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ago

Will content creators ever have their own union?

With the end of the Hollywood writers and actors strikes, the creator economy is the next frontier for organized labor

Even the world’s most successful creators can see their livelihoods threatened by social media companies that routinely change their algorithms and policies with impunity.

theconversation.com

Unions protect Hollywood writers and actors from unfair labour practices and in pay disputes (among other things), but content creators don't have anything like that.

Do you think content creators should work towards establishing (or joining) unions, and how would this work? With the global nature of content creation, where would the union cover? Who would be eligible to join? Is it in the creators' best interests to maintain independence or unite?

What do you think?

Created at 3:24pm, 16th January, 2024. Page last updated at 2:43pm, 16th May, 2024.

FirestormGamingTeam 1/16/2024, 5:59:18 PM

The main reason for unions is to solve disputes between workers and companies, the main issue for a gaming union is the platforms already have these in place, copyright disputes, etc.

I do think a union for content creators to make sure they are getting paid the correct amount from their ads or contracts, but also the majority of higher earning creators have agents who have their lawyers to settle disputes.

I am not sure how a union for gamers would work because, in terms of their joining, they would have to use union representation. Not their lawyers. This would be difficult at best to accomplish, for instance in certain instances, I have had to issue CAD to people and I have used my solicitors.

If I were part of a union, those CAD notices would become public records, this is the issue and like myself, most creators are on multiple platforms and are very private people. Not airing our dirty laundry as such.

Hope I explained this properly lol.

BoomerMod1/17/2024, 1:59:29 PM

FirestormGamingTeam

Yeah that makes sense. Bigger creators can afford individualised protection, so why would they opt for anything other than that?

The hope would be that bigger creators can hold the platforms accountable, or help negotiate fairer revenue on ads for all.

In Twitch's case this would hurt the bigger creators most, as Twitch is short on cash and the funds to help smaller creators has to come from somewhere! Advertisers likely won't pay more and Twitch can't afford to give more, so that just leaves redistributing revenue earned amongst creators.

I think Multi-Channel Networks served a similar role in the past, though they also took their cut of the money and sometimes weren't run by reputable or experienced teams.

FirestormGamingTeam 1/17/2024, 2:07:23 PM

Boomer

I think anyone starting streaming should move to YouTube, this is why:

Twitch/Kick: Gifted subs - Pointless, one-time cash injection, doesn't help, really doesn't, doesn't drive more traffic, I get notifications on Twitch "so and so has given you a free sub" my response "and?"

If you don't have a massive YT/Twitter following, Kick/Twitch isn't interested in helping you be seen, you are simply lost among many. As I said, my friend is one of the most skilled gamers I know, sociable, and likable, and after five years, he's gotten nowhere. I think 2k followers, maybe ten subscribers, so he's gone, he's done.

YouTube IMO is the best way to go because you stream/content and make specific videos and it stays searchable and visible. Twitch/Kick don't have this.

Twitch is on a downward spiral and it's done, Kick will follow soon after because they are making the same mistakes Twitch did because it's run by ex-top twitch streamers, history repeats itself.

BoomerMod1/17/2024, 2:26:01 PM

FirestormGamingTeam

This is really interesting! It's such a shame for your friend that it didn't work out. Do you mean they stopped content creation entirely, or that they stopped using Twitch?

I'd considered content creation in my younger years. On-screen never really clicked with me at the time as I'm pretty chill, and platforms like Twitch and TikTok seem built on big, loud personalities.

Do you see much of a difference between YouTube and Twitch content format, aside from one being live and the other allowing pre-recorded?

FirestormGamingTeam 1/17/2024, 7:07:05 PM

Boomer

He stopped completely, he was so run down he'd just had enough.

YouTube can be both live and pre-recorded but with YouTube, at least your streams can be tagged and have descriptions in them so you can still be found in that subject matter. On Twitch you can't be. That's the issue with Twitch/Kick.

Lanah Tyra 1/17/2024, 6:05:57 PM

As someone who has been a union workplace representative, it would be indeed very difficult to establish something for creators, given how many different channels there are for a creator to earn money, and resolving issues between companies and their employees (contractors) is only one thing a union does.

Probably a bigger one is to fight for pay rise, better work conditions, etc, and for this the unions have workplace representatives at each company where they are a recognized union, who are volunteers and would negotiate such things with the company.

Would any content creator who are already working hard, often beside a full-time job take on an unpaid task of representing their peers? I don't think it would work.

The best way for me looks like using solicitors or resolving issues through their agents, and bigger creators can simply use their publicity and reach to speak up against bigger issues such as terms and conditions, revenue split etc, and companies like Twitch would more likely react to that as they would fear bad publicity.