Kaya Yurieff

Since Threads ’ launch last summer, creators have grumbled to me about the lack of money-making opportunities or clear reasons for them to spend time posting on Instagram’s text-focused sister app. Threads is now trying one obvious route: paying them (a little) to post.

Is it possible that YouTube has figured out how to sell Shorts to advertisers? On a call with investors in parent Alphabet, executives indicated the monetization of YouTube Shorts is showing signs of improvement. That’s good news for creators (and Alphabet shareholders) who have seen advertisers ...

Beehiiv co-founders from left to right: Tyler Denk, Benjamin Hargett and Jacob Hurd.

Last week, we reported ByteDance is internally exploring scenarios for selling a majority stake in TikTok’s U.S. business. Any such sale would happen without a crucial benefit: its powerful recommendation algorithm.That possibility makes creators particularly nervous. TikTok’s algorithm, which ...

TikTok and Universal Music Group announced a new licensing agreement on Thursday, which the companies said would also offer protections for artists against generative artificial intelligence. It means artists signed to Universal will soon have their music back on TikTok.The companies described the deal as “multi-dimensional,” saying they would work together to offer new monetization

AI generated images of Katy Perry and Rihanna circulated on social media. Screenshots via X and Instagram

The day President Joe Biden signed a law that would ban TikTok in the U.S. if it doesn't cut ties with its Chinese parent, ByteDance, within a year, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew and other senior executives led an all-hands meeting for staff, reassuring them that TikTok will successfully fight the new law. Chew struck an optimistic tone. At one point, according to six employees in attendance, the CEO joked with the app’s head of U.S. public policy, Michael Beckerman: “You know they are going to make a movie out of all of this someday. Michael, who is going to play you?”

As TikTok kicks off its legal fight against a ban or forced sale of the app in the U.S., our chart below shows just how much competition it faces from other big tech companies, which stand to gain from a potential retreat.

Google is coming for OpenAI’s Sora—and the plethora of other young startups offering ways to create AI-generated video, ranging from Runway to Pika.

Duolingo has made its TikTok account a hit with users, emerging as an example of how companies can find a voice on short-form video. It’s got a plan for a potential TikTok ban.