Taylor Lorenz

Taylor Lorenz @TaylorLorenz

Even before its TrillerTV deals or Black creator program, Triller had been repeatedly accused of non-payment. The company has also been accused of misreporting its user numbers https://t.co/we5A6zuCOp https://t.co/vYdvrt0uA8 — PolitiTweet.org

Taylor Lorenz @TaylorLorenz

Triller gained prominence in 2020, when a number of right-wing influencers, including Donald Trump, renounced TikTok, in favor of the homegrown app. But its rise has been plagued with controversy amid a relentless, very one-sided battle against TikTok https://t.co/we5A6zuCOp — PolitiTweet.org

Taylor Lorenz @TaylorLorenz

RT @alexrkonrad: funny how that works https://t.co/mx0ABeUfDr — PolitiTweet.org

Taylor Lorenz @TaylorLorenz

@abebrown716 As we note in the story, it's a very one-sided battle lol — PolitiTweet.org

Taylor Lorenz @TaylorLorenz

Remember TrillerTV, the the live-streaming series featuring exclusive content from top creators and major celebs that was met w/ splashy press? Creators involved in TrillerTV say they're still waiting on payments from last year, despite following up https://t.co/we5A6zuCOp — PolitiTweet.org

Taylor Lorenz @TaylorLorenz

"[Triller was] super pushy about our deliverables, but when it came time for payment, they passed the deadline and breached their own contract. The hypocrisy.” https://t.co/we5A6zuCOp — PolitiTweet.org

Taylor Lorenz @TaylorLorenz

“Us as Black creators work twice as hard or three times as hard just to be seen. All these platforms preach about diversity, but just like old Hollywood, there’s a lot of people being used as token characters while the owners of the platforms profit.” https://t.co/we5A6zuCOp — PolitiTweet.org

Taylor Lorenz @TaylorLorenz

This story took months of reporting and the stories are gutting. It's a horrifying look at the downsides of the "creator economy" and how tech platforms' programs framed as empowering can harm marginalized talent https://t.co/we5A6zuCOp — PolitiTweet.org

Taylor Lorenz @TaylorLorenz

RT @washpostbiz: A TikTok rival promised millions to Black creators. Now some are deep in debt. https://t.co/gibWJq9Tyq — PolitiTweet.org

Taylor Lorenz @TaylorLorenz

RT @WashPostPR: A TikTok rival promised millions to Black creators. Now some are deep in debt, writes @TaylorLorenz Triller made its name… — PolitiTweet.org

Taylor Lorenz @TaylorLorenz

“It’s been very stressful. I decided to go get an apartment because I thought I’d be covered by Triller for the next year," said William Horne, 20, a creator in Detroit who said working with Triller caused financial instability and hardship https://t.co/we5A6zuCOp — PolitiTweet.org

Taylor Lorenz @TaylorLorenz

“This program was meant to make us financially free & to empower Black people," said a creator. "They told us that so much was going to happen for us.” Last month, he started a job as a security guard to pay bills as his manager begged Triller for payment https://t.co/we5A6zuCOp — PolitiTweet.org

Taylor Lorenz @TaylorLorenz

“It brings me to tears that they’re taking advantage of me by using my Blackness to make themselves look good,” said one 20 year old creator. https://t.co/we5A6zuCOp — PolitiTweet.org

Taylor Lorenz @TaylorLorenz

This story shows how some tech platforms programs, framed publicly as supporting marginalized talent, can end up being little more than PR, and bring harm to the communities they purport to help https://t.co/we5A6zuCOp — PolitiTweet.org

Taylor Lorenz @TaylorLorenz

“I’m so hurt by how a company could brag about supporting and empowering Black creators through this program when in reality they’re exploiting us,” said Jordan Ray, 20, a content creator in Los Angeles. https://t.co/we5A6zuCOp — PolitiTweet.org

Taylor Lorenz @TaylorLorenz

Black creators said they felt like pawns, used by Triller to bolster its positive image in the media. They were held up as examples of the success of the "creator economy" when in reality working w/ Triller hurled them into financial ruin, creators said https://t.co/we5A6zuCOp — PolitiTweet.org

Taylor Lorenz @TaylorLorenz

Triller's exec chairman said the company was discussing a plan to fill an airplane, painted with Triller’s logo, with influencers and send them to Dubai to create content and that they may be able to work with Saudi Arabia, too. https://t.co/we5A6zuCOp — PolitiTweet.org

Taylor Lorenz @TaylorLorenz

After addressing months of delayed payments to Black creators on a Zoom meeting last month, Triller's executive chairman teased potential opportunities for Black creators in the Middle East. https://t.co/we5A6zuCOp — PolitiTweet.org

Taylor Lorenz @TaylorLorenz

Groups of creators traded horror stories about Triller at VidCon. TikTok headlined the event and Triller was noticeably absent. “They don’t want to show their faces because they owe us all money,” said one top TikTok creator. https://t.co/we5A6zuCOp — PolitiTweet.org

Taylor Lorenz @TaylorLorenz

“They owe me money and it’s been almost a year,” said Maverick Baker, 21, a creator in Dallas “I’ve sent multiple invoices, I don’t hear from them for months at a time. It’s always another reason why they can’t pay me.” https://t.co/we5A6zuCOp — PolitiTweet.org

Taylor Lorenz @TaylorLorenz

Black creators aren’t the only ones who have struggled to obtain payment from Triller. Last year, just months after the company launched TrillerTV, a livestreaming programming series on the app, Triller started missing payments, creators say https://t.co/we5A6zuCOp — PolitiTweet.org

Taylor Lorenz @TaylorLorenz

Many creators who signed deals with Triller say they have been left deep in debt, and are facing eviction and skipping meals to make ends meet. https://t.co/we5A6zuCOp — PolitiTweet.org

Taylor Lorenz @TaylorLorenz

Creators say they've been kicked out of the program, losing the promise of financial stability, over minor infractions. One creator was forced to post a Triller promo to IG right after losing a close family member in between posts mourning his loss. https://t.co/we5A6zuCOp — PolitiTweet.org

Taylor Lorenz @TaylorLorenz

Triller previously boasted of paying 300 Black Creators as part of its year-long program. But our investigation found that that number has been cut down by nearly 2/3 to just over 100 creators currently in the program, per the company. https://t.co/we5A6zuCOp — PolitiTweet.org

Taylor Lorenz @TaylorLorenz

As they wait to be paid, many creators allege they are compelled to keep up with Triller's demanding posting schedule and vague requirements that make it easy for the company to eliminate people from the program. https://t.co/we5A6zuCOp — PolitiTweet.org

Taylor Lorenz @TaylorLorenz

Nearly a year after Triller began recruiting Black talent, its payments to many creators have been erratic or nonexistent, according to interviews with more than two dozen creators, talent managers, and former company staff. https://t.co/we5A6zuCOp — PolitiTweet.org

Taylor Lorenz @TaylorLorenz

Triller made its name recruiting talent with lavish perks and content houses in the Hollywood Hills. Now, dozens of influencers are struggling to get paid. ‘We were made to look like fools,’ one creator said. https://t.co/we5A6zuCOp — PolitiTweet.org

Taylor Lorenz @TaylorLorenz

Last year, the app Triller promised to pay 300 Black creators a collective $14M. But its payments to many creators have been erratic or nonexistent, leaving some deep in debt, financially ruined, and skipping meals to get by. Read our investigation: https://t.co/we5A6zuCOp — PolitiTweet.org

Taylor Lorenz @TaylorLorenz

RT @oneunderscore__: Alex Jones just compared InfoWars getting booted off of Facebook and Twitter to being in prison because "technically y… — PolitiTweet.org

Taylor Lorenz @TaylorLorenz

This is true in the influencer world too, just look at snark subreddits. Everyone is so focused on trying to find some moral justification for not liking someone, just admit that sometimes you just don't like a person! — PolitiTweet.org