Revamped TikTok creator fund reminds students of the importance of finding their influencers
TikTok is revamping its creator fund in an attempt to “help creators foster their creativity, generate higher revenue potential and unlock exciting, real-world opportunities.” The current creator fund, which is a fund of money established by the platform that they use to compensate users for popular content, has recently been criticized by creators for seemingly low payouts— even when videos have received millions of views.
These new updates to the creator fund will attempt to fix the low payout issue and give creators more opportunities to generate revenue and motivate creators to post longer content more frequently. Students’ favorite influencers may be making some changes to the content they post in order to meet the requirements to see compensation for their videos. With these approaching changes on the platform, it is increasingly important that students make sure the creators they follow are reflecting their values, spreading kindness, and making their platform a positive place.
TikTok’s new ‘Creativity Program’ in beta testing
This upcoming version of the TikTok creator fund is called the ‘Creativity Program,’ and it has only recently entered beta testing, which is a way for the company to test whether their new program works well before releasing it to all TikTok users, and is available by invitation-only to certain people.
TikTok has not released too many details about the new program besides the requirement for users to be at least 18 years old and have an account in good standing. There is currently no information about the amount of money the fund has allocated for the program or how many followers a creator must have to be eligible for the program itself. However, TikTok has said that to start earning, “creators must create and publish high-quality, original content longer than one minute.”
Despite the 18-year-old age requirement to earn money from content creation, TikTok users can be as young as 13 years old— and anyone (including students) can be an influencer. One of TikTok’s most popular creators, Charli D’Amelio, was just 15 years old when her account took off. Other young influencers who got their start when they were students include Emma Chamberlain and Maddie Ziegler. These creators often talk about the pressure they face as content creators, how it feels to be in the public eye as a young person, and how they try to remain true to themselves and their values.
TSI’s Take
Viral videos from creators and influencers have been essential for TikTok’s popularity over the last few years— particularly among students. This means that students are constantly exposed to a wide range of content, ideas, attitudes, and beliefs, making it more important than ever for students to follow influencers who are role models that promote positivity and kindness. With the new creator fund and its emphasis on longer videos, creators may be making adjustments to the content they post to the platform. Now is the time for students to be mindful of any changes so they can make informed decisions about the content they consume and the content creators they engage with.
At The Social Institute, we emphasize the importance of students finding their influencers, so they can surround themselves with positive role models and credible influences. Whether or not students see a change in the content they tend to consume, it is always important for students to:
- Examine the qualities of both negative and positive role models online
- Discuss how others are trying to influence you in inauthentic or fake ways
- Identify people who bring out the best in you
For more ways to empower your students to engage with creators whose values align with their own, request a demo of our interactive curriculum that empowers students to find and follow positive role models and influences today.
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The Social Institute (TSI) is the leader in understanding student experiences and creator of #WinAtSocial, a gamified, online learning platform that equips students, educators, and families to navigate social experiences — online and offline — in healthy ways. Our unique, student-respected approach incorporates topics like social media, technology use, and current events that have a significant impact on student well-being. Lessons teach life skills for the modern day to inspire high-character decisions that support the health, happiness, and future success of students, while capturing data that provides insights to school leaders to inform school policy and communications, and enable high-impact teaching and a healthy learning environment. For schools, our turnkey technology allows for easy implementation and a comprehensive game plan to support the well-being of school communities. For schools, our turnkey technology allows for easy implementation and a comprehensive game plan to support the well-being of school communities.