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A popular true crime YouTube channel has been pulling in millions of views with videos about gruesome murders. As it turns out, None of them are real. One of those videos, titled “Husband’s Secret Gay Love Affair with Step Son Ends in Grisly Murder, claimed to detail a gruesome crime in Littleton, Colorado. After it amassed nearly two million views, viewers reached out to local reporter Elizabeth Hernandez. But there was no record of the crimebecause it never happened. The murder was entirely fabricated by a YouTube channel called True Crime Case Files that used ChatGPT and AI-generated imagery. According to 404 Medias Henry Larson, over 150 similar videos had been uploaded to the channel in the past year, each racking up tens of thousands of views. Other videos carried titles like Wife Secret Affair with Neighbors Teenage Daughter Ends in Grisly Murder and Coach Gives Cheerleader HIV after Secret Affair, Leading to Pregnancy. Hernandez contacted the police about the fake crime videos and the channel was deactivated earlier this year. Paul (a pseudonym created by 404 Media to protect his identity) told Larson that he created the fake true crime news to make viewers question why they were so interested in such salacious acts. While his methods are dubious at best, the question itself stands. More than half of all Americans say they consume some form of true crime, with Crime Junkie and Dateline NBC (the original inspiration behind Pauls videos) both among Apples 10 most popular podcasts of 2024. Im trying to overdose the viewer on luridness, to try to confront them with the fact that they seem to be so invested in the luridness of it all, Paul told Larson, defending his AI-generated work. Peoples secret lives, their secret affairs that are really taboo. The videos were popular and lucrative enough that Paul was able to work on them full time. Before his account was made unavailable, he would create up to two videos a week, each taking around 2.5 hours to finish. A YouTube spokesperson told 404 Media, We terminated the channel in question for multiple violations of our Community Guidelines, including our policies covering child safety that prohibit the sexualization of minors. However, Paul still defends his videos. True crime [] at the end of the day, it’s a form of entertainment. Viewers are watching this not to be informed about things that will affect them personally, he told Larson. They’re really just there to be entertained and to have a thrilling mystery with some lurid elements.
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E-Commerce
Workplaces have started offering more customized benefits over the past decade, even including niche offerings that help employees navigate major life changes like divorce. As demand has increased for fertility coverage and mental health support, for example, many employers have actually doubled down on these benefits in recent years, despite economic headwinds. This week, the virtual healthcare provider Maven Clinic released a report that indicates the trend is continuingeven as the cost of family-building support and reproductive care has risen across the board. Of the nearly 3,800 employees surveyed, a third of those pursuing fertility treatments said they had gone into debt to do so, and more than two-thirds of respondents said they had switched or considered switching jobs to land better fertility benefits. Among people who were pregnant or planning to expand their families, nearly half were concerned about how the political climate and new administration might impact their reproductive health. At the same time, however, providing these benefits is becoming prohibitively expensive: In 2024, insurance premiums for employer-sponsored family healthcare coverage jumped 7% and crossed $25,000. In Maven’s survey, which also polled nearly 1,600 HR leaders, 70% said that fertility-related expenses had increased, and those affected almost universally expressed concerns over the rising cost. Still, at the moment, employers are continuing to invest in fertility benefits. Nearly half of HR leaders said they are planning to expand fertility coverage following the election, while 69% plan on further investing in family health benefits in the coming years, with many opting to add benefits like preconception care. A significant portion of employers (65%) are also expanding reproductive health offerings for men, including fertility support and more equitable parental leave policies. It’s likely a welcome investment, judging by Maven’s findings: The vast majority of men surveyed said their reproductive health needs were not being served, or that they weren’t sure where to seek out additional support in that arena. It seems many employers regard family-building and fertility benefits as a crucial part of attracting and retaining the best talent; according to Maven’s survey, 84% of companies that provide strong support to parents said almost all of their employees returned to work after taking parental leave. In a moment when corporate diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts are under attack, some employers might also see the value in continuing to shore up benefits that help build a more diverse and inclusive workforce.
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E-Commerce
The fight over businesses’ diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs is heading to the courtroom. This week, a lawsuit was filed against coffee giant Starbucks over DEI practices, which the suit claims, break the law.That lawsuit, filed by Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey, a Republican, says the chain is allowing race discrimination. “Starbucks ties compensation to racial and sex-based quotas, discriminates on the basis of race and sex in training and advancement opportunities, and discriminates on the basis of race and sex with respect to its board membership,” the suit reads. “All of this is unlawful.” The lawsuit comes amid a major federal crackdown on DEI policies that has erupted since Trump’s inauguration. On January 21, the president signed an executive order called Ending Illegal Discrimination And Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity, which instructed all federal agencies to take all appropriate action with respect to the operations of their agencies to advance in the private sector the policy of individual initiative, excellence, and hard work. The action called for the termination of DEI programs, policies, and funding. After the order, it was reported that federal buildings were raided and swept of any DEI materials. Federal employees were also barred from using their pronouns in the email signatures. Pronouns and any other information not permitted in the policy must be removed from CDC/ATSDR employee signatures by 5 p.m. ET on Friday, Jason Bonander, the CDCs chief information officer reportedly wrote. Staff are being asked to alter signature blocks . . . to follow the revised policy. Much like Trump’s response to the recent plane crash over the Potomac River that killed 67 people, in which he blamed, without evidence, DEI hiring, the suit alleges that DEI policies at Starbucks created problems at the chain. Not only did it allege that Starbucks bases hiring on race, it said employees made “more mistakes” on the job. Missouris consumers are required to pay higher prices and wait longer for goods and services that could be provided for less, had Starbucks employed the most qualified workers, regardless of their race, gender or national origin, the lawsuit said. Starbucks is, of course, pushing back on the claims in the suit. The chain told CBS News, “We disagree with the attorney general, and these allegations are inaccurate. We are deeply committed to creating opportunity for every single one of our partners (employees). Our programs and benefits are open to everyone and lawful.” Other companies, such as Target, McDonald’s, Ford, Amazon, Meta, and Walmart, were quick to get on board, post-election, with Trump’s push to eliminate their DEI policies. Although last month, nearly three dozen Walmart investors sent a strongly worded letter to Walmart CEO Doug MacMillon, questioning its DEI-initiatives rollback. Starbucks seems to be holding firm. As stated on its website, “We are expanding workforce diversity to bring new perspectives and experiences that improve our business and workplace. To do this, we reach a broader pool of candidates and talent by prioritizing inclusivity in our recruitment practices, in partner engagement, and by continuing to foster inclusive leadership. We work hard to ensure our hiring practices are competitive, fair and inclusive and that we hire the best person every time.” Likewise, Costco recently doubled down on its diversity practices, when at an annual meeting, the companys board of directors unanimously voted down a shareholder proposal, which asserted that diversity initiatives are discriminatory. JPMorgan also isn’t caving to the new administration’s pressure. In a visit to Columbus, Ohio, this week, CEO Jamie Dimon expressed his view on how massively important the company’s DEI initiatives remain. “We bank cities, schools, states, hospitals. We reach out to veterans. We fought for [the] disabled,” Dimon said. “We have programs for a million different things.”
Category:
E-Commerce
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