perfect for affiliate marketing success in the supplement industry.

MegaFood: Premium Nutritional Supplements

MegaFood is a top name in nutritional supplements, using fresh, high-quality ingredients. They focus on organic food, regenerative farming, and a sustainable future. This makes them a trusted name in health and wellness.Earn with MegaFood's Affiliate ProgramThe MegaFood affiliate program gives you an 8% commission on sales from your links. This rate is good for starting a profitable online business. Plus, you get credit for any purchases made in the next 30 days.To make more money, create content that shows how great MegaFood's products are. Use your knowledge to talk about the brand's commitment to quality and sustainability. This can help you build trust with your audience and turn them into loyal customers.Keep an eye on how your affiliate links are doing. Try different ways to promote them and stay current with trends. With MegaFood's quality supplements and your marketing, you can make the most of this program and grow your online business.

PureFormulas: The Newsweek-Approved E-Tailer

PureFormulas is a top name in supplements, named the best health product e-tailer by Newsweek in 2020. This honor shows their dedication to quality wellness products for customers.Being a PureFormulas affiliate lets you explore over 400 top brands of supplements, health foods, and beauty products. You can earn commissions from 2% to 7% through Sovrn and up to 3.2% through FlexOffers. This is a great chance for content creators and online businesses to make money from their supplement content.Working with PureFormulas means you get lots of marketing help and special deals to boost your sales. PureFormulas is a one-stop shop for wellness products. It's a great way for you to make more money by selling quality supplements and health products to your followers.

FAQ

What are the key benefits of supplement affiliate programs?Supplement affiliate marketing is very profitable. In the U.S., 73% of people take dietary supplements. The market is growing fast, over 8% each year. Health and fitness websites can make over ,000 a month from it.Which supplement affiliate programs offer the best commission rates and terms?Some top programs for supplements have great commissions and terms: - Bulk Supplements gives a 15% base commission with more for good performance. - Onnit offers 15% commission and a 45-day cookie, but needs a website or social following. - Life Extension pays up to 12% for big sales. - eVitamins has 12-20% commissions and a 60-day cookie.How can I maximize earnings from supplement affiliate marketing?Pick high-quality brands with good commissions and long cookies. Use your website, social media, and email to promote. Make content that teaches and trusts your audience. Also, sell different products like protein powders and vitamins.What are the drawbacks of some supplement affiliate programs?Not all programs are the same. The Vitamin Shoppe offers just 1% commission and a 7-day cookie. MegaFood gives 8% but only for 30 days. Look at the terms and brand before joining.How can I get started with supplement affiliate marketing?Start by picking top programs that fit your audience and content. Apply, make your affiliate links, and promote on your website, social media, and emails. Watch your results and keep improving your strategy to earn more. Read the full article

[socialhipper]

Explore the Most Influential YouTube Creators in 2024

In 2024, YouTube remains the powerhouse platform for content creation, with millions of creators shaping digital trends and influencing culture worldwide. These creators entertain and inspire millions by sharing their knowledge, creativity, and personalities. This year, a new generation of YouTube creators has risen to prominence, each bringing their unique flair and perspective to the platform. Here, we explore some of the most influential YouTube creators in 2024, each making their mark on the digital world.

1. MrBeast (Jimmy Donaldson)

Subscribers: 183+ Million Niche: Challenges, Philanthropy, Entertainment

Jimmy Donaldson, better known as MrBeast, continues to dominate YouTube in 2024. His lavish giveaways, elaborate challenges, and philanthropic efforts have redefined the concept of viral content. Whether it’s planting millions of trees, giving away cars, or hosting enormous competitions, MrBeast has elevated YouTube content into something akin to reality TV meets digital philanthropy. His influence extends beyond just his subscribers—he has changed the landscape of YouTube by inspiring other creators to pursue ambitious projects that give back to the community.

2. Marques Brownlee (MKBHD)

Subscribers: 20+ Million Niche: Technology and Gadgets

Marques Brownlee, also known as MKBHD, is the leading voice in tech reviews on YouTube. His in-depth analysis, high production quality, and clear presentation make him one of the most trusted sources for tech enthusiasts. In 2024, his influence has expanded as technology continues to evolve rapidly, with new innovations in AI, electric vehicles, and gadgets. Marques' ability to break down complex concepts into digestible content for his audience ensures he remains a dominant force in the tech sphere, influencing not just consumers but the industry itself.

3. Emma Chamberlain

Subscribers: 12+ Million Niche: Lifestyle, Vlogs, Comedy

Emma Chamberlain has continued to thrive as one of YouTube's most relatable and influential content creators. Known for her down-to-earth personality and quirky editing style, Emma's vlogs have captivated millions of viewers, particularly Gen Z. Her honest, no-filter approach to life sets her apart in a world of highly curated content. Emma's influence goes beyond YouTube as she has become a major player in the fashion world and has even launched her own successful podcast. Her authenticity and originality keep her at the forefront of digital culture.

4. NikkieTutorials (Nikkie de Jager)

Subscribers: 14+ Million Niche: Beauty, Makeup, Transformation

NikkieTutorials is one of the most respected voices in the beauty community. Known for her impeccable makeup skills and vibrant personality, Nikkie continues to be a powerful influencer in 2024. Her tutorials range from everyday looks to dramatic transformations, captivating viewers with her artistry. Beyond beauty, Nikkie’s impact stems from her openness about her identity, particularly after coming out as transgender in 2020. She uses her platform to advocate for inclusivity and acceptance, making her an inspiring figure in both the beauty world and beyond.

5. Mark Rober

Subscribers: 24+ Million Niche: Science, Engineering, Education

Mark Rober has made science cool again on YouTube. The former NASA engineer has captivated millions of viewers with his fascinating experiments, elaborate builds, and innovative engineering challenges. From creating squirrel-proof bird feeders to designing underwater robots, Mark’s content is both educational and entertaining. In 2024, Mark continues to inspire younger generations to take an interest in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). His engaging approach to learning proves that science doesn’t have to be confined to the classroom—it can be fun and accessible for everyone.

6. James Charles

Subscribers: 24+ Million Niche: Beauty, Makeup, Challenges

James Charles remains a dominant figure in the beauty world, pushing boundaries with his creative makeup tutorials and collaborations with other influencers and celebrities. His makeup challenges and transformations have inspired millions to express themselves through beauty, breaking down traditional gender norms in the process. In 2024, James continues to be a trailblazer, using his influence to inspire creativity and self-expression among his followers while expanding his reach into fashion and pop culture.

7. Ali Abdaal

Subscribers: 5+ Million Niche: Productivity, Self-Improvement, Education

Ali Abdaal is a former doctor turned productivity guru who has taken YouTube by storm with his motivational and self-improvement content. Ali’s channel focuses on helping people optimize their lives through productivity hacks, study tips, and personal growth strategies. His approachable style and insightful advice have inspired millions to take control of their time and goals, making him a go-to creator for those seeking to improve their lives. In 2024, Ali’s influence continues to grow as more people embrace his practical approach to living a more fulfilled and productive life.

8. Lilly Singh

Subscribers: 14+ Million Niche: Comedy, Social Commentary, Motivation

Lilly Singh, also known as Superwoman, is a trailblazer in the YouTube community. She began her career with comedic skits and has evolved into a multifaceted entertainer, advocating for diversity and mental health awareness. Lilly's influence has extended far beyond YouTube, as she became the first woman of South Asian descent to host a late-night talk show on a major American network. In 2024, she remains a powerful voice for change, using her platform to promote inclusivity, positivity, and self-love.

9. Ryan's World (Ryan Kaji)

Subscribers: 34+ Million Niche: Toys, Kids Entertainment, Education

Ryan Kaji, the young star behind Ryan’s World, continues to be a YouTube sensation in 2024. His channel, which started with toy reviews and unboxings, has expanded to include educational content, challenges, and even animated series. Ryan’s influence extends beyond YouTube, with merchandise lines, a TV show, and partnerships with major brands. As one of the highest-earning YouTubers, Ryan’s impact on the kids' entertainment space is undeniable. His channel inspires creativity, play, and learning for children worldwide.

10. PewDiePie (Felix Kjellberg)

Subscribers: 111+ Million Niche: Gaming, Commentary, Entertainment

PewDiePie, aka Felix Kjellberg, remains one of the most influential YouTube creators of all time. His comedic gaming content and witty commentary have garnered him an enormous following, and in 2024, he continues to be a trendsetter in digital entertainment. PewDiePie’s influence transcends gaming—he engages with internet culture, memes, and social commentary in a way that resonates with millions of viewers. His ability to evolve with the platform while staying true to his unique style has made him a lasting figure in the world of YouTube.

Conclusion

The most influential YouTube creators in 2024 are shaping the platform and influencing culture, trends, and conversations worldwide. From philanthropy and technology to beauty and education, these creators have found ways to connect with audiences deeply, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible on YouTube. As the platform continues to grow and evolve, these influencers will remain at the forefront, driving innovation, inspiring creativity, and impacting digital culture.

[shubham204]

Role of NFTs in Social Media Platforms

NFT, creates new possibilities by owning the network digital system, increasing the interest of fans of the created art, music, and sports. The group is now using NFTs to sell digital art, music, and collectibles. Recently, NFTs have been appearing on various social media platforms, creating new revenue streams and driving user growth.

How has NFT been implemented in social media platforms?

Since the days of MySpace and the early years of Facebook, social media has changed a lot. Today, social media platforms are a place to communicate, entertain, and share information. Creating an NFT can create a profitable relationship with social media by expanding the user base and generating new revenue streams. This will simplify your work for NFT content approval, but you need a good NFT wallet tracker to identify the best NFTs.

Social media helps NFT companies collect user data, which can be used to improve customer service. These digital companies contained similar information about the assets they represented, such as the name of the manufacturer or ownership history. With this data, social media companies can monitor users' usage and their preferences, enhancing the overall user experience and tracking NFT-related engagement.

In addition, social media platforms provide more control over your convenience by using your affiliates without the need for third-party exchanges. NFTs provide an additional source of revenue for social media companies through transactions. NFTs benefit content and social media organisations by creating foundational content on your platform.

NFT's own social media platform

Twitter

Twitter is moving forward with the adoption of NFTs. In March 2021, a former Twitter user, Jack Derry, sold his tweet as an NFT for $2.9 per minute. Since then, the NFT platform on Twitter has included a feature called "Super Follows" to seek out more reviews of your reviews. This allows creators to charge customers for access to special features.

Twitter has announced a new relationship with several NFT portfolio trackers, including OpenSea and ANZALI. It allows users to buy, sell, and display NFTs by tweeting helpful suggestions.

Instagram

Popularity began including NFTs on Instagram for sharing photos and videos. In May 2020, "Instagram Shop" was launched on Instagram, allowing users to create products for the platform on behalf of directors. Recently, a "collection" feature is being tested on Instagram, allowing users to create NFTs of their choice and display digital assets on their profile. This feature is currently available to a different group of creators and will likely be expanded to more users.

Facebook/Meta

Facebook, now called Meta, is trying to find a new direction on its platform. An example is Horizon Workroom, a virtual reality platform that allows users to create and customize their avatars. Users can purchase unique wardrobe items for their avatars using NFTs from the OpenStreetMap marketplace.

The activation of Meta GIF will increase its product. The idea is also to allow Meta users to showcase your NFT collection on your profile, increasing market visibility and creating more value for the NFT masses.

Tiktok

Searching for a short video on a popular Force Ticket and NFT integration. In September 2021, Ticket announced a joint venture with the Ethereum Layer 2 solution to launch its own NFT collection. The platform is also partnered with marketplaces like OpenSea, which enables creators to sell NFTs. These artists provide a source of additional income to Kottak by showcasing their digital art to their huge user base.

Youtube

YouTube, one of the largest video-sharing platforms, is planning to implement NFTs. For example, a creator could sell a differently-revealed video, an unloved song, or a personal message as an NFT. This will serve as a measure of ownership for the sale, giving you a unique way to showcase your digital content to your friends. YouTube's "YouTube NFT Market Place" is being launched, and built alongside the platform's existing creator tools. Creators can create and sell their NFTs in the style of YouTube, with a platform similar to your current revenue generation model, with each sale.

[nenamatic]

Are you tired of writing boring blogs, emails, and ads that don't captivate your target audience? It's time to give a shot at the possibility of an AI writer! Over the last year, I've tried and reviewed various paid and free AI creators of content. Today I'm back to introduce you a new intriguing artificial intelligence writer Copy AI. This AI writer is gaining popularity in the marketplace lately. So, I decided to taking a look and determining whether it's really worthy of the hype. It's not going to create long-form content in a matter of seconds, or even create complete blog posts with a single mouse click. However, it could aid in the creation of content such as blog titles, outline or points to paragraphs blog intros and outros metadata descriptions, and the like of thing in only a couple of clicks. For this Copy.ai Review I'll begin by discussing User Interface and the working process of Copy AI. After that, we'll proceed to talk about its pricing plans, the most important features, pros and cons of this Ai Writer. With no further waiting, let's jump straight in to the review. About Copy Ai Copy Ai was founded in 2020 by Paul Yacoubian. This company has headquarter in Memphis, Tennessee ,USA .Crunchbase records that the team received a seed funding that was $2.9 million from investors like Adam Morley and Sequoia Capital. At this point, there are more than 3 million+ active users and popular companies like Microsoft, Nestlé, eBay, and Ogilvy use Copy AI for their professional work. My First Impression My initial impressions and experiences using Copy.ai are that it is able to be a valuable and beneficial AI device for appropriate person. It's a great way to push yourself to complete the content you've written even when you're not very imaginative. If you have to create a large number of smaller chunks of content in a short time. The accuracy and truthfulness of the information must be verified in certain areas, especially ones that concern the well-being and health of humans as well as animals. It should therefore be utilized in a way as an aid during the content creation process. In this reason it can prove extremely effective. I have found that the Copy Ai is better suited to general issues than for specific ones, but I believe that with time I will be able to utilize it more efficient. For instance, it produced some nonsense about one specific product, but when it was writing content for the specific product category, it far outperformed. At this point this is probably not the best option for those who want the highest quality long-form content. If you're simply looking for something to throw in a description of a product or in a social media post and you're not concerned with quality the content is fine. But when it comes to producing truly great material, I do not believe it's yet there. What GPT Copy Ai use? CopyAI is a tool for copywriting that is based on the most recent model for language prediction, known as GPT 3. Generatorate Pre-trained Transformer (or GPT3) is the most advanced model built on over 175 billion variables. This is why it creates highly refined as well as high quality content. Copy Ai User Interface The interface for users of Copy AI appears modern and sleek with minimalist layout. Once you sign into your account with Copy AI you'll be able to see a tidy and organized user interface. The left-hand panel offers options to create a brand new project, and you can use the various tools and templates that are available .The main screen offers some useful examples of use as well as a list of projects and folders that were that you have created. It is possible to access the account and language settings in the upper-right corner. The interface however is sluggish and slow. The outputs are a little slower for certain scenarios. Use Cases Copy Ai Interface Copy AI Copy Ai Features Languages As of now, CopyAI supports 25+ languages on its Pro plan.

You can set different languages for input and output, which is great. Some popular languages supported are German, Italian, French, Japanese, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, etc. However, you won’t find Hindi as the supported language at the moment. I hope they introduce it in their future updates. Tone With Copy AI, you get a bunch of refined tones to mold your content according to certain moods and occasions. It offers 8 preset tones, including Bold, Friendly, Luxury, Relaxed, Professional, Adventurous, Witty, and Persuasive. Unlike all the other AI writers I’ve reviewed so far, Copy AI offers the option to create custom tones. If your preferred tone of voice isn’t on their list, you can create a customized tone for any use case. But do they work well? Keep reading to find that out! Plagiarism In the case of plagiarism using Grammarly's AI text, Grammarly detected 16% plagiarism. This is a little high, especially if accustomed to checking lengthy blogs for evidence of plagiarism. I've seen these result in one or two percent level of plagiarism (which is typically from completely non-related content). But, since I had to test such a small amount of text, it's logical. I also ran five tests using other paragraphs created by Copy.ai to determine whether they produced more positive results. They showed zero plagiarism on the five tests. Use Cases Copy AI comes with an extensive library of 90+ AI use cases belonging to different categories. For instance: EMAILS-Discount Emails, Follow-up Emails, Welcome Emails, Confirmation/Cancellation Emails, Cold Outreach Emails, and more. BLOGGING-Blog Ideas, Blog Intros, How-to Blogs, Meta Descriptions, Listicles, Long-form Content, etc. COPYWRITING-Landing page copy, AIDA copy, PAS copy, Features to Benefits, Product Descriptions, etc. SOCIAL MEDIA- Facebook posts, YouTube descriptions, LinkedIn posts, Instagram Captions, etc. BUSINESS-Job Descriptions, Rejection Letters, About Us Copy, Hiring Blurb, etc CREATIVE WRITING- Short Stories, Song Lyrics, Poetry, Dating Profile, etc. Accuracy If we speak about accuracy you have to be with your eyes open here. Check everything. Algorithm needs more improvement. You can get misleading output. For example you can write about tennis balls but output you can get talking about all kind of it. Reader can be confused. Copy Ai and Editing The content from Copy Ai is among the most impressive I've observed from AI. I was very pleasantly amazed. In my Welcome Email, I wouldn't need to alter much. The ability to select several options helped me choose the right paragraphs for me and, in turn, help to reduce editing time. But, as with all AI software for writing, it is best to hire an editor in your company review Copy.ai's output. When I was testing a different software, Copy.ai gave me some mathematical figures that my brain was aware were wrong. The rest of the content was excellent however, Copy.ai cannot solve math . Therefore, please ask your editorial staff to go over the work. Do not blindly publish an article. Copy Ai Pricing Copy.ai's Pricing plans are extremely simple. They offer a free plan which is free for the entire month which means that every month, you can use at least 2,000 words for free without having to input credit card details. This should show you how sure they are in their ability to upgrade. Next is called Pro that begins at $49 per monthly for the use of 40,000 words. It will increase based on the amount of words you intend to use each month. All the excellent features regardless of the number of words you select. Copy Ai Free Plan If you're just beginning your journey with AI tools you can go with the copyAI plan for free. It will give you access to all more than 90 use cases, with a the word-generation limitation of 2k words per month. Payment Methods Copy AI allows payments using Credit Cards. They also accept Google Pay, which is perfect for Indian customers.

Refund Policy They provide a 10-day return policy on all plans of Copy AI that you purchase. You can test their program for 10 days, and get full refund in the event that you don't love it! Free Trial CopyAI also offers a seven-day trial for free on the Pro plan for users who are planning to upgrade. The plan includes every one of the 90+ usage cases, and doesn't require you to enter your credit card number! Conclusion In my opinion, after testing Copy Ai ,I can say that this tool deserve solid second place among all others i have used so far! If you are tight on the budget then you go for it. For this price Copy Ai offer great value to small business owners. If you need help for short form content this is solution for you! If you want to learn more about other Ai writers take a look at: Writesonic Review - here Rytr Ai Review - here Nishesss Review - here

[asianartsblog]

Call to All North American ArtistsforUSA Miniprints for Peace and Justice 2024The 5th annual SOS ART Challenge and Exhibit of Miniprintson Peace and Justice

CONDITIONS

1) Miniprints from any North American artist or artist living in the USA

2) Miniprints limited to only traditional techniques of printmaking (digital prints not accepted)

3) Miniprints to relate to themes of peace and justice

4) Artist to submit up to 3 different miniprints

5) Unique size of miniprint: image 6x6", centered in paper 10x10"

6) Miniprint to have been created within the past 5 years

MINIPRINT/INFORMATION/RECEPTION

1) Deadline for application: June 3, 2024

2) Each miniprint to be artist-signed and accompanied, written on its back, by its technical details:

Name of Artist:

Title of miniprint:

Printmaking technique:Y

ear of creation:

3) Each submission to be accompanied, submitted online, by artist's and miniprint(s)’ information:

*Artist: address, e mail, telephone, short biography, etc.

*Miniprint: information relating to each print and its accompanying statement, etc.

This information is to be provided by completing the "USA Miniprints for Peace and JusticeApplication Form" obtained at sosartcincinnati.com:https://sosartcincinnati.com/call-to-artists-for-usa.../

4) Artist to send up to 3 numbered and signed prints of every different miniprint submitted; oneto become part of the "USA Miniprints for Peace and Justice 2024" portfolio that will remain with SOSART; the others (one or two for each different miniprint) to be offered for sale.

5) Miniprints to be sent loose (ie not matted or framed) in protective material, mailed to:SOS ART,216 Erkenbrecher Ave,Cincinnati, OH 452296) Miniprints to be received by SOS ART no later than June 10, 2024

EXHIBIT/SALE

1) The annual Miniprint Challenge and Exhibit is organized by SOS ART, a Cincinnati-based nonprofitorganization whose mission is to promote the arts as vehicles for peace and justice and for abetter world (website: sosartcincinnati.com; e mail: sosartcincinnati@gmail.com)

2) Depending on the number of miniprints received, a selection of up to 50, chosen by SOS ARTinvited reviewers, will be exhibited at the yearly SOS ART exhibit and event for peace and justice totake place at the Art Academy of Cincinnati from June 21 until July 14, 2024; also possibly later atdifferent venues. Any miniprints not exhibited will be available to view by the public during the exhibit.

3) SOS ART and its invited reviewers will select up to 5 favorite "Coup de Coeur" miniprints(taking into account content, originality, artistry, skills, etc.). The artist creator of each "Coup deCoeur" miniprint will be recognized with a cash gift of $200.

4) Miniprints available for sale will be each offered for the unique price of $50 ($35 to benefit theartist and $15 SOS ART). Miniprints not sold during the exhibit will not be returned and SOS ARTwill continue to offer them for sale in the future. Artists will retain copyrights to their artworks.

5) Images of all miniprints received will be included, with accompanying information, in a "USAMiniprints for Peace and Justice 2024" gallery folder posted on SOS ART's website(www.sosartcincinnati.com).To view the works submitted in previous years please check the following online galleries:USA Miniprints for Peace and Justice 2020, 2021, 2022, & 2023 Exhibit

Looking forward to your participation.

[thefaybul]

2024 February Creator Feature

The band that you just heard a sample of is called Drop The Star. “DROPtheSTAR started writing songs in 2020. A dynamic band with long-time roots in the Tacoma/Seattle music scene. Their music is classic rock influenced, with alternative sensibilities, creating a sound that is both timeless and fresh. The band members have honed their craft over thousands of hours to create music that is compelling, original, and unforgettable. Their music is a celebration of the power of Rock & Roll, and a testament to the enduring appeal of this iconic genre.”

Now the lead singer had a little bit to sit down recently and talk with me about their work and he had this to say about the band.

So if you like that little sample at the start and the teaser for the interview with them, which will be out next month. Go and check out their website or get some more great music at Youtube. Links in the comments below.

Next up we have some very great art from PolinasArtWorld on Etsy. Her art is very unique and has a sort of innocence about each piece. The use of vibrant colors makes each piece so colorful and friendly. Check out some of her work and check out her page at:

Her reviews are great as well, with Morgan saying “Brings such peace and joy. Beautifully done.” Along with Ashley saying “I love it, so pretty.” Go check out her fantastic and unique art on etsy.

Next may I present Time Voyage: Discover Colonial America by Krystal Teale. 

Krystal Teale has master's degree in public history and nearly a decade of teaching high school history, Krystal possesses the expertise needed to craft an engaging and informative narrative. Aligning the content selection with the curriculum guidelines for 5th and 8th-grade U.S. History TEKS  ensures that the book caters to the specific needs and understanding of young learners, enhancing their appreciation and comprehension of history. Krystal's dedication to bringing history to life and showcasing its relevance for a brighter future underscores her passion which is exhibited through her story.

Recently I was able to interview her about the book and she had this to say about herself and her book.

Now for a little sample of her book.

Teaching history was not on her radar as a young girl. With her nose always in a book, Ms. Vail wanted

to be a historian. Someone who learned everything she could about how the past shaped our time. Now

she was back in her hometown of Meadowville to be a sixth-grade history teacher. As she arrived at the

school in her car, she felt a mix of anticipation and anxiety.

It was her first year as a teacher, and she wanted everything to be perfect for her students. Carrying

boxes filled with classroom materials, Ms. Vail entered her first classroom. She took everything in as the

excitement built. Ms. Vail arranged the desks in rows and properly organized the textbooks. Then it was

time to put up colorful posters to inspire her students. With each step, her excitement grew as she

imagined her classroom filled with students in just a few days.

As she was preparing to set up her welcome presentation on the smart board in the classroom, she

faced a problem. The screen remained dark, and none of her attempts to turn it on were successful.

Frustration built, threatening to dampen her excitement.

Remembering her principal, Mr. Johnson’s kind words, Ms.Vail took a deep breath and sought help. She

approached Mr.Johnson’s office and knocked on the door. Mr. Johnson looked up from his paperwork

and smiled warmly, sensing Ms. Vail’s concern.

“Hello, Ms. Vail. How can I help you today?” he asked kindly.

Ms. Vail explained her frustration with the smart board with a hint of unease. Mr. Johnson listened and

reassured her, saying, “Don’t worry, I know just the person who can help. Let me introduce you to Mr.

Corden. He’s our tech and maintenance expert here at Meadowville Middle School.”

A sense of relief washed over Ms.Vail as Mr. Johnson gave her directions to Mr. Corden’s workshop. She

sincerely thanked him and set off to find the man who could fix her problem.

As she walked through the busy hallways of Meadowville Middle School, she thought about when she

was a student there. Ms. Vail found Mr. Corden’s workshop at the back of the school. Tools and

equipment were scattered about, showcasing the hands-on nature of his work. She approached the

entrance and knocked on the door, uncertain of what to expect.

The door swung open, revealing a friendly face framed by a pair of glasses, and a warm smile greeted

her.

“Hello, Mr. Corden. I hope I’m not interrupting anything,” Ms. Vail said, feeling slightly anxious. “I’m Ms.

Vail, the new history teacher. Mr. Johnson said that I may find you here.”

“Hi, Ms. Vail! It’s nice to meet you. Wonderful to have a fellow historian on campus!” he greeted her

warmly. “Now, what seems to be the trouble?” Mr. Corden asked curiously.

Ms. Vail sighed. “Well, I was all set to set up my welcome presentation on the smart board, but it just

won’t turn on. I’ve tried everything, and I’m stumped.”

Mr. Corden chuckled. “Ah, those smart boards can be finicky sometimes. I’ll see what I can do. Follow

me.”

As they continued to walk, Ms. Vail couldn’t help but notice all the gadgets and devices scattered

around.

“What’s all this?” she asked as she gestured to the collection.

“Oh, just a minor project I’ve been working on,” Mr. Corden said with a mischievous smile.

Ms. Vail became curious. “What is it?” she asked. “A project? What is it?”

Mr. Corden paused. “Well, I rarely show it to just anyone, but since you’re a fellow history enthusiast, I

think you’ll appreciate it. Behold, my secret project—a Time Machine.”

Ms. Vail’s eyes widened in amazement. “A Time Machine? Seriously?”

If you enjoyed the story, go get the rest of it at the links below and read the rest of it to learn something new about history.

If you enjoyed this video, consider supporting The Faybul and our mission to help creators of all kinds by subscribing to our Patreon at patreon.com/TheFaybul, I would appreciate the support to help grow towards the next goal. And always remember, Be Your Own Fable.

[xtruss]

Digital Warfare: US 🇺🇸 And China 🇨🇳 Go Head To Head In Cyberspace

— Mariam Amini

As the start of the new year sees Israel’s war on Gaza rage on, the US faces an ongoing battle in the cyber realm back home.

According to one survey by Gallup and Knight Foundation, trust in US media is so low that half of Americans believe national news outlets deliberately mislead them.

This rise in distrust is a common global pattern, with the UK having the second lowest levels of media trust according to a study of 24 countries by King’s College London. Held as part of the World Values Survey, just 13% of British respondents expressed confidence in the press.

Meanwhile, news consumption on social media is only growing, with data showing a third of Americans under the age of 30 now get their news on TikTok.

2023 saw the White House ramp up its efforts to manage the Chinese-owned tech giant, which has over 150 million users in the States, the highest of any country globally.

In March, platform CEO Shou Zi Chew even appeared before Congress, in an attempt to dispel allegations over the app’s collection of sensitive user data, as well as censorship of any content that goes against China’s Communist Party.

It’s all slightly ironic, considering the intense regulatory crackdown on domestic tech companies by Chinese authorities in 2020, which even saw e-commerce site Alibaba fined $2.8 billion in a landmark antitrust case in 2021.

US government and European Union's parliament ban TikTok From staff mobile devices

The Asian nation’s technology sector has since conformed to new regulations, much like the control US officials perhaps wish to instill over TikTok.

In December, US presidential primary Nikki Haley publicly condemned the platform. She says: “We really do need to ban TikTok once and for all. For every 30 minutes that someone watches TikTok every day, they become 17% more antisemitic, more pro-Hamas.”

Her statements have since been debunked by Generation Lab, the data company behind the survey she references. However, it does beg the question of why TikTok faces greater reprimand when, for instance, Silicon Valley-owned Meta has already been proven to systematically censor Palestinian content in a review by Human Rights Watch.

So then, one must ask, is the real concern about data protection or threats to Silicon Valley business interests, or maybe even anti-Israeli sentiment in general?

While Instagram saw a decent growth of 47.8% between 2020 to 2022, TikTok doubled its user base. According to polling data shared by Axios, the majority of these users express pro-Palestinian sentiment. This is especially frequent among young people on the platform.

The tech giant has confirmed this natural trend, emphasising a need to listen to users: “This is a really difficult time for millions of people around the world and in our TikTok community.”

“We feel it’s important to meet with and listen to creators, human rights experts, civil society and other stakeholders to help guide our ongoing work to keep our global community safe.”

U.S. President Joe Biden participates in a virtual meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping

So, would the North American giant really ban TikTok? And if they did, would more countries follow suit? TikTok was banned in India in 2020 over claims of illegal data collection. This occurred shortly after geopolitical tensions at the border between India and China.

The video-sharing app was also slapped with a $368 million fine by the European Union for data beaches in the same year.

However, the company has since taken steps on advancing data security in partnership with Oracle Cloud Infrastructure. According to TikTok U.S. Data Security, as of June 2022, 100% of US user traffic is now routed to the US-based computer software company.

As for the question of censorship, visiting fellow Michael Kwet at Yale Law School’s Information Society Project believes: “There’s no reason to believe TikTok will offer substantially more diverse views across the global media landscape”.

In an interview with Al Jazeera, he says: “When confronted with content moderation decisions, TikTok will do what all big social media companies do: remove content at the request of entities with power, so long as it becomes too costly to disobey.”

In the midst of Israel's ongoing aggression in the besieged Gaza Strip, alongside rampant misinformation and media bias - one thing is clear: access to honest, independent journalism centred on human values, not corporate, is needed like never before.

[englishbutter]

Originally published on Substack, 4th October, 2023. Link!

Since this essay is 10.5k words, I've included the first section below the cut and a link to the Substack article.

A special thanks to Ubisoft ANZ for not only supplying an early copy of Mirage for me to review, but for inviting me to the game’s Sydney launch party this past Thursday. I had a brilliant time and adored meeting the amazing content creators, eating the delicious food, getting pushed outside because of fire alarm shenanigans, and having a ridiculously long 1-on-1 chat with Mirage’s narrative director, Sarah Beaulieu. Thanks for flying halfway across the planet to come and visit us!

INTRO

I have been simultaneously dreading and getting cautiously optimistic for this game for months now, but mostly I’ve been going out of my way not to think about it. My thought process was that when October 2023 came about, I wanted to go into Assassin’s Creed Mirage as neutrally as possible, because my relationship with Assassin’s Creed over the past few years has been turbulent to say the least. The first game I was around for the release of was Origins in 2017, for which I was monstrously hyped. Then when Odyssey was revealed at E3 in 2018, I crashed for I immediately hated it, decrying it along with hundreds of others online. When Valhalla came about in 2020, I simply did not care for it in the slightest. Both for Valhalla by itself, and for Assassin’s Creed as a brand.

I had entered my jaded phase, for I had played two games in a row of a thing I had recently fallen out of love with, and it was a bitter thing to experience. On top of that, I had quietly resigned myself, as had many others in my circle of friends, to never getting back the Assassin’s Creed we liked, and instead we would get more games that built entire countries with 60 hour campaigns. For back then, Assassin’s Creed wasn’t the only franchise Ubisoft was transforming. Post-Origins, their philosophy seemed to be to make everything bigger, better, and endless. A Unity within an Odyssey. I decided to cut my losses and squat on my “section” of the franchise that I liked the most, which are the 18th century games, and thought that would be enough to content me and that I would move on and find new obsessions to take the place that had been occupied by Assassin’s Creed.

Burying my hopes and dreams for Assassin’s Creed in 2020. (Assassin’s Creed III, 2012 (Ubisoft))

Then mid-2020 happened. Ubisoft’s management were hit by claims of rampant bullying and sexual harassment that stretched all the way to the top of the company. Many high profile people were fired, but for this story, the two big names were Valhalla’s game director Ashraf Ismail, and Ubisoft’s CCO Serge Hascoët. If you weren’t around then, know it was a massive event. With Hascoët in particular gone, there came some hope that these changes would not only turf out abusers and change the general company culture for the better (the results have been mixed to say the least), but be felt in the way Ubisoft made its games. But if their games were going to change, then we’d have to wait for a few years as development pipelines had the chance to catch up.

When Mirage was revealed in September 2022, that cynicism Odyssey and Valhalla had left me with still had me in its grip. I watched the cinematic trailer and kind of felt nothing. Later when I had time to reflect on my emotions it felt both freeing and really fucking terrible. I didn’t care about this thing that had had me in some kind of death grip for six and a half years by then. I could watch this promise of a thing dangled before me and be fine in the thought that I had moved on. But that realisation of detachment felt bad. Because this franchise was the one that got me into video games beyond Nintendo party games in the first place. It was the thing that led me to meet wonderful people and open doors to opportunities like the Mentor’s Guild and Star Player programs, and having my work featured in For Honor not once, but twice.

But I didn’t want to think about that either. I put Mirage to the back of my brain and went on with my life. Mirage would come out eventually, and if it looked good, I’d play it.

And that was my headspace until about a week ago when I went to that launch party. Mirage is here, and boy do I have a lot to say about it.

Basim ibn Is’haq, protagonist of Mirage. He has a nice face :) (Assassin’s Creed Mirage, 2023 (Ubisoft))

As a TL;DR review: Mirage is a solid AC game fans have been clamouring for for years. The gameplay loop is fun and engaging and fully committed to delivering the Assassin fantasy. The story likewise is good, but not great. It has memorable characters in Basim and Roshan and does reach some great dramatic moments, even if I found that its beats didn’t land as fully as they wanted. I highly recommend it for fans of Classic Creed. For New Creed fans/players who are looking for adventures like Odyssey, this game might not be for you as it exchanges country-sized maps for a single, dense urban environment (and whilst the map outside of Baghdad is large, it is mostly empty like Origins’ desert regions), has done away with character dialogue choices and romances, banished the focus on magic and mythology, and leans fully into the stealthy Assassin fantasy rather than the build-based branches of Assassin, Warrior, or Ranger you could spec into as Kassandra or Alexios. However, if you’re after some open world action adventure, historical tourism, and/or look to murder a bunch of pixel people, there’s a good chance you’ll have fun :)

This review has been split into two parts — a non-spoiler review that goes over gameplay and my general feelings on the narrative without going into details, and a longer, spoiler filled review that will be less focused on gameplay mechanics and more on narrative. I have marked where the spoiler section starts in bold and with a large page break. Feel free to come back and read my analysis on the spoiler sections once you have finished the game, as I have loads to say about it.

Read the rest on Substack!