Shein's Influencer Flub [Content Made Simple]
Issue #316: Best tech books, Google ads issue, and more.
TOP OF THE WEEK
How Shein’s influencer trip to a Chinese factory backfired
Quote:
As Shein eyes an IPO, the company’s image needs a serious makeover. From stealing indie designers’ work, to violating local labor laws, Shein has fallen out of vogue on social media, so the company invited a group of influencers to tour one of its factories in Guangzhou, China.
“I expected the facility to be so filled with people just slaving away, but I was actually pleasantly surprised that most of these things were robotic,” said Destene (@itsdestene_), a creator with more than 4 million followers, in a TikTok. “Honestly, everyone was just working like normal, like chill, sitting down, they weren’t even sweating.”
Commentary:
I’ve watched this unfold in the last week and it has felt pretty dystopian. Here we have a Chinese company doing some shady PR on a Chinese-owned social media platform. Sheeeesh.
THE TRIVIA QUESTION
What was the estimated population of the United States in 1776?
Answer at the bottom.
HITTING THE LINKS
Link #1: The greatest tech books of all time
I’ve added some books to my reading list after looking at this article.
If the modern tech landscape is defined by obsolescence, then we wanted to celebrate the books about it that have stood the test of time. Language is a technology — one of our oldest and most powerful.
Link #2: Google In Hot Water: Billions At Stake As YouTube Ads Found To Violate Terms Of Service
This is going to to be a huge deal, and I dunno how many people actually even know about this.
New findings reported by The Wall Street Journal reveal that approximately 80% of the ads YouTube serves across the web have breached its own terms of service, making them subject to refunds.
This could cost Google billions of dollars, adding to the company’s existing troubles, such as a growing discontent with search results and two ongoing antitrust lawsuits.
This sounds interesting.
TikTok is introducing a new way for creators to earn money on its platform. The company announced on Tuesday that it’s launching the “TikTok Creative Challenge,” a new monetization feature that allows creators to submit video ads to brand challenges and receive money based on video performance. TikTok Creative Challenge is currently in testing as with select brands.
To be eligible for the new feature, creators must be at least 18 years old and have a US-based account with a minimum of 50,000 followers. Once enrolled in the TikTok Creative Challenge, creators will be able to browse through a list of challenges, and view the reward pool, additional details and requirements.
THE FUNNY PART
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Trivia answer: In 1776, the population of the U.S. was approximately 2.5 million people.