After nearly three decades of sharing my artwork on various forms of “social media” under this one name, @aimeetoons will no longer actively post on any social platforms. This is a carefully considered response to the growing invasiveness and impact of AI technology on our digital lives.
For years, social media has been a place to connect with fellow artists, exchange ideas, and share my artwork with people around the world. It’s been a world full of inspiration and friendship. I’ve even connected with some of my personal heroes!
However, the value exchange has shifted dramatically. The flood of influencer scams, AI mimicry, and other spam; not to mention the ways tech corporations have continued to exploit our creativity without compensation while profiting from hatred and misinformation, have raised serious concerns.
Many creators, myself included, are grappling with the reality of AI search functions scraping our artwork and information. While technology has brought us closer in many ways, it has also blurred the lines between public sharing and unrestricted appropriation.
The price of the “Attention Economy” is too high for me. I’m no longer interested in feeding these companies with free labor, nor a direct pipeline to my creative output.
As an artist who values creativity, authenticity, and the integrity of my work, I think that creativity should be appreciated on its own terms, not commodified or exploited for the gains of the elite few. Therefore, I’ve chosen to remove all my artwork from social media platforms.
Moving forward, I’ll be focusing more on providing updates through my official website: aimeestevland.com.
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This way, you’ll be directly connected to me and my work. I typically give updates every few months, unless there’s big news to share.
I’m so grateful for all the support and encouragement over the years. It’s kept me inspired and motivated, especially during tough times.
So, thank you again for being part of my journey. I look forward to staying connected!
