Should Influencers Need a Degree? This Country Says Yes 🎓

It’s been a busy, but fun few weeks for me, from closing out Meta’s first-ever Creator Monetization API Summit and keynoting the Brand Advocacy Summit, to a bit of client travel in between.

I missed a few sends, but I’m back in your inbox and returning to our regular cadence. For those who’ve been tuning in, welcome back. And for those who are new, welcome!

TODAY’S EDITION

China now requires influencers to hold a degree, professional license, or certification to post about “serious” topics like finance, health, medicine, law, and education.

The regulation, introduced by the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), took effect this month and applies to platforms like Douyin, Weibo, and Bilibili.

Influencers covering these topics must provide proof of expertise, and platforms are responsible for verifying credentials, ensuring proper citations, and adding disclaimers. Non-compliance can result in account suspension, content removal, or fines.

Why it matters: The law aims to reduce misinformation and protect users from harmful advice. A UNESCO study reports that only 36.9% of creators verify information before sharing it, so requiring qualifications could improve accuracy. At the same time, it limits voices who may be valuable but lack formal credentials. There’s an argument on both sides, but it highlights one key point:

Influencers with degrees, licenses, or certifications have a clear edge — they combine authority with influence. For brands that partner with them, this translates to credibility, trust, and reach. For example, a protein company could work with certified nutritionists, or a skincare brand with licensed dermatologists. This is why I’ve been advising brands to bring more of these qualified creators into their networks.

Instagram is testing skippable ads on Reels. These ads include a countdown timer in the top-right corner signaling when an ad is about to start. Once it does, viewers can tap “Skip” to return to the Reel.

Meta confirmed the limited test to AdWeek, saying it’s exploring whether the format helps users discover businesses. It also confirmed there are no plans to share ad revenue with creators during this tests.

Why it matters: Few users want more ads in their feed, but for Meta, this could drive additional revenue by giving advertisers more visibility on Reels, which now account for 50% of time spent in the app.

Creators have been pushing for revenue sharing, but Meta has leaned on other monetization features for creators. But, with CEO Mark Zuckerberg revealing that Reels are on track for an “annual run rate of over $50 billion,” this conversation is only going to get louder.

YouTube is upgrading the TV experience. Creators can soon upload 4K thumbnails, and an AI-powered tool will automatically enhance video resolution. The platform also added immersive homepage previews and contextual search within individual channels.

When creators tag products in videos, viewers will see QR codes they can scan to explore product pages on their phones. YouTube is also testing timed product moments that display items at key points in videos.

Why it matters: YouTube isn’t slowing down on the biggest screen in the house. These updates help creators show up better and give viewers a premium, “streaming-native” experience that blends Hollywood, creator content, and increasingly, commerce.

By integrating a commerce layer into TV viewing, YouTube could gain an edge in social commerce, turning lean-back living-room sessions into shoppable moments. While many brands focus on TikTok Shop, YouTube’s multiple touchpoints, extensive content library, and 35 billion hours of shopping-related videos watched in the past year make it a prime opportunity for experimentation.

Instagram kicked off a test that lets users tune their algorithm by adding or removing topics based on their interests. It’s starting with Reels and will expand to Explore soon. This could give niche creators an advantage as Instagram works to deliver the right content to the right audience at the right time.

Instagram added Watch History for Reels. In Settings, users can see all the Reels they’ve watched in the last 30 days, with the option to filter by date or specific account. Like TikTok’s feature, it allows users to find videos they may want to rewatch but didn’t save.

Threads rolled out Ghost Posts — posts that disappear after 24 hours. They appear with a distinct bubble in-feed, and replies go to DMs visible only to the poster. The ephemeral format should encourage more candid, low-pressure sharing.

Threads launcheda reply approval feature that lets users review and approve replies before they appear publicly, giving them more control over the tone and experience of conversations on the X competitor.

TikTok announced new AI tools for creators. AI Outline generates titles, hooks, hashtags, and outlines for a video from a prompt or topic in Creator Search Insights, while Smart Split automatically clips, reframes, captions, and transcribes longer videos into multiple short ones. These tools streamline idea generation and content repurposing.

YouTube and Adobe announced a partnership bringing a Create for YouTube Shorts section to the Adobe Premiere mobile app. It includes exclusive effects, transitions, and templates, plus direct publishing to Shorts. YouTube’s own editing app hasn’t taken off, so teaming with Adobe gives it a more capable tool to produce short-form content — much like CapCut for TikTok and Edits for Instagram.

LinkedIn introduced a Partnerships Hub in Campaign Manager, allowing brands to find organic posts mentioning them and request permission to boost them as Thought Leader Ads. Joining Meta, TikTok, and YouTube, LinkedIn’s move makes it easier for brands to identify and scale UGC.

Pinterest launched Pinterest Assistant, an AI-powered visual discovery and shopping assistant. Users can ask for recommendations and get personalized results to help them browse and shop. It’s part of Pinterest’s broader push to integrate AI into discovery and commerce.

Patreon upgraded its newsletter product, adding support for multiple video and audio clips, CTA buttons, and analytics like open rates, click rates, and revenue per send. The move targets Substack creators as Patreon expands into the growing creator newsletter space.

ManyChat released a Follow-to-DM feature on Instagram that automatically sends a message when someone follows a creator. It’s a timely addition as DMs are a big part of Instagram and creators want scalable ways to connect with their audiences.

The State of Creator Journalism 2025 (Muck Rack)

A new report finds that one-third of journalists now self-publish outside traditional newsrooms. Most are platform-agnostic, using an average of 2.5 platforms, and more likely than traditional journalists to see social media as essential. While 82% receive PR pitches, 72% say most miss the mark.

For Today’s Young Creators, Chaos Reigns (The Hollywood Reporter)

THR released its second annual Creator Edition earlier this month, and I was fortunate to be part of it again. I spoke with Carly Thomas about how creators are approaching content today.

Why Influencers Matter to Boston (Boston Magazine)

It’s encouraging to see more creators and influencers gaining recognition in Boston. Boston Magazine spotlighted top local creators as part of a broader package of content on the city’s creator economy, including coverage of Boston Mayor Michelle Wu’s Content Creator Summit earlier this year.

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