The ongoing impact of Independents’ Day

Over the summer we took to Capitol Hill with a critical message: Creators built the internet. As AI reshapes the digital landscape, creators must be fairly represented and compensated.

And we’re not alone in amplifying this message. 

On September 10th, Senator Amy Klobuchar and seven of her Senate colleagues issued a letter to Jonathan Kanter, head of the DOJ’s antitrust division, and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chair Lina Khan, addressing the urgent need for accountability in how major tech companies deploy AI. 

The letter references the alarming features we’ve been seeing in AI Overviews and outlines how those practices are poised to harm independent creators. 

Here’s a brief excerpt:

The introduction of these new generative AI features further threatens the ability of journalists and other content creators to earn compensation for their vital work. 

In short, these tools may pit content creators against themselves without any recourse to profit from AI-generated content that was composed using their original content. 

The senators closed the letter by urging the DOJ and the FTC to investigate whether big tech companies’ use of generative AI violates antitrust laws, and we strongly support their position. 

The senators’ letter emphasizes the urgency of protecting creators’ rights in the age of AI. Their call for accountability echoes the purpose of our Independents’ Day event, where creators shared their personal stories about the impact of AI on their businesses with policymakers on Capitol Hill. 

In light of this critical development, we caught up with the Independents’ Day panelists for a behind-the-scenes look at how the event unfolded and how those conversations continue to drive meaningful change for creators.

Representing creators

“I was excited to have the opportunity to represent the interests of Pinch of Yum, but I was really excited to also represent the interests of our industry as a whole—everyone from veterans who have been doing this for many years, to new creators who are hustling to grow their businesses,” said Lindsay Ostrom, Pinch of Yum founder. 

“We’re fortunate to have the opportunity to cross paths with a variety of people in the creator industry pretty frequently, both in person and online, and it’s all those connections and those real-life stories of independent creator journeys that were on the forefront of my mind going into this.”

Country Rebel co-founders Darin and Kevin Blue stressed that creators need to speak up about the impacts of AI. 

“It’s important that creators make their voices heard as AI technology evolves. While AI brings many great benefits, there are also challenges on the horizon to ensure creators’ unique original content is credited and monetized in a fair and equitable way.“

Sharing their stories

In the lead-up to the panel, the creators met one-on-one with legislative staff from their home states for candid discussions on the impact AI is poised to have on small businesses. The goal was not to talk policy, but to bring their stories to life in these face-to-face interactions. 

“After talking with legislators I know that AI is on their radar,” said Toni Lipsey, founder of TL Yarn Crafts. “The implications and opportunities across industries are astounding.

The internet is a beautiful place. We just want to keep it fair and free.

Toni Lipsey

“I really enjoyed sharing my story with lawmakers to help them understand that the way AI is implemented through big tech impacts thousands of independent website owners like me,” said Kimber Matherne, founder of Easy Family Recipes. 

“I loved our meeting with Amy Klobuchar’s staff because her policy team is familiar with the issues of AI, competition, big tech,” said Ostrom. “We had the chance to describe more about what we do and what this industry is facing with the concerns about AI.”

The room where it happened

When it came time for the panel discussion, our six panelists arrived to a packed house. 

“The atmosphere was very welcoming and receptive and the response from attendees was great,” the Blue brothers said. “You could tell that all of the legislative staff within the room were listening very attentively.” 

“People were taking notes and nodding enthusiastically with each of the points that panel speakers were making,” said Ostrom. “It felt like a very receptive and supportive audience.”

The data points—from the almost 200 million Americans Raptive creators reach each month to the 25 million copyrighted works you’ve created—caught attendees’ attention, but the most captivating messages of the day were the creators’ stories. 

“Sharing the stories of individual creators really resonated with the people in the room,” said the Blue brothers. “It brought a very personal and tangible element to what otherwise had the potential to be a very impersonal conversation surrounding A.I.” 

Making connections

“It was really powerful to hear examples of how they not only provide information to their audiences but also have a human connection with those who use their content—Toni from TL Yarn Crafts had a few great examples,” said Ostrom.

“We were able to make the point that our businesses are woven into the heart and soul of the internet,” Ostrom continued, “and new applications of AI, while exciting in some ways, also could pose a huge threat to the internet experience as we know it.”

Creators are no strangers to the humanity of the internet; without your work, the internet has no soul. So it was fitting when, after the event, an attendee introduced herself to Ostrom and shared that she personally uses Pinch of Yum recipes, right down to a specific bread recipe. 

“That was really awesome,” Ostrom said. “It was really fun to make that real life, person-to-person connection after we had the chance to share all of this information with people.”

Thank you to Lindsay, Bjork, Darin, Kevin, Toni, and Kimber for participating in our Independents’ Day panel and sharing your stories with lawmakers. The ripple effect of these efforts is having an impact, and we’re just getting started.