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If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.
There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.
An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.
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If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.
SEE ALSO: Hurdle: Everything you need to know to find the answers Hurdle Word 1 hintSlide.
SEE ALSO: Apple’s new M3 MacBook Air is $300 off at Amazon. And yes, I’m tempted. Hurdle Word 1 answerCHUTE
Hurdle Word 2 hintCheer.
SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for June 28, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 AnswerCHANT
Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today
Hurdle Word 3 hintPerforming.
SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for June 28 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for June 28, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answerDOING
Hurdle Word 4 hintParade.
Hurdle Word 4 answerRALLY
Final Hurdle hintA link.
SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Games available on Mashable Hurdle Word 5 answerNEXUS
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Today's Connections: Sports Edition will be easier if you watch international soccer.
As we've shared in previous hints stories, this is a version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.
Like the original Connections, the game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight, and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier — so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.
If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for the latest Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections: Sports Edition?The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. The sports Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.Each puzzle features 16 words, and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.
If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake — players get up to four mistakes before the game ends.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.
SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. Here's a hint for today's Connections: Sports Edition categoriesWant a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:
Yellow: Drip
Green: Stat sheet
Blue: Les Bleus
Purple: Basketball courts
Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:
Yellow: Style
Green: Basketball Stats, Abbreviated
Blue: Members of France's World Cup Squad
Purple: NBA Arenas
Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.
Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.
Drumroll, please!
The solution to today's Connections: Sports Edition #643 is...
What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?Style: FLAIR, PANACHE, PIZZAZZ, SWAGGER
Basketball Stats, Abbreviated: FG, FT, PF, TO
Members of France's World Cup Squad: BARCOLA, GUSTO, MBAPPE, OLISE
NBA Arenas: BARCLAYS, KIA, MODA, TD
Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new sports Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Connections.
Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalogue.
Released in August 2025, Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.
Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move on to the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.
How to play PipsIf you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity with how Pips is played. As we've shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don't necessarily have to match.
SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for June 28, 2026The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible — and common — for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.
Here are common examples you'll run into across the difficulty levels:
Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.
Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.
Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.
Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.
Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.
If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.
SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for June 28, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for June 28 PipsGreater Than (5): Everything in this space must be greater than 5. The answer is 6-3, placed vertically.
Number (12): Everything in this space must add up to 12. The answer is 4-3, placed vertically; 6-3, placed vertically; 3-3, placed horizontally.
Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 6-6, placed vertically; 5-6, placed vertically.
Medium difficulty hints, answers for June 28 PipsLess Than (5): Everything in this space must be less than 5. The answer is 0-0, placed vertically.
Greater Than (0): Everything in this space must be greater than 0. The answer is 3-0, placed vertically.
Greater Than (2): Everything in this space must be greater than 2. The answer is 6-6, placed vertically.
Number (8): Everything in this space must add up to 8. The answer is 2-6, placed horizontally; 2-5, placed horizontally.
Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 2-5, placed horizontally; 3-0, placed vertically.
Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 0-4, placed vertically; 6-6, placed vertically.
Greater Than (5): Everything in this space must be greater than 5. The answer is 4-2, placed horizontally.
Hard difficulty hints, answers for June 28 PipsNumber (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 6-3, placed vertically.
Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 6-3, placed vertically; 3-1, placed vertically.
Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 3-1, placed vertically.
Less Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 0-4, placed vertically.
Number (14): Everything in this space must add up to 14. The answer is 0-4, placed vertically; 5-5, placed horizontally.
Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 5-0, placed vertically.
Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 5-0, placed vertically; 1-2, placed vertically.
Less Than (4): Everything in this space must be less than 4. The answer is 1-2, placed vertically.
Not Equal: Everything in this space must be different. The answer is 6-5, placed horizontally.
Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 2-6, placed vertically; 2-2, placed horizontally.
Number (14): Everything in this space must add up to 14. The answer is 2-6, placed vertically; 4-4, placed vertically.
Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 4-2, placed horizontally.
Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 4-2, placed horizontally.
Less Than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 0-2, placed horizontally.
Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 0-2, placed horizontally.
Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 3-5, placed horizontally.
Number (17): Everything in this space must add up to 17. The answer is 3-5, placed horizontally; 6-6, placed vertically.
Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 3-3, placed vertically.
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you're a musician.
Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.
If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for today's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections?The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.
If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.
SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for June 28, 2026 Here's a hint for today's Connections categoriesWant a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:
Yellow: Top-tier
Green: Initiation
Blue: Musical essentials
Purple: Skater's best friend
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Here are today's Connections categoriesNeed a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:
Yellow: High-quality
Green: Signals to commence
Blue: Accessories for a guitarist
Purple: They have boards
Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.
Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.
Drumroll, please!
The solution to today's Connections #1113 is...
What is the answer to Connections todayHigh-quality: CHOICE, FINE, PRIME, SELECT
Signals to commence: BEGIN, GO, NOW, START
Accessories for a guitarist: CAPO, PICK, SLIDE, STRAP
They have boards: CHESS, CORPORATION, DARTS, SURFER
Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for June 28, 2026Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's puzzle.
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Connections.
Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you're an ally.
Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game, requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.
SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on MashableBy providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.
If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.
SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for June 28, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: March in JuneThe words are related to commemoration.
Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explainedThese words describe an LGBTQ observance.
NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.
Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today
NYT Strands spangram answer todayToday's spangram is Pride Month.
NYT Strands word list for June 28Rally
Flags
Drag
Pride Month
Rainbow
Parade
Celebration
Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and if you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now!
Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Strands.
Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you like to get the party started.
If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for June 28, 2026 Where did Wordle come from?Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once.
Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.
What's the best Wordle starting word?The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.
What happened to the Wordle archive?The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.
Is Wordle getting harder?It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.
SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for June 28, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:Host.
Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?The letter E appears three times.
Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today
Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...Today's Wordle starts with the letter E.
SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. The Wordle answer today is...Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.
Drumroll please!
The solution to today's Wordle is...
EMCEE
Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints. Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.
Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Wordle.
Much of the talk at VidCon 2026 focused on how long-form horizontal content is at the forefront of rewiring the traditional Hollywood model. On a panel about convergence, Pocketwatch CEO Chris H. Williams declared, "If it works on YouTube, it'll work anywhere," pointing to The Besties' crossover success on Hulu and, soon, Amazon Fire TV Stick.
A recurring topic across panels was how streamers like Hulu, Amazon, and Tubi are recruiting creators, acquiring their YouTube libraries, or funding original content. But what does it take to make a video go viral on YouTube in 2026?
That was the question Vidcon attendees had in mind as they sat down for the panel titled Decoding the Algorithm: What Your Audience Actually Wants on YouTube. Presented by YouTube, this three-person panel featured YouTube Creator Liaison and Head of Editorial Rene Ritchie, YouTuber Katarina Mogus, and YouTube Senior Director of Growth and Discovery Todd Beaupré.
SEE ALSO: VidCon 2026: Live updates from the internet's biggest weekendHowever, rather than offering a guideline on how to make the algorithm work for you, Beaupré rebuffed assumptions that creators have about it. Chief among them, Beaupré dismissed the idea that YouTube's algorithm punishes users for infrequent posting and says creators are not punished for trying new things.
"It really depends on what you come back with, and whether it's interesting or not." Beaupré said of gaps in posting, "We did a really deep study of millions of channels and looked at the time spent between uploads to see if there was a correlation at all between how long it was between your uploads and what the difference in views was before and after the break. We found virtually no relationship. And if anything, the longer the break, the more likely it was that somebody could come back with even more views."
No slides and few figures were presented at the panel. But Beaupré did present a provocative notion.
'Your core audience maybe isn't as important as you thought.' Credit: Kristy Puchko / Mashable"Almost every channel has a click-through rate of less than 10% in their subscriptions. These are people who hit the red button when you ask them to subscribe," Beaupré said. "And yet, 90% of the time, they see your video, they're not going to click on [it]. This is normal."
He went on, "Some of your subscribers are going to see your video in the first few hours, and 90% of them aren't going to watch it. YouTube understands that. That's the same for many channels. So if you're thinking, like, 'Oh, my first 100 people, if they're not the right people that see it, is my video gonna die?' No, because we know that even among your biggest fans, it may not be the right time."
Beaupré's advice was ultimately that creators should worry more about appealing to their audience than to YouTube's algorithm. He said, "When you have a question about the algorithm, I encourage you to replace the word 'algorithm' in your question with 'audience.' How that's relevant here is that if you take a break, the algorithm isn't going to punish you. But the audience may have different feelings when you come back. If you've been gone for six months, maybe they've moved on to discover some new channels, right? They're still on YouTube. And so you may not be as top-of-mind for them as you were before. So, audience reactions do influence your distribution."
Mashable is reporting live from VidCon 2026 in Anaheim. Follow our coverage for creator interviews, panel highlights, and the biggest moments from the convention floor.
Audrey Hopkins (aka Audity or AudityDraws) has grown a fan following by chasing her love of character design and not taking her art too seriously.
Her 13.2 million followers on TikTok revel over her imaginative mash-ups, like re-imagining Disney villains as Disney princesses or turning Bluey characters into human incarnations. But her greatest muse has been her husband, Richard Conley. She's drawn him as a merman, Sailor Moon, Handsome Squidward, and many more creative characters. All to the delight of her audience and Conley himself, who collaborated with her on an inspiration app, called Wanna Draw, which generates mash-up ideas for artists of all sorts.
As someone who has enjoyed Audity's art, mischievous sense of fun, and high-energy online persona, I was elated to sit down with her at VidCon 2026 to discuss her journey from character designer to a thriving content creator.
Audity next to her illustrated self portrait. Credit: Zooey Liao/Mashable/Audity/Google Images How did being a content creator start for you? Because you are an animator, you are a character designer. What made you be like, I'm gonna take this independently online?So it's a weird story. Back in the day, when TikTok was first starting, they had these agencies that would go out, and they would find people to post more.
They would do a thing where they would pay you like 100 bucks a month to post every single day. Most people that were doing the program were just putting out kind of whatever. At the time, I was in between character design jobs. Before that, I had worked on different stuff, or like NBC, or things like that. I basically felt bad that my husband was the only one bringing in money. And I was like, You know what, 100 bucks a month, that's a bit of groceries — that's something. So I started the program, but I took it more seriously. I was like, I'm actually gonna post my work and do like more fun stuff...
And also build your portfolio.Yeah, exactly, exactly. And I never expected — it was like four months later, I'd hit a million followers. And I remember I got a call from somebody that was like, "Hey," — I'd done a comic book a while back, and they were like, — "We would love you to do a second one." I had to sit there and make a decision, like, "Do I go back to an actual job-job, or do I try to do this?"
I never thought I could do this. And seven years later, I'm still doing it.
And your husband's very involved too. How did he come into it?Basically, my husband and I are constantly around each other because he works from home. Back when I first started filming, I remember he would say stuff sometimes, and I'd be like, "Oh no, don't talk, I'm filming something."
After a while, I was just like I'm not gonna keep telling him to stop, and I started just turning the camera [to him], whenever he would say something weird, which is often. And he's just been so supportive. When I started doing more art stuff in college, before even looking at TikTok, I was working at Pier One at the same time. And I remember I was so stressed out. He was like, "You know what, quit [Pier One]. I got this, I got us." And he's taken so much care of me and allowed me to do so much stuff.
How has imagining him in all these illustrated incarnations impacted how you view him, and how he views himself?Actually, when we first started dating, he was like, "I always wondered if you draw me." And I'm like, "Oh, how you regret thinking that now!" But honestly, he's, I mean, is it weird to call him my muse? He really is!
Looking back, what was the first video that really took off that made you think, maybe I can do this full-time?It might have been when I was doing my 50 states series, or my first time doing one of the fusion videos. Because my whole thing with art is I really firmly believe that art doesn't have to be taken so seriously.
When I was in college, I started out as a studio painter and a traditional artist. So like, your girl can do still lifes. But everyone else would be like, My work represents the darkness of society and stuff. And I'd be like, I drew this really, really hot lady — she's super cool!
I kind of leaned into that with that kind of stuff. And with the fusion thing, I liked being able to just take like weird stuff and make this weird creature that was really cool, but didn't serve like a purpose.
So I think I think those types of videos, and that first one was like the first time it was like, Whoa, okay. And I think that's why actually, [my husband] ended up building the [Wanna Draw] app that we have, which was so sweet. He literally never had done anything like that in his life before, and just went in like three months sitting at our kitchen table, learning and building that app. Yeah, he's still the only one that runs it.
That's very cool. So, what do you love about content creation?Honestly, I think it's the fact that so many people who do art, like you make something cool, and you get to show it to, like, a few people, like your friends, or things like that, and then that's it.
I get to be like, "Hey, world, look at this weird thing I made!" And, it's so amazing to see so many other people out there who also like that. I think that's my favorite part, just getting to connect to so many different people and seeing how many different people are alike.
We all get so trapped in our little bubbles, and it's also great to have like close-knit community. But it's also just so wonderful to have like this wide network of people that are also just so similar, right?
It's also interesting because when people think about big animated shows, they know the people who created the show. But they don't necessarily know all the nuts and bolts people and all the creativity they're bringing to it. So it must be exciting to be able to be like, I don't need someone else's project to be seen.I will say there are times when I miss working on things with other people. There's another content creator, a friend of mine, he runs D&D campaigns and everything. His name is Sir Feffers, and I become like his primary character design stuff. So it is nice, I get a little taste of being able to still work like for somebody else.
Is there a big fish dream project that would make you step away for this from content creation for a little bit?God, there are so many. It's too many. I really want to do character design work for a video game or something. Honestly, my real dream is to — do you know Dropout?
SEE ALSO: Dropout is a game-changer for comedy and creators Yes! I've interviewed a lot of that team!They're so cool. I love them so much, but Dimension 20, particularly. I want to draw the characters for a season of theirs.
Honestly, I've told them before, I'll do it for free. I'll do all the work for free, just let me do it. That's really the big thing. But at the same time, there are so many people who want to work for them, so I get it…Getting to meet Brennan Lee Mulligan for like a moment once was just like —
He's so lovely.Oh my god, he's one of the coolest people.
Agreed. Where do you find the differences in working in more traditional spaces and working for the internet?I think working for the internet is just — it's so chaotic. Because no Disney studio or anything out there is gonna be like, "You know, we really love it if you mix like Pennywise with Tinkerbell." But the internet's like, "We really want more of that, give us that."
It's like having the most chaotic boss in the world. Because the weirder I get, the happier they are. That's I think the biggest difference is like that, and being able to just freely do what you want.
I love that. So, a lot of people here at VidCon have been giving tips on what to do when you run out of ideas. What do you do when you hit, a creativity drought? When you're like, I want to draw, but I don't know where to start.For dealing with art block and burnout, I usually have like exercises that I do, like drawing the random shapes into faces, stuff that I like. I actually, eventually want to release a book that I make that's called Dealing with Art Block When You're a Character Designer. Because there's so much stuff that I've accumulated throughout the years that I do; tips and tricks. In my videos I can show a little bit of it, but I love to go more in depth.
But stuff like that, like just finding a new way to do something you're already doing, is like the best way to get past something like that. Because if you're doing the same thing constantly, constantly, constantly, it's gonna get stale, it's gonna get like you're not gonna want to do it, you're like, I can't keep thinking of ideas for this. If you challenge yourself, you're like, I'm gonna draw with my left hand or I'm only allowed to draw mice today, or something weird like that. You're gonna make more fun, interesting things, because sometimes having that barrier helps, you know?
It gives you a starting point to launch from.Yeah, exactly.
Was there a point where you feel that you like made it as a content creator?I'm still waiting for that point. I literally been talking to the other animators this entire VidCon, and it's funny. They'll all talk about, 'Yeah, back in the old days, like a few years ago." And I'm still feel like I'm new to this. I still feel like I'm making my way.
What advice would you give to following you starting out in content creation?There's no one way to do it. Everybody's gonna have different advice and everything, but my whole thing is make stuff and do stuff that you like. Because you're just as much a viewer as everyone else out there. And if you like something and you enjoy something, I guarantee there are other people out there that like it as well, and enjoy it as well. And also just finding a fun way to do stuff.
Let's say you're somebody who really likes gaming, but you're like, I wish there was somebody who did it like this. You'll be the person that does it like that. Go do it! Just try it!
Mashable is reporting live from VidCon 2026 in Anaheim. Follow our coverage for creator interviews, panel highlights, and the biggest moments from the convention floor.
The interview above was edited for length and clarity.
Pressured by recent lawsuits claiming Uber didn't do enough to prevent sexual assault, the ride-sharing company has announced stricter background check requirements for drivers.
"After listening to a wide range of feedback, we’ve broadened the criteria for convictions that permanently disqualify someone from driving or delivering with Uber," the company wrote in a recent blog post. "Our goal is to build the safest platform."
SEE ALSO: Meta is pushing for social media exclusions in new child safety regulationThe new review process expands on existing driver requirements, permanently banning drivers with convictions that "may be sexual in nature." The new rules also disqualify drivers with misdemeanor or felony stalking and strangulation-related offenses because they "can be predictors of future violence," Uber explains. The company says the changes were influenced by recommendations from domestic violence prevention experts and civil rights groups.
In addition, background checks will be run for the driver's entire lifetime (technically 99 years). Previously, Uber's third-party background checks providers only ran Social Security Number (SSN) traces for the previous seven years.
The company stated the new requirements will not retroactively apply to existing driver accounts "with no serious interpersonal safety-related complaints of any kind," and if their conviction is "more than 15 years old and was not sexual in nature." The checks are still rolling out to drivers nationwide.
Multiple New York Times investigations have revealed an industry-wide prevalence of violent altercations with ride-share drivers, perpetrated primarily against female riders. A December exposé alleged Uber's background check protocols still approved drivers with violent felony convictions.
In February, Uber was deemed partially liable for the rape and assault of a ride-share passenger, who alleged the company failed to implement safety provisions that could have prevented the assault. The case included internal documents showing her ride was flagged as a safety concern, but the app did not notify her or authorities. Uber was ordered to pay $8.5 million instead of the requested $144 million in damages.
California is weighing new child-safety legislation that could fine social media companies millions of dollars — and Meta is attempting to dodge the astronomical fees from hundreds of pending lawsuits, anonymous insiders told Politico.
Meta lobbyists have approached lawmakers with suggested amendments that would carve out exceptions for social media platforms before the bill goes into a hearing set for Tuesday. The amendments include a pathway to avoid fines if companies implement a series of default child-safety settings, such as tools to disable autoplay, direct messaging restrictions, and explicit content moderation.
Many social media companies have already launched said features under minor accounts. Child safety advocates argue they don't do enough to protect children.
SEE ALSO: Trump is threatening a 100% tariff on European goods. Again.Meta's suggested changes include another safe harbor trade-off: Social media companies could avoid fines if their platforms include parental controls that let parents restrict screen time and monitor their kids' activity. Many experts argue that parental controls are equally ineffective at reducing childhood exposure to harmful content.
Without these amendments, the bill, known as AB 2, could result in fines of up to $1 million per child if a company is found liable for endangering young users through negligent product design.
In March, Meta lost a court case that ruled the platform, as well as its competitor Google, failed to fix platform design features that resulted in harm to minor mental health. Meta was separately ordered to pay $375 million by a New Mexico jury that ruled the platform was deceptively advertising its platform as safe for children.
Meta recently revamped its minor safety tools, including automatic age detection and global Teen Accounts with stricter content and communication controls.
Amid ongoing litigation, the company has denied all claims that its youth safety features are ineffective.
"Teen mental health is profoundly complex and cannot be linked to a single app. We will continue to defend ourselves vigorously as every case is different, and we remain confident in our record of protecting teens online," Meta said in a statement following the March ruling.
SAVE $100: The Bose Ultra Open earbuds are on sale at Amazon after Prime Day for $199, down from the normal price of $299. Matching the record low price, that works out to a 33% discount.
Bose Ultra Open earbuds $199 at WalmartWe're officially past Prime Day now. But if you know Amazon, then you know some of the best deals are still live. So, if you're in need of fresh earbuds, you're in luck.
As of June 27, the Bose Ultra Open earbuds are still on sale at Amazon for $199, a cool $100 discount from their usual price of $299. This matches the earbuds' record-low price at Amazon. Multiple Mashable reporters have tested these buds, and they've received a unanimous recommendation so far. In fact, this innovative product helped push open earbuds into the mainstream, inspiring a host of imitators. Like bone-conduction products, they also keep you in tune with your surroundings, which makes them popular with runners and athletes.
Open earbuds are a bit of a hybrid design. They're great for people who don't like the feel of something plugging their ears up but also don't like the feel of headphones. Instead, open earbuds sit on the outside of the ear, and according to Mashable's guide to the best open earbuds, the Bose Ultra Open are the best choice if you value comfort and sound.
SEE ALSO: Need new earbuds? AirPods, Bose, and Sony are still sitting at Prime Day prices after the saleRJ Andersen's review of the Bose Ultra Open earbuds explains that some of the highlights include excellent battery life, comfort, and sound quality that's better than expected.
Before this Prime Day price expires, snag the Bose Ultra Open earbuds for $199. They're the perfect fit for hot summer days.
Best Prime Day deals still liveApple AirPods Pro 3 Noise Cancelling Heart Rate Wireless Earbuds — $179.00 (List Price $249.00)
Apple AirPods 4 Wireless Earbuds With Active Noise Cancellation — $148.99 (List Price $179.00)
Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 42mm, S/M Black Sport Band) — $279.00 (List Price $399.00)
Sony WH-1000XM6 Wireless Noise Cancelling Over-Ear Headphones — $378.00 (List Price $459.99)
55" Amazon Ember 4-Series 4K HDR10+ Smart Fire TV (2025 Model) — $279.95 (List Price $459.99)
Fire TV Stick 4K Plus Streaming Player With Remote (2025 Model) — $24.99 (List Price $49.99)
Meta Quest 3S 128GB With 3-Month Trial of Meta Horizon+ — $296.79 (List Price $349.99)
Apple iPad 11" 128GB Wi-Fi Retina Tablet (Silver, 2025 Release) — $299.00 (List Price $349.00)
If there's one thing Twitch CEO Dan Clancy wants people to know about what makes Twitch special, it's that the live streaming site is all about community.
"Social media, interestingly, has become anti-social," Clancy said during a fireside chat titled, Why Live is the Future of Connection: From Passive Scrolling to Real Connection at VidCon 2026. "It started as a technology that connected us with people, but now sitting and swiping actually leaves you a little more isolated. It doesn't make you feel connected, and that's why live is coming on strong now."
So what is it about Twitch that fosters community? According to Clancy, the platform encourages people to stay with their streamer for longer than the seconds they might spend with someone on TikTok. When a streamer takes some time off, their audience notices their absence in a way they might not with a TikTok creator. And then there's the magic of reacting to the same content with the rest of the chat in real-time.
Dan Clancy on stage at VidCon 2026. Credit: Bethany Allard / Mashable"People often think sports are about watching the world's best athletes. It's not about that at all. It's about community, right? It's about shared identity," he said during the talk. "Twitch actually is the same thing where the affinity that you're gathering around is a streamer, but then you form these bonds horizontally, so the same thing that happens in sports is exactly what happens on Twitch."
Still, creating community can come with its challenges.
Creator discoverability on Twitch is lacking, but that might changeClancy encouraged creators to use more than one platform, noting that Twitch content often finds its way onto other platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
"Use short form for discovery [and] use long form to build an emotional connection and to earn a living," Clancy said during his talk.
Still, smaller- to midsize streamers have long struggled with a lack of discoverability on the platform itself, as it doesn't push algorithmic recommendations nearly as aggressively as YouTube or TikTok. Clancy told Mashable that's by design.
SEE ALSO: YouTube adds more TikTok-like features to Shorts"If I said, I'm going to solve the discovery problem, the only way I could fully solve it is by taking them off your page, putting more stuff on your page to distract them, more stuff to get them away from you. And that is exactly what our creators don't want," Clancy said.
Still, he acknowledged a desire for some kind of fix. He shared that Twitch is working on bringing short-form content to the platform in a way that makes sense, by investing in a feature called Recaps. Clancy described it as an evolution of Twitch's existing story feature, intended to show users clips from recent streams that the streamer selects after going live.
"I think the thing that will benefit our creators the most is if the creators are able to easily create short form and viewers are watching it more on Twitch," he said to Mashbale.
How generative AI fits into the Twitch ecosystemDuring his talk on stage, Clancy responded to concerns about AI, saying that while Twitch has a plan in place if AI channels run more rampant, for the time being, it's limited to a handful that are clearly identifiable as AI, and in his opinion, not engaging enough to hold a viewer's attention for the same amount of time as a human creator can.
When speaking to Mashable, Clancy also pointed to the ways AI can be leveraged to improve the viewer experience, saying a large language model could improve upon the existing AutoMod feature, which automatically flags and holds potentially inappropriate messages in a streamer's chat.
The creators of Twitch are growing beyond gamersAt its core, Twitch is an entertainment platform. While traditionally that was rooted in gaming, over the years it's become more and more common for artists, musicians, actors, and even animal sanctuaries to find a home on the platform. Clancy said the shift in the user base over time has been like "night and day."
"Now, when I meet an actor, musician, almost 70 percent of the time when they hear I'm the CEO of Twitch, they go, 'Oh, yeah, I've been thinking I should do something.'"
Safety concerns ahead of the next TwitchConCommunity, however, doesn't work without safety. Last year, Twitch faced backlash after streamer Emiru was assaulted at last year's TwitchCon. Prior to the convention's start, major streamers like Hasan Piker, Valkyrae, and QTCinderella said they would not be attending the conference due to safety concerns. Ahead of this year's conference, Clancy assured that Twitch has measures in place to prevent any future incidents.
"We've updated how we do meet and greets so that they're more structured. We don't allow signups on the day of; you have to reserve a spot. So that restricts it a little bit, but it restricts us in a way to protect the creators," he told Mashable. "So I feel very confident about where we're at right now, in terms of our ability to make sure something like that doesn't happen again."
Mashable is reporting live from VidCon 2026 in Anaheim. Follow our coverage for creator interviews, panel highlights, and the biggest moments from the convention floor.
If you're starting to get a sense of déjà vu over Trump tariff headlines, you're not alone.
For the second time this month, President Donald Trump has threatened a 100 percent tariff on European goods to pressure foreign nations to back off on digital service taxes imposed on American tech companies operating overseas.
SEE ALSO: 3 Apple products that did not increase in priceTrump posted the threat to Truth Social, writing:
“Numerous European Countries have been discussing the imminent implementation of a Digital Services Tax on American Companies. Some of these Countries are close to actually doing this. Please let this statement serve to represent that any Country that imposes such a Tax will immediately be met with a 100% TARIFF on any and all Goods sent to the United States of America. This TARIFF will supersede Trade Deals made with the Country, whether implemented, signed, or not. Additionally, the 100% TARIFF will be immediately imposed, if they proceed. Thank you for your attention to this matter. President DONALD J. TRUMP.”
Earlier this month, the President specifically threatened to impose tariffs on French wine imports unless the country dropped a standing 3 percent levy on local revenue generated by tech companies like Apple and Google. Trump reportedly delivered the threat directly to outgoing French President Emmanuel Macron before the international G7 summit.
So far, only Canada has caved to Trump's ongoing digital service tariff tactic, dropping their levy last year. But the Trump administration has since lost some strength in the global arena, experts say, following the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to curb Trump's power to issue reciprocal tariffs.
Two weeks after the Trump administration forced Anthropic to pull its most powerful AI models, the government has partially lifted the block with some strings attached.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.The US government has allowed Anthropic to restore access to Claude Mythos 5 for more than 100 American companies and government agencies, according to Semafor, marking a significant de-escalation in a tense standoff between the Trump administration and one of the AI industry's most prominent labs.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick informed Anthropic in a letter Friday that adequate safeguards were in place to permit access for a defined list of trusted partners, Semafor reported. Lutnick also noted that Anthropic has committed to working with the government on future model protocols and releases.
The partial restoration comes roughly two weeks after the administration issued export controls ordering Anthropic to suspend all access to both Mythos 5 and Claude Fable 5 — its publicly available counterpart — for any foreign nationals, including Anthropic's own employees.
In our reporting on the pull-down, the government cited national security concerns without providing specifics. While Anthropic said it believed officials had been shown a method to jailbreak Fable 5, the company characterized the vulnerabilities as relatively minor and noted other models could surface the same issues.
Fable 5 remains offline for now. Semafor reports that people close to the talks say a path toward restoring it is taking shape, but no timeline has been confirmed.
SAVE 18%: Hurry: You can still get the Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones for $378 (down from $459.99) at Amazon. That's an 18% discount or $81.99 savings. On top of that, the previous gen Sony XM5 headphones are still marked down to the record price of $198.
Sony WH-1000XM6 $378 at AmazonPrime Day 2026 officially wrapped up early Friday morning, but there are still a handful of lingering deals hanging around on everyday tech, including Fitbits, select kitchen appliances, and noise-cancelling headphones. If you missed the main event, you're in luck, because a few of the best price cuts managed to survive the post-sale cleanup.
SEE ALSO: Better than Prime Day: Score Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones for $80 off on AmazonIn fact, you can grab the Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones for $378 right now, down from $459.99. That's an 18% discount or $81.99 savings. They dropped to this price (their lowest price ever) on the very first day of the sale and, luckily for us, they're somehow still discounted for the weekend. And if that's too pricey for you, the previous-gen Sony XM5 headphones are still on sale for only $198, a record low.
When Mashable's Tech Editor, Timothy Beck Werth, reviewed these, he gave them a 4.5/5 rating and a Mashable Choice badge. He noted that the noise cancellation is so effective that turning it on instantly puts you in a "bubble of silence."
As for the hardware, Sony upgraded these with its new QN3 processor. They now feature 12 microphones just for active noise cancellation (a big jump from the eight in the previous model!) and six mics for phone calls. You'll still get 30 hours of playtime with ANC on, but unlike the XM5s, you can finally listen to music while you charge them.
Sony WH-1000XM5 Noise-Cancelling Headphones — $198 $399.99 (save $201.99)
Sony WH-1000XM6 — $378 $459.99 (save $81.99)
SAVE UP TO $83.96: The Fitbit Charge 6 (red band) is on sale for a record-low price at Amazon of $75.99 the day after Prime Day, down from the standard price of $159.95 for a 52% discount. The black band is also on sale for a record-low of $85.45.
Opens in a new window Credit: Fitbit Fitbit Charge 6 (red band) $75.99 at AmazonWhile it's not yet July, we're officially done with Prime Day. But like every Prime Day, Amazon has some great deals lingering around. They can be hard to find, but Mashable's shopping team is putting in extra hours this weekend to find the best leftover Prime Day deals. If you could use a budget-friendly fitness tracker, check out this deal.
As of June 27, the Fitbit Charge 6 (red band) is on sale for a record-low price at Amazon of $75.99, the day after Prime Day, down from the list price of $159.95. That's a 52% discount and cheaper than we saw yesterday. If you're not into the look of the red band, the black band is also on sale for a record-low of $85.45.
SEE ALSO: Sennheiser Momentum 4 headphones are actually cheaper post Prime Day — save over $100 at AmazonIn terms of the best fitness tracker, Mashable rated the Fitbit Charge 6 as the best mid-range fitness tracker. However, with today's sale price, I'd argue it's downright affordable. While the price is low, the features aren't lacking. You get built-in GPS, a large AMOLED display, plentiful exercise modes, and compatibility with the Google Health app.
Speaking of the Google Health app, snag the Fitbit Charge 6 today, and it'll come with three months of free access to Google Premium Health. I've been using the refreshed Google Premium Health service when testing the new Fitbit Air, and I've come to love the features.
While it's on sale for a record low, upgrade to the Fitbit Charge 6. At this price, it's a no-brainer if you've been considering a fresh fitness tracker. But be warned, these post-Prime Day deals tend to disappear quickly, so shop soon.
More Prime Day deals still liveApple AirPods Pro 3 Noise Cancelling Heart Rate Wireless Earbuds — $179.00 (List Price $249.00)
Apple AirPods 4 Wireless Earbuds With Active Noise Cancellation — $148.99 (List Price $179.00)
Apple iPad 11" 128GB Wi-Fi Retina Tablet (Silver, 2025 Release) — $299.00 (List Price $349.00)
Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 42mm, S/M Black Sport Band) — $279.00 (List Price $399.00)
Sony WH-1000XM6 Wireless Noise Cancelling Over-Ear Headphones — $378.00 (List Price $459.99)
55" Amazon Ember 4-Series 4K HDR10+ Smart Fire TV (2025 Model) — $279.95 (List Price $459.99)
Fire TV Stick 4K Plus Streaming Player With Remote (2025 Model) — $24.99 (List Price $49.99)
Meta Quest 3S 128GB With 3-Month Trial of Meta Horizon+ — $296.79 (List Price $349.99)
SAVE $90: As of June 27, the DJI Mini 4K drone is on sale for $209 at Amazon. That's the best-ever price still live after Prime Day.
DJI Mini 4K $209 at AmazonThe DJI Mini 4K drone was one of the top sellers for Mashable readers over Prime Day. That's because it's a budget-friendly drone that offers just about everything a beginner needs to start flying and filming content. Oh, and it was also down to its lowest-ever price.
Well that price is sticking around this weekend, so you've not missed your chance to buy for the best-ever price.
As of June 27, the DJI Mini 4K drone is on sale for $209 at Amazon. That's $90 off and the best-ever price still live after Prime Day.
The DJI Mini 4K delivers a true 4K Ultra HD camera mounted on a mechanical 3-axis gimbal, so if you're planning some aerial photography on your next trip or you need to shoot something for your job, this is a strong choice. It's also has pre-programmed "QuickShots" that track a subject and film cinematic movements, plus a helpful automatic GPS Return-to-Home function that comes into play if you lose signal.
Think you missed out on the best Prime Day drone deal? Think again — save $90 on the DJI Mini 4K drone at Amazon.
SAVE $500: As of June 27, Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen) headphones are on sale for $369 at Amazon. That's $80 off and better than Prime Day.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen) $369 at AmazonWe started the weekend by spotting Sennheiser Momentum 4 headphones for a better price than Prime Day. We were content with that, but there's more.
As of June 27, Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen) headphones are on sale for $369 at Amazon. That's $80 off and better than Prime Day. It's $10 better than Prime Day, to be exact. We're not sure why we're seeing multiple top headphones fall in price after Prime Day, but we're not unhappy about it.
It does raise legitimate questions about the validity of Prime Day as a whole, but we're not going to get into that right now. We're just going to focus on Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen) headphones at a great price. That's what really matters here.
In Mashable review of these headphones, Bethany Allard writes: "The second-generation Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones are a good choice for someone who wants all-day wear and has yet to buy into the QC Ultra line." Allard also notes that these are "The most comfortable headphones on the market."
Bag a better price than Prime Day this weekend — save $80 on Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen) headphones at Amazon.
SAVE $500: As of June 27, Sennheiser Momentum 4 headphones are on sale for $178.82 at Amazon. That's over $100 off the list price and better than Prime Day.
Sennheiser Momentum 4 $178.82 at AmazonIt's not supposed to be this way.
Prime Day is over, and most of the best deals are gone. In fact, almost everything is gone. If you're searching for best-ever deals on AirPods, MacBooks, DJI drones, and Kindles, you'll probably need to wait until the next Prime Day or even Black Friday.
But if you're shopping for new headphones, you've still got a chance.
As of June 27, Sennheiser Momentum 4 headphones are on sale for $178.82 at Amazon. That's over $100 off the list price and better than Prime Day. These were listed for $189 throughout the sale. That was a good price, but you're actually being rewarded for missing out.
These headphones are for true audiophiles. They offer a smooth and reliable experience with Signature Sound, 42mm transducers, and aptX Adaptive that combine to deliver crystal-clear audio and deep, immersive music. They also give you the choice of Adaptive Noise Cancellation and Transparency Mode, plus exceptional comfort and a long battery life of up to 60 hours. What's not to like?
Score this better-than-Prime Day deal at Amazon this weekend.
Creators are expected to constantly be coming up with new content. But what to do when your well of ideas runs dry?
That was the topic at the Vidcon 2026 panel, Never Running Out of Ideas: How to Build a Content Strategy That Keeps Your Audience Hooked.
Moderated by television personality Shira Lazar, this panel brought together professional creators Anthpo and Siow Wei to discuss how they ideate, pick what to work on next, and whether what they've made is good enough to post online. (Alex Ojeda was billed, but did not ultimately attend.)
Anthpo: Ideation comes from practice Anthpo on the VidCon 2026 panel Never Running Out of Ideas: How to Build a Content Strategy That Keeps Your Audience Hooked. Credit: Kristy Puchko / MashableThe American influencer is best known for concocting the viral Timothee Chalamet look-a-like contest and creating characters like Cheeseball Man and Kid with Crocs.
During the panel, he shared that he has a Google Doc filled with ideas, and also uses his phone's Notes app to scribble down any inspirations that come to mind while on the go. "I'd say ideation is a muscle," he mused. "The more you do it, the more your mind is constantly racing."
To that end, Anthpo said he uses flights as a space to create, working the ideation muscle. "I'll do [it] every plane ride I take," he explained. "I don't do anything other than write in my Notes app."
How do creators pick which idea is worth doing?Siow Wei is a Malaysian content creator who was featured on Forbes 30 under 30 last year for the massive success she's had under the handle im_siowei. By creating an array of characters for family-friendly comedy videos, she's become one of Asia's biggest content creators.
However, she told the panel at VidCon she didn't set out to make kid-friendly comedy. When evaluating the data of how her videos were doing, it was that demographic where she was most thriving. Data is what drives her decisions as she builds her library and brand.
Anthpo noted he and Siow Wei come from different schools of thought on what to prioritize. For him, it's more about a gut feeling. "Once you have an idea, there's like two litmus tests," he said. "There's, like, the data side, which is super powerful. And then there's also, like, the emotional side." For him, he's excited when he comes up with something "very experimental," or that "feels [magical] and also executable."
He emphasized the importance of following your passion for an idea. Referencing the Rick Rubin book, The Creative Act, Anthpo paraphrased a piece of the author's advice, saying, "If you have a really great idea and you don't execute it, somebody else in the zeitgeist will do it. And I found that to be 100% true. If I'm like, 'That's a great idea,' and I don't do within the first six months, someone does it."
How do content creators know their work is good quality before they post? Never Running Out of Ideas: How to Build a Content Strategy That Keeps Your Audience Hooked panel at Vidcon 2026, featuring Anthpo, Siow Wei, and Shira Lazar Credit: Kristy Puchko / MashableSiow Wei uses WhatsApp to communicate with her team and test out jokes. Anthpo uses a group of friends whom he knows won't lie to spare his feelings.
"The meanest people in my life are by far my most valuable assets," he explained, "like the people that are just like, 'Yo, this video sucks, bro.' Those people are so valuable to me. I've got probably seven of them. If I send a video or an idea to them, and all seven of them are like 'that's good,' it always rips."
What do content creators do when they're running out of ideas?Siow Wei has a collection of comedy characters, like Swaggy, Randy, Besty, Richy, and Billy. But she's always happy to expand her menagerie. "Okay, we have run out of content," she said, considering the scenario. "Okay, what's next? Let's create another character, there's more possibility that we can bring it into our content."
For Anthpo, he finds new ideas by trying something new.
"I've reinvented myself many times on the internet," he said. "I've been doing this for like 12 years now. I used to do sketch comedy. Then I was in a TikTok house. And then I made skits. And then I made college content, and then I [worked for Mr. Beast]. Then the past two years I've been doing these like anonymous stunts." He noted what he's doing recently is being called performance art, while he's been dubbed "dumb internet Banksy," and he's cool with that.
Anthpo champions not only taking risks, but also learning from your failures.
"I failed many, many, many, many, many times," he said, noting that failure can be a great teacher, providing "data" for how to improve.
What every creator should know — according to Anthpo and Siow WeiBoth agreed you should know about the purple horse (or cow). Anthpo explained this marketing concept to the audience. Essentially, if you see a horse along the side of the road, you might notice it. But you won't stop your trip to see it. However, if you see a purple horse, you'll stop your car to take a closer look.
Translated to the creator economy, you want to be the purple horse, the something special in the landscape that makes people stop and pay attention.
For Anthpo, he does that by chasing what excites him. "[What] I like to chop it down to is I like to delight people," he said. "Give them something they haven't seen before, or give them a feeling they want to consistently feel."
Siow Wei added: "Put that purple horse in the first three seconds [of your video]."
She explained how the unique way she drinks boba tea has hooked viewers, "so you're catching the attention," rather than getting lost in an endless scroll online.
Last but not least, both creators emphasized the importance of building a team you can trust. Anthpo put it succinctly, saying, "Be surrounded by people who are joyous and don't drag you down and are going to be kind, but also aren't afraid to be like, 'Yo, this video is trash.'"
Mashable is reporting live from VidCon 2026 in Anaheim. Follow our coverage for creator interviews, panel highlights, and the biggest moments from the convention floor.
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