Meta and YouTube crack down as burnout hits creators

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🌀 Creator economy updates

YouTube is testing a new feature to help creators land more brand deals, affiliate offers, and ad revenue – by letting them share more audience data with advertisers. The update hasn’t been formally confirmed, but creators have started seeing rollout previews.

TikTok says Reuters got it wrong. A recent report claimed TikTok’s upcoming U.S. app would use a separate algorithm and data stack – but TikTok called the story “factually inaccurate” without clarifying what part.

Cameo is trying something new. The celeb shoutout app just launched Candl – a birthday planner that syncs your contacts and reminds you when to buy a video message. The app feels like a bet to stay relevant.

Reddit users in the UK must now verify their age. It’s part of new steps under the UK’s Online Safety Act to keep kids from seeing harmful content like porn or self-harm material.

Meta and YouTube crack down on repost spam

Both Facebook and YouTube are tightening rules on recycled content.

Meta will now demonetize Facebook accounts that repost others’ videos or memes without meaningful edits – cutting off reach and revenue. It’s also testing new tools that point viewers to the original creator.

YouTube is taking similar steps this week. Starting July 15, repost-heavy channels won’t qualify for the Partner Program unless they “significantly transform” the content.

It’s a joint push to clean up feeds from low-effort AI junk and boost original creators.

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The creator economy is booming – but the middle is vanishing

There are now 127M+ active creators worldwide – and the space has grown 19% this year alone. But most of the money is going to the top.

→ 50%+ earn under $15k/year
→ Only 5% make more than $200k
→ Mid-tier creators (50k–500k followers) are being squeezed out

Why? Brands want scale or specificity – so budgets are going to mega-creators or niche micro-influencers. Meanwhile, lifestyle creators in the middle are left fighting for fewer deals.

Some are going back to full-time jobs. Others are launching newsletters, blogs, and products to stay afloat.

The shift: Precision is beating scale – and the middle is falling through.

Burnout is hitting creators hard

New research shows that over half of creators are burned out – and nearly 40% are considering quitting.

→ 52% report burnout
→ 55% blame financial pressure
→ 59% say it’s hurting their careers

The biggest drivers: creative fatigue, financial stress, endless screen time, and algorithm pressure. Brands and platforms agree it’s an issue – but only about half of creators feel they get enough support.

What helps: setting boundaries, taking time off, using AI tools to ease workloads, and honest comms with followers.

Bottom line: burnout isn’t a side effect anymore – it’s shaping careers and cutting creator lifespans short.