Core Insights - The creator economy is emerging as a formidable competitor to Silicon Valley, operating without reliance on traditional venture capital and instead leveraging audience engagement as a new form of capital [2][3][14] - The traditional pathways to success in entrepreneurship, dominated by Silicon Valley's funding mechanisms, are being disrupted by creators who build direct relationships with their audiences and monetize their influence [3][6][10] Group 1: The Rise of the Creator Economy - The creator economy has rapidly expanded into a trillion-dollar market, where trust, attention, and community value have replaced traditional institutional capital as the primary currency [3][6] - Platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Patreon are not just distribution channels but are evolving into ecosystems that empower creators to launch products and build brands without traditional funding [4][6][10] Group 2: New Business Models - Creators like Logan Paul and KSI have successfully launched products such as Prime Hydration, surpassing established brands like Gatorade in sales, demonstrating the power of audience loyalty [4][9] - The traditional startup model of securing funding before product development is being replaced by a new approach where creators first build an audience and then introduce products directly to them [6][10] Group 3: Implications for Businesses - Businesses must adapt to a landscape where credibility and audience engagement are more valuable than capital, requiring a shift in how they approach marketing and product development [5][12] - The future will likely see creator-led IPOs and the tokenization of fan equity, blurring the lines between customers, investors, and community members [13]

A fresh dividend, a cautious payout, and a cash-gushing core business add up to a compelling long-term income story.Meta Platforms (META 1.79%) has been on a tear since late July's results, as the company's strong results helped investors refocus on the strength of its ads business and its ambitious long-term artificial intelligence (AI) plans. The social-media and advertising company behind Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp also kept up a theme it started when it began ratcheting up its capital return prog ...

An influx of highly paid AI researchers at Meta has created new status divisions https://t.co/SGuAbezo4Z ...

Core Viewpoint - Allegations have emerged that Meta systematically suppressed internal research regarding child safety risks associated with its virtual reality platforms, as testified by former employees in a Senate hearing [3][4][5]. Group 1: Allegations of Suppression - Former Meta researchers claimed that the company deployed legal teams to screen and edit sensitive safety research, aiming to create "plausible deniability" regarding the negative impacts of its VR products on young users [4][6]. - Internal documents indicated that after a whistleblower leaked information about Meta's policies, the company imposed new rules on research concerning sensitive topics, including children, which restricted the language researchers could use [6][7]. Group 2: Child Safety Concerns - Employees warned that children under 13 were bypassing age restrictions to access Meta's VR services, with estimates suggesting that 80% to 90% of users in some virtual rooms were underage [7]. - Former researcher Cayce Savage highlighted that Meta was aware of the presence of underage children on its VR platform but chose to ignore this issue [5]. Group 3: Meta's Response - Meta has denied the allegations, describing them as a "predetermined and false narrative" and asserting that the company has implemented various safety measures for young users [8]. - Researcher Jason Sattizahn stated that Meta has shown an inability to change its practices without external pressure from Congress, criticizing the company's prioritization of engagement and profits over safety [9].

Europe's second-highest court on Wednesday upheld challenges by Meta Platforms and TikTok against an European Union supervisory fee imposed on them. ...

Core Insights - Meta Platforms Inc. is experiencing internal tensions due to CEO Mark Zuckerberg's aggressive recruitment strategy in artificial intelligence, leading to employee departures and compensation disputes [1][5]. Group 1: Recruitment and Departures - The company has recruited at least 21 individuals from OpenAI, along with hires from Alphabet Inc., Apple Inc., and Elon Musk's xAI [3]. - High-profile departures include AI researcher Rishabh Agarwal, who left for Periodic Labs, and ChatGPT co-creator Shengjia Zhao, who initially resigned shortly after joining but was retained after a compensation increase [3][4]. - Former OpenAI researchers Avi Verma and Ethan Knight have returned to their previous employer, indicating dissatisfaction with Meta's environment [4]. Group 2: Internal Dynamics and Compensation - Existing employees are demanding raises in light of the high compensation packages offered to new recruits, leading to increased internal tensions [5]. - Some employees have leveraged competing offers to secure transfers and salary increases within the company [5]. Group 3: Organizational Changes - Meta's AI division has undergone restructuring for the fourth time in six months, dissolving the AGI Foundations team and creating four specialized units, including the elite TBD Lab [7]. - The restructuring follows criticism of Meta's Llama 4 model, which was deemed underwhelming compared to competitors [7]. Group 4: Financial Projections - Meta's projected AI capital expenditures for 2025 are expected to reach $72 billion, an increase of $30 billion from 2024 [8]. - The company is competing in an industry-wide AI infrastructure spending landscape estimated at $250 billion through 2026 [8].

Imagine your boss goes to the White House and says your company will spend $600 billion in the US through 2028. Now, imagine you have to go onstage and explain the math and logic behind such a huge commitment. I wouldn't want to do it. But this is what Meta chief financial officer Susan Li did on Tuesday at a Goldman Sachs conference in San Francisco.While onstage, Li was asked about Mark Zuckerberg's recent visit with President Donald Trump and other tech executives on September 4. While there, the Meta C ...

Core Viewpoint - Meta Platforms is facing scrutiny for prioritizing profit from its virtual-reality platform over user safety, particularly concerning children being exposed to inappropriate content [1][3]. Group 1: Whistleblower Testimonies - Former Meta researchers testified that the company was aware of children using its VR products and being exposed to sexually explicit material, yet chose to suppress this information [1][7]. - Researchers reported being instructed not to investigate the harms to children using VR technology, allowing Meta to claim ignorance of the issues [7]. - Instances of children being bullied, sexually assaulted, and solicited for nude photographs were encountered by the whistleblowers during their work [7]. Group 2: Congressional Response - Members of Congress have criticized Meta, with Senator Marsha Blackburn emphasizing the need for the Kids Online Safety Act, which aims to enhance protections for children online [6][8]. - The whistleblower accounts have intensified calls for legislative action to ensure the safety of children using online platforms [6][8]. Group 3: Meta's Defense - A Meta spokesperson claimed that the allegations are based on selectively leaked documents and that there was never a blanket prohibition on conducting research involving young users [8]. - Meta has stated that the examples reported were inconsistent with its policies and have since been removed [4][8].

Facebook parent Meta Platforms put profit from its virtual-reality platform over safety, two former researchers told a Senate panel on Tuesday. ...

Facebook has repeatedly flagged his accounts, he says, for "impersonating†the company's founder, Mark E. Zuckerberg. ...