BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//InvisionCommunity Events 5.0.18//EN METHOD:PUBLISH CALSCALE:GREGORIAN REFRESH-INTERVAL:PT15M X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT15M X-WR-CALNAME:RMCommunityCalendar NAME:RMCommunityCalendar BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:Europe/London TZURL:https://tzurl.org/zoneinfo/Europe/London X-LIC-LOCATION:Europe/London BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:+0000 TZOFFSETTO:+0100 TZNAME:BST DTSTART:20260329T020000Z RRULE:FREQ=YEARLY;BYMONTH=3;BYDAY=-1SU END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+0100 TZOFFSETTO:+0000 TZNAME:GMT DTSTART:20261025T020000Z RRULE:FREQ=YEARLY;BYMONTH=10;BYDAY=-1SU END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Economic Corner 33 01/29/2026 DTSTAMP:20260129T161751Z SEQUENCE:0 UID:637-7-c3fe8195a3dde498d013e477e2142422@aalbc.com ORGANIZER;CN="richardmurray":noreply@aalbc.com DESCRIPTION:\n MY PROSE BEFORE THE ARTICLE IN QUESTION\n\n\n\n When I th ink about what I read from @Troy the owner of AALBC and then from Wannaby the CEO of Deviantart. I realize the assessment of websites has an intere sting history. First\, what is speculation. Speculation is a thing that lo oks. In finance this doesn't mean even financial assessment\, it means tho se with the power to rate or rank different items in the market place deci de on their own agendas what has value or not. The Website formerly called Twitter(TWFCT - pronounced twofist)\, has the largest expanse of small te xt blocks\, of any website. but does it really make any money? Deviantart is speculated at less value than TWFCT but is it really? I am on TWFCT as well as Deviantart and if I am blunt\, TWFCT has no value. 99.99% of the c ontent of TWFCT is trash\, daily ramblings that are usually repeats. While Deviantart is mostly art: photographs of sewing-crotchet-sculpture-cospla y -and many other physical craft /screenplays/poems/photographic arts[blac k and white or color]/fractal art. Deviantart for me is one of the few web sites i actually enjoy for itself. Twitter's strength is the volume of use rs\,like tiktok\, like facebook and other members of the meta clan of webs ites. But very little quality in their posts. But the speculators for webs ites don't bother with post quality\, they bother with volume of users. \ n\n\n\n If my experience getting others to create has an result\, it is ho w hard it is to get people to create. People can complain/bitch/argue/yell through the internet easily. That is done a lot and treated as natural or positive in most places online. But getting people to actually create\, u se their imagination. Build something with more than just their pulpit pas sions is very challenging\, in my experience. So... I end my prose saying to all to assess the quality of where you are online. Yes\, the fiscal env ironment allows for fiscal assessment of websites to be dysfunctional or i mbalanced because it has no rules. Like with the evaluation of stocks and many other things\, the speculators are not presenting a balanced fiscal t ruth but an agenda driven scenario to keep wealth or value in certain spac es or ways. It is that simple. \n\n\n\n  \n\n\n\n Citation \n\n\n\n htt ps://www.deviantart.com/wannabby/journal/Transformation-complete-NEW-growt h-level-unlocked-1291193085\n\n\n\n THOUGHTS FROM THE CEO OF DEVIANTART\n\ n\n\n  \n\n\n\n DeviantArt turned 25 this past year and celebrated over 1 00 million registered users. To be precise we’re approaching 110 million users!\n\n\n\n  \n\n\n\n That is no small feat for an online art communi ty founded in 2000\, born on the early web\, predating Facebook\, Reddit\, and other social networks\, and stubbornly remaining the devious nexus of the internet for artists and art lovers from all walks of life and places .\n\n\n\n  \n\n\n\n It hasn’t always been a smooth ride\, and we’ve f aced our fair share of challenges along the way. But as we celebrate our q uarter century and step into the next phase of our journey\, I can proudly say that DeviantArt is more alive and vibrant than ever before.\n\n\n\n  \n\n\n\n I joined the company nine years ago following the Wix acquisiti on - first as COO\, and for the last four years as CEO. I want to share a bit about where we started and how we’re doing today\, especially for th ose who might’ve seen commentary about DeviantArt from people reacting f rom a distance\, rather than from experience.\n\n \n\n  \n\n\n\n “But\, someone on the internet said that DeviantArt is… dying.”\n\n\n\n \n It’s a convenient web troll narrative. It’s also dead wrong.\n \n\n \n\n Let’s address this ridiculous nonsense once and for all. There has been no “downfall of DeviantArt\,” nor any mass exodus. Quite the oppo site\; today\, the community is larger than ever. \n\n\n\n Around the tim e of the Wix acquisition\, we had roughly 36 million registered users. Now \, we’re approaching 110 million - more than 3X growth in our user base. Let that sink in.\n\n\n\n As we wrap up our 25th year\, let me be abundan tly clear:\n\n\n\n  \n\n\n\n \n DeviantArt hasn’t just survived. Devia ntArt is growing faster and more deliberately than we have in a long\, lon g time. \n \n\n\n\n After years of rebuilding\, we have officially complet ed a full transformation: of network\, product\, and business.\n\n\n\n  \ n\n\n\n As you may have figured out by now\, I’m not going to sugarcoat anything in this post. I’m planting a freaking huge flag at the top of t he peak we’ve climbed.\n\n \n\n And the best part? The story is just sta rting.\n\n\n\n  \n\n\n\n First\, the hard truth: The network DID declin e… for too many years\n\n\n\n For a long stretch in the 2010s\, DeviantA rt wasn’t growing the way it should have.\n\n The decline wasn’t a sin gle “exodus” moment where everyone left overnight. It was more like a slow bleed: daily network signals gradually trending down\, year after yea r\, after year. \n\n\n\n  \n\n\n\n Here’s what that looked like in our core network signals from 2013 to 2019:\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n\n\n  \n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n\n\n (Network decline: Daily Unique Watcher s and Favers\, Jan 2013–Jun 2019)\n\n\n\n  \n\n\n\n Alongside the decli ning network\, our business model wasn’t anything to brag about either. Most of the business revenue came from third-party ads\, essentially “re nting out” creators’ art to earn pennies on ad clicks that ultimately just sent users off the platform and worsened the bleed.  \n\n\n\n  \n\ n\n\n That period matters because it sets the context for what comes next: \n\n We weren’t dealing with a community that disappeared. We were deali ng with a platform that needed rebuilding - technically\, product-wise\, a nd strategically - so that the community could thrive again.\n\n\n\n  \n\ n\n\n 2017-2025: Nine years of rebuilding\, in three phases\n\n\n\n Phase 1: Stop the bleeding (2017-2019)\n\n\n\n With the Wix acquisition of Devia ntArt\, a new era began. The priority was blunt and urgent: stabilize\, mo dernize\, and reverse the decline. That’s what drove Eclipse: a new core experience\, stronger foundations\, and a push to make DeviantArt feel re levant and usable again. \n\n\n\n  \n\n\n\n And yes\, some people still miss the old “dA.” But nostalgia isn’t a strategy\, and it definitel y doesn’t scale. The platform was outdated\, suffering from a lack of in novation and investment that held the network back.\n\n\n\n \n Like it or not\, DeviantArt Eclipse is what kicked off the network turnaround and re growth. \n \n\n\n\n Of course\, no platform is perfect. We're realistic t hat Eclipse had its issues\, and we've spent the years since relentlessly correcting mistakes and iterating based on community feedback.\n\n\n\n  \ n\n\n\n Phase 2: Rebuild the network (2019-2023)\n\n\n\n After Eclipse lau nched\, we iterated relentlessly. Product and UX improvements\, alongside continued significant engineering and ML infra investment\, helped pull en gagement back up. \n\n\n\n  \n\n\n\n A new generation of creators and ar t lovers found their home on DeviantArt. Starting in 2019\, daily active u sers on DeviantArt began climbing steadily\, and core network signals (inc luding submissions\, watches\, comments\, and faves) shifted into consiste nt\, sustained growth. And finally\, in 2023\, we completely removed third -party ads from the platform. \n\n\n\n  \n\n\n\n Remember those same cor e signals that declined for years? After all our blood\, sweat\, and tears \, they turned - and by the end of 2025\, fundamental engagement actions l ike “Watch” (following a creator) and “Fave” activity aren’t onl y back\; they’re trending up with sustained momentum.\n\n\n\n  \n\n\n\n This is the part that matters for anyone who thinks “DA is dying”:\n\ n\n\n  \n\n\n\n A dying platform doesn’t steadily climb in the fundamen tals of a creator network. A dying platform doesn’t rebuild trust with l ong-time members while becoming appealing to a whole new generation.\n\n\n \n  \n\n\n\n That’s exactly what we did with DeviantArt.\n\n\n\n  \n\n \n\n \n From June 2019 to December 2025\, DeviantArt saw a 4X increase in Daily Unique Watchers\, and a 2.5X increase in Daily Unique Favers.\n \n\ n\n\n  \n\n\n\n And here’s the full arc: down (2013-2019)\, then back u p\, and now building unstoppable momentum.\n\n\n\n  \n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n\n\n  \n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n\n\n (DeviantArt Network Growt h: Daily Unique Watchers and Favers\, Jan 2013–Dec 2025)\n\n\n\n  \n\n\ n\n Phase 3: Monetization becomes an engine (2023-2025)\n\n\n\n Over the l ast two and half years\, we did something that has changed the trajectory of the platform.\n\n\n\n  \n\n\n\n We stopped treating creators' monetiza tion as a side-set of isolated features and started treating it as a core part of DeviantArt’s value proposition: building a real creator economy powered by a true creative network. That shift went hand-in-hand with the decision we made back in 2023 to remove ads completely. Instead of promoti ng advertisers\, we decided to promote our monetizing creators.\n\n\n\n   \n\n\n\n Seems obvious now\, but when you generate billions of page views monthly and need to pay expensive AWS bills\, quick ad money isn’t easil y let go.\n\n\n\n  \n\n\n\n Make no mistake. It has been one of the best decisions we’ve ever made: tying our success as a company to the success of our users.\n\n\n\n \n Today\, DeviantArt makes money when our artists make money. \n \n\n\n\n  \n\n\n\n While the IGs and TikToks of the worl d are still chasing ad clicks and selling your data\, we're betting on our artists\, the way a true creative network should.\n\n There’s not a sin gle day I look at the platform and don’t think\, “Good riddance to f*c king ads!”\n\n  \n\n\n\n Helping creators succeed is a much better focu s and mission\, and one that we are very proud of as a company.\n\n\n\n   \n\n\n\n Monetization: We didn’t just experiment\, we proved the model.\ n\n\n\n  \n\n\n\n This 25-year anniversary is a symbolic moment\, but the transformation is measurable.\n\n\n\n We proved that creator monetization works\, not as a side feature\, but as an engine. We moved from “this s hould work someday” to “this works now\,” with real\, sustained grow th behind it.\n\n\n\n  \n\n\n\n \n In 2025\, creators sold over $23 mill ion on DeviantArt\, 11X more than in 2022.\n \n\n \n  \n \n\n \n In fac t\, in 2025\, creators sold more on DeviantArt than they did in the previo us FIVE years combined! \n \n\n\n\n  \n\n\n\n And the most important par t is what it signifies: DeviantArt is no longer rebuilding just to become sustainable. We’re scaling from a foundation that works\, a foundation t hat’s rock solid.\n\n\n\n  \n\n\n\n  \n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n\n\n (DeviantArt Creator Sales\, 2020–2025)\n\n\n\n  \n\n\n\n The final ele phant in the room: Let’s talk AI art\n\n\n\n DeviantArt was founded as a home for digital creators\, deviants of traditional art\, back when digit al tools were still controversial and digital art was not considered “re al art.” Since then\, we’ve always been a home to all creators and all types of art\, and we’re not about to change that now.\n\n\n\n  \n\n\n \n Over the last few years\, AI technology became available worldwide. In 2022\, we were one of the first major platforms to embrace AI-generated ar t.\n\n\n\n \n This was a deliberate choice\, made with the conviction tha t it would expand access to creativity\, welcome new types of creators\, a nd become a vital tool for the next generation of artists. \n \n\n\n\n   \n\n\n\n But we didn't stop there. We were proactive in establishing neces sary standards. We introduced clear directives and community guidelines\, starting with tagging of AI art for transparency\, empowering our users to control what they consume and to curate their experience. These early act ions set a benchmark\, and many other platforms have followed.\n\n\n\n Boy \, we got A LOT of heat. But\, we were also 100% right. Since then\, we ha ve been seeing waves of new creators leveraging this tech and co-existing with traditional digital artists\, and the lines between them are starting to blur.  \n\n\n\n \n\n We have no plans to stop and will continue to c hampion all our creators\, whatever tools or tech they use in their creati ve process (obviously as long as they abide by our policy and the law).\n\ n\n\n  \n\n\n\n It’s in our name. We are home to all deviants and all a rt: every style\, genre\, and creator\n\n  \n\n\n\n DeviantArt has long b een one of the world’s largest creative communities\, and we’ve always been proud of the range of art our creators make here. You’ll find the classic pillars of digital creativity - photography\, illustration\, pain ting\, design\, fan art\, comics\, and concept art - as well as the more d evious corners of the art world: manga\, cosplay\, kinky\, and mature artw ork.\n\n\n\n  \n\n\n\n There’s a saying: “We’re not everyone’s cu p of tea\, we’re the champagne.” But the truth about DeviantArt is dif ferent: we’re the tea and the champagne - and yes\, the milkshake\, matc ha\, and tequila too. You get it\, right? Name your drink\, DeviantArt has got it. A full-spectrum home for creators across every style\, genre\, an d vibe. \n\n\n\n  \n\n\n\n What do I mean by full spectrum?\n\n\n\n \n In 2025 alone\, creators submitted close to 100 million deviations across approximately 150 genres and major categories. \n \n\n\n\n These pieces we re tagged with over 3.8 million different tags\, a testament to the incred ible breadth of creativity on the platform.\n\n\n\n  \n\n\n\n We don’t hide that spectrum. We celebrate it. Because creativity isn’t one aesthe tic\, one culture\, or one comfort zone. And for anyone trying to reduce D eviantArt to a single label: that says more about their lens than about th e platform. \n\n\n\n  \n\n\n\n \n Running a massive UGC platform at sca le comes with its challenges. \n \n\n\n\n We’re also realistic about wha t it means to operate a massive UGC network at global scale. When you host millions of creators and billions of interactions\, you inherit the same challenges every major platform faces: content moderation edge cases\, bad actors\, spam\, scams\, and occasional fraud. \n\n\n\n  \n\n\n\n In a w ay\, it’s an unfortunate byproduct of success: growth attracts more crea tivity\, but it also attracts more bad actors attempting to exploit the sy stem.\n\n\n\n  \n\n\n\n We don’t pretend those issues don’t exist. We see them\, we measure them\, and we’re relentless about eliminating the m - improving detection\, tightening enforcement\, and investing in the sy stems and teams that keep DeviantArt safe\, fair\, and creator-first.\n\n\ n\n  \n\n\n\n So deviants\, if you’ve been away\, consider this your in vitation back home. \n\n\n\n DeviantArt has always been more than a galle ry. It’s a living network\, a place where creation\, discovery\, and bel onging collide.\n\n\n\n  \n\n\n\n So whether you joined last week or in 2 003: submit a piece\, watch an artist you admire\, leave a thoughtful comm ent\, or add something you love to a collection. And if you’re one of th ose people who occasionally thinks\, “I should log in to my DA profile a gain sometime” - do it. Make it this week!\n\n\n\n \n The network i sn’t “coming back.” It already has. \n\n BIG time!\n \n\n\n\n Afte r 25 years\, the party is on\, and you’re welcome to join.\n\n\n\n  \n\ n\n\n 2026: We’re not slowing down\, we’re scaling\n\n\n\n After years of foundational work\, and after proving both the network momentum and th e creator economy\, we’re entering a new phase with no constraints.\n\n\ n\n  \n\n\n\n We’ve leveled up and are ready for this stage. Now it’s about scaling on all fronts.\n\n\n\n  \n\n\n\n You’ll see us keep push ing the network forward\, growing the creator economy\, and compounding th e value of what’s already working.\n\n\n\n  \n\n\n\n And yes\, we have a few surprises coming in 2026.\n\n Not vague “someday” promises\, but tangible actions that will truly expand the canvas for our community\, br eaking down language barriers and enabling new ways for creators to connec t and earn through physical expressions.\n\n\n\n  \n\n\n\n More community . More creation. More ways to grow. More ways to earn.\n\n\n\n Your turn ( I genuinely want your comments on this one)\n\n\n\n \n \n When did you first join DeviantArt?\n \n \n \n \n If you left at some point - what would make you stick this time?\n \n \n \n \n What’s one thing you w ant us to protect at all costs as we grow?\n \n \n\n\n\n \n\n Be devious. Onward and upward.\n\n - Moti\n\n\n\n  \n\n\n\n Cover art by @BisBiswas\ n\n\n\n  \n\n\n\n  \n\n\n\n POST URL\n\n https://aalbc.com/tc/topic/1237 7-a-quality-of-websites/\n\n\n\n  \n\n\n\n PRIOR EDITION\n\n\n\n https:// aalbc.com/tc/events/event/635-economic-corner-32-01282026/\n\n\n\n  \n\n\ n\n  \n\n\n\n NEXT EDITION\n\n https://aalbc.com/tc/events/event/657-econ omic-corner-34-02202026/\n\n\n\n  \n\n DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260129 RRULE:FREQ=YEARLY;INTERVAL=1 END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR