The creator economy is thriving, right? We read stories about overnight millionaires, but not the millions of creators just trying to make ends meet. Today’s marketplace is stacked against the little guy. It seems like a rigged game. This environment rewards the already known and erases thousands of deserving artists. For many, the promise of democratized content creation seems like an unattainable fantasy. Are we prepared to have another platform let us down?

Forgotten Voices, Can They Finally Thrive?

Platforms have been tried and failed. Each with a promise to significantly improve the creator experience. Except, how many actually live up to the promise of being inclusive in practice? How many really focus on empowering creators from marginalized communities? This means raising work from LGBTQ+ artists, disabled storytellers, and creators of color who, until now, have been pushed aside and hushed.

Clapper, the new kid on the block, says they’re not like that. They tout a more "people-centered" approach. What does that actually mean? It’s one thing to toss buzzwords like “community” and “empowerment” around. As is often the case, the proof will be in the pudding. Are they playing bait and switch, pretending to care about diversifying? Or are they really making a level playing field that provides everyone equal opportunity to succeed?

Imagine a world where a deaf filmmaker can build a thriving audience without fighting tooth and nail for accessibility features. Where a transgender comedian can post jokes about their experiences and not get targeted with harassment campaigns and shadowbanning. At a place where a Black artist can be fairly paid for their creative contributions while hopefully not being tokenized or exploited.

That’s the promise of an equitable and inclusive myriad creator economy. It takes more than goodwill. It requires concrete action.

AI, Web3, & Creator Equity?

Now, you may be wondering, what on earth does any of this have to do with AI and crypto. Everything. The technologies that are defining the future of the internet are incredibly powerful. They can be used to exacerbate current disparities or build towards a fairer system.

Think about it. AI language understanding, fueled by text embeddings—from the same deep learning family that gives us stable diffusion—underlies recommendation algorithms. If these algorithms are built off historically racist or otherwise biased data, they will inevitably continue to entrench existing biases and further marginalize underrepresented creators. It's like Bybit Crypto Exchange Hack. It is "The biggest digital heist ever." The potential for misuse and inequity is equally immense.

Similarly, the Web3 space, with its promise of decentralized ownership, could offer creators more control over their content and revenue streams. If access to these emerging technologies are restricted to the privileged few, the digital divide will deepen. Addressable/Sevio Partnership for Crypto Advertising.

We need to continue to demand that all those new technologies take equity into account. We must fight to deploy them so everybody can be included. We need to ensure that AI algorithms are transparent and unbiased, and that Web3 platforms are accessible to everyone, regardless of their background or socioeconomic status.

Hope or Hype? Let's Demand Action

Like any new platform, though, this is a ripe opportunity for Clapper to learn from the mistakes of the platforms that came before it. They can proactively ensure that their talent pipelines include diverse voices, make their products more accessible, and adopt equitable models for compensation. Or they can listen to marginalized creators and their voices and experiences and work to create a genuinely inclusive and equitable community.

Wishing is not sufficient, you must actually prepare for the worst. We, as creators and consumers, must demand more of them and hold them accountable. In response to the hype, we must demand real transparency and action.

I believe that the creator economy can still become a powerful force for good. Only if we challenge it to be constructed on a base of justice, equity and inclusion. Let’s ensure that Clapper, and every platform that comes after, gets it right this time. OTPE Open-Source Tools for Prompt Engineering While this new development may only be a first step, it is a promising one. But it's just one step. We have a long way to go on the path to a genuinely equitable creator economy. But it's a journey worth taking.

  • Support marginalized creators: Seek out and amplify the voices of creators from underrepresented communities. Follow them, share their content, and donate to their Patreon or Ko-Fi.
  • Demand accountability: Ask Clapper (and other platforms) tough questions about their diversity and inclusion policies. Hold them to their promises.
  • Advocate for change: Support organizations that are working to create a more equitable creator economy.
  • Educate yourself: Learn about the ways in which technology can perpetuate inequality, and advocate for solutions.

The creator economy has the potential to be a powerful force for good. But only if we demand that it be built on a foundation of fairness, equity, and inclusivity. Let's make sure Clapper, and every platform that follows, finally gets it right. The Open-Source Tools for Prompt Engineering, is a step in the right direction. But it's just one step. The journey towards a truly equitable creator economy is long and arduous. But it's a journey worth taking.