Creator Economy Buzz: Major Platform Updates, New Monetization Tools & Big Partnerships (July 30–31, 2025)
YouTube Loosens Profanity Rules for Monetization
YouTube implemented a significant policy relaxation around profanity on July 30, allowing creators to monetize videos that contain swearing under certain conditions techcrunch.com. Previously, even mild swearing in the first 8–15 seconds could fully demonetize a video, but the updated rule permits ads as long as strong language is limited to the very beginning (roughly the first ~7 seconds) techcrunch.com. The change came after creator backlash to earlier strict guidelines. “We introduced this guideline to align with broadcast standards… Those expectations have changed, and advertisers already have the ability to target content to their desired level of profanity,” explained YouTube’s head of monetization Conor Kavanagh, acknowledging the platform’s new flexibility techcrunch.com. Creators are still warned that video titles or thumbnails with heavy profanity may face limited ads techcrunch.com, but overall this tweak signals a more creator-friendly approach to monetization standards. It follows YouTube’s mid-month crackdown on “inauthentic” mass-produced content (often AI-generated), underscoring YouTube’s nuanced stance: genuine creator expression (even if edgy) is welcome, while spammy “AI slop” is not techcrunch.com techcrunch.com.
TikTok Adds New Safety Tools and Engagement Features
TikTok announced a slew of creator-focused features on July 30, bolstering both safety and fan engagement. On the safety side, a one-click “Creator Care Mode” was introduced to automatically filter out offensive or spammy comments on videos techcrunch.com. This AI-powered mode learns a creator’s preferences – if you consistently delete or report certain comments, TikTok’s AI will proactively hide similar remarks going forward newsroom.tiktok.com. For live streams, TikTok also rolled out a bulk comment muting tool, letting hosts or mods mute specific words, phrases, or emojis (and auto-mute users who repeatedly use them) during a Live session newsroom.tiktok.com newsroom.tiktok.com. These additions aim to ensure creators “feel protected and safe” on the platform, which TikTok says is key to enabling free creative expression newsroom.tiktok.com.
TikTok didn’t stop at safety – it’s also giving creators new ways to connect with and monetize their audience. A “Creator Inbox” has launched as a dedicated messaging hub with folders (Unread, Starred) and quick-reply templates to help busy creators manage fan messages efficiently techcrunch.com. And in a move echoing group chats on other apps, TikTok is rolling out “Creator Chat Rooms,” where popular creators can host invite-only group discussions with their top followers techcrunch.com. Creators with a substantial following (at least a few thousand followers and who offer subscriber perks like Live Fan Club or paid Subscriptions) can start these group chats to share behind-the-scenes updates or get real-time fan feedback. Each chat room caps at a few hundred members to keep interactions intimate newsroom.tiktok.com. Noah Webster, TikTok’s head of product, noted that these updates are about “giving [creators] the tools they need to flourish” by fostering safer communities and more meaningful conversations newsroom.tiktok.com newsroom.tiktok.com. (Notably, TikTok also quietly launched “Footnotes,” a crowdsourced fact-checking feature akin to Community Notes on other platforms techcrunch.com, underscoring the push for authenticity.) Overall, TikTok’s late-July feature drop delivers both better moderation controls and deeper fan engagement, reflecting the app’s dual focus on safety and creator-community growth.
Meta’s Threads Launches DMs, Distinguishes Itself from Instagram
Threads, Meta’s text-focused social app, took a big step forward by launching direct messaging on a global scale. As of July 31, users (18+ in most regions) can finally DM each other on Threads without needing to jump over to Instagram techcrunch.com techcrunch.com. At launch the in-app Threads DMs support one-on-one chats with basic features like emoji reactions, spam reporting, and mute controls, with group chats and more advanced filters promised in future updates techcrunch.com. Interestingly – and somewhat controversially – Meta confirmed these new Threads messages are not end-to-end encrypted, positioning DMs as a lightweight way to “talk about whatever’s happening now” rather than a secure channel techcrunch.com. “We’re not encrypting our DMs… it’s really about just connecting directly and talking to people about whatever is happening now,” Threads VP of Product Emily Dalton Smith said, indicating encryption is “less core” to the real-time chat experience Threads is going for techcrunch.com.
The ability to message within Threads is part of Meta’s broader effort to separate Threads from its Instagram roots. Meta shared that over one-third of daily Threads users have a totally different network of connections on Threads compared to their Instagram following – evidence that Threads is cultivating its own community and “interest graph” distinct from Instagram’s social graph techcrunch.com techcrunch.com. “Instagram is really for creativity and Threads is really for perspectives,” Smith noted, highlighting that people use Threads to engage in conversational topics rather than the curated visuals of IG techcrunch.com techcrunch.com. In line with this divergence, Meta is experimenting with letting new users join Threads without an Instagram account (e.g. login with a Facebook account, or even use Threads on web without logging in) techcrunch.com. In short, late July saw Threads maturing into a more independent platform – one now equipped with its own DM system and an identity increasingly positioned as Twitter/X’s competitor in text conversations. Creators on Threads have embraced this, with some rising to prominence purely on Threads itself (e.g. a fan who built a thriving NBA community there) techcrunch.com. Expect Meta to keep pushing Threads-specific tools as it seeks to solidify the app’s niche in the creator ecosystem separate from Instagram.
LTK Unveils New Social Features and AI Tools for Creators
Formerly known for “link-in-bio” shopping, LTK (LiketoKnow.it) signaled an ambitious evolution into a full-fledged social platform for the creator economy. On July 30, the commerce app announced a suite of new social and monetization features designed to deepen community engagement businesswire.com. Notably, LTK is introducing public creator profiles and two-way messaging (Chat) – features that let users follow creators, see each other’s favorite posts/products, and actually converse with their favorite influencers directly in-app businesswire.com businesswire.com. It’s a big shift for LTK, which built its name curating shoppable posts, and now wants to foster more community interaction around that content. “LTK has always been built on real people and real communities… With these updates, we’re investing even further into the trust that makes our platform unique,” said Kit Ulrich, LTK’s Chief Experience Officer businesswire.com businesswire.com. She stressed that it’s “not just about launching new features, it’s about fostering authentic relationships between creators and their audiences.” businesswire.com
Beyond profiles and chat, LTK’s update also rolled out enhanced discovery and monetization tools. A new visual search powered by AI lets users upload an image (say, a screenshot of an outfit) and find similar shoppable posts on LTK instantly businesswire.com. An improved global search algorithm (now AI-driven) surfaces more relevant results based on context, not just keywords businesswire.com. These AI tools aim to help fans “find what they love” faster and keep engagement high. On the creator side, LTK added a “My LTK” creator dashboard – allowing influencers to preview exactly how their profile appears to followers and optimize their layout businesswire.com. They also streamlined payouts with a new direct deposit option for faster earnings transfers businesswire.com. By merging social networking features with its commerce platform, LTK is positioning itself to compete not only with shopping services but also creator communities. The company even launched a “Creator Drafts” incubator fund and music-driven campaigns to spotlight emerging talent ts2.tech ts2.tech, signaling a strategic push to keep creators invested on LTK. In sum, LTK’s late-July revamp – from public profiles and DMs to AI search and quicker paychecks – underscores how shopping platforms are embracing social features to become all-in-one hubs for creators.
Samsung TV Plus Partners with Top Creators for Original Shows
A major development in the convergence of creators and traditional TV came as Samsung TV Plus announced partnerships with some of YouTube’s biggest stars to bring their content to television. In a first-of-its-kind deal unveiled July 28 and reported widely through July 30, Samsung’s free streaming (FAST) service is launching exclusive channels for creators like Mark Rober, Dhar Mann, Michelle Khare, Smosh, The Try Guys, and more news.samsung.com news.samsung.com. This initiative not only repackages creators’ existing videos for the big screen, but also involves original content production: Dhar Mann Studios will produce 13 exclusive scripted episodes for his new Samsung TV Plus channel – marking the platform’s first investment in creator-original programming news.samsung.com news.samsung.com. “This is a major milestone for us as storytellers and producers,” said Dhar Mann of the move into TV, calling it “a powerful new chapter — not just for our shows, but for how creators can lead on streaming.” tubefilter.com The idea is to bring his uplifting, life-lesson dramas to a broader family audience that might not typically watch YouTube.
Samsung TV Plus is treating top creators like studio partners. Science entertainer Mark Rober, for instance, will have his own channel curating his catalog of viral STEM videos, and he celebrated the chance to reach new viewers in a lean-back setting. “Bringing my work to Samsung TV Plus means sharing the wonder of science and engineering with even more families,” Rober said of the deal news.samsung.com. According to Samsung, the combined fanbase of the creators joining its service tops 175 million subscribers across platforms news.samsung.com. By aggregating these popular creators into Samsung TV Plus’s lineup (alongside more traditional channels), the electronics giant hopes to draw younger, digital-first viewers to its TVs with familiar faces and fresh content. Salek Brodsky, SVP at Samsung, noted that this strategy “marks a new era where the most innovative and influential storytellers can reach audiences at scale [on TV] in a way that elevates their voice” news.samsung.com. For the creator economy, this crossover is significant: it validates creators as mainstream media players, blurring the line between online video and television. Expect more such collaborations as streaming platforms seek out high-engagement content and creators look to expand their reach beyond the small screen.
Web3 & AI Trends: Creator Monetization Evolves
The tail end of July also highlighted emerging Web3 and AI trends influencing the creator economy. Data for July 2025 showed a notable resurgence in the NFT market – non-fungible token sales surged to about $574 million for the month, the second-highest monthly volume this year cointelegraph.com. This bump suggests that some creators are finding renewed success selling digital collectibles and NFT-based media, despite last year’s crypto downturn. Platforms are concurrently exploring blockchain-based social media models: for example, the new app “Own” (in beta by Q3) aims to “tokenize the creator economy” by rewarding creators with tradeable crypto tokens based on engagement, and allowing fans to invest in creators’ success techcrunch.com techcrunch.com. “Most creators around the world don’t have access to monetization on major social platforms simply because of their location. With Own, we’ve built a system that levels the playing field,” explains CEO Amir Kaltak, touting blockchain as a path to more equitable global creator income techcrunch.com. While still experimental, such Web3 approaches – from social tokens to decentralized content ownership – were buzzed-about as alternative monetization avenues during this period.
At the same time, AI tools continue to both empower and challenge online creators. Platforms are integrating AI to assist with content moderation and creation: TikTok’s new comment filters lean on AI learning to adapt to each creator’s moderation style newsroom.tiktok.com, and Meta has been using AI algorithms to boost content translation and recommendation (as noted in its latest earnings call). YouTube, for its part, reassured creators that using AI in video production (for editing, voiceovers, etc.) does not violate monetization rules so long as the resulting content is original and not simply spam or mass-produced duplicates techcrunch.com techcrunch.com. In fact, YouTube has been experimenting with generative AI music tools to help creators make royalty-free soundtracks – a feature that began limited testing earlier in the year. The “AI boom” is also fuelling new creator services (from AI avatar generators to automated editing apps), with investors pouring funds into startups building creator-focused AI products. Industry analysts note a significant trend: creators who harness AI for productivity – to script videos, personalize fan interactions, or localize content via AI dubbing – are gaining an edge, but platforms are increasingly vigilant about AI-driven spam. In late July, Meta officials acknowledged the proliferation of low-quality, AI-generated “slop” on social feeds, vowing to demote or remove such content when it’s paired with spammy behavior techcrunch.com techcrunch.com. The overarching theme is balance – embracing AI’s ability to enhance creativity and revenue (with tools and features that help creators work smarter), while enforcing policies to ensure authenticity and originality in an AI-assisted era.
Sources: Major platform announcements and reputable media coverage from late July 2025 were used to compile this comprehensive roundup. YouTube policy update: TechCrunch techcrunch.com techcrunch.com. TikTok features: TikTok Newsroom & TechCrunch techcrunch.com techcrunch.com. Meta (Threads) updates: TechCrunch techcrunch.com techcrunch.com. LTK press release: Business Wire businesswire.com businesswire.com. Samsung TV Plus partnerships: Samsung Newsroom & Tubefilter tubefilter.com. NFT/Web3 stats: CoinTelegraph cointelegraph.com.
