This essay aims to study the relationship between cosplay content creators and TikTok’s algorithm. To study this relationship the essay will conduct a qualitative semi-structured interviews with creators from the cosplay community on TikTok. Since the rise of digital plattforms the media and the role of producer as well as consumer has changed drastically. TikTok has been growing rapidly in popularity since its entry on the market, and by 2020 it had 500 million active users. Since many of today's digital platforms have consumer produced content, the consumer of today has taken on a mixed role between consuming and creating content, which creates a new relationship. The content consumers produce vary vastly on TikTok but one kind that has been present in much of TikTok’s existence is cosplay content. Cosplayers are creators who design costumes to already established characters or franchises. Since a discourse has started in the cosplay community on TikTok about the algorithm suppressing their content the study found it to be a good way to start examining content creators as individuals and how they behave towards an algorithm in their content creation process. The study aims to use algorithmic “folk” theory to examine what theories have been created in the community and how the theories affect the creators. The study also applies gatekeeping theory and social cognitive theory (SCT) to paint a clearer picture in how these creators view the algorithm. Seven interviews with cosplay content creators were conducted and with the help of a thematic analysis method the study found several themes in how the creators view and behave in relation to TikTok and its algorithm. The results of our study shows that there’s a definite present of “folk” theories created inside of the community. The most distinct behaviour relating to “folk” theory among the creators was that they can’t use the hashtag cosplay in the belief that the algorithm would suppress the content. This study concludes that the creators are more aware of the algorithm then they themself know and have different ways of working with and around it.

This master thesis deals with creating of the cross-platform audio player with the possibility of its use in the speech-language pathology clinic. The theoretical part is focused on the comparison of two multi-platform libraries, of which was one chosen for creating of the player. Subsequently on functionality SQLite database, which was also used as part of the final application. The basis of the practical part is the creation of the cross-platform audio player which is extended about database of patients and also extended about speech signal analysis with the help of VST plugin.

This project is about storytelling, community building & management, and altering preconceived negative notions surrounding video games as a whole. Originally starting off as an idea of creating a game alongside people coming from both gaming and non-gaming backgrounds, the focus was then shifted towards creating with the former to be then exposed to the latter. More specifically, non-gaming individuals exhibiting doubt and criticism on video games and their legitimacy as a creative/entertainment medium, by showcasing the benefits and debunking instigated stereotypes with the games’ story-rich narrative.

Mental health disorders (MHDs) are among the leading cause of global ill health and disability. Research on MH of social media (SM) content creators is sparse. This study aims to assess whether being a microcelebrity YouTuber has an impact on one's MH. A survey of international YouTubers garnered participants aged 18 to 45 years, mostly male and white. Most common motivations to become a YouTuber were entertainment, and joy/passion. Most were not professionally diagnosed with a MHD; they reported that YouTube use had no effect on symptoms of said conditions. A significant relationship was shown between MH status and YouTube effect on MH status, as well as MH status and life satisfaction. While study findings present minimal impact of YouTubing on MH, this is likely due to our small sample size. Future research on microcelebrity may be beneficial for all SM users, including youth increasingly showing interest in SM and its careers.

This dissertation examines how Black influencers navigate the highly competitive commercial terrain of influencing. Situated within literature about the commodification of the Black feminine body, neoliberal discourses about individualized digital labor, and the racialization of discourses about Black labor and success, I argue that celebrity status flattens and makes palatable political projects easily consumed by digital audiences. In particular, brands and digital media companies appropriate woke culture at the expense of Black communities, influencers, and people by propping up economic solutions to racial strife and diversifying their public facing images. By offering individualized, market-based solutions, brands and media outlets obscure the systemic forces that plague Black influencers who are precariously positioned within a mode of digital labor that lacks a supportive infrastructure and exacerbates their vulnerabilities. Contextualized by the George Floyd protests of 2020, I further argue that Black influencers do not internalize neoliberal logics or pursue aspirational labor in the same way as their white counterparts due to the material vulnerabilities and systemic pressures explicitly shaping Black women’s experiences on visually oriented platforms such as Instagram and YouTube. Rather, Black influencers challenge traditional definitions of influencing, traversing the line between ‘conventional’ and political work by actively addressing the way systemic issues permeate the sphere of digital labor. Although Black influencers adopt a hustle and grind mentality indicative of neoliberal governmentality, they also work to reclaim their bodies, voices, and individuality against a space fraught with the politics of representation. / Media & Communication

The creator economy is a growing phenomenon in business, entrepreneurship and the global economy. This thesis seeks to explore the identity of content creators and the format of creator accelerator programs to help understand the growing phenomenon of the creator economy. In comparing the two ecosystems of content creators and entrepreneurs we can begin to understand the effects and implications. The thesis also aims to understand the similarities between upcoming content creator accelerator programs and mature startup accelerator programs. Through qualitative methods, primary sources are collected to compare content creators to entrepreneurs and creator accelerator programs to startup accelerator programs. By reviewing one hundred eighty-two (182) content creators and four hundred and three (403) entrepreneurs, the results are divided into three categories; the top roles identified, the number of times the role appeared in the group, and the percentage of roles based on the total number of people. The primary difference between content creators and entrepreneurs is content creators focus on the content produced, whereas the entrepreneur focuses on the organization, product or services. In exploring similarities between the two types of accelerator programs four categories emerge in organizing the program information: length of the program, goals, mentorship or networking opportunities, and funding. This paves the way in understanding the growing creator economy phenomenon by finding overlap amongst content creators and traditional entrepreneurs alongside accelerator programs.

[pt] O Sl 8, objeto de estudo da presente pesquisa, é uma poesia que descreve um aspecto da criação, como um louvor descritivo, emoldurado por um refrão corálico. O salmista se dirige a YHWH sempre na segunda pessoa, com exaltações inesgotáveis. Apresenta a figura do homem de maneira central no poema, sem no entanto ofuscar a centralidade de YHWH no que tange sua posição dentro do Sl 8. Enquanto unidade poética, o Sl 8 estrutura-se em duas seções (vv. 1-5 e vv. 6-10), que possuem nuances bem específicas e patentes devido a sua métrica. A primeira seção é iniciada com uma exaltação plural (v.2), que poderia ser a comunidade manifestando sua exaltação a YHWH, tem uma alternância para o singular no v.4, como o louvor de um indivíduo, e retoma na segunda seção a exaltação plural no v.10. Como parte do livro dos Salmos, que pode ser entendido como uma retribuição humana a Deus, o caráter doxológico é sempre muito presente, principalmente nos Salmos onde se referem a criação, visto que é sempre entendida como uma manifestação da grandiosidade do Deus de Israel, que tudo criou. O Sl 8 apresenta então a criação de YHWH para o homem, e o homem devendo remeter-se sempre a YHWH. / [en] Sl 8, object of study of the present research, is a poetry that describes an aspect of the creation, like a descriptive praise, framed by a corallic refrain. Sl 8 addresses YHWH always in the second person, with inexhaustible exaltations. It presents a central figure of man in the poem, without principle overshadowing the centrality of YHWH in regards to himself. 6-10), such as those with very specific nuances, and patented by their metrics. The first section begins with the exaltation of the plural (v. 2), which could be a manifestation of the exaltation community of a YHWH, it has an alternation to the singular in v. 4, as the degree of exaltation of an individual, and reiterates a plural exaltation in v.10. As the book of Psalms, which can be understood as a human retribution to God, it is a theme that is always present, especially in the Psalms where creation is concerned, since it is always understood as a manifestation of the greatness of the God of Israel, which created everything. Psalm 8 presents a creation of YHWH for man, and man should always refer to YHWH.

Fintech and Web 3.0 represent two important constructs for an emerging web experience that is decentralized, social, and immersive. When integrating fintech solutions into digital projects, understanding market performance and impact from shocks can inform decisions around integrations as businesses and creators move towards Web 3.0 and emerging use cases that leverage NFTs, smart contracts, extended reality, and blockchain to deliver value. Additionally, fintech and Web 3.0 create new challenges for established firms where peer-to-peer value exchanges happen in real-time without the need for intermediaries and thus provide greater access to resources for disruptors, small enterprises, and creators. This proposal outlines a mixed methods research study that examines fintech performance and how it has responded to market shocks to answer the research question: What is the level of financial performance for fintech? The study is followed by an examination of how technology can power an immersive, decentralized digital experience that transcends borders and device platforms to answer the research question: What is the relationship between fintech and Web 3.0? The ability of fintech to increase banking inclusion and access to capital would be valuable as a facilitator of transactions between brands and peers (P2P) in a Web 3.0 ecosystem. Hence, understanding fintech performance and its relationship to a decentralized Web 3.0 will inform business leaders, creators, and researchers in identifying new use cases that combine both constructs building a more inclusive global value exchange ecosystem. While there is a growing body of knowledge on fintech, much less has been written about Web 3.0 and even less literature exists on the relationship between the two constructs. / Business Administration/Management Information Systems

Background: In an era where artificial intelligence (AI) increasingly infiltrates the creative domains traditionally dominated by humans, a critical question arises: How does the believed origin of an advertisement—whether generated by AI or crafted by a human—affect consumer perception and behavior? The integration of AI in advertising has stirred significant academic and practical interest, exploring how AI impacts consumer behavior differently from traditional human-created ads. Recent studies have highlighted varying consumer responses based on the advertised source, be it AI or human, influencing key advertising metrics. Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the effects of the belief of AI versus human made ads on consumer behavior dimensions such as Purchase Intention (PI), Ad Evaluation (Eva_M), and Word of Mouth (WOM). It also sought to understand how these effects are mediated by anxiety and moderated by personality traits like agreeableness, extraversion, openness, and demographics age and level of education. Thus, this paper explores the nuanced psychological impacts and behavioral outcomes triggered by the believed source of advertising content, unveiling the subconscious biases and overt responses of consumers to AI versus human creator. Method: A comparative analysis involving the same ad in two survey groups (Survey A – marked as AI- generated ad – and Survey B – marked as human-made ad) was conducted, with participants unaware of the believed ad origin variation. The study employed the PROCESS Macro Models 1 and 4 in SPSS to analyze the direct effects and interactions. The level of Anxiety was testedias a mediator and personality traits and demographic factors were tested as moderators to gauge their influence on the effectiveness of AI-generated versus human-made ads. Conclusion: The results show that ads believed as AI-generated performed less effectively across Purchase Intention, Ad Evaluation, and Word of Mouth compared to those believed to be human-made. Significant mediation of anxiety and significant moderation effects were found with traits such as agreeableness and extraversion positively influencing ad reception, while higher levels of education tended to buffer negative perceptions of AI-generated ads. These findings suggest that consumer characteristics play a crucial role in the reception and effectiveness of AI- generated advertising, underscoring the need for tailored advertising strategies that consider both the source of the ad and the target demographic's psychological and demographic profiles.

本研究透過研究影像創作者創作歷程，分析其創意和創造力的面貌，最後歸納出影像創作者進行創作時之共同/相似脈絡。 本研究的對象是兩位資深影像創作者，他們擁有豐富的創作經驗以及數量不少的影像作品，本研究進行的方式是透過鑑賞兩位影像創作者的影像作品、並確認其中有創意/創造力的地方，其次則是請他們敘說當時創作那些影像作品的歷程，隨後再將影像創作者的「創作歷程」與「作品呈現創意/創造力」之處進行比對與分析，藉以找出上述兩者之間的關聯性。 本研究參照Amabile的「創造力成份模式」論述，重新提出一個分析影像創作者創作歷程的「影像創作者創造力成份模式」，模式中顯示影響影像創作者的創造力表現之各種「元素」。研究針對創造力被啟發的過程中模式裡之「元素」對影像創作者的影響進行分析，藉以解釋那些「影像創作者的創造力成份」 在一個創作者身上所扮演的角色與作用，並歸納出本研究目的：尋求「影像創作者處於創作狀態時的創作脈絡」。 經過分析與比對，本研究從兩位資深影像創作者的創作歷程中所找出的共同/相似脈絡如下： 創作的歷程都由「動機」開始，舉凡創作者所具有的「內在慾望」；或受到「外來的期待」的刺激；或受「信仰文化力」之影響；或被心中一股「仁愛心」所推動等，都可解釋為影像創作者受創作動機的推動而開始創作的事實。 「個人特質」在影像創作者創作時成了影響創作成果的重要因素，包括「個人經驗」、「聯想力」等個人特質，時刻左右影像創作者的創作歷程。 影像創作者的「領域知識與技術」在其創作歷程中扮演舉足輕重的角色，本研究發現如「領域知識」、「精進的技術」等影像創作者本身具有的學能條件足以決定其作品的成果。 影像創作者「與環境遭遇」所碰撞出的創意/創造力火花是其創作歷程中不可或缺的助力，本研究整理發現兩位影像創作者與「週遭環境」或「心境」的遭遇均牽引出豐盛的創意/創造力。 本研究在研究過程裡發現「專注力」對創作歷程的影響，這項因素雖沒有在考據文獻時注意到，但是它的確對影像創作者在創作時產生特定的作用力，因此將它列入本研究發現的最後一項脈絡。 本研究受限於研究規模，從兩位資深影像創作者的創作歷程裡所歸納出的共同/相似脈絡，雖無法道盡所有影像創作者的創作全貌，然而本研究成果應對相關創作歷程的學術研究有參考價值。 / This study conducts an analysis of creation and creativity, through deeply investigating the process of image generating from creators, and concludes with some common/approximate contexts from different creators. Two senior image creators are interviewed in order to examine their individual image artworks by comparing and analyzing their different process of creation and the ways of idea presentations. This study also tries to identify correlations and features from their image creating process, building up contexts from creators’ ways of thinking and their original creativity. This study proposes a new analytical model, referring to “the componential model of creativity” by Amabile (Amabile, 1996). The new “componential model of creativity from image creators” outlines critical factors (e.g., motivation, domain-relevant skills, concentration, and encounter), referring to the interviewees’ creating process and performance. The components of creativity and their impact to the creators are also analyzed to find the contexts from image creators’ origination. Through the analysis and comparison, this study identifies several common / approximate originating contexts from these two image creators: 1. Creativity comes from motivation. Creators’ desire inside, stimulus from outside expectation and cultural difference, are the key factors affecting creators’ origination 2. Personality is the most important factor during creating process, such as personal experience, imagination, and education etc. 3. Professional knowledge and domain-relevant skills play critical roles to affect image creators’ performance and their creativity. 4. Creativity inspiration also comes from real world. This study shows strong correlation between environment and creators’ rich creations. 5. This study also finds the importance of concentration component during creation. The more concentration the creator pays, the more creativity he gets. This study generalizes some findings and research results; however, it’s still not enough to cover whole picture of image creators’ creativity process due to the limitation of research scale. Continuous study may help people with creating images.