Franky Arriola

Netflix Just Got an Extra $2.8 Billion. Here’s What It Should Spend On Bringing creators onto the streaming giant dramatically expands ad inventory with content that is inherently monetization-friendly.

Bringing creators onto the streaming giant dramatically expands ad inventory with content that is inherently monetization-friendly.
www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/bus...

In Defense of Influencers "Despite how you feel about influencers—love them, or hate them—they are undeniably impacting our culture."

With millions of creators worldwide, many of whom are generating income through brand partnerships, affiliate deals, and platform monetization, influencers are likely popping up any time you pick up a phone to scroll.
time.com/article/2026...

AI allows hackers to identify anonymous social media accounts, study finds New research suggests tech behind AI platforms such as ChatGPT makes it easier to perform sophisticated privacy attacks

New research suggests tech behind AI platforms such as ChatGPT makes it easier to perform sophisticated privacy attacks.
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...

Retail traders are treating Substack like it's a Bloomberg terminal Once locked behind the high walls of their institutions, investing pros are taking to Substack to share their views with the masses.

Retail traders are treating Substack like it's a Bloomberg terminal www.businessinsider.com/investing-su...

Bettors wagered $54 million on Khamenei’s death. Now they’re not getting paid. Kalshi, a prediction market site, has sparked outrage after freezing $54 million in bets on the death of Iranian leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, citing a rule against profiting from death.

Traders on the prediction-market site Kalshi assumed they had won a fortune by correctly betting on the Iranian leader’s demise. The ensuing scandal has thrown a spotlight on the “dystopian” rise of gambling on real-world events.
www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...

Soho House is where people go to “unplug” while posting 14 stories about being there.

The Lunatic Cringe of Corporate America When CEOs become influencers and bankers become fashion models.

The internet forced executives to become influencers.

And we’re all learning a painful truth:

Some people are simply not built for social media.

New blog: The Lunatic Cringe of Corporate America.
open.substack.com/pub/frankarr...

More Companies Are Hiring Full-Time Content Creators. Should Yours? As brands race to stay relevant online, in-house creators are becoming their secret weapon.

As brands race to stay relevant online, in-house creators are becoming their secret weapon.
www.inc.com/annabel-burb...

Netflix Gets Back In The M&A Game, Acquiring Ben Affleck-Founded AI Firm InterPositive After dropping out of the bidding for Warner Bros. Discovery, Netflix has made another acquisition, buying an AI firm founded by Ben Affleck.

Less than a week after dropping out of the bidding for Warner Bros. Discovery, Netflix has made a smaller but intriguing acquisition of an AI firm founded by Ben Affleck.
deadline.com/2026/03/netf...

The Power Brokers Behind the $250 Billion Influencer Economy The most sought-after talents today have millions of followers who will buy anything they endorse. These agents and managers make sure they get what they’re worth.

The most sought-after talents today have millions of followers who will buy anything they endorse. These agents and managers make sure they get what they’re worth.
www.wsj.com/lifestyle/ca...

Social Distortion - The Road to 'Born To Kill' YouTube video by Social Distortion

Social Distortion - The Road to 'Born To Kill' youtu.be/cRp2Z_AQGuE?...

Employee-generated content is the next big thing for brands With guardrails, employee-generated content helps brands build trust, scale authentic storytelling and humanize marketing.

Employee influencers are team members who promote a brand’s culture and products by leveraging their personal social media following or appearing in the brand’s social content.
sproutsocial.com/insights/emp...

Anonymous Polymarket Accounts Won $1.2 Million on Trump's Iran Strikes in Suspicious Bets Just six Polymarket accounts made around $1.2 million in profit after successfully betting on the US striking Iran by the end of February.

It was an extremely suspicious situation in which it seems likely that somebody with insider information profited from deadly attacks — an egregious twist on warfare facilitated by a glaring regulatory vacuum that has yet to be meaningfully addressed.
futurism.com/future-socie...

Shockwaves & Selfies The luxury bubble that thought it was untouchable.

The “Dubai porta potty” economy forgot to price in geopolitical risk.

Bad spreadsheet modeling.

New Substack is out.

open.substack.com/pub/frankarr...

De La Soul: Tiny Desk Concert YouTube video by NPR Music

De La Soul: Tiny Desk Concert youtu.be/5AVYDHTOixU?...

Instagram and TikTok are using your content to sell junk “Shop the look” buttons were added without creators’ consent

A new AI Instagram feature uses influencers’ posts to hawk lookalike products without their consent. The same could be happening to you, too.
www.theverge.com/tech/887692/...

Tilly Norwood Creator Plans ‘Rapid Expansion’ With the ‘Tillyverse,’ Where Norwood and Other AI Actors ‘Will Live, Collaborate and Build Careers’ Tilly Norwood creator Eline van der Velden is planning a 'rapid expansion' of Norwood and other AI actors in a dedicated 'Tillyverse.'

Tilly Norwood creator Eline van der Velden is planning a “rapid expansion” for her digital creation including building an entire universe around her.
variety.com/2026/digital...

Stars say Dubai is 'safest place in the world amid airstrikes Vicky Pattison has claimed Dubai is still 'one of the safest places in the world' despite entering its third day of Iranian missile strikes and suicide drone attacks.

Stars say Dubai is 'safest place in the world amid airstrikes mol.im/a/15605615

A Sports Frenzy for the Most Valuable Influencers

To reach young audiences raised on social media, leagues are giving content creators access to marquee moments.
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/28/a...

Where’s Congress? 🤔

TikTok, MLB tap into growing baseball fandom with expanded content tie-up The duo is deepening an existing global partnership to offer exclusive content, greater creator access and a player engagement initiative.

The expanded partnership will also grant select creators access to MLB’s current and archival content to enhance their baseball-related stories. Additionally, the league will work with TikTok to give creators behind-the-scenes access to select league events.
www.marketingdive.com/news/tiktok-...

WTF is a creator capital market? What is a creator capital market, what does it mean for creators looking to diversify revenue, and why is it so closely tied to crypto?

Most creators still rely on brand deals and platform payouts. But a small — and growing — group is experimenting with raising capital by selling a slice of their future earnings.
digiday.com/media/wtf-is...

FX’s Love Story is so good. Can we all just go back to the 90’s?

Lisa Corrao: A Cute Crisis TRAILER YouTube video by Lisa Corrao

Congrats to Lisa Corrao!

Her first stand-up comedy special, A CUTE CRISIS, is available now on AppleTV & Amazon Prime. Check it out!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTZ2...

Carolyn Bessette had effortless cool.

Today’s version is someone in Nolita pretending they “don’t really use Instagram” with 42k followers.

Life coaches don’t solve problems.

They rename them.

You’re not broke.

You’re in a “money mindset recalibration phase.”

Kalshi Fines MrBeast Editor $20K for Insider Trading Prediction market cracks down on creator economy insider trading in first enforcement case

Prediction market cracks down on creator economy insider trading in first enforcement case.
www.techbuzz.ai/articles/kal...

Poly Pocket The spread is tight. The morals are looser.

Wall Street loves recurring revenue.

Big Tech loves engagement loops.

Leagues love sponsorship checks.

Guess who gets the dopamine habit?

New Substack out now.

open.substack.com/pub/frankarr...

Wellness influencers discovered cortisol and made it their entire personality.

Wu-Tang Clan's Oliver "Power" Grant Dead At 52, Method Man Speaks Oliver “Power” Grant, a founding business architect of the Wu-Tang Clan and creator of its influential Wu Wear clothing line, died on February 23. He was 52. The cause of death was not disclosed as of...

RIP Power

He was an incredible artist and entrepreneur.

www.hot97.com/news/wu-tang...