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Testing out different functions on Wiki. Don't mind me!

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this is where im going to put everything i cut out of my collab essay so i can access it again if i need it lol

In the new sphere of online celebrity it can be said that content creators have become both the seller and the commodity. Due to the YouTube platform’s inherent use for user interaction in which all content is able to be interacted by an audience, the cultivation of personalities has grown increasingly popular in presenting an faux-authenticity that can be both monetised and branded. The emotional toll this takes on many creators can be explained by the constant monitoring one must do in order to keep these personalities airtight. Lindsay Ellis, a creator on the YouTube platform, has noted that the emotional burnout of maintaining a persona is rarely discussed because of people’s inability to acknowledge the emotional labour that comes with keeping up with the brand. This is due in part to many creators selling “affect”, the persona they create being the main draw to their content.

The creation of an 'authentic' personality on social media platforms is key in generating income. The crackdown on YouTube’s advertising algorithm after controversies surrounding brand advertising on videos promoting controversial ideologies has meant that many creators suffer a loss of income due to their content not being advertiser friendly - creating an environment where videos that contain strong language were less likely to make money. This is an example of how online identity is often created with the intent to solely make money, again backed up by YouTube creators taking advantage of the algorithm by making longer videos favoured by it. ''“I’ve figured out ways to monetise and to take advantage of the power of the algorithm. Obviously, it preferences longer videos, throwing multiple mid-rolls in, which tons of people do now.”'' says Cody-Ko, a creator with over two million subscribers on the platform. This algorithm can lead to self censorship in aid of appearing suitable to advertisers, or as Garcia-Rapp and Roca-Cuberes put it, a "careful self-monitoring of one’s online persona."

The more profitable the internet becomes, the more self can be monetised and tactics to maximise profits through the upkeep of online identity can be implemented. It is claimed that YouTuber creator Jake Paul earned 21.5million in profits from YouTube and other branded content in 2018. Jake Paul is known for his highly manufactured presence online, sparking a documentary series investigating his 'sociopathic tendencies' and the ‘real’ him. Despite the popularity of these episodes, Paul’s own behind the scenes series of his life failed due to it being ‘too real’ for the platform and the people involved - “A lot of the parties involved didn’t want to have that much realness or that much content about their lives out there on social media.”