Independents’ Day: protecting creators, the heartbeat of the internet
At Raptive, we’re very proud to represent and empower over 5,200 amazing content creators. Each and every one of you are extraordinary entrepreneurs, resilient business owners, and together, you have created the best part of the internet.
We know that you’re worried about AI’s impact. We also know that you’re motivated to take action—and so are your audiences. More than 13,000 people have signed our open letter calling on our elected leaders to enact greater protections for content creators.
Today is Independents’ Day
We take our role as creator advocates very seriously. Today, we’re in Washington, DC for our Independents’ Day event, where we’ll deliver the open letter and urge Congress to take action to protect content creators in the age of AI.
We’re also bringing a group of Raptive creators to the nation’s capital to share their stories and discuss the impact unregulated AI could have on your livelihoods, the communities you’ve built, and the future of the internet we all know and love.
While on Capitol Hill, we’ll unveil our newly published, first-of-its-kind national report on the Creator Economy and the threat of AI. The Raptive Report: Protecting Content Creators in the AI Era highlights creators’ importance to the economy and outlines the steps lawmakers must take to ensure its ability to grow and thrive.
What we’re asking for in DC
At Raptive, we’re committed to fighting for this remarkable community threatened by Big Tech’s unchecked exploitation of your content to train and implement its AI models.
To safeguard the independent creator economy, we’re asking our elected officials to work with us on the following:
- Enforce copyright laws: Protecting intellectual property is paramount to ensure creators retain ownership and control over their content.
- Encourage revenue-sharing and licensing: AI companies must adopt fair practices that compensate creators for using their content in training AI models.
- Ensure ethical AI product design: AI-powered search products should not diminish traffic to the original content creators who fuel these technologies.
- Create a level playing field: Future AI products must not unfairly compete against content creators.
- Hold big tech accountable: Anti-competitive behavior must be identified and addressed.
By taking these steps, we can protect, sustain, and grow the independent creator economy, ensuring it remains a dynamic and integral part of our digital landscape.
How you can get involved
As independent creators, you are dedicated, determined individuals who build companies, hire teams, and craft meaningful content for your websites. Our recent study with Nielsen took steps to quantify your impact, proving that audiences find your content 50% more inspiring, useful, and trustworthy than social media content. This is a testament to the genuine human connections you forge with your audiences.
Your contributions to the US economy are immense, generating hundreds of thousands of jobs across the US alone. The internet has democratized content creation and consumption, allowing diverse voices and communities to share their authentic stories and experiences. This inclusive narrative is essential for a resilient and vibrant creative ecosystem.
If you haven’t yet, we encourage you to sign and share the open letter to show your support. We’ll continue to amplify your stories and go directly to decision-makers to ensure they’re listening. Together, we can make your voices heard and safeguard the future for creators.
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