A variety of new platforms have emerged offering “clipping” services for brands, podcasters and other content creators. These platforms allow social media users to earn money by joining campaigns that invite them to take podcasts, interviews or full-length videos and create short, punchy segments (“clips”) — typically a highlight or memorable moment, like an insightful quote or a funny exchange — and post them to TikTok, YouTube Shorts or Instagram. Users are paid per 1,000 views their clips receive, with the hope that one of their edits goes viral.

Interestingly, clippers can earn substantial income even without large followings, since social media algorithms prioritize engagement over follower count. I, for one, now understand why I keep seeing clips from Joe Rogan’s podcast in my Instagram feed despite never having listened to his show or searched for his name.

Clipping has quickly become big business — and everyone stands to gain. From the clipper’s perspective, reports suggest that some are earning $20,000 to $30,000 per month. For creators, these clips effectively turn podcasters, artists and other IP owners into the heads of massive, decentralized promotion teams working tirelessly to propel their content into virality. And, of course, the platforms connecting creators and clippers take their share as well.

It will be fascinating to see how large this ecosystem grows — and how many IP owners will willingly serve up their content to be sliced, diced and remixed by the public. Admittedly, as an advertising, entertainment and IP lawyer, I came from a place where content owners guard their creations carefully, requiring formal licenses, prior approvals and close oversight before anyone could edit or repurpose their work. But it seems that in this new world of the “creatorverse,” that same instinct to keep content under lock and key may now be the very thing that keeps an IP owner's content from going viral.