The last few months, I've been working on something for the content creator community. It's anonymous site for creators, mods, editors, fans, and everyone involved with the broader content creator industry - HotDrop. My initial plan was to have the launch include app store releases for Apple and Android; however, recent Apple feedback has shifted this to a web / mobile site launch with app releases coming soon. I want to share the link, but also give more context with the mission of this platform and ask for your help as early users / signal bearers.
The mission for HotDrop is to fix what I believe is a broken creator economy. Many of you who have watched my streams or videos are also content creators. Or you were a moderator on Discord or my streams for years. Certainly every single one of you enjoys watching streams and being part of these communities. Here is a harsh truth - 90% of content creators quit within 2 years. That is not a bug. That is a feature of the content creator economy. We all know streamers who have quit. I'm one of them, as shameful as that is to think in my head, to type here right now. For every creator who doesn't create anymore, for every streamer who doesn't click go live - it's not a lack of talent that led to that moment. It's because the content creation engine has systemic flaws that lead to burnout and resignation.
So, what is HotDrop? It's a free site that anyone can join. It uses OAuth (sign-in with Twitch, sign-in with Google / YouTube, sign-in with Apple) to log in users and authenticate. Unlike other platforms, you can't just sign up with an email; goal here is to reduce low-value or disruptive posts like you see in other places like Twitter and Reddit. When you sign up, you are assigned a randomized pseudonymous name. I'm not PauseResetPlay on HotDrop, for example. I could be IntrepidCardinal751. There is no follower counts, so HotDrop isn't about performance, it's about sharing truth.
A key value of HotDrop is verified anonymity. If you are above 300 subscribers on youtube. Or if you are a twitch affiliate or twitch partner, during sign-up it verifies that you are a creator if you meet any of these criteria. The end result is you gain access to a private, verified creator only space. Everyone who signs up has access to the public space, but only verified creators have access to the private creator spaces. Adding private spaces for moderators / editors / graphics artists is part of the longer roadmap.
I understand this is counter to every other platform out there. And that's intentional. Anonymity brings courage. Courage to say things that you're not comfortable saying on stream, or in discord, or "on main." It gives freedom to ask things you wouldn't ask. Is a brand deal fair? How much do you make? Am I underpaid? There is a staggering gap in content creation in this regard; this type of knowledge sharing is virtually non-existent. Everything is siloed, hidden behind smoke and mirrors. HotDrop takes down that veil and allows these discussions to actually happen. Anonymity brings courage. Courage leads to sharing information that erases a trust deficit, which leads to people truly feeling seen.
I'm not asking you to join an app. I'm asking you to help start a movement with me. Collectively, we have the power to make this a better space for everyone here and everyone we care about. I don't want any creator to have their last stream be a silent farewell. I want a final stream to be a culmination of dreams fulfilled. I don't want any moderator to feel unvalued or unseen, the same for fans. You deserve better, you've always deserved better.
Here is the link for HotDrop. I know you may have a lot of questions - please reach out to me! Part of this journey is making it better; if there are categories missing, things you want to be added, let me know! I'll do my best to make those things happen.
PauseResetPlay
Super long post incoming!
The last few months, I've been working on something for the content creator community. It's anonymous site for creators, mods, editors, fans, and everyone involved with the broader content creator industry - HotDrop. My initial plan was to have the launch include app store releases for Apple and Android; however, recent Apple feedback has shifted this to a web / mobile site launch with app releases coming soon. I want to share the link, but also give more context with the mission of this platform and ask for your help as early users / signal bearers.
The mission for HotDrop is to fix what I believe is a broken creator economy. Many of you who have watched my streams or videos are also content creators. Or you were a moderator on Discord or my streams for years. Certainly every single one of you enjoys watching streams and being part of these communities. Here is a harsh truth - 90% of content creators quit within 2 years. That is not a bug. That is a feature of the content creator economy. We all know streamers who have quit. I'm one of them, as shameful as that is to think in my head, to type here right now. For every creator who doesn't create anymore, for every streamer who doesn't click go live - it's not a lack of talent that led to that moment. It's because the content creation engine has systemic flaws that lead to burnout and resignation.
So, what is HotDrop? It's a free site that anyone can join. It uses OAuth (sign-in with Twitch, sign-in with Google / YouTube, sign-in with Apple) to log in users and authenticate. Unlike other platforms, you can't just sign up with an email; goal here is to reduce low-value or disruptive posts like you see in other places like Twitter and Reddit. When you sign up, you are assigned a randomized pseudonymous name. I'm not PauseResetPlay on HotDrop, for example. I could be IntrepidCardinal751. There is no follower counts, so HotDrop isn't about performance, it's about sharing truth.
A key value of HotDrop is verified anonymity. If you are above 300 subscribers on youtube. Or if you are a twitch affiliate or twitch partner, during sign-up it verifies that you are a creator if you meet any of these criteria. The end result is you gain access to a private, verified creator only space. Everyone who signs up has access to the public space, but only verified creators have access to the private creator spaces. Adding private spaces for moderators / editors / graphics artists is part of the longer roadmap.
I understand this is counter to every other platform out there. And that's intentional. Anonymity brings courage. Courage to say things that you're not comfortable saying on stream, or in discord, or "on main." It gives freedom to ask things you wouldn't ask. Is a brand deal fair? How much do you make? Am I underpaid? There is a staggering gap in content creation in this regard; this type of knowledge sharing is virtually non-existent. Everything is siloed, hidden behind smoke and mirrors. HotDrop takes down that veil and allows these discussions to actually happen. Anonymity brings courage. Courage leads to sharing information that erases a trust deficit, which leads to people truly feeling seen.
I'm not asking you to join an app. I'm asking you to help start a movement with me. Collectively, we have the power to make this a better space for everyone here and everyone we care about. I don't want any creator to have their last stream be a silent farewell. I want a final stream to be a culmination of dreams fulfilled. I don't want any moderator to feel unvalued or unseen, the same for fans. You deserve better, you've always deserved better.
Here is the link for HotDrop. I know you may have a lot of questions - please reach out to me! Part of this journey is making it better; if there are categories missing, things you want to be added, let me know! I'll do my best to make those things happen.
I love you all! Thank you!
joinhotdrop.com/login
3 months ago (edited) | [YT] | 12