YouTube Admits: Your Views Are Fake?

Did you know YouTube's public view counts might be vastly inflated?This week on Creator Upload, Lauren and Josh Cohen volley over why influencers are getting their credentials revoked at the US Open this year, and Wimbledon's preemptive bans for next.Then, we analyze YouTube's new "engaged view" metric that exposes over-counted public views, discuss Amelia Dimoldenberg's decision to end her incredible 12-year run of Chicken Shop Date, and react to 68-year-old former UTA CEO Jeremy Zimmer launching a Twitch talk show. 00:00 Welcome to Creator Upload01:10 Late Night Tennis and Targeted Ads02:32 US Open Kicks Out Influencers06:04 Wimbledon Bans Ring Lights Next Year08:20 Augusta National Regrets Dude Perfect12:40 YouTube's View Count Inflation Exposed20:49 The New Co-Viewing Metric Explained22:42 Amelia Ends Chicken Shop Date27:17 Ex-UTA CEO Starts Twitch Show30:18 Outro & Subscribe Creator Upload is your creator economy podcast, hosted by Lauren Schnipper and Joshua Cohen.Follow Lauren: https://www.linkedin.com/in/schnipper/Follow Josh: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuajcohen/Original music by London Bridge: https://www.instagram.com/londonbridgemusic/Edited and produced by Adam Conner: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamonbrand

Is AI ruining our schools, and did a golf ad just ruin a massive creator brand?In this episode, we tackle the recent generative AI bans in NYC and LA schools, debating whether students should rely on artificial intelligence for their coursework. We also break down Google’s new warning to advertisers about keeping a "human touch" for better conversions, and we explore the massive new YouTube and Amazon shopping partnership. Finally, we unpack the explosive Good Good Golf and Callaway controversy, detailing how a disastrous parody ad led to severed deals, pulled merch, and massive industry backlash.00:00 Welcome to Creator Upload00:17 Schools Ban Generative AI02:26 The Flaws of AI in Education06:28 The Mystery Behind Josh's Whiteboard07:07 Google's Warning to AI Advertisers09:59 The True Power of YouTube Ads12:12 The Massive YouTube & Amazon Partnership14:37 A Bizarre Shipping Fulfillment Nightmare17:20 The Good Good Golf Controversy Explained19:22 Should Brands Give Creators Total Control?21:47 Creators Clashing With Traditional Golf24:20 Episode Wrap-Up and CreditsCreator Upload is your creator economy podcast, hosted by Lauren Schnipper and Joshua Cohen.Follow Lauren: https://www.linkedin.com/in/schnipper/Follow Josh: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuajcohen/Original music by London Bridge: https://www.instagram.com/londonbridgemusic/Edited and produced by Adam Conner: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamonbrand

Meta just agreed to a massive $17 to $18 billion settlement over child safety and addictive platform design, but is it enough to spark real change?In this episode, Lauren Schnipper and Joshua Cohen dive deep into the dangers of deepfakes, AI slop, and the disturbing rise of targeted online extortion against minors. They break down Meta's settlement terms, including controversial contingencies that pressure TikTok and YouTube to follow suit.Later, Portal A co-founder Zach Blume joins the show to discuss how brands like Toyota and Lexus are acting like premium entertainment studios on YouTube. Finally, they wrap up with YouTube’s new expansion into 24/7 creator "stations".00:00 Welcome to Creator Upload01:03 The Dangers of AI Deepfakes06:01 Online Extortion & Take It Down Act12:53 Meta’s $18 Billion Lawsuit Settlement16:33 Meta’s Strategy to Pressure Competitors22:41 Is Australia’s Social Media Ban Working?27:10 Interview: Zach Blume of Portal A28:24 Brands Becoming YouTube Studios35:50 YouTube Expands 24/7 Creator Stations36:55 Wrap-Up & OutroCreator Upload is your creator economy podcast, hosted by Lauren Schnipper and Joshua Cohen.Follow Lauren: https://www.linkedin.com/in/schnipper/Follow Josh: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuajcohen/Original music by London Bridge: https://www.instagram.com/londonbridgemusic/Edited and produced by Adam Conner: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamonbrand

Are YouTube's latest monetization and view metric changes a huge win or a total trap for creators?In this episode, Lauren and Josh break down YouTube's new million-dollar exclusivity deals to compete with Netflix, the shift to counting public views from the first frame, and the doubled Partner Program thresholds. Plus, we cover Meta’s massive 29-state lawsuit and ByteDance's new AI copyright deal with the MPA. What you’ll learn:-- Why YouTube is paying top creators upfront millions for platform exclusivity-- How YouTube's new 1st-frame view metric changes public view counts-- What the new doubled YouTube Partner Program monetization thresholds mean for you-- The legal battles hitting Meta and ByteDance’s new AI copyright framework00:00 New Hair Who Dis01:13 YouTube Pays Millions for Exclusivity07:00 Neil Mohan vs Traditional Media Strategy14:11 Three Types of YouTube Deals18:23 Why YouTube Needs Hollywood Stars20:38 YouTube Changes Public View Metric23:42 Engaged Views vs Vanity Metrics28:50 Doubling YouTube Partner Program Thresholds34:10 29 States Sue Meta Over Kids36:40 ByteDance and MPA AI Agreement38:15 Outro and Final ThoughtsCreator Upload is your creator economy podcast, hosted by Lauren Schnipper and Joshua Cohen.Follow Lauren: https://www.linkedin.com/in/schnipper/Follow Josh: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuajcohen/Original music by London Bridge:https://www.instagram.com/londonbridgemusic/Edited and produced by Adam Conner:https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamonbrand

In this episode of Creator Upload, hosts Lauren Schnipper and Joshua Cohen break down the week's biggest news in the creator economy. We give our takes on LinkedIn's new feature to flag inauthentic AI "slop" and explore Disney's groundbreaking partnership with TikTok.What you’ll learn:-- How LinkedIn’s new AI detection tools might affect your reach-- The rules behind the Disney Creator Ambassador program on TikTok-- Why Hank Green is pausing his YouTube channel over AI concerns-- The viral Nantucket antique shop that hung a "No Influencers" sign00:00 Introduction00:15 LinkedIn's Anti-AI Slop Button04:07 The Future of LinkedIn Feeds09:07 Disney and TikTok Creator Partnership11:08 Disney Creator Ambassador Program Details13:41 Why Disney Needs TikTok Creators16:48 Hank Green Pauses YouTube Channel21:00 Nantucket Shop Bans Influencers23:28 Outro and SubscribeCreator Upload is your creator economy podcast, hosted by Lauren Schnipper and Joshua Cohen.Follow Lauren: https://www.linkedin.com/in/schnipper/Follow Josh: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuajcohen/Original music by London Bridge: https://www.instagram.com/londonbridgemusic/Edited and produced by Adam Conner: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamonbrand

Lauren and Josh break down Arizona State University's new BA in content creation and what it means for the maturity of the industry. They also dive into the massive new streaming partnership offering Peacock for free to YouTube Premium subscribers starting in 2027.What you’ll learn in this episode:-- The ins and outs of ASU's new creator degree at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism-- How traditional media networks like NBC are now partnering directly with YouTube-- Why HBO Max is introducing a TikTok-style short video feed to its platform-- The impact of YouTube finally giving creators the ability to choose Shorts thumbnailsCreator Upload is your creator economy podcast, hosted by Lauren Schnipper and Joshua Cohen.Follow Lauren: https://www.linkedin.com/in/schnipper/Follow Josh: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuajcohen/Original music by London Bridge: https://www.instagram.com/londonbridgemusic/Edited and produced by Adam Conner: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamonbrand

Is broad creator fandom changing? In this episode, former VidCon CEO Jim Louderback (Inside the Creator Economy) joins us to break down how niche creator conventions are thriving, why teen fandom is fracturing, and what went down at Open Sauce. Plus, Lauren and Josh analyze record-breaking Q2 earnings from YouTube and Netflix, France’s brand-new social media ban for kids under 15, and YouTube’s official rollout of its new "Shows" feature.In this episode, you’ll learn:-- Why fandom is shifting from mega-conventions to hyper-focused communities-- How YouTube’s $11B+ ad revenue rivals Netflix’s entire business-- The real impact of international social media age bans on app usage-- How to use YouTube's new "Shows" feature to format episodic playlists00:00 Statue of Liberty & World Cup Craze01:09 World Cup Stars Explode on Social04:38 Netflix Q2 Earnings: View Hours vs. Quality11:31 YouTube Ads Hit Record $11 Billion14:14 Jim Louderback Joins the Show15:12 What is Open Sauce?17:18 How Creator Fandom is Changing20:20 AI, Drones & Tech at Open Sauce22:41 VidCon Fans vs. Modern Niche Fans23:53 France Bans Social Media for Under-15s26:00 Is Australia’s Teen Social Ban Working?30:35 YouTube Launches New "Shows" Feature32:38 Instagram History Feature RequestCreator Upload is your creator economy podcast, hosted by Lauren Schnipper and Joshua Cohen.Follow Lauren: https://www.linkedin.com/in/schnipper/Follow Josh: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuajcohen/Original music by London Bridge: https://www.instagram.com/londonbridgemusic/Edited and produced by Adam Conner: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamonbrand

Right now, Netflix is heavily acquiring YouTube creator content, and AI filmmaking is fundamentally changing how stories are told online. Ben Relles (founder of Make Believe and former YouTube exec) joins the Creator Upload podcast to break down these massive industry shifts and what they mean for the future of entertainment.Living with a Merman: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Cv37Yb_9soxgOI4lTqzgu3Yjrm1AWU8K/view?usp=drivesdkElder Boy: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1i6cCZxdS1uvUYeLYIlAE_LF8XQfzuIRg/view?usp=drivesdk00:00 Intro00:22 Ben Relles' Creator Economy Background01:04 The History of Netflix Using YouTube Talent02:28 Netflix's Massive New Creator Deals (Jay Shetty, Rhett & Link)06:11 YouTube vs. Netflix: Revenue & Watch Time Battle09:11 Could YouTube Originals Work Today?13:31 The Future of Premium Brand Deals on YouTube16:44 How Creators Are Making Legitimate Movies20:00 Why AI Filmmaking is the Next Frontier26:39 What is Make Believe? (Interactive AI Video)32:49 Outro & Where to Find BenCreator Upload is your creator economy podcast, hosted by Lauren Schnipper and Joshua Cohen.Follow Lauren: https://www.linkedin.com/in/schnipper/Follow Josh: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuajcohen/Original music by London Bridge: https://www.instagram.com/londonbridgemusic/Edited and produced by Adam Conner: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamonbrand

In this episode, Lauren and Josh break down YouTube's push for Emmy validation and whether creators actually need traditional Hollywood awards. Plus, they explore Netflix's new strategy to compete with YouTube by partnering with digital publishers, and Tubefilter's Sam Gutelle joins the show to discuss the massive battle for the upcoming FIFA World Cup broadcast rights.00:00 Intro & Mariska Hargitay01:44 Will Creators Ever Win Emmys?02:31 Subway Takes Gets Nominated05:47 YouTube's Push for TV Ad Dollars08:32 The First YouTubers to Win Emmys10:43 Netflix's Deals with Digital Publishers12:46 Is Netflix Building an "Anti-YouTube"?16:15 Netflix vs. YouTube: The Watch Time War19:31 Sam Gutelle on World Cup Broadcast Rights22:25 Why YouTube Wants Global Soccer25:07 Improving the Live Sports Viewer Experience26:24 OutroCreator Upload is your creator economy podcast, hosted by Lauren Schnipper and Joshua Cohen.Follow Lauren: https://www.linkedin.com/in/schnipper/Follow Josh: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuajcohen/Original music by London Bridge:https://www.instagram.com/londonbridgemusic/Edited and produced by Adam Conner:https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamonbrand

Did you know a creator just broke YouTube's all-time concurrent viewership record?Today we explore the massive creator economy intersections happening at the 2026 World Cup, including CazéTV's record-shattering live streams. We also cover the latest platform updates, including Instagram's new "Your Algorithm" feature and WhatsApp handles. Finally, Sam Gutelle from Tubefilter joins to discuss the launch of the new Mister Rogers YouTube channel and why his slow-paced, emotional content is the exact opposite of today's typical high-retention tactics.What you'll learn:-- How traditional media is partnering with creators for live sports.-- Why platforms are suddenly giving users more algorithm control.-- The strategy behind putting Mister Rogers on YouTube Shorts.Creator Upload is your creator economy podcast, hosted by Lauren Schnipper and Joshua Cohen.Follow Lauren: https://www.linkedin.com/in/schnipper/Follow Josh: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuajcohen/Original music by London Bridge: https://www.instagram.com/londonbridgemusic/Edited and produced by Adam Conner: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamonbrand