Links I Would Gchat You If We Were Friends

This Substack explores digital culture, internet phenomena, and the impact of technology on daily life, emphasizing themes like privacy, grief, social media trends, AI, wellness culture, consumerism, and personal narratives. It critically reflects on changes in internet use, the commodification of personal life, and the evolving landscape of online interaction.

Digital Culture and Internet Phenomena Technology and Society Mental Health and Wellness AI and Automation Social Media Trends and Impacts Consumer Culture Personal Narratives and Storytelling Internet and Technology Critique Public Health and Misinformation Media and Content Consumption

The hottest Substack posts of Links I Would Gchat You If We Were Friends

And their main takeaways

They're all the rage

0 implied HN points • 06 Feb 15
🕹 Technology Internet Social media AI
  1. There is no such thing as the 'perfect response.' The idea of a perfect response online is just a fantasy.
  2. When dealing with someone's digital legacy, like after they pass away, it can be overwhelming with all the online accounts and information to handle.
  3. Spending a week typing in all caps can be quite off-putting for others, they usually prefer when you stick to normal capitalization.

Wtf?

0 implied HN points • 15 Jan 15
🕹 Technology Social media Books Philosophy
  1. Using social media can actually decrease stress for women, according to a study.
  2. E-readers track how you read, which may be intrusive.
  3. Technology has advanced beyond our understanding, leading to debates about empowerment or enslavement.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

0 implied HN points • 05 Jan 15
🎭️ Culture Internet Media TV Social media Literature
  1. The hidden meaning of the tilde symbol is a mix of sarcasm and self-deprecatory embarrassment.
  2. Rap Genius underwent a transformation by removing the 'rap' aspect while maintaining its ambitious and somewhat bro-y vibe.
  3. Television has evolved significantly from its inception by a young inventor to potentially facing a fate similar to the VCR.

Pretty bizarre

0 implied HN points • 30 Dec 14
🕹 Technology Philosophy Business Workplace Internet Social media
  1. Google has a philosophical advisory council with interesting ideas about digital identity.
  2. Working in an Amazon warehouse during Christmas is described as stressful, exploitative, and lacking yoga breaks.
  3. There is a defense of using AOL email addresses in a Slate article.
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Slow your roll, naysayers

0 implied HN points • 13 Nov 14
🕹 Technology Internet Social media Media Online Dating Space Exploration
  1. Social networks struggle to shut down online abusers like Mateus Prado Sousa, despite evidence of their harm.
  2. Modern media focuses on diving deep with newsletters, podcasts, and explainers rather than traditional journalism.
  3. Online dating now starts offline, changing the approach to connecting with potential partners outside real-life social circles.

Your childhood on acid

0 implied HN points • 30 Oct 14
🎭️ Culture Internet Subcultures Art Pop culture
  1. The nostalgia trend brings back '90s chatrooms as a cool thing again.
  2. There's a dedicated online community for sweepstakes that goes beyond extreme couponing.
  3. An insightful take on the geek community by Arthur Chu regarding the Gamergate issue.

Light as a feather, stiff as a board

0 implied HN points • 29 Oct 14
🕹 Technology Social media Big Data
  1. Consider altering Twitter by changing the character limit to reduce negativity.
  2. Al Jazeera transformed the topic of big data policies into an engaging picture book.
  3. Wikipedia emerged as a reliable source for Ebola information, despite not being a college-essay-worthy source.

Zomg chill out

0 implied HN points • 24 Oct 14
🕹 Technology Internet Robots Video Games
  1. Mindgeek dominates the online porn industry, illustrating economic insights more than just about sex.
  2. Robots are being developed to look, act, and interact like humans, with implications in various fields.
  3. Video games are being explored as a potential therapy for individuals on the autism spectrum.

Come for the Internet crazy

0 implied HN points • 20 Oct 14
🕹 Technology Internet Wearable Tech Social media
  1. Implantable tech like cameras in eyes and computer chips in hands could lead to a cyborg future.
  2. A novelist's personal essay about stalking a critic she suspects is fake is both fascinating and unsettling.
  3. Marcel the Shell on YouTube is considered one of the greatest offerings from the platform.

That ish

0 implied HN points • 03 Oct 14
🎭️ Culture Food & Drink Internet culture Social media
  1. Yelp reviews correlate closely with Michelin Guide ratings for New York restaurants.
  2. A blonde, tattooed girl from Texas became an unexpected symbol of ISIS due to misunderstandings on Twitter.
  3. Digital infidelity is increasingly common in the age of modern relationships, alongside trends like sexting and Facebook official status updates.

R.I.P. society

0 implied HN points • 22 Sep 14
🎭️ Culture Gender Internet Dating Food Technology
  1. Online harassment being framed as a civil rights issue can help change attitudes and behavior.
  2. Charging people to comment on the internet can reduce inflammatory or inappropriate remarks.
  3. Online dating experiences can sometimes lead to unexpected and disappointing encounters.

Holy cannoli

0 implied HN points • 10 Sep 14
🎭️ Culture Technology Business Food & Drink Literature Humor
  1. Younger digital natives are more likely to read books and appreciate offline learning than older generations.
  2. The sharing economy can have a dark side with overworked, underpaid employees lacking job security and benefits.
  3. Americans have a strong love for pumpkin-flavored items, especially pumpkin-flavored beer.

Y'all take heart.

0 implied HN points • 28 Aug 14
🎭️ Culture Fashion Internet culture Social media
  1. A series of viral memes are subtly putting down black women, so be mindful of the language used in memes.
  2. Critiques of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge question the showy nature and the pressure to participate, sparking backlash against viral trends.
  3. The most successful Kickstarter campaign is for a cooler with a blender, showing the power of creative and practical innovations.

Amazeballs

0 implied HN points • 14 Aug 14
🕹 Technology Algorithms Podcasting Smartphones
  1. Algorithms can influence what news we see on social media, affecting our access to information and potentially impacting democracy.
  2. Podcasting has evolved significantly in the past decade, with notable figures reflecting on the changes and impact of the medium.
  3. Smartphones, despite their advanced capabilities, may still have shortcomings in basic functions like organizing contacts.

Gotta shun that Instagram life

0 implied HN points • 12 Aug 14
🎭️ Culture Technology Social Issues Entertainment Internet Social media
  1. Competitive web surfing is a novel sport without physical exertion or high skill requirements, offering real-ish prizes.
  2. The SketchFactor app may reinforce stereotypes, inequalities, and influence personal decisions based on potentially biased data.
  3. The tech industry in Silicon Valley faces issues of drug abuse, with programmers using Adderall to enhance performance as a symptom of larger problems.

#TeamInternet

0 implied HN points • 11 Aug 14
🕹 Technology Social media Cybersecurity Internet culture
  1. Jeremy Hammond, a wanted hacker, was caught because a friend sold him out.
  2. More than half of Americans don't know their neighbors' names due to social and economic factors.
  3. Liking everything on Facebook leads to a polarized newsfeed and annoys friends.

Fun for all!

0 implied HN points • 07 Aug 14
🎭️ Culture Technology Social Trends Media Internet
  1. The internet serves as an auxiliary brain for tasks we used to do ourselves.
  2. Trying to understand and tweet like teenagers on Twitter can be challenging and futile.
  3. There's potential for disruption in the apartment hunting industry beyond Craigslist.

WELP.

0 implied HN points • 21 Jul 14
🕹 Technology Social media Gaming Internet culture Digital Media
  1. Success in conflicts can be influenced by more than firepower; strategic messaging also plays a crucial role.
  2. Weird Al Yankovic's online presence exemplifies an understanding of the digital landscape that many others lack.
  3. Professional video gaming requires strict discipline and comes with its own set of pressures and challenges.

#hagrid2016

0 implied HN points • 10 Jul 14
🎭️ Culture TV Internet Social media Celebrities Relationships
  1. Democratic party set up a digital boot-camp for campaigners with a Harry Potter theme called Hogwarts for digital wizardry.
  2. A dad jokingly made Vine videos of his baby that went viral, leading to unexpected fame, worry, and paparazzi.
  3. Seeking a long-term partner on OkCupid with a high compatibility rating may not always lead to a reassuring outcome.

Let's get vulnerable.

0 implied HN points • 20 Jun 14
🕹 Technology Gaming Cybersecurity Medicine Internet Artificial Intelligence
  1. Visiting America's first video game rehab clinic teaches addicts to reconnect with emotions lost when constantly online.
  2. DDoS attacks, often seen as annoying or criminal, may sometimes be viewed as a form of political protest with deeper implications.
  3. People tend to be more honest and open with virtual humans like computer programs than with human doctors or therapists, impacting healthcare and how we understand human behavior.

Because chipmunks and hot peppers, duh.

0 implied HN points • 17 Jun 14
🕹 Technology Social media Internet Law Tech Innovation Online Communication Cybersecurity
  1. The Supreme Court is tackling the issue of online threats, sparking discussions on the reality of statements made online.
  2. ISIS is effectively using social media for recruitment and to further its agenda, in contrast to the FBI's lackluster understanding of Twitter slang.
  3. The FBI's 83-page Twitter slang handbook highlights its struggles with online language, while ISIS excels in utilizing Twitter for its activities.

Epicness and hell no

0 implied HN points • 13 Jun 14
🎭️ Culture Internet Social media Literature Tech Humor
  1. Recent answers to the New York Times' crossword puzzle included Twitter hashtag, epicness, and hell no, bringing a fresh voice to the section.
  2. Bill Murray, known for his humor and photo-bombing, has a dark side outside of his internet jester persona.
  3. A Wired tech reporter's dystopian view of connected homes raises questions about the future of technology and privacy.

Ferocious hipster snobs

0 implied HN points • 05 Jun 14
🎭️ Culture Social Trends Art Literature
  1. One Direction fan fiction has been read 800 million times, more than the population of the U.S. and Harry Potter book sales.
  2. East Village Radio closed due to popularity leading to budget strains, showing challenges for artists in the Spotify era.
  3. Millennials influenced the wine scene by being ferocious hipster snobs, impacting the U.S. wine culture.

Does this computer make me look fat?

0 implied HN points • 03 Jun 14
🕹 Technology Internet Digital Health Online Culture Social media
  1. The internet is full of wicked things like the creepy character Slender Man, started as an internet meme but turned into a real-life horror story.
  2. Desktop computers, thought to be outdated, surprisingly seem to be making a comeback in the era of cloud computing, showing that tech trends can be unpredictable.
  3. Too much time spent on computers can contribute to weight gain; taking regular breaks from digital screens could help with weight management.

Loaded on Slurpees

0 implied HN points • 30 May 14
🕹 Technology Security Social media Data Management Tech industry
  1. We're all dealing with surveillant anxiety due to the constant fear of our personal data being too revealing of ourselves.
  2. In the manosphere, not everyone is a creep - some tried to talk sense to troubled individuals like Elliot Rodger.
  3. To make digital memories feel more permanent, you can print them out using an industry that turns your online interactions into keepsake books.