The hottest Social media Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Technology Topics

Baby's first PR crisis

Sasha's 'Newsletter' • 4017 implied HN points • 21 Nov 24
🎭️ Culture Social media
  1. Cancel culture can quickly turn a person's life upside down. It often feels more like bullying than actual justice.
  2. People can change their opinions and turn against someone really fast to fit in or make themselves look better. This back-and-forth can hurt businesses and reputations.
  3. It's important to stick by friends during tough times. Real support means standing strong together, even when facing mob mentality.

How to Get Your Writing Featured on Google and Your Own Google Knowledge Panel

Kristina God's Online Writing Club • 1079 implied HN points • 20 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Social media
  1. Getting a Google Knowledge Panel can help you be recognized as a writer. It acts like an online business card that gives information about you and your work.
  2. Creating a Knowledge Panel is not too hard, but keeping it updated takes effort. You need to actively educate Google about you and your work.
  3. Using different types of content like videos and images can make you more visible. Google looks for people who write and engage in various media.

The 2024 state of social media

Taylor Lorenz's Newsletter • 3732 implied HN points • 18 Dec 24
🎭️ Culture Social media
  1. Social media is now more about fun and learning than personal chats. People want to be entertained as they scroll.
  2. Instagram is the top platform for engaging brand content. Many users love to see brands posting more there.
  3. YouTube is still important, especially for longer videos. Users enjoy in-depth content, even from brands, making it stand out in a world of short clips.
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Democracy dies on Instagram

Taylor Lorenz's Newsletter • 4687 implied HN points • 16 Oct 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Social media
  1. Social media platforms like Meta's Instagram are limiting discussions about voting and elections. This can make it harder for people to access important information when they need it.
  2. Meta's content moderation is affecting political conversations and public awareness. Their choices may keep people uninformed and less likely to participate in elections.
  3. One in five Americans get their news from Instagram, showing how important this platform is for sharing information. If political content is downplayed, it could really change how people engage with their communities.

The Algorithm Next Door

After Babel • 1096 implied HN points • 31 Jul 25
🕹 Technology Social media
  1. Social media platforms like Nextdoor can create fear in communities, making people feel unsafe and distrustful of their neighbors. Instead of bringing people together, they often highlight negative events that amplify anxiety.
  2. This fear can lead to children not being allowed to explore their neighborhoods freely, impacting their independence and social skills. Parents often feel compelled to keep their kids indoors because of the scary stories they see online.
  3. There are better ways to create community connections online that foster trust and safety. Platforms like Front Porch Forum encourage neighborly interactions without the fear-mongering found in traditional social media.

This Week in Marketing: TikTok is local, Instagram is loco, Discord is locked, and AI is labor

The Social Juice • 39 implied HN points • 15 Feb 26
💼 Business Social media
  1. Social platforms are racing to add new features and revenue streams — think TikTok’s local feed and Shop, X and LinkedIn subscriptions, and Meta/YouTube ad and AI tools driving creator commerce.
  2. Those product pushes are colliding with privacy, safety and legal headaches — Discord’s age checks sparked backlash, Instagram faced scrutiny over youth harm, and Google and Meta are under regulatory and antitrust pressure.
  3. AI is booming in investment and productization, but it’s also intensifying work and creating real risks — studies, botched real‑world uses, fake experts and automation worries show the tradeoffs as companies rush to monetize AI.

The Hidden Financial Market Behind Gen Z Slang

Taylor Lorenz's Newsletter • 1224 implied HN points • 16 Jul 25
🎭️ Culture Social media
  1. Gen Z is using social media to track and invest in trendy slang words like huzz and baddie. They're not just for fun; they see financial opportunities in these terms.
  2. There's a growing financial market connected to online trends and slang. People are trying to find ways to make money by being in the know about what's popular.
  3. This trend shows how language and culture can impact finances. Understanding popular slang might actually help people make smarter investment choices.

Do content creators need managers?

Taylor Lorenz's Newsletter • 1164 implied HN points • 23 Jul 25
💼 Business Social media
  1. Content creators are questioning the need for managers. Some creators, like MrBeast and Charli D'Amelio, have chosen to handle their business operations themselves instead of relying on management companies.
  2. A manager named Zack Honarvar believes creators should work with creative partners instead of traditional managers. His new company aims to help creators pitch ideas and collaborate in building their brands.
  3. YouTube is becoming more like traditional TV, with more viewers watching it on bigger screens. This means creators need to think about their channels as networks with various series they can pitch to brands.

Seven Predictions For Tech in 2024

Big Technology • 9632 implied HN points • 22 Dec 23
🕹 Technology Social media
  1. Generative AI will advance in 2024 with new capabilities like better conversation retention and reasoning.
  2. The year 2024 is predicted to be significant for mixed reality advancements, integrating AI avatars and assistants.
  3. Tech industry forecasts include Elon Musk selling X, Meta's market cap reaching $1 trillion, and NVIDIA facing increased competition.

From Anxiety to Animosity: How Social Media Damages Relationships

After Babel • 2854 implied HN points • 03 Feb 25
🎭️ Culture Social media
  1. Social media can actually make our relationships weaker instead of stronger. When we communicate too much and too quickly, it can lead to misunderstandings and conflicts.
  2. Building real friendships takes time and careful communication. If we rush this process or share too much online, it can damage the trust that's needed for deeper connections.
  3. While social media can help us connect with people and find communities, it can also make us feel overwhelmed and stressed. Spending more time on face-to-face conversations might be a better way to strengthen our bonds.

Where Did TikTok Come From?

The Honest Broker • 7879 implied HN points • 15 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Social media
  1. TikTok's success can be attributed to a strategic focus on teens as the main users of the platform, creating a significant legal and social impact.
  2. Zhang Yiming, founder of TikTok, capitalized on the algorithm's power over user control to pave the way for the platform's global success.
  3. TikTok's uniqueness lies in its outsider status in China, where a similar app exists, showcasing its worldwide appeal and massive user base.

Let's check in on MrBeast

Taylor Lorenz's Newsletter • 3732 implied HN points • 26 Nov 24
🎭️ Culture Social media
  1. MrBeast, a huge YouTuber, is facing a lot of controversies that could hurt his career. Allegations about his team and business practices have made people question his character.
  2. He’s trying to fix his public image by doing interviews and promoting his new Amazon show. He wants to reassure fans and investors that everything is okay.
  3. The way he handles this situation is important for his future. If he fails, it could change how people see him and affect his many business deals.

Facebook’s Fact-Checkers Changed the Way I See Tech—and Speech—Forever

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 3093 implied HN points • 07 Jan 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Social media
  1. Fact-checking on social media can drastically affect the visibility of certain stories. Sometimes, a story can go viral and then suddenly lose all traction because it's flagged as misinformation.
  2. There are alternative theories about major events, like Covid's origins, that may be dismissed initially but can gain credibility over time. It's important to keep an open mind to different viewpoints.
  3. The way tech companies manage information can shape public discourse and control which narratives are heard. This raises questions about free speech and the power of online platforms.

Storytelling is the new clickbait, can B2B capitalise?

Mehdeeka • 5 implied HN points • 03 Mar 26
💼 Business Social media
  1. New short, personal story formats grab attention by using first-person hooks, cliffhangers, and subtle or late product mentions to drive clicks.
  2. B2B can use storytelling, but only if your customers are actually on those platforms; focus on building an owned, engaged audience and a distinctive brand using platform-native formats.
  3. Don’t chase every trend — audit channels, compare time and budget to results, cut underperformers, and reallocate resources to focused experiments or to hiring/outsourcing so you can do fewer channels well.

A strange set of starter packs

Conspirador Norteño • 40 implied HN points • 14 Feb 26
🕹 Technology Social media
  1. An obscure Bluesky account created dozens of themed starter packs—most within an hour—including a “Tech News” pack whose addition matched a sudden surge of new follows to about 27 tech reporters and outlets in October 2025.
  2. Many of the new followers were low-quality or fake accounts: newly created, with few or no posts, plagiarized profile photos, identical link spam, and posts advertising account sales or obvious scams.
  3. The spam followers likely come from multiple operators rather than one single network, and the starter packs appear to have been used or abused to drive bulk follows and scam-related activity on the platform.

Suzy Weiss: The Internet Ruined Their Lives. Now, They’re Back.

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 862 implied HN points • 16 Aug 25
🎭️ Culture Social media
  1. Cancel culture can deeply impact individuals, leading to public shame and feeling ostracized. It often serves as a warning to others to conform or risk similar treatment.
  2. Being canceled can sometimes be liberating, allowing individuals to let go of societal expectations and embrace their true selves. It might lead to a feeling of freedom from the fear of public opinion.
  3. Experiencing online backlash can be brutal, likened to social death, where the affected person feels isolated and attacked by the larger community.

who are you (hoo hoo)???

Both Are True • 118 implied HN points • 05 Jan 26
🎭️ Culture Social media
  1. Say hi and connect — everyone is invited to introduce themselves and join the community in the comments.
  2. Be real and spontaneous — embrace questions, oddness, and unpolished ideas instead of polished brand messaging.
  3. Celebrate change and play — treat the new year and the shifting online neighborhood with humor, curiosity, and togetherness.

Climate Newspeak

Doomberg • 7656 implied HN points • 04 Mar 24
🌍 World Politics Social media
  1. Energy policy dissenters may face accusations of hate crimes.
  2. Proposed laws targeting positive speech about fossil fuels raise concerns about free speech limitations.
  3. The labeling of opposing views on energy policy as 'digital hate' may normalize censorship.

This Week in Marketing: Social Media Addiction vs. Human-Free Social Media and AI Layoffs

The Social Juice • 63 implied HN points • 01 Feb 26
💼 Business Social media
  1. Social platforms are in flux as users, creators and advertisers react to trust, moderation and product changes — some people are ditching apps like TikTok while new, AI‑only social networks and 'desocialized' feeds emerge.
  2. AI is reshaping media and jobs: companies are pouring money into agentic tools and ad tech even as some firms cut roles and many new AI startups and features debut, with uneven product success.
  3. Safety, legal and privacy pressures are rising as regulators, courts and publishers push back — youth addiction trials, encryption and data investigations, deepfakes and mass breaches are driving demands for controls and opt‑outs.

Pivot to Video!

Brad DeLong's Grasping Reality • 184 implied HN points • 15 Dec 25
🎭️ Culture Social media
  1. Text is still where ideas are born and sharpened, but video is now the better way to spread those ideas and get discovered by a wider audience.
  2. To have influence you need a workflow that does both: keep writing long-form while turning ideas into audio and short-form video, including making podcasts into video where useful.
  3. Start experimenting with formats, lengths, platforms, and tools now — use TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube to reach people without abandoning careful, text-driven thinking.

Open Thread 365

Astral Codex Ten • 2890 implied HN points • 20 Jan 25
🎭️ Culture Social media
  1. You can participate in discussions on various topics in the open thread. Feel free to ask questions or share ideas.
  2. There is a remote job opportunity for contractors in AI-related fields with flexible hours. You can earn $100 per hour while helping measure performance between AI and humans.
  3. Additional comments and discussions are available on a range of topics including national IQ, political party systems, and cultural insights. It's a chance to learn from different perspectives.

The '#1 restaurant in Austin' doesn't exist

Taylor Lorenz's Newsletter • 4120 implied HN points • 14 Oct 24
🍲 Food & Drink Social media
  1. The '#1 restaurant in Austin' is actually fake and only exists on social media. People are liking and sharing photos of food that was created by artificial intelligence.
  2. Many restaurants now use AI to produce realistic food images, making it hard to tell what's real and what's not. This trend makes people more likely to believe that outlandish food items are real.
  3. The rise of AI-generated food content is blending with real food culture, leading to a situation where it’s tough to distinguish genuine culinary offerings from those that are just for social media attention.

Arguing with bots

Austin Kleon • 2118 implied HN points • 26 Sep 23
🎭️ Culture Social media
  1. People often get upset about things online that aren't true. In one case, people thought they were angry at a famous author but were really just mad at a fake account.
  2. It's easy to fall for misleading quotes. Even I made that mistake without checking the original context first.
  3. Social media can often showcase poor writing. It might be better to focus on reading good stuff instead of engaging with low-quality content.

Going viral sucks (even more) now

Embedded • 2103 implied HN points • 24 Jul 23
🎭️ Culture Social media
  1. Going viral on social media can be overwhelming and invite negative comments from strangers.
  2. Social media algorithms are pushing creators to reach a wider audience, sometimes at the expense of their mental health.
  3. Apps prioritizing reaching strangers over engaging with followers can make social media use traumatizing.

The woman behind the viral Texas breakup speaks

Taylor Lorenz's Newsletter • 3941 implied HN points • 23 Oct 24
🎭️ Culture Social media
  1. A musician named Jillian Lavin shared her painful breakup story, where she moved to Texas for her boyfriend, who later ended things with a note. Her video went viral, sparking lots of reactions online.
  2. Different social media platforms reacted differently to Lavin's story. People on Twitter were harsher, while those on Instagram showed more compassion and understanding.
  3. Lavin expressed that despite her viral fame, she'd give it up to be back with her ex-boyfriend, highlighting the emotional toll of the breakup and the public's reaction.

An influencer is suing another influencer for copying her aesthetic. Can she win?

Taylor Lorenz's Newsletter • 3463 implied HN points • 27 Nov 24
🎭️ Culture Social media
  1. An influencer is suing another influencer for copying her style and content. This case could change how online creators protect their unique aesthetics.
  2. The lawsuit raises questions about whether copying someone's visual vibe should be legally protected. Many experts think the original influencer's claim may not hold up in court.
  3. Similarities among creators are common online, but some influencers are frustrated with others who imitate their content too closely. This case could impact how influencers navigate creative boundaries.

Elon Musk the dadfluencer + The female creator safety tax

Taylor Lorenz's Newsletter • 2508 implied HN points • 14 Feb 25
🎭️ Culture Social media
  1. Elon Musk is trying to change how people see him by showing himself as a caring dad. He brings his son to public events to create a more relatable image.
  2. Female creators face higher safety costs than male creators, often needing to spend a lot of money to protect themselves from threats like doxxing and stalking.
  3. Spotify's influence on music has changed how artists create and how listeners enjoy music. The platform's algorithms have reshaped music production and industry dynamics.

The Person Behind @Elmo

Link in Bio • 1159 implied HN points • 18 Jan 24
🎭️ Culture Social media
  1. Social media managers speak on behalf of brands and have guidelines for maintaining the brand's voice.
  2. The social strategy for managing accounts like Elmo's involves maintaining the character while engaging with fans in a relatable and joyful manner.
  3. Creating social-first content for platforms like Instagram involves brainstorming, finalizing content, and working with production to bring concepts to life.

The European Commission slaps Elon Musk's X with a €120 million fine – the first ever under the Digital Services Act

eugyppius: a plague chronicle • 221 implied HN points • 09 Dec 25
🕹 Technology Social media
  1. The European Commission fined X €120 million under the Digital Services Act for deceptive blue-check design, insufficient advertising transparency, and denying researchers access to public data.
  2. U.S. politicians and X's leadership publicly condemned the fine as regulatory overreach and an attack on American tech, prompting strong political backlash.
  3. X may challenge the decision in court, and critics say strict DSA enforcement could hurt innovation, make Europe less competitive, and complicate online speech and business for platforms.

Algorithms are making political speech more extreme

Taylor Lorenz's Newsletter • 3582 implied HN points • 09 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Social media
  1. Algorithms are changing how politicians speak. They now exaggerate and hyperbolize to get more likes and shares, which can lead to more extreme views.
  2. Social media has replaced traditional broadcasting, making it harder for politicians to reach their audience directly. Now, they must adapt their messages for platforms that promote viral content.
  3. Facial recognition technology is increasingly used by governments to track and suppress protesters. This makes it riskier for people to express dissent, as they can be easily identified and punished.

UPDATE: Missouri v. Biden, Part 3, by Tracy Beanz

Human Flourishing • 1985 implied HN points • 29 May 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Social media
  1. In Missouri v. Biden case, the judge referenced Orwell's 1984, highlighting similarities to current censorship issues.
  2. The White House pressured social media companies to remove content, including that of vaccine-injured individuals sharing their stories.
  3. Social media companies complied with government demands for censorship, impacting discussions on personal rights and mistrust in institutions.

KD Burner Gate

House of Strauss • 31 implied HN points • 17 Feb 26
🎾 Sports Social media
  1. Leaked messages tied to a Kevin Durant burner account reportedly insulted teammates and other high-profile figures, sparking a public scandal.
  2. Durant seems to favor being candid and keeping only a slight buffer between his private thoughts and the public, rather than strict secrecy.
  3. Media and NBA insiders reacted strongly and assume there’s some truth to the leaks, which raises awkward questions about team chemistry and trust.

Radical Honesty Has Come for the Boob Job

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 1029 implied HN points • 07 Jul 25
🎭️ Culture Social media
  1. People are becoming more open about plastic surgery, moving away from old habits of denying enhancements. It’s more common now for celebrities to be transparent about their procedures.
  2. Kylie Jenner, for example, used to deny having surgery, but now she openly shares details about her breast implants. This shows a shift in how society views body modifications.
  3. The conversation around body image is evolving, with many now favoring honesty and transparency over secrecy, highlighting a changing attitude towards beauty standards.

The end of optimization

The Future, Now and Then • 198 implied HN points • 09 Dec 25
🕹 Technology Social media
  1. Big tech used to treat optimization as the core task, using data and engagement to constantly make products better. That era of relentless improvement has ended.
  2. Platforms now tolerate degraded user experiences in pursuit of profit and dominance — a shift called enshittification — and high-profile moves like Elon’s changes at Twitter helped prove owners can cut quality without losing control.
  3. The turn toward enshittification was driven by factors like runaway valuations, crypto and speculative hype, weakened regulation, and billionaire incentives; it probably won’t last forever and may end with a market or AI bubble collapse, but what comes next is uncertain.