Ruby Franke, the Utah mother of six who branded herself as a parenting expert and garnered millions of subscribers to her now-defunct YouTube channel, “8 Passengers,” was driven by “religious extremism” in the way she meted out punishment to two of her young children, prosecutors say in a trove of newly released records that includes Franke’s … Read more
BUCHAREST, Romania — A court in Romania’s capital on Wednesday extended geographical restrictions against online influencer Andrew Tate, who is awaiting trial on charges of human trafficking, rape and forming a criminal gang to sexually exploit women. The Bucharest Tribunal extended by a maximum of 60 days the restrictions, which stipulate Tate may not leave … Read more
BUCHAREST, Romania — Online influencer Andrew Tate was detained in Romania and handed an arrest warrant issued by British authorities, his spokesperson said Tuesday. Tate, 37, and his brother Tristan Tate were detained Monday evening for 24 hours on allegations of sexual aggression in a U.K. case dating back to 2012-2015, spokesperson Mateea Petrescu said. … Read more
In December, Pandabuy announced on its official Discord server that more than 15,000 influencers joined its affiliate marketing program last year, thanking them for their “dedicated efforts” with two emojis of Pepe the Frog clutching a red heart. That’s a small number compared to Amazon’s roughly 900,000 affiliates, but trading in counterfeits is illegal. If … Read more
In January, the CEOs of X, TikTok, Meta, Snap, and Discord testified in front of a congressional committee about child exploitation on their platforms. “Mr. Zuckerberg, you and the companies before us, I know you don’t mean it to be so, but you have blood on your hands,” Senator Lindsey Graham said at the time. … Read more
Dozens of digital creators are being briefed on President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address ahead of his Thursday speech, the administration has confirmed to WIRED. Around 70 creators, digital publishers, and influencers are set to meet with the administration to amplify the White House’s message across social media. Some were briefed on Wednesday, … Read more
Doritos has parted ways with a Spanish transgender influencer — this after old controversial tweets resurfaced and sparked calls for a boycott … and yeah, this has echoes of Bud Light. 24-year-old Samantha Hudson — who recently appeared in a new ad for Doritos out in Spain — was put on blast this week by … Read more
Warning: Graphic descriptions of sexual violence. A picturesque travel day in India turned into a nightmare for a touring influencer couple who was brutally attacked by a gang of assailants who allegedly took turns raping the woman, local police said Saturday. Fernanda and Vicente, who document their world travels by motorcycle for an audience of … Read more
Despite calls for de-influencing and digital detoxes, the social media hamster wheel shows no signs of slowing. For creators who make their money online, that’s a good thing, and insights from influencer marketing marketplace Collabstr shed light on how the creator economy could continue to provide job security for creatives in the years to come. … Read more
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This is Hot Pod, The Verge’s newsletter about podcasting and the audio industry. Sign up here for more. I hope all you East Coasters had a cozy nor’easter. By the time the snow stopped this morning and I tried to take my baby outside for some winter frolicking, it had already turned to slush. He doesn’t know the difference, … Read more