Instagram’s bid for YouTube creators sparks debate on long-form content and ethical concerns of digital doubles
Instagram is looking to expand its video ambitions, reportedly offering YouTube creators up to US$500,000 to bring their shows to the platform as competition for digital audiences intensifies.
The social media giant is also testing videos of up to 90 minutes, signalling a potential shift beyond its traditional short-form content strategy.
The move could position Instagram as a stronger competitor to YouTube, which has built its business around longer videos, creator-led programming and advertising revenue.
However, attracting established creators will require more than financial incentives.
Instagram will need to convince audiences to spend more time watching longer content on a platform largely associated with quick, scrollable videos.
Speaking on Social Intelligence with Dr Karen Sutherland, ChipMonk Media’s Lisa Monks examines what Instagram’s reported strategy could mean for creators and the wider digital media landscape.
Meanwhile, the growing use of artificial intelligence in fashion and advertising is raising questions about ownership, consent and personal identity.
As brands explore AI-generated digital doubles of models, questions are emerging over whether existing modelling contracts provide sufficient permission for companies to recreate and use someone’s likeness.
Models may face greater scrutiny over the terms of their agreements, including how their digital replicas can be used, where they can appear and whether they retain control over future applications.
Transparency is also becoming increasingly important, with brands facing questions about how audiences should be informed when digital models replace or replicate real people.
Monks discusses the importance of clear contractual protections and why models should understand exactly what rights they are granting before signing an agreement.
Both developments highlight the changing relationship between technology, creators and ownership, as social platforms compete for attention and artificial intelligence reshapes the way digital content is produced.
