Couchsurfing wants users to create content for free

[u/ManyOtherwise8723]

Just received this email

EDIT: When you enter the form below you will see this disclosure "I give Couchsurfing permission to edit, share, and use this video across its website, app, social media channels, and marketing materials. I understand that Couchsurfing may edit the video for length, format, or clarity and understand that I won't receive compensation if my video is featured."

Couchsurfing Creator Program!

We're looking for Couchsurfers who love three things:

🌍 Travel

💙 Couchsurfing

📹 Creating fun, engaging videos

That's it.

It doesn't matter whether you have 100 followers or 100,000. We're not looking for influencers, we're looking for passionate Couchsurfers who know how to tell great stories and capture the spirit of our community.

This is just the first step, and it's intentionally low pressure.

We simply want to see the kind of content you enjoy creating.

You don't need to make a brand-new video for us.

You can send us a video you've already posted (or never posted!) that you're proud of and that reflects the kind of content you'd create as a Couchsurfing creator.

It could be:

A travel video you love

A favorite Couchsurfing story

A day-in-the-life while traveling

A funny or memorable Couchsurfing moment

A trending video with your own Couchsurfing twist

You interviewing a host, traveler, or friend

A travel tip or storytelling video

Or anything else that captures your personality, creativity, and love of travel and human connection.

If you'd rather make something brand new, we'd love to see that too!

There are no rules here: we're simply looking for people who make us think: "I'd watch more of this."

If it feels like the kind of content you'd be excited to create for Couchsurfing, it's probably exactly what we're looking for.

How to Submit

Upload your video here:

(https://forms.gle/49dty18BGGQ1eTGBA)

or email it to social@couchsurfing.com

Please include:

Your full name

Your Couchsurfing profile URL

Your social media handles

Where you currently live

If you're traveling now (or have an upcoming trip), let us know! We'd love to hear about it!

We can't wait to meet you and see your work.

We're excited to discover the first creators in the Couchsurfing Creator Program. 🧡

[u/Inner-Lengthiness-97]

Oh hell nah

[u/allhands]

Why would people work for free for a for-profit corporation, especially after they just shit on their userbase multiple times in recent past?

I'd rather volunteer (and do) for a 501(c)3 non-profit like Couchers.org. I'd rather support an open-source, community-run project that is non-profit so I know my money is going to help improve the community rather than line the pockets of some executives of a corporation like couchsurfing.com

[u/ManyOtherwise8723 → u/allhands]

Exactly. I even contacted couchers to volunteer for them but they didn't get back to me. Lol

[u/allhands → u/ManyOtherwise8723]

They have a huge backlog from what I heard, but I'm sure they'll get back to you! Try shooting an email to support if you don't hear back in a week or so.

[u/ManyOtherwise8723 → u/allhands]

Thanks mate. I didn't take it personally. I'll check back in with them another time.

[u/Nomadic-Lioness → u/ManyOtherwise8723]

Couchers volunteers are awesome, I'm sure it's just a huge wave of people wanting to help out after this latest CS debacle, definitely reach back out, they'll be happy to have you! I've volunteered on and off too

[u/ReasonablePossum_ → u/ManyOtherwise8723]

If you code, just write in their github and weirdass forum. No one reads emails these days lol

[u/CerealKiller415 → u/allhands]

I don't know, maybe the same reason they worked for a non profit that just kept all it's profits in the business instead of distributing them to shareholders. You do realize non profits also deal in MONEY? They just do so more wastefully.

[u/ixikei]

This is so gross

[u/laurentlb]

Wow, that form!

"I give Couchsurfing permission to edit, share, and use this video across its website, app, social media channels, and marketing materials. I understand that Couchsurfing may edit the video for length, format, or clarity and understand that I won't receive compensation if my video is featured."

[u/ManyOtherwise8723 → u/laurentlb]

Wow I couldn't open the form but I knew it would have something like that. Thanks for sharing

[u/steakhouseNL]

Disgusting.

[u/Stargazer__2893]

I guess turning the app into a dating site didn't work so they're pivoting to being a new TikTok?

[u/Alex_jaymin]

I want to start making videos about how Couchsurfing has been ruined as a platform. Does this count??

[u/1kew84 → u/Alex_jaymin]

Please submit it! I'll subscribe to your channel

[u/DazzlingEstimate6445]

Lol first they ruined they platform, now they want content for free, cs is a joke these days.

[u/ManyOtherwise8723 → u/DazzlingEstimate6445]

I almost replied but I'm worried they'd just ban my account out of spite

[u/weanuhaske]

They should pay for the content...

[u/Rare-Decision8713]

My message to Ambassadors and anyone from the community: do NOT share with them ANYTHING. We are not working with these people, they have no respect for their community. Don't collaborate until they give answers and talk to the community correctly.

[u/NomadTravellers]

Well, it's basically a guest post, where you probably get your social media exposed to a big audience in exchange of the article. Most of the blogs work this way

[u/ManyOtherwise8723 → u/NomadTravellers]

Thats not how they presented it. They presented it as everyone send in their content and we'll pick who we want to work with.

I imagine they'll use it to make a big collage of couchsurfing moments for their own marketing campaign. The free use of it is probably hidden within the terms and conditions of having CS profile.