13,000 Raptive Creators & Supporters Across All 50 States Urge DC Policymakers to Hold Big AI to Account

"Independents' Day" Spotlights How Big Tech & AI Threatens the Livelihoods of Creators Across the Nation 

NEW YORK, June 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Raptive, the creator media company, today is hosting "Independents' Day" on Capitol Hill, an event that connects the nation's independent content creators to lawmakers in Washington, D.C. Raptive is creating awareness amongst elected officials of the adverse effects of AI products that are being developed by Google, Open AI, and other big tech companies. 13,000 Raptive creators and their supporters have signed a public letter to the U.S. Congress asking elected officials to address the harm that AI is causing to creators by scraping their copyrighted work without permission. The company is advocating the use of existing frameworks to enforce fair use, promote competition, and protect fair compensation.

The creator economy in the U.S., currently valued at $100 billion, is projected to reach $192 billion by 2027. Independent creators generate valuable content for the websites they own and operate, contributing billions in revenue and supporting jobs in every state in the U.S. Despite AI's benefits, 92% of creators fear its negative impacts. AI's rapid development threatens to reduce the income of independent content creators by between 25–50%, which could have a hugely harmful effect on their livelihoods. Public support for intervention from policymakers to protect creators is strong, with 72% backing measures to limit AI's influence.*

To safeguard the independent creator economy, the 13,000 creators, their supporters, and Raptive are asking the following of elected officials today on Capitol Hill:

1. Enforce copyright laws: Protecting intellectual property is paramount to ensure creators retain ownership and control over their content.
2. Encourage revenue-sharing and licensing: AI companies must adopt fair practices that compensate creators for using their content in training AI models.
3. Ensure ethical AI product design: AI-powered search products should not diminish traffic to the original content creators who fuel these technologies.
4. Create a level playing field: Future AI products must not unfairly compete against content creators.
5. Hold big tech accountable: Anti-competitive behavior must be identified and addressed.

"Policymakers in Washington, D.C. must understand how the AI being developed and implemented by companies like Google will negatively impact their own constituents. In an election year, millions of small business owners across the country face an existential threat to their livelihoods as their original content is scraped and reused to build new products. This is being done without consent or compensation, unleashing a major threat to a free and open internet," said Lisa Bryan, founder of Downshiftology. "I stand with Raptive in demanding rights and protections for independent publishers, creators, and business owners." 

"Raptive's 5,200 creators alone have produced 25 million pieces of copyright-protected content— which was all scraped to build new AI products without consent or compensation," said Raptive CEO Michael Sanchez. "These small businesses have done the work that makes the internet the essential resource we rely upon and love. Yet these new AI products — from OpenAI, Google, and others — take revenue and original content from publishers and creators and give nothing in return. This is deeply wrong. We're on Capitol Hill today with independent creators to make our voices heard and to ensure we protect their livelihoods from the threat of unchecked AI development."

About Raptive
Raptive is a new kind of media company built for content creators and is home to one of the largest and most diverse audiences on the internet. Raptive combines its position as the world's largest ad management platform with a comprehensive suite of monetization, audience, and business solutions that enable creators to turn their passions and talents into thriving independent companies and enduring brands. This creator-first model has paid creators $2.5 billion and propelled Raptive to become a top 10 online media property globally and #1 in Food, Family, Home, and Lifestyle. Raptive is the premium partner to advertisers seeking authentic engagement with diverse and passionate audiences. To learn more about Raptive's efforts to build a sustainable future for the internet, visit Raptive.com. 

*News Media Alliance (NMA) Survey conducted in February 2024

SOURCE Raptive