Technology
Tesla helped save a driver. Is your car ready?
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A medical emergency behind the wheel is terrifying because every second suddenly feels bigger. You are trying to stay calm, stay safe and get help before things spiral.
That is why John Brandt’s story is getting so much attention. His Tesla Model Y helped keep him moving during a heart attack, while his son used the Tesla app to reroute the car to a nearby emergency room.
The bigger takeaway isn’t that your car can replace 911. It cannot. The lesson is that connected-car settings, trusted app access and emergency contacts should be ready before you ever need them.
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A Tesla Model Y helped keep John Brandt moving toward help after chest pain hit during an early morning highway drive. (Tesla)
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How a Tesla Model Y helped during a medical emergency
Brandt said he was driving from Atlanta to Birmingham on I-20 around 4 a.m. when severe chest pain made it unsafe for him to keep driving on his own. His Model Y had Full Self-Driving Supervised enabled, which helped keep the car on course while he called his son, Jack.
Jack then acted from his own phone. Because he was an authorized driver on his father’s Tesla account, he could send a new destination to the vehicle through the Tesla app. He found Tanner Medical Center in Carrollton, Georgia and rerouted the car there.
He also called ahead, so emergency room staff knew a possible heart attack patient was coming. Brandt later said doctors found three blocked arteries and told him the fast reroute likely saved his life.
Brandt credited his family, the hospital team and Tesla’s technology for helping him survive. His experience also shows why trusted access should be set up before a crisis starts.
Why the Tesla FSD medical emergency feels so personal
This story hits home because it sounds like something that could happen to any of us. You may be driving to help a parent. You may be on a highway before sunrise. You may think you feel heartburn or stress until the pain gets worse.
Most of us think about car safety in terms of brakes, airbags and tires. However, this story shows that app access, navigation settings and trusted contacts can also play a role in a crisis. That does not mean your car becomes a paramedic. It means your connected vehicle can give your family more ways to help if something goes wrong.
Brandt’s experience raises a question every driver should consider: If you suddenly could not manage the trip alone, would someone you trust know how to step in and help?
How Tesla owners can prepare for a medical emergency
If you own a Tesla, start with trusted driver access. Add someone you trust completely, such as a spouse, adult child or close family member. Tesla lets owners add drivers through the Tesla app. Once added, that person may be able to access key vehicle features from their own phone.
Choose carefully. A trusted driver may be able to see your vehicle location and use important app controls. That access can help in an emergency, but it also deserves serious thought.
TESLA ROBOTAXI MIAMI LAUNCH COMES WITH LIMITS
Next, show that person how to send a destination to your Tesla. Do not make this something they figure out during a crisis. Sit in the parked car and test it together.
Have them send a familiar destination to the vehicle. Make sure you both understand what appears on the screen. Then talk through what they should do if you ever call and say something is wrong.
Also save useful locations in your navigation system. Add home, work and hospitals you would likely use. If you often drive between two cities, look at hospitals along that route before you need them.
Why Full Self-Driving Supervised isn’t an emergency plan
Tesla calls the system Full Self-Driving Supervised for a reason. The driver still needs to pay attention and stay ready to take over at any time. Brandt’s experience shows how the technology and app connectivity helped during one frightening emergency. But a Tesla cannot replace 911, an ambulance or a trained medical team.
If you feel chest pain, shortness of breath, nausea, lightheadedness or pain in your arm, back or jaw, treat it as an emergency. Pull over safely if you can. Call 911 immediately. Emergency responders can start care on the way to the hospital and alert the ER before you arrive.
The car’s connected navigation features allowed Brandt’s son to reroute the vehicle to the nearest emergency room from his own phone. (Tesla)
Your car may help your family find you or send a destination. Still, it should never delay a medical call.
How to prepare any connected car for an emergency
You do not need a Tesla to learn from this story. Many newer vehicles have connected apps, navigation tools, roadside assistance buttons or emergency calling features. First, remember this: your car should never replace 911. If you are having a medical emergency, pull over safely if you can and call for help immediately. These steps are about giving your family extra ways to help, not replacing emergency responders.
1) Check your vehicle app access
Open your automaker’s app and review what it can do. Look for vehicle location, shared driver access, remote lock controls, roadside assistance and navigation features. Then make sure your trusted contact can use the app if your car allows it. If the app requires a login, two-factor code or owner approval, handle that now. Also check app access after you get a new phone. Permissions can change when you upgrade. Also, because vehicle apps can show location and control certain car features, use a strong unique password, store it in a password manager and turn on two-factor authentication (2FA) if available. Only give app access to someone you fully trust.
2) Turn on location and alert permissions
Make sure your vehicle app can use location services when needed. Also allow important notifications from the app so you do not miss alerts about your car. Ask your trusted contact to check the same settings on their phone. If they cannot see your vehicle, receive alerts or open the app quickly, they may not be able to help during a crisis.
3) Test sending a destination to your car
Some vehicles let you send a destination from your phone to the dashboard. Others do not. Find out now. Sit in your parked car and send a destination from your phone. Then ask your trusted contact to try it if they have authorized access. This quick test can prevent confusion later. It also shows you what your car will display when a new destination arrives.
4) Learn what your SOS button really does
Many vehicles have an SOS button, emergency assistance button or roadside help button. Do not assume they all work the same way. Check your owner’s manual or automaker app. Find out whether the button calls 911, a private call center or roadside assistance. Also learn whether the system shares your vehicle location. That detail can be critical if you cannot explain where you are.
5) Set up phone emergency features
Your phone may help even more than your car. Add emergency contacts, fill out your Medical ID or emergency information and make sure your family can reach you even when Do Not Disturb is on. Apple says iPhone emergency contacts can receive a text and your location after an emergency call, while Samsung lets Galaxy owners add emergency contacts, medical info and SOS sharing from Safety and emergency settings.
On iPhone
- Open the Health app.
- Tap your profile picture in the top-right corner.
- Tap Medical ID .
- Scroll down and under each section in red, tap Edit or Add .
- Add important details, such as medical conditions, allergies, medications and blood type.
- Scroll to Emergency Contacts and tap Add Emergency Contact .
- Choose a trusted contact and select their relationship to you.
- Turn on Show When Locked and Share During Emergency Call if those options appear.
- Tap
To make sure key people can reach you, go to Settings → Focus → Do Not Disturb → People and allow calls or notifications from your trusted contacts. You can also open a contact, tap Edit , choose Ringtone or Text Tone and turn on Emergency Bypass . Emergency Bypass can allow that person’s calls or texts to come through even when Focus settings would normally silence them.
On Samsung Galaxy
Settings may vary depending on your Android’s manufacturer
- Open Settings
- Tap Safety and emergency
- Tap Medical info
- Add important details, such as medical conditions, allergies, medications and blood type
- Tap Save
- Go back to Safety and emergency
- Tap Emergency contacts
- Tap Add emergency contact or Add member
- Choose your trusted contacts and tap Done
- Turn on Show on Lock screen if available
- Go back to Safety and emergency and tap Emergency SOS to review how your phone calls for help and whether it sends SOS messages to emergency contacts
On Galaxy phones, also check Settings → Safety and emergency → Emergency Location Service and turn it on if available. This can help share your location with emergency responders in supported regions.
To let important calls through Do Not Disturb, go to Settings → Notifications → Do not disturb → Calls and messages or Allowed during Do not disturb , then allow favorite contacts or selected contacts. Favorite contacts can be allowed through while Do Not Disturb is on.
6) Keep a written backup in the car
Technology can fail. Phones lose battery. Apps can lock you out. Keep a small emergency card in your wallet or glove box. Include emergency contacts, allergies, medications and your preferred hospital. If you have a heart condition or another medical concern, ask your doctor what details should be listed.
7) Review access every few months
Trusted access should not be set once and forgotten. Remove anyone who no longer needs access to your vehicle app. Add someone new if your family situation changes. Also update emergency contacts after a move, phone change or major health update.
Kurt’s key takeaways
John Brandt’s story is scary because it could happen to anyone. His Tesla helped, but the real lesson is preparation. If your car has an app, know what it can do before an emergency. Add a trusted family member, test the navigation tools and make sure your phone’s emergency features are filled out. A car should never replace calling 911. However, the right setup can give your family one more way to help when every second counts.
If your car were involved in an emergency, would your family know what to do? Let us know by writing to us at CyberGuy.com.
The story is a reminder to set up trusted app access and emergency features before you ever need them. (Tesla)
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Technology
No Dogs in Space is a music history podcast for true obsessives
Sadly, there hasn’t been a new episode of No Dogs in Space since July of 2024. Part four of the podcast’s series on Can wrapped up an abbreviated season three, which focused on experimental rock. Don’t get me wrong, I loved seasons one and two, but the show seemed to be gearing up for a deep dive into Krautrock, and I was hype. Unfortunately, that episode ended with hosts Marcus Parks (Last Podcast on the Left) and Carolina Hidalgo declaring they were going to do another season on punk (the topic of season one), only for the feed to go quiet.
If you’re a music obsessive, this is a must-listen podcast. Over the course of 73 episodes, the husband-and-wife duo digs into the careers of the Beastie Boys, The Velvet Underground, Joy Division, and more. Even if you think you know everything there is to know about iconic bands like The Stooges, I guarantee there will be new info here.
The show dedicates multiple hours over the course of several episodes to its subjects. Its two-part intro to Krautrock, which heavily focuses on Amon Düül II is over three hours long, and that’s on the shorter side. The Replacements series is nearly nine hours long, and Beastie Boys is even longer still.
Over these exceptionally long series, it never gets dull, though. The two balance scripted info-dense sections with more improvisational sidebars expertly. They also, as you’d expect from a married couple, have great chemistry on mic. They also make sure to share all their sources at the end of the episode in case you want to track down the primary source or do your own fact-checking.
The show isn’t officially over. As recently as a couple of months ago, Carolina was responding to Instagram comments saying she’d love to do more episodes. And the possibility of the show returning has come up multiple times on live streams. But as of this writing, we’re still waiting on that Punk Rock 2.0 series.
Technology
Is cyberbullying hiding in your child’s group chat?
Therapist unpacks social media’s impact on teen mental health, friendships
Child and adolescent family therapist Darby Fox explains how teens view social media. New research indicates that while some find platforms like Snapchat beneficial for friendships, most encounter online harassment or bullying on TikTok, Instagram, and other platforms. Fox advises parents to implement strict monitoring and maintain open dialogue to protect their children’s mental well-being.
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“It was only a joke.” Those five words can stop an important conversation before it begins. Maybe your child or grandchild posted a rude comment in a group chat. Another kid added an embarrassing picture. Soon, classmates were sharing it and piling on with laughing reactions.
To the children taking part, it may feel like ordinary online drama. To the child being targeted, every notification can feel like another person joining the attack. The warning signs of cyberbullying are not always obvious. Some children hide what they are experiencing. Others take part without realizing their behavior has crossed a line.
That is why cybersecurity education needs to go beyond strong passwords, antivirus software and password managers. Those protections remain essential. However, children also need guidance about empathy, privacy and the consequences of what they post. Parents play a central role. Grandparents can also become trusted listeners, especially when a child feels nervous about telling Mom or Dad. Share this article with the adults in your family. Then use it to start a conversation before a child needs help.
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JEWISH STUDENT TARGETED WITH ANTISEMITIC ABUSE, LAPTOP CORD ATTACK AT COLORADO SCHOOL, ADL ALLEGES
Cyberbullying can spread through group chats, social media and gaming platforms, leaving children vulnerable to rumors, humiliating images and online harassment. (iStock)
Cyberbullying can hide inside ordinary online behavior
Cyberbullying rarely arrives with a warning label. It may appear as a cruel joke, an altered photo or a rumor inside a private chat. Someone might create a fake account to embarrass a classmate. A group may deliberately exclude one child and then share screenshots of the conversation.
The CDC defines bullying as unwanted aggressive behavior that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior repeats or has a strong chance of being repeated. Cyberbullying occurs when children use texting, social media or other technology to carry out that behavior. That definition can become confusing online.
One person may post something only once. However, dozens of other people can save and share it. The child who created the post may call it a single joke, while the person being targeted watches it circulate for days. Children may also believe they are only watching. Yet forwarding a humiliating image or adding a laughing reaction can make the attack feel much larger. Adults need to help children connect an online action with the real person receiving it.
What the latest cyberbullying data tells families
The latest available research shows that online harassment remains part of daily life for many young people. The CDC reports that more than one in six U.S. high school students experienced electronic bullying during the previous year. That includes bullying through texting and social media. Female students reported it more often than male students.
A World Health Organization study involving 44 countries and regions found that 15% of adolescents had experienced cyberbullying. Meanwhile, 12% admitted cyberbullying someone else. Both figures had increased compared with the organization’s earlier research. A 2026 Pew Research Center study offers a closer look at the social platforms teenagers use. Roughly three-quarters of teen TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat users said harassment and bullying were problems on those platforms for people their age.
Nearly three in 10 teen Snapchat users said they had personally experienced at least one form of harassment covered by the survey. Those behaviors included offensive name-calling, rumor spreading or physical threats. The figure was about one in five among teen Instagram and TikTok users. These numbers do not mean every disagreement counts as bullying. Still, families should not wait for an online situation to become severe before discussing it.
Your child may not realize they joined the bullying
Ask a child whether they have bullied anyone and the answer will probably be no. Ask whether they have forwarded an embarrassing screenshot and you may hear a different response.
Children often picture a bully as one openly cruel person who targets someone weaker. Online harassment can look far less organized. A teenager may add an emoji without thinking. Someone else may share the post because everyone at school has already seen it. Another child may remain silent because speaking up could make them the next target.
Each action can increase the pressure on the person being humiliated. Parents and grandparents should avoid starting this conversation with an accusation. Instead, use an example your child can understand.
Ask how the person in the picture might feel. Find out whether they gave permission for the post. You could also ask what your child would want a friend to do if someone shared the same content about them. These questions help children examine their decisions without immediately feeling attacked.
Why telling a child to go offline may not solve it
I recently spoke with a high school senior and her mother, who works in education. The student explained that bullying often looks very different from the scenes adults remember from movies. Much of it happens in private chats, anonymous apps and social media accounts that hide the person posting.
Rumors can spread across a school before the person being discussed knows they exist. AI tools can also produce altered photos, fake audio and convincing videos of a classmate. When I asked whether leaving social media could provide some relief, the student explained that her phone connected her with friends and much of her school life. That response stayed with me.
Adults often see putting down a phone as a break. A teenager may see it as disappearing from their social circle. Leaving an app can also mean missing plans or school updates while everyone else continues discussing the situation.
Pew Research Center found that 74% of teens said social media helped them feel connected to what was happening in their friends’ lives. At the same time, 39% said social media made them feel overwhelmed by drama. Nearly one-third said it sometimes left them feeling excluded. “Delete the app” should not be the only advice a child hears.
Parents may feel ready to talk before children feel ready to answer
Adults often assume their children know they can come to them. Children may feel differently. A 2025 Pew Research Center survey found that 80% of parents felt highly comfortable discussing their teenager’s mental health. Only 52% of teens felt equally comfortable having that conversation with a parent. That gap should get every parent’s attention.
A parent may believe the door is wide open. Meanwhile, the child may worry about losing a phone or being blamed for what happened. The child may also fear that an adult will immediately call the school and make the situation more public.
Grandparents can sometimes help bridge that distance. A teenager may reveal something during a car ride or while visiting for the weekend. The conversation may begin casually instead of during a serious family meeting. Listen closely when a child suddenly asks what you would do in a “hypothetical” situation. They may be testing whether it feels safe to tell you more.
COULD THE 7-ELEVEN BREACH AFFECT YOU?
Children may contribute to cyberbullying without realizing it by forwarding embarrassing screenshots, sharing harmful posts or reacting to humiliating content. (iStock)
AI deepfakes are raising the stakes for children
Generative AI has made a painful form of online abuse much easier to create. A classmate can take an ordinary social media photo and use an AI tool to create a fake nude image. Someone can also clone a voice, produce a false video or build a convincing impersonation account. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children received more than 400,000 CyberTipline reports with a generative AI connection during 2025.
NCMEC also identified more than 275 direct victims of AI-generated child sexual abuse material during 2024 and 2025. In many cases, the person responsible had direct access to the child. Those reports involve child exploitation rather than cyberbullying alone. However, NCMEC warns that classmates can use AI to create fake images and videos for bullying.
The content can circulate through schools and cause severe emotional harm. AI fakes may also be used for blackmail or sextortion. Parents should never dismiss an altered image because it is fake. The humiliation can feel painfully real. Copies may also keep circulating after the original post disappears. A child may fear that teachers, classmates or future friends will believe the image is genuine.
Tips for talking to kids about cyberbullying
One serious lecture will not prepare a child for every app, friend or group chat. Instead, return to this conversation as your child’s online habits change. These steps can help you begin.
1) Ask about their online life before mentioning screen time
Opening with “You spend too much time on that phone” will probably lead to an argument. Ask which game they have been playing. Find out what their friends are sharing. You could also ask whether a group chat has started feeling uncomfortable or stressful.
The goal is to understand where your child spends time online. You probably know the names of their closest school friends. Try to learn about the people they interact with online too. That interest can make it easier for a child to describe a problem later.
2) Explain when a joke crosses the line
Children need examples they can recognize. A joke becomes harmful when the person asks for it to stop and the group keeps going. Sharing someone’s picture without permission can also cross a boundary.
Spreading a rumor or creating a fake account to embarrass someone can cause lasting harm. Ask your child whether they would make the same comment with the other person sitting beside them. That pause may stop an impulsive post from growing into a much bigger problem.
3) Promise to listen before taking the phone away
Many children stay silent because they fear losing access to their device. Tell your child that showing you a troubling message will not automatically lead to punishment.
You may eventually need to restrict an app or change how the device is used. However, your first response should focus on what happened and whether the child feels safe. Listen before contacting another family. When possible, explain what you plan to do next. A child is more likely to keep talking when they feel included in the response.
4) Teach children to pause instead of retaliating
An angry reply can create another screenshot for people to share. Tell your child to stop responding when an exchange becomes heated. They can mute the conversation and show the device to a trusted adult. They should also avoid forwarding the content.
Even a reaction emoji can keep the post active and encourage more children to join. Federal bullying guidance advises children not to reply to or forward cyberbullying messages. It also recommends blocking threatening or questionable accounts.
5) Save evidence before deleting anything
The first instinct may be to erase a cruel post immediately. Take screenshots first. Capture the username, date and complete conversation.
Save emails, links and text messages. Write down when the behavior happened and whether anyone else saw it. You can use that evidence when reporting the account to the platform or school. StopBullying.gov recommends saving screenshots, emails and messages before reporting cyberbullying.
6) Block and report the account
After saving the evidence, block the person responsible. Report the post through the app or platform. Choose the category that most accurately describes what happened. If students from the same school are involved, contact an administrator and ask for the school’s cyberbullying policy.
Tell the school what you already reported to the platform. Share enough evidence to explain the situation without spreading the harmful content further. Direct threats or stalking may require contacting law enforcement. Seek emergency help when anyone faces immediate danger.
7) Review privacy settings with your child
Make your child’s social media accounts private when the platform offers that choice. Review the follower list together. Remove accounts your child does not recognize or no longer trusts.
Check whether posts reveal a school name or regular location. Look for phone numbers and home addresses too. Family members should review their own accounts.
A grandparent may proudly share a school photo without noticing the logo on a uniform. A relative might post a practice schedule or tag the child’s exact location. Before sharing, ask what an angry classmate or stranger could learn from the post.
8) Protect social media and gaming accounts
A stolen account can quickly become a cyberbullying tool. Someone may impersonate your child, publish private conversations or send cruel messages to classmates.
Use a different password for every account. A password manager can create and store strong passwords so children do not reuse one login across several apps. Turn on multifactor authentication wherever it is available.
Children should also avoid sharing passwords with friends. Friendships can change, and access given today may be abused after an argument. Check out the best expert-reviewed password managers of 2026 at CyberGuy.com.
STUDY FINDS MORE AI PRAISE FOR BLACK STUDENTS, SOFTER TREATMENT OF FEMALES
AI tools have raised the stakes for cyberbullying by making it easier to create fake images, cloned voices and convincing videos targeting children. (AP Photo/Kiichiro Sato, File)
9) Set family rules for apps and game downloads
Require children to ask before installing an unofficial gaming client, mod or computer program. A convincing video can promote a download that hides malware. Once installed, malicious software may steal passwords or allow someone to access private files.
Tell children never to disable security software because an online creator says a warning is harmless. They should download mods only from established communities recognized by the game’s developer.
Strong antivirus software can help detect malicious files and block dangerous websites. Get my picks for the best 2026 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices at CyberGuy.com.
10) Use parental controls openly
Parental controls can help manage app downloads, content access and time spent on a device. Apple’s Screen Time allows parents to set app limits and restrict certain content on a child’s iPhone or iPad.
Google Family Link can manage apps and set screen-time limits on supported Android devices and Chromebooks. Microsoft Family Safety includes screen-time settings and content filters across supported devices. Some web filtering features require Microsoft Edge.
Tell children which controls you use and why. Secret monitoring can damage trust. A child who understands the rules has a better chance of respecting the boundaries.
You can also review my top child monitoring programs if built-in settings do not provide enough support at CyberGuy.com.
11) Treat AI-generated abuse as real harm
Do not tell a child to ignore an explicit deepfake because people know it was created with AI. Save the evidence without forwarding it. Report every account distributing the content.
Contact the school when students are involved. You can also report suspected child sexual exploitation to NCMEC’s CyberTipline. Its Take It Down service creates a digital fingerprint of eligible images or videos so participating platforms can detect copies without the image leaving the device.
Do not download or ask someone to send you an explicit image of a minor to make a report. NCMEC specifically warns against downloading or sharing the content for submission.
12) Reduce the personal information bullies can find
A bully may send a child their home address or the names of relatives to frighten them. That information could come from public social media posts, people-search websites or data brokers.
Limit the family details you publish publicly. Ask relatives to do the same. A data removal service may reduce the information available through people-search and broker sites. No service can erase every detail, but ongoing removal can make sensitive information harder to locate. Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting CyberGuy.com.
13) Know when the situation needs immediate help
Contact the school when classmates are involved or the online harassment begins affecting attendance. Report credible threats to law enforcement. Seek immediate help when a child appears to be in danger.
Do not try to negotiate with someone who claims to control a child’s account, camera or computer. Disconnect the device from the internet. Then run a full security scan.
Change passwords from another device that you know is safe. Most importantly, reassure the child that asking for help was the right decision.
14) Adults teach online behavior through their own posts
Children notice how adults behave online. They see angry arguments on Facebook. They notice when family members share humiliating memes or attack someone in the comments.
An adult may view that behavior as blowing off steam. A child may see permission to act the same way. Before posting, ask whether you would say those words with your child sitting beside you.
Grandparents can set a powerful example too. They often have close relationships with grandchildren and may hear something a child hesitates to tell a parent. Let your grandchild know they can show you a troubling message without being blamed. Then involve the parents unless doing so could place the child in immediate danger.
Families preparing for the school year can also review my updated best back-to-school supplies and tech for students at CyberGuy.com.
15) Share this conversation before a child needs help
You do not have to wait for a crisis. Send this article to another parent. Share it with grandparents, relatives and anyone who regularly cares for your child.
Then agree on how the adults will respond if a child reports an online problem. A child should hear the same message from every trusted adult: Tell us what happened. We will listen before reacting.
That response may stop a child from hiding something because they fear punishment or embarrassment. It may also give a bystander the confidence to speak up when someone else is being targeted.
Kurt’s key takeaways
Cyberbullying may begin with a joke, rumor or altered picture. Within minutes, it can follow a child across several accounts and into the classroom. Recent research shows that many teenagers see harassment as a serious problem on the platforms they use. AI has also made humiliating fake content easier to create and harder to contain. Security tools can protect accounts and devices. Parental controls can create useful boundaries. However, children still need adults who will listen before taking over. Parents and grandparents should keep the conversation going as apps and friendships change. Share these tips with the people who care for the children in your family. Then make sure every child knows which trusted adult they can approach when something feels wrong.
If your child or grandchild saw a humiliating post about a classmate today, would they join the crowd, stay silent or come tell you? Let us know by writing to us at CyberGuy.com.
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Technology
X replaces its revenue-sharing program with ‘Original Content Rewards’
X is ending its controversial revenue-sharing program for content creators, which has seen numerous revisions under Elon Musk’s reign. In its place, it’s launching a new Original Content Rewards program on September 8th. To be eligible, creators must have at least 500 verified followers and at least 500,000 Home Timeline impressions from verified users in the last 90 days, among other requirements.
Creators will then earn revenue based on “qualified impressions” on “original content.”Qualified impressions are unique impressions from Premium subscribers “on the Home Timeline feed, where at least 50% of the post is visible.” What qualifies as “original content” exactly? Well, that’s a little harder to define. Under the guidelines, original reporting or analysis, videos and photos taken by the user, as well as graphics or illustrations made by the creator, including memes. X also says that commentary or reactions still qualify, as long as they “add something meaningful.”
In the post announcing the program, the company says the goal is to shift the focus away from exploiting loopholes and clickbait. Simply repurposing content from others or replying to posts wouldn’t be a viable source of income under the new system, theoretically. Allegra Jacchia, Senior Product Manager, Creators at SpaceXAI, said on X that the program was designed to “reward the creators who bring original ideas, expertise, creativity, and unique perspectives to 𝕏 — not those who have become best at gaming the system.”
Participants in the revenue-sharing model will continue to earn revenue through September 7th.
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