The new rules of the “creator economy”
Social-media platforms used to get most of their content for free. That dynamic is changing
“LOOK AT YOU down there, trying to run for your life,” jeers Summer Solesis, peering down at the camera. “You don’t stand a chance against my giant, size 11 feet!” Standing over her phone, she pretends to stamp on the viewer, who gets the effect—sort of—that Ms Solesis is a “giantess with dirty feet getting rid of the tiny men infesting my house”, as one video is captioned. The production quality is low-fi, but viewers seem not to mind. “Unforgettable sweet crushing,” swoons one fan, Sven, in the comments below.
This article appeared in the Briefing section of the print edition under the headline “Serfing the web”
Briefing May 8th 2021
More from Briefing
Even in India, bureaucracy is being curtailed
Many small steps could make a big difference
Many governments talk about cutting regulation but few manage to
Yet radical deregulation is often a big boost to growth
Why Chinese AI has stunned the world
DeepSeek’s models are much cheaper and almost as good as American rivals
The right in Congress and the courts will reshape Donald Trump’s agenda
As dominant as the new president is, there is still life in Washington’s institutions
How far will Donald Trump go to get rid of illegal immigrants?
It is his signature policy, but the obstacles are daunting
Young customers in developing countries propel a boom in plastic surgery
Falling costs and converging beauty standards spur new habits