How the creator economy destroyed the internet

IThisHis It's fashionable to talk about creator economics as if it's something new, but the harsh reality is that creator economics is Media and the Internet Economy Now. Platforms like TikTok, Instagram and YouTube generate billions of dollars in revenue, have created some of the richest companies in world history, and they dominate culture so much that the future of politics often feels more like a creator's drama than actual policymaking.

But all this money and influence is based on a very shaky foundation: all these platforms set algorithms between creators and their audiences, paying them next to nothing, creating an endless race for virality for sponsorships and brand deals. There aren't many industries where it's more valuable to stop selling bits and start selling atoms, but every major creator eventually switches to selling products because it's more lucrative than chasing views and brand deals. Brothers Jake and Logan Paul are now selling literally bottled water, and earlier this year financial filings revealed that the YouTube arm of the MrBeast empire had spent three straight years in the red, including a whopping negative $110 million in 2024. All these viral videos are just marketing cover for MrBeast's real business: a line of candy bars that you can buy at your local Walmart.

This is the media ecosystem we now live in – an empowered commerce system that thrives on outrage, dominates the culture, and resists any real control because no one is really in charge and there is always a new generation of creators to exploit. It's not just like that. It's already here.