Instagram is piloting a subscriptions feature with a number of content creators and influencers that places a pay wall between followers and creators’ exclusive content. I don’t know why I said it like that, “pay wall.” Subscriptions support creators. They should be viewed as a good thing. They make it possible for the hard-working social media influencers to earn a steady income, which is the foundation of building a sustainable business.
You don’t need to stretch your imagination to understand that the more predictable your income, the better. Initiatives like this make creating that much easier. It becomes worthwhile to create and that is just… I don’t even have the word for it. It’s a great thing, man. Lord knows there aren’t enough desks to accommodate all of us in the traditional formal sector.
This very feature was launched by Meta on Facebook back in 2020 and has been successful. I’m getting this from reports. I haven’t immersed myself, personally, into the feature for a plethora reasons including the fact that I’m irresponsible with social media so, like a 4-year old child that does not know when to stop, I had to be cut off. I’m on a short leash. Creators are happy about it. Patrons are happy to get access to exclusive content, exclusive live stories, shoutouts and badges. So what’s the catch, right? What’s in it for Meta?
Well, Facebook is rumoured to be aiming for a 30% share of the subscriptions. This is not to say that this is peculiar to Facebook. Apple takes a similar cut on App Store transactions. This 30% is quite significant; it adds up handsomely. Apple is not he most valuable company in the world from nothing.
If we are going to pay creators for their content, we should pay tech companies for their platforms. Fair is fair. Please copy this to your mental clipboard because it becomes relevant again a little later. Youtube wants 30% from memberships as well. It seems 30% is something of a sweet spot. There are companies that take more, though. Take Twitch. Each Twitch streamer has to split their earnings 50/50 with the platform. Patreon is on the opposite side and only demands 5%.
You can make up your own mind about how this should be priced. My thoughts around this are that fan subscriptions are a net positive outcome for creators. We are due some predictable revenue for the value-add to society. We entertain, we educate. We carry the culture forward.
Now, paste from clipboard! Facebook wants lifetime, royalty-free access and freedom to use content hosted on their servers anywhere and anyhow. They are basically saying that once you’ve posted your sketches or whatever you guys post on Facebook, they can take that content and repurpose it for their own profit without having to compensate you, the originator, anything, ever! The content belongs to Facebook until the Rapture. They are taking the mickey aren’t they?
It’s like if your landlord said that all the furniture you have brought into their house is now theirs to auction to the highest bidder without any of the benefit accruing to you. It can’t be fair. It shouldn’t be allowed. If content is worth something to you, Facebook, then you should be willing to pay for it… Like everybody else. I am not certain on if instagram Ts & Cs enshrine a similar provision. But between these two companies, it’s monkey-see, monkey-do. It is more than likely.
P.S.
This piece is over. This is tangential. You can skip to the next topic. You won’t miss anything. On Mark Zuckerberg, I’ve had a few conversations with friends about him. Last year, when he launched Meta, there seemed to be the unanimous opinion that he appears to be something other than human. As if his range for human emotion is put on like a coat. Here’s a link to a video. Is this a human being or a simulation?
Better.com Fired 900 Employees Over Zoom
The pandemic forced us to social distance and reimagine how we do business. At Better.com (mortgage company), that reimagining involved firing 900 people over a zoom call. “If you’re on this call, you’re terminated.”
This is old news as it happened in December. It’s resurfacing now because Vishal Garg, the CEO of interest here, returned to work last week. After laying off 900 people in a… let’s say unorthodox way for now, he took a break I assume to mull things over. He attracted a lot of attention during the time. Being the bearer of news that someone is being laid off is distressing enough. Waking up in the morning to find the papers with your face all over them and editorials pontificating on how you could’ve conducted yourself… ahem… better.com makes it worse.
It is not as bad as being on the other side of the call. People dial into virtual meetings and abandon their stations all the time (“people”, not me 😂). Imagine returning to the call after Vishal’s news and finding a raucous, disorderly meeting with people screaming over each other. “What do you mean?” “What are you saying?” That would throw me off for sure. I’d click around to make sure there wasn’t a pop-up Jerry Springer ad in the background.
The chaos that ensued saw Vishal uttering strong words about people stealing from the company by only working 2 hours a day; as if to justify his approach. The laid off workers were left confused. They didn’t have any context whatsoever. No professional courtesy was extended to them at all. Vishal later had a change of heart and apologised, saying that his methods made a bad situation worse. Which is true. He acknowledged that he had embarrassed all Better stakeholders. His actions were soon followed by 2 resignations from the board. Better claims that the resignations were not connected to the saga…
Arsenal Is In The Mud
The cat is out of the bag. I am an Arsenal fan. The less we say about this life choice, the better. Now, not only is the club in a historic period of discombobulating levels of tolerance for mediocrity and incompetence, our fanbase is catching the flue as well. They are equally embarrassing. DT, a well followed Arsenal fan was arrested for harassing his partner.
DT pleaded guilty to stalking, kidnapping and assaulting his then girlfriend and her friend. DT was a regular on a Youtube fan channel called AFTV. AFTV has grown to become a global phenomenon and it’s not DT’s fault that he is prominent, well-known and associated with Arsenal. I’m just mad that my attachment to this club is embarrassing even when no football is being played. AFTV have since distanced themselves from DT. I might distance myself from Arsenal. Honestly, what am I going to do with all these Arsenal jerseys in this house?
A reminder to all of us to consider our actions carefully. We have to respect each others’ autonomy. We are not entitled to having any person as we want them. Even if you’ve drunk each others’ blood, you cannot own a person. When they do not welcome your company, avoid-eka before it escalates to kidnapping and assault. Violence is abominable. It is especially worse when the victim can’t defend themselves as is often the case in situations like DT’s. As mentioned, he pleaded guilty and is facing a 3-year sentence. I feel sorry for his ex-partner and his kids. Hopefully, their lives don’t remain upside down for much longer.
More news
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry signed a multi-million dollar contract with Spotify. They haven’t produced any content so far. The couple that caused a stir in that Oprah interview followed up that public appearance by agreeing an exclusive right to Spotify for a podcast. $30 Ms, the deal is worth. THIRTY MILLION! Spotify is cutting mad checks. Let me dust up my mic and try a ting.
South Korea, home of Samsung, LG, Kia and Hyundai, saw its economy expand by 4% last year. This is the largest rate on record for 11 years. South Korean exports account for more than 50% of their GDP. Asia is truly a 21st century continent. They realised the world was becoming one huge single market and seized the opportunity with both hands. Almost all Asian growth is export driven. South Korea does not have any natural resources to speak of but they appear in the top-5 exporter list every year. North Korea and South Korea are a great case study for the difference in outcomes for free (capitalist) economies i.e. South Korea - high standard of living, global relevance, good education and health systems; compared to economic structures that are more socialist i.e. North Korea - poor and irrelevant.
What I’m reading
Do you remember the good old days when this segment had a new title every week? Me neither. I’m still reading The Count of Monte Cristo and I’ve screenshot my progress for you to judge me 😩.
Some weird thing happened. A group of bandits kidnapped a girl that one of the bandits knew well. They demanded a ransom from the father. The father quickly gathered the ransom only to find that his daughter had already been killed. The man who had killed the young lady immediately admitted to his guilt and explained that he had to do it because one of the bandits had violated her - no need to explain further - and he was worried that the rest of the bandits would have done the same and so he had to kill her to preserve her dignity. The father hugged this bandit. They shared a moment and they actually cried. This father called said bandit, son. I’m dumbfounded. The father killed himself 2 paragraphs after the hug 😭.
The characters we’re following now don’t seem to be connected to Dantes (protagonist). I catch myself reading absent-mindedly through these pages. I just wanna pick up Dantes’ story arc. Maybe these characters will have a role to play later. I don’t know. I guess Alexandre had to fill a 3 000 page novel somehow. It is vaguely reminiscent of George RR Martin’s masterpiece, A Song of Ice and Fire. This is the five-book series that was adapted into the popular HBO show, Game of Thrones. The five books don’t tell the full story, I’ve been waiting for book 6 since 2016. George’s character development is unmatched 😭. You have to pick up the books if you’re a GOT fan. You will fall deeper in love.
If anything else happened this week, I missed it. Till next Sunday 👋🏾.
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