Social Media
Annals of Communications
How Elon Musk Could Affect the 2024 Election
The personal politics of Twitter’s owner wouldn’t matter so much if he hadn’t also demonstrated an extraordinary capacity for pettiness.
Our Columnists
Tucker Carlson Is Sort of Back
The former Fox host is embracing his new outsider status with “Tucker on Twitter.”
Culture Desk
David Choe’s Fans Want to Follow Him to a World Beyond Conformity
He cultivated an online community dedicated to surrendering control. He’s the artist; they’re his art.
Daily Comment
Congress Really Wants to Regulate A.I., but No One Seems to Know How
Yet another hearing—this one with OpenAI’s Sam Altman—has come after a new technology with the possibility to fundamentally alter our lives is already in circulation.
Our Local Correspondents
A Club for the Cancelled
Inside a monthly New York City hangout, where fired university professors and controversial TikTokers get together to have discussions they feel they can’t have anywhere else.
Our Columnists
What Bluesky Tells Us About the Future of Social Media
The new platform aims to be a decentralized alternative to Twitter. The vibe there is mostly like that of a Portland coffee shop.
Cultural Comment
Desperate to Be Micro-Famous
The satirical film “Sick of Myself” shows the warping effects of social media by way of a character who gives herself a hideous rash.
Our Columnists
Jordan Neely’s Death and a Critical Moment in the Homelessness Crisis
After the homeless young man was killed on the subway, there has been a rare flash of national attention on the issue. Can the outrage be harnessed for actual change?
Annals of Communications
Jonah Peretti Has Regrets About BuzzFeed News
The site’s founder and C.E.O. valued fun and experimentation on the Internet, but never found a way to make “free journalism purpose-built for social media” profitable.
Infinite Scroll
BuzzFeed, Blue Check Marks, and the End of an Internet Era
Just a decade ago, Twitter and BuzzFeed were the popular poles of online life. Now their struggles are emblematic of where social media went wrong.
Infinite Scroll
The Privacy-Minded Social Network at the Center of the Classified-Document Leak
A young National Guardsman posted hundreds of secret government files to a private Discord group. Then they sat there for months unnoticed.
The New Yorker Documentary
Going Public with Plastic Surgery in “You’ll Be Happier”
Daniel Lombroso’s short documentary follows a woman seeking a Brazilian butt-lift and a greater sense of self-love.
Our Columnists
The Case for Banning Children from Social Media
Most people seem to agree that something should be done to protect kids from what sure looks like an addictive product. But almost no one knows what that something is.
Our Columnists
The Particular Misery of College-Admissions TikTok
A common theory of teen unhappiness says that kids these days are under an inordinate amount of pressure to compete. The evidence is all over social media.
Infinite Scroll
The TikTok Hearings Inspired Little Faith in Social Media or in Congress
During five hours of questioning, lawmakers seemed to cast the company as a scapegoat for the sins of all algorithmic platforms.
Daily Shouts
You x Me: Exclusive Partnership Opportunity
Initial deliverables include a soft launch in the first three months, followed by a hard launch. A promotion to pro-creator is also possible.
Daily Shouts
The Art of the Soft Launch
Earnest and heartfelt Instagram announcements are out. Instead, try to be vague and insouciant.
Infinite Scroll
The Supreme Court Probably Won’t Break the Internet—At Least for Now
In Gonzalez v. Google and Twitter v. Taamneh, the Court considers whether the Web’s most foundational law still makes sense.
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The New Yorker Documentary
Elsa Majimbo’s Unfiltered Comedy
In Julia Jansch’s short documentary “Elsa,” the Kenyan comedian opens up about the darker side of becoming a social-media sensation.
Mean Girls
Why Your Favorite Restaurant Stinks
The influencers behind the VIP List, a social-media foodie account that satirizes social-media foodie tropes, put the two-Michelin-star Daniel to the test.