Good morning. Nearly half of Gen Z wishes X and TikTok were "never invented," according to a recent survey by social psychologist Jonathan Haidt and Harris Poll executive Will Johnson. But? More than half of respondents said social media has benefited their lives. One thing we donβt need a survey to know? We contain multitudes.

NASA Takes 50 Creators Behind the Scenes of the Europa Launch

An artistβs concept of NASAβs Europa Clipper spacecraft / NASA/JPL-Caltech
NASA is giving up to 50 creators behind-the-scenes access to its Europa Clipper spacecraft launch in October. Itβll allow participants to tour the Kennedy Space Center in Florida and speak with subject matter experts ahead of the launch.
The organizationβs goal? To educate (and excite) viewers who are learning about space on creator platforms like TikTok and YouTube. βNASA has always been kind of on the cutting edge of working with people who have audiences that are beyond their own,β space creator Emily Calandrelli told us.
Quick backstory: Calandrelli first participated in a NASA social program as the host of TV show Xploration Outer Space in 2014.
Back then, the space creator niche was βreally all on Twitter,β Calandrelli said, with most industry coverage coming from traditional publications like TechCrunch and SpaceNews.
So whatβs changed? Private investment in the space economy has taken off, increasing to $12.5 billion in 2023 from $300 million in 2012.
With this growth, βthereβs definitely more people talking about SpaceX and Blue Origin and all of these other space companies on TikTok and Instagram and YouTube,β Calandrelli told us.
She said those companies have begun tapping into widespread interest on creator platforms to share their messaging. Case in point: SpaceX producing βvery well-manicured [launch] livestreamsβ on YouTube and Blue Origin CEO Jeff Bezos appearing in space creator Everyday Astronautβs videos.
Big picture: Since NASA is a government organization, it needs public support in order to βvie for more budget in the future,β according to Calandrelli. Strengthening relationships with creatorsβand beefing up its own launch livestreams in recent yearsβis one path NASA is taking to build support.

LTKCon Recap: AI + Community Building

Lifestyle creator Kate Bartlett (left) speaks on a panel at LTKCon / LTK, Kate Bartlett
On Monday, creator commerce platform LTK kicked off its two-day conference, LTKCon, in Dallasβcomplete with a surprise show from the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders (many of whom are LTK creators).
The company announced new AI tools, touted $5 billion in annual sales (up from $4 billion last year), and featured creators sharing their business strategies. Here are the highlights β
LTKβs new Co-Pilot feature. The tool, which uses AI to auto-tag products in photo uploads, is βa huge help and time-saver instead of having to update Instagram with the latest links,β fashion creator Jen Reed told us.
Lofi video production. Lifestyle creator Kate Bartlett said lofi videosβas opposed to the highly polished content luxury brands are known forβwas her key to standing out. βTiffanyβs told me to send the videographer home. Just prop up your phone and talk,β Bartlett said on a panel.
Community building. With Instagram now prioritizing views over other metrics like followers and comments, LTK wants to prioritize engagement through video features like auto captions and comments. βDonβt lose the plotβyour community and ability to access them is the business,β LTK founder Amber Venz Box told us. βAd-based platforms donβt have the same incentives as creators and itβs important not to fall too deep into algorithm trends. Creators should use these platforms to win the race.β

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The Low-Down on Lunchly

(Left to right) KSI, MrBeast, and Logan Paul join together PRIME and Feastables to create boxed lunch pack Lunchly / Lunchly
Could Lunchablesβ days be numbered?
Logan Paul, KSI, and MrBeast are teaming up to launch Lunchly, a refrigerated boxed lunch pack including a bottle of PRIME and a Feastables chocolate bar alongside cafeteria classics like nachos, pizza, and meat and cheese cracker sandwiches.
Lunchly, which is now available at select US grocers, is marketed as a healthier alternative to its competitors with more protein, less sugar, and fewer processed ingredients than Lunchables.
Big picture: Since PRIME and Feastables launched in 2022, each has become competitive in their respective category. PRIME generated $1.2 billion in sales in 2023, while MrBeast estimated $500 million in Feastables revenue for 2024. Worth noting, though: Lunchables brought in $1.8 billion in sales for its parent company Kraft Heinz in 2022.

β Community Tab
Last week, we asked whether you support a TikTok ban. The results?
No: 45.7%
Yes: 39.9%
Not sure: 14.4%
TikTok appeared in front of the DC Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday to argue against the ban. Weβll keep you updated on what happens next.

π₯ Press Worthy
MrBeast and Amazon are being sued by Beast Games contestants in a class action suit alleging sexual harassment and βchronic mistreatment.β
X teams up with streamers including Dream to help improve its livestream product.
Rainbolt hosts the second annual GeoGuesser World Cup Finals.
Patreon now lets creators sell existing individual posts without requiring fans to sign up for a monthly membership.
Instagram rolls out βteen accountsβ with restrictive settings for users under 18.
