Actress Chantelle Rance found an unexpected new career path during the pandemic lockdowns. With her acting work halted, Rance turned to Instagram to satisfy her creative drive and post fashion and lifestyle content. Those initial outfit photos and videos quickly blossomed into an influencer career as brands began reaching out about paid partnerships.  Rance discovered she preferred the direct connection with online fans over acting roles. Drawing on lessons from her pageant experience about supporting others in the industry, the actress-turned-influencer has tried to foster a spirit of ca ..read more

TikTok announced it is beginning to automatically label AI-generated content (AIGC) when uploaded from certain other platforms. The social video app has partnered with the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA) to implement their Content Credentials technology, making TikTok the first video-sharing platform to utilize this AIGC labeling solution. Content Credentials attaches metadata to digital content, allowing platforms like TikTok to recognize and label AIGC instantly. This capability is rolling out initially for images and videos, with audio-only content support coming s ..read more

Substack, the online platform known for empowering writers through direct reader subscriptions, has unveiled a new initiative to court video creators. The company has opened applications for its Creator Studio fellowship, selecting 10 video stars to help transition their TikTok followings into Substack shows and communities. The program promises comprehensive support, including strategic consulting from Gymnasium, the studio behind the hit series Boy Room. Winners receive production assistance, technical guidance, marketing, and an exclusive launch event from the Gymnasium team. Substack aims ..read more

Social tour company Contiki has partnered with creative agency We Are Social Australia for an unconventional influencer marketing campaign called “Switch On Social Travel.” The initiative takes a group of 17 influencers, with a combined following of 20 million users, predominantly aged 18-35, on a trip through Portugal and Spain. However, in a bold departure from conventional influencer activations, the campaign dares these travel content creators to completely detach from social media for the entire seven-day adventure. The aim is to allow participants to fully immerse themselves in the cult ..read more

Combate Global, top Latino-focused mixed martial arts promotion, signed Mexican social media sensation Luis “Pride” Escudero, Ringside Intel broke the story.  The 24-year-old fighter has amassed over 6.8 million followers across TikTok and other platforms. Escudero holds a professional MMA record of 3 wins and 2 losses. His debut for Combate Global comes on May 18 against fellow prospect Carlos Cordoba in a featured featherweight bout in Miami, airing on FuseTV. Escudero is known for a viral 2022 armbar submission finish over Juan Campos at Ultimate Warrior Challenge 47 that came just ov ..read more

TikTok unveiled new advertising offerings as part of its TikTok Pulse suite. These solutions guarantee that brands’ campaigns will run adjacent to the top trending content across all categories on the platform, in addition to the existing Pulse lineups. The TikTok Pulse suite is an advertising solution that allows brands to effectively land their message by placing ads next to the hottest trending and most premium brand-safe content resonating with audiences. It consists of three main components: Max Pulse: The newly introduced Max Pulse unlocks campaigns’ full potential by ensuring ad place ..read more

At NewFronts 2024, Snapchat announced a new advertising feature called “AR Extensions” that allows brands to integrate augmented reality (AR) Lenses and Filters directly into various ad formats on the platform.  This capability extends to Dynamic Product Ads, Snap Ads, Collection Ads, Commercials, and Spotlight Ads, enabling advertisers to showcase their products and intellectual property through immersive AR experiences within the ads themselves. The company has been investing in machine learning and automation to streamline the creation of AR assets. These advancements have reduced the ..read more

Influencer Kai Cenat avoids prosecution after paying $55,000 in restitution related to a chaotic August 2023 giveaway event he promoted in New York City’s Union Square, CNN reports.  The event drew thousands, leading to injuries, property damage including damaged landscaping, and over 60 arrests as the crowd swelled rapidly from hundreds to thousands in minutes. Cenat, who had 6.5 million Twitch followers at the time, announced a “huge giveaway” of computers, PlayStation 5 consoles, gift cards, and other prizes during a livestream. The New York Police Department was forced to activate it ..read more

WhatsApp has rolled out new features for users to organize events within group chats associated with a “Community.” Within these Community groups, any member can create an event, such as a virtual meeting or birthday party. Other members can indicate whether they plan to attend. The event will appear on the group’s information page, and those marking themselves as attending will receive automatic notifications as the event nears. WhatsApp is also adding structured reply capabilities to “Announcement Groups” within Communities. When an admin posts an important update, members’ replies will be ..read more

Meta’s text-based app Threads has rolled out a new feature allowing users to control who can quote their posts within the app. According to TechCrunch, the update introduces a who can “reply” and “quote” option in the three-dot menu for each individual post. With this update, users now have the power to choose from three options – ‘Anyone,’ ‘Profiles you follow,’ or ‘Mentioned only’ – to restrict who can quote their Threads posts. This enhancement in control surpasses X’s capability of limiting who can reply. “The ability to limit who can quote your Threads posts is now available to everyone ..read more