Of Creator Missteps and Platform First Steps: Creator Economy this Week
Ankur Mehra
Creator Economist | Empowering Digital Growth | Shaping the Future of Creator Economy, EdTech & Social Media | Strategic Advisor & Consultant | Public Speaker & Author
Spotlight Story
“With great power comes great responsibility” - advised Uncle Ben to Spiderman, but if there was one man who really needed this advice, it had to be Ranveer Allahabadia.?
Here’s some context: Ranveer is India’s most followed YouTube podcaster (10.4M subs), he had carefully cultivated his image as GenZ’s spiritual guru. His influence was validated when last year, the Prime Minister of India honored him as 'Disruptor of the Year' at the inaugural National Creators Awards. Some of India's most revered saints and thinkers had appeared on his podcast, telling the 31-year-old that he was blessed.
And then came the fall. As a judge on a dank comedy show - India’s Got Latent (YouTube page with millions of followers is now taken down). Allahabia, in his pursuit to vibe with the flow of the show, asks what Sammy Walsh asked Alan Fang in a recent episode of OG Crew’s Truth or Drink - “Would you rather watch your mom and dad have sex every night for the rest of your life or join in one time to make it stop and never have to watch it again?” - and boom! This was the beginning of the end of the image that Ranveer Allahabadia had carefully crafted for years.?
The backlash was swift and severe. The roast, burn, vilification, condemnation, criticism, denunciation, damnation, opprobrium, and lambasting started, with the parliamentary committee, the State Chief Minister, the judiciary, and even law enforcement getting involved!?
Unsurprisingly, the podcaster lost about 100k subscribers in just 2 days, but surprisingly for the backlash that he’s received, this (>1%) loss is not even a dent in his 10.4 million subs
However, the incident serves as a sobering reminder: being a social media influencer isn't just about follower counts. It carries real social responsibilities. It is fun and games till it is not! This incident is a solemn reminder to all those creators and influencers that with influence comes accountability and with power comes responsibility -? a single misstep can challenge years of reputation building.
Trending Topics
Out of all the possible outcomes, I feel that if TikTok was to land with Microsoft, it would fundamentally change the social media landscape. Hurting the likes of Instagram, YouTube, and Snap the most. What do you think of this situation?
Around the World
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AI X Creator Economy?
Apps built on open technologies are beginning to take shape with Bluesky (30m users) taking the lead after its recent gains from ‘Twitter Quitters’. With Bluescreen (TikTok lookalike) and now Pinksky (Instagram lookalike) launching, Bluesky is fast positioning itself as an everything app on the open tech.?
My Corner
A week of firsts and reflections! I just wrapped my first in-person podcast with the incredible Poonam Vijay Thakkar (PVT). While I had initial nerves about the studio vodcast setup, Poonam's warmth made it feel like catching up with an old friend. She created such a comfortable environment - we chatted before rolling, and before I knew it was a wrap after a cool 1.5 hrs of recording! Such a great experience! Thank You Poonam for making it such a memorable experience!!?
This week, I also completed an in-depth written interview for a publication that I am stoked about! Penning my story was unexpectedly therapeutic - it took me back to my personal and professional journey and frankly, it was a great reminder to, as the Brits would say, ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’! ??
And yes, this week I reconnected with a few of my former-colleagues-turned-friends and might I say, I am so grateful for these relationships that have stood the test of time!?????
Dad Joke of the Week
Today at the bank, an old lady asked me to check her balance... So I pushed her over...I don’t know why everyone is so mad at me!?????♂?
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I have held leadership roles in big tech sales & partnerships across Asia Pacific-Japan, North America, Latin America, and the Middle East. I’m a seasoned entrepreneur (EdTech) and a military veteran. I am a business author on the evolving Content and Creator Economy and a LinkedIn Top Voice on Team Management and Creator Economy.
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Stay curious, keep exploring!
Marketing & Business Development. Spiritual Trainer/ Preceptor for Heartfulness Meditation.
1 周I hope now influencers will become more responsible to what they talk about and if not they know that a tiniest mistake can create such a havoc. Being an influencer, comes with loads of social responsibility. I hope Ranveer and many more learn from this incidence. As far as Dad joke goes - I hope you know what happened with the old lady now and hope she doesn’t ask another help of rolling over her financial transactions with bank and again you are stuck with the same situation....?????? Btw this shows how much I love to read your newsletter. More power to you ??
Spot on, Ankur! The biggest mistake creators make is treating platforms like their business instead of just a tool for their business. At LuxyList, we see it all the time, creators who diversify their revenue streams and build audience-driven ecosystems (instead of relying on algorithms) are the ones thriving. Fans aren’t just watching anymore; they’re actively participating through gifting, patronage, and direct support. Creators who own their audience (vs. renting it from platforms) are the ones who will weather every algorithm change and keep growing. Curious, what do you think is the next big move for creators looking to future-proof their income?