‘Tis the season...

For taking down tech giants. Apparently.

As if the TikTok drama wasn't enough, the U.S Department of Justice is taking on Apple. Today we're sharing everything you need to know about this faceoff.

In today's newsletter:

• NBA playoffs are almost here (time to get your bracket ready)

• Mike Tyson vs. a YouTuber? (you don't want to miss getting in on this conversation)

• The Apple Lawsuit: Politics Nerds vs. Apple Geniuses (and what could happen if the U.S. DOJ wins)

• How to level up your TikToks (this one thing will make a HUGE difference)
  

- Charlotte, Editor ♡

It’s almost NBA Playoff time!

The NBA season is almost over, with the playoffs just around the corner. 

With the Denver Nuggets looking to go for gold two years in a row, this is shaping up to be one of the best playoffs in a while.

Veterans like the Warriors and the Lakers are looking to get back on top. And young guns like the Thunder and the Timberwolves are ready to shock everyone and cause an upset. It looks like it's going to be a real dog fight to find our 2024 NBA Champs.

Starting on 20th April, whether you’re a fan or not, this event will be sure to cause a lot of action across your socials.

So how can you join the hype?

• POV/Skit type videos. You can film a video in the perspective of the basketball or even do a POV of celebrities' reactions to the game.

• Create a playoff bracket. You can do this in your office or with your audience. Get people to pick a team who they think will win it all and put it all into a bracket. Or even get them to try and predict how the entire playoffs will fall out.

• Create a poll. Get your audience to vote on who they think can win. Or see who they think will cause the biggest upset, who they think will be the biggest disappointment, etc. Then create content reacting to their votes.

Why did Mike Tyson agree to this?

The boxing world is buzzing with rumours surrounding the upcoming exhibition bout between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul. Scheduled for July, the fight has some fans questioning its legitimacy. Will Iron Mike live up to his insane legacy? Or is this all for the money?

Although Tyson is Paul's senior by about 30 years, he's been posting videos on his Instagram showcasing his training and impressive physique for an old dog, captioned "you still wanna f*** with me?". Some fans commented that Jake Paul doesn't deserve the opportunity to fight a legend of Tyson's calibre.

This might be the fight of the year, with Netflix even streaming it live. My fingers are crossed that this is the real deal and not a choreographed money-grab. Either way, we'll find out for sure in July.

Leading up to the fight, here are a few ways to grab attention from your followers:

• There are so many opportunities for satire here. One option could be a skit with a very nervous Jake Paul surrounded by an entourage of worried bodyguards and therapists.... Paul keeps asking for his teddy bear.

• Create a poll for your audience to vote on if the match is real or fake news and who will win the fight.

• Sponsor parodies with senior citizen-focused products. Like "Depends Fight Gear: Keeps you leak-proof in the ring!"

Whether this fight is legit or not, we hope it will be one for the books. It seems too trivial to make history, but you really never know these days.

-Carter, Intern & Chey, Executive Assistant

Politics Nerds vs. Apple Geniuses

Battle of the Brains

Political science nerds and Apple geniuses are set to duke it out in court. The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has accused Apple of operating an illegal monopoly in the smartphone market.

In its complaint, the DOJ accuses the tech giant of pushing up prices for users and developers. It also claims Apple has put in rules that force users to rely on its products.

The DOJ said Apple "exercises its monopoly power to extract more money from consumers, developers, content creators, artists, publishers, small businesses, and merchants, among others”.

What's in the case?

The DOJ gave a few examples of Apple's alleged bad behaviour. These included poor messaging quality with Androids, making non-Apple smartwatches and "super apps" like WeChat barely functional. Apple's also been accused of blocking other digital wallets from the App Store. Of course, this forces iPhone users to use Apple Wallet.

The 88-page complaint is pretty easy to read. In fact, it opens like an angry break-up message with a story about Steve Jobs' controlling nature.

An Apple loss = a win for everyone?

If Apple loses the case, it'll be forced to open its arms to more third-party products. That could mean smaller fees for developers, access to a broader range of apps, and even cheaper iPhones.

But the lawsuit could take months or even years to get started. So don't start drafting up any big iOS releases just yet!

-Devin, Copywriter

What’s Going Viral?

Got FOMO?

Listen to our YAP Podcast Tuesday - Saturday, where Stan & Jony break down the videos that are blowing up on social media. Not only will you learn why they work, but we’ll tell you how to capitalise on these trends before they disappear.

Watch the full podcast here and subscribe to the YouTube Channel so you don’t miss an episode.

Today’s Creator Spotlight 👉 Rachel Dillon

Tweets from The Intern

Ask the Editor

Q - I've been making TikToks for awhile but want to take my content up a notch. Any tips? - Steph

Hey Steph,

At TAS we always talk about how you only need your phone to make content. And it's true!

But in saying that, a lot of people mess up the audio. And the audio is actually super important in getting people to engage with your content. Because if the audio is terrible, no one is going to watch it.

So if you want to invest in some equipment, I'd definitely suggest getting some good mics. You don't need to go all out. Just find something decent.

Making that change alone will make your video quality so much better. Which means more people will want to watch your content!

- Charlotte, Editor ♡