SAG-AFTRA formally expands its reach to digital creators with new influencer committee

What’s happening: SAG-AFTRA has established the National Influencer and Digital Creator Committee to better represent and support digital content creators. Announced during a recent board meeting, the committee will be chaired by lifestyle influencer Patrick Janelle and aims to address the unique needs of creators in the digital space. This initiative builds upon SAG-AFTRA's 2021 influencer agreement, which provided a pathway for digital creators to join the union.

Why it matters: This move isn’t just about protecting creators — it’s also about protecting SAG-AFTRA’s relevance. As traditional media shifts and more talent builds careers on platforms like TikTok and YouTube, the union needs creators as much as creators need union protections. Formalizing this relationship signals an effort to future-proof SAG-AFTRA’s influence, while also legitimizing content creators as a critical part of the entertainment labor force.

What’s happening: Costco’s in-house brand Kirkland Signature has hit $86 billion in annual sales, surpassing the revenue of global giants like Nike and Netflix. As Rob Walker reports for Fast Company, Kirkland now accounts for nearly a third of Costco’s total sales — and it's not slowing down. From olive oil to cashmere, the private label has mastered premium quality at bargain prices, growing not just in scope but in cultural cachet.

Why it matters: Kirkland isn’t just another store brand — it’s a strategic anomaly in the world of private labels. Where most in-house brands (like Walmart’s Great Value or Target’s Up & Up) are designed to quietly undercut national brands, Kirkland takes a bolder approach: it often meets or beats name-brand quality, then places its label front and center. Costco gives Kirkland prime placement and treats it not as a substitute, but as a flagship offering. That confidence — paired with rigorous quality control and member trust — has made Kirkland one of the only private labels with real brand equity and cultural pull.

What’s happening: In the face of economic uncertainty and a slowdown in brand partnerships, many content creators are returning to traditional employment or launching side hustles to secure steady income. Antoinette Siu reports for Digiday that creators like Joanna Fowler and Sienna Santer have transitioned into roles at influencer agencies, seeking the benefits and stability that full-time positions offer. This shift is driven by factors such as reduced brand deal opportunities, inconsistent income, and the desire for work-life balance.

Why it matters: This trend highlights a maturation of the creator economy, where the allure of influencer fame is tempered by the realities of financial instability and burnout. As brand deals become less reliable, creators are leveraging their skills in more traditional roles, indicating a shift in how creative talent is valued and utilized within the marketing industry. For brands, this underscores the importance of sustainable partnerships and the need to adapt to the evolving landscape of content creation.

What’s happening: Silverbacks Holdings, a Mauritius-based investment firm, has invested in the African Warriors Fighting Championship (AWFC), a Nigerian sports venture promoting Dambe—a traditional boxing sport from northern Nigeria. Hollywood producer Sanford R. Climan, known for films like The Aviator, has also joined as an advisory board member and investor. This move follows AWFC's partnership with UK-based streaming service DAZN to broadcast Dambe to a global audience. Since its 2019 launch, AWFC has garnered approximately 900 million views across social media and partner platforms, with significant audiences in Nigeria, the U.S., and Brazil.

Why it matters: This investment underscores the potential of traditional African sports to captivate global audiences. By professionalizing Dambe and leveraging digital platforms, AWFC is transforming a centuries-old martial art into a modern entertainment product. The involvement of international investors and media partnerships indicates a growing recognition of Africa's cultural assets as viable and profitable ventures in the global sports industry.

What’s happening: Anti-design, a movement that deliberately defies traditional design principles, is gaining traction in the creative industry. Characterized by chaotic layouts, clashing colors, and distorted typography, this aesthetic challenges the clean, minimalist norms that have dominated design. As noted by Joe Foley in Creative Bloq, anti-design is not about the absence of design but about intentional disruption to provoke thought and elicit emotional responses.

Why it matters: The rise of anti-design reflects a broader cultural shift towards authenticity and individuality. In an era where consumers are inundated with polished, algorithm-driven content, the raw and unfiltered nature of anti-design offers a refreshing alternative. Brands adopting this approach signal a willingness to break conventions and engage audiences on a more visceral level. However, the challenge lies in balancing disruption with clarity to ensure the message isn't lost in the chaos.

What’s happening: Spotify has received approval from Apple to update its U.S. iOS app, allowing users to view subscription pricing and access external payment links directly within the app. This change follows a recent U.S. federal court ruling in the Epic Games v. Apple case, where Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers found Apple in willful violation of a 2021 injunction that prohibited the company from imposing anticompetitive pricing. As a result, Apple was ordered to permit developers to direct users to external payment options without imposing additional fees. Spotify's update, version 9.0.40, is now rolling out, enabling users to see subscription prices and promotions, and to purchase or modify plans via Spotify’s website, circumventing Apple's traditional 30% commission.

Why it matters: This is a big moment in the long fight over who controls the customer relationship. By letting Spotify link out to its own payment page, Apple is finally easing its grip — not because it wants to, but because courts are forcing its hand. For Spotify, it means clearer messaging, better pricing, and a shot at owning the full user experience. And for every other app that’s been boxed in by Apple’s rules? This sets the stage for real change.

What’s happening: TikTok has been fined €530 million (approximately $600 million) by Ireland’s Data Protection Commission (DPC) for violating the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The investigation revealed that TikTok unlawfully transferred European user data to China without ensuring adequate protection, and failed to transparently disclose these transfers to users. Notably, TikTok initially denied storing EU data in China but later admitted that limited data had been stored there, contradicting prior statements to regulators. The DPC has given TikTok six months to comply with EU data protection standards or face suspension of data transfers to China.

Why it matters: This fine is a serious warning shot — not just to TikTok, but to every tech platform handling user data across borders. It shows the EU is done playing nice when it comes to privacy violations, especially when China is involved. For TikTok, it’s a reputational hit and a sign that vague promises about “data protection” won’t cut it anymore.

What’s happening: Google plans to make its Gemini AI chatbot available to children under 13 in the U.S., starting with access through school-managed Google accounts. As Natasha Singer reports for The New York Times, the rollout will include parental controls via Google’s Family Link and guardrails designed to keep responses kid-friendly. Google says it won’t use children’s conversations to train its AI models and is positioning the move as a way to enhance learning and digital literacy.

Why it matters: This is a big leap — and a risky one. Giving kids access to generative AI might unlock new ways to learn and explore, but it also opens a Pandora’s box of concerns: from misinformation and safety to the deeper question of how early we want children building relationships with machines. Google is moving carefully, but the stakes are high — because when the user is a child, “safe enough” has to mean very safe.

What’s happening: America’s Funniest Home Videos (AFV), a staple of television since 1989, is experiencing a digital renaissance. V10 Entertainment, which acquired AFV's producer Vin Di Bona Productions in 2023, has expanded AFV's presence across platforms like YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram, amassing over 100 million followers and 9.5 billion views in 2024. Recognizing the demand for user-generated content (UGC), V10 now licenses AFV's extensive library of 2.6 million clips to reaction and compilation creators, providing them with legal, monetizable content. In return, these creators promote AFV, encouraging audiences to submit new clips, thereby sustaining and expanding the content ecosystem.

Why it matters: AFV's strategic pivot exemplifies how legacy media can thrive in the digital age by embracing the creator economy. By legally supplying content to reaction creators, AFV not only monetizes its vast archive but also taps into a continuous cycle of content creation and audience engagement. This symbiotic relationship benefits all parties: creators gain access to quality content, AFV extends its brand reach, and audiences enjoy a steady stream of entertaining videos

What’s happening: Marvel Studios is scaling back its output and rethinking its storytelling strategy after a string of underwhelming releases and fan fatigue. As Ben Fritz reports for The Wall Street Journal, the studio is reducing its Disney+ series and film slate, aiming to make each project feel like an event again. The studio is also reworking its long-term plans, including shifting focus away from Kang the Conqueror following actor Jonathan Majors’ legal troubles, and exploring new directions like bringing back Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom.

Why it matters: Marvel’s acknowledgment that “more” isn’t always “better” is a rare moment of self-awareness from a studio that once dominated pop culture. By slowing down and focusing on quality over quantity, Marvel is trying to regain the trust of fans who’ve grown weary of convoluted plots and bloated timelines.