Good morning. We tell you guys what to watch all the time, but now it’s your turn. Who are your favorite creators right now? 

Hit reply and we’ll check them out this weekend.

— Hannah Doyle & Syd Cohen

Today’s lineup:

1) Meta and Google were found liable for a woman’s mental health decline
2) Syd visits General Motors’ Creator Lab film set
3) Why sports creators are starting their own leagues

In a landmark court case this week, a California jury found Meta and Google liable for the mental health decline of a 20-year-old woman—awarding her $3 million in compensatory damages, plus $2.1 million in punitive damages from Meta and $900,000 from Google, totaling $6 million.

Context: In the past, platforms have been able to deflect legal threats through Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which states that social platforms cannot be held liable for what its users post. This case set a precedent by successfully arguing that the platforms' design choices—rather than any specific user-generated content—caused harm, allowing it to sidestep Section 230 protections entirely. It’s the first case of this kind to reach a jury verdict. 

Earlier this week, a different lawsuit in New Mexico found Meta liable for child exploitation—charging $375 million in civil penalties. 

“The fact that the first hurdle [of reaching a jury] was passed opens up the doors for the thousands of other similar cases that were pending—maybe the judges that were thinking of dismissing them won't now,” attorney and creator Tyler Chou told us.

What this could mean for creators: The precedent set by the case might change how platforms show content to users, potentially changing its algorithm or implementing tighter age restrictions and ID verification.

Worth noting: Some foundations argue that age restrictions could alienate certain groups, such as LGBTQ+ youth. 

TikTok and Snap settled for an undisclosed amount with the plaintiff before the case, while Google and Meta vowed to appeal the charges, which means that the case still needs to go through the federal and Supreme courts.

Hi, Syd here. Earlier this week, I visited General Motors’ Creator Lab hosted by Kinigra Deon and Adam Waheed—where 25 creators were competing for a GM car. 

How it worked:

Apart from the competition, an additional 50 creators were invited to film on set, no promotion required. The event was produced in partnership with creator studio Koala.

Besides Deon and Waheed, the Koala team told me none of the creators were paid to be there. Which got me thinking: What makes GM so appealing to creators?

Forging connections: Beyond building brand awareness with creators and audiences, Tate wants to expand GM’s network of potential collaborators.

“We're talent scouting, honestly,” Tate said. “I want to see what [creators are] going to produce organically, and maybe that will transpire into a paid relationship later on.”

Big picture: Brands with lifelong customers (like car manufacturers) are looking to reach young audiences and build trust, and creators are the perfect road to get there. By bringing on execs with established creator economy experience and producing series with creator hosts (like former Colin and Samir showrunner David Gorvy), GM is creating a digitally native presence—all gas, no brakes.

Sponsored by Apple Creator Studio

Apple Creator Studio brings together the best of Apple’s apps on Mac and iPad for video, music, design, and productivity into one low-priced subscription.

With Apple Creator Studio, it’s all yours for the making. Start creating now with a free trial.

The YouTube Golf community is getting its own tour—owned by creators. Golf creators Grant Horvat and Bryan Bros just launched Your Golf Tour, a competitive multi-year tour for top players across YouTube Golf.

The details: Sixteen players will compete in four tournaments a year, culminating in a championship with a $1 million prize—airing on Horvat and Bryan Bros’ channels. The tour is made in partnership with Wynn Golf Club and agency Big Bird, which also created LIV Golf’s The Duels series. 

Big picture: More creator athletes are building their own competitive formats and fan communities outside of traditional league play. Peoples League is a creator golf league sponsored by brands like Draft Kings and Liquid IV. WNBA athletes started Unrivaled, a 3 v. 3 league, where players like Paige Bueckers can earn more in one year than in a four-year WNBA rookie contract.

For Horvat and Bryan Bros, the tour could open up another revenue stream and sponsors—building off their own audience with similar distribution mechanisms as major leagues.

The content we’re looking forward to reading, watching, and listening to this weekend.