The hottest Social media Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Technology Topics

I got banned from BlueSky for committing wrongthink

The Dossier • 628 implied HN points • 18 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Free speech Social media Political Activism Censorship Political parties
  1. BlueSky was created to be a platform for free speech, but it has turned into a space for strict censorship and only allows certain political views.
  2. Users can be banned quickly for expressing unpopular opinions, showing that the platform may not truly support diverse ideas.
  3. The experience on BlueSky can be chaotic and filled with extreme viewpoints, making it feel unsafe for those with different beliefs.

Colleen Ballinger’s apology song was the last gasp of old YouTube

Embedded • 1533 implied HN points • 03 Jul 23
🎭️ Culture YouTube Content creation Social media
  1. Colleen Ballinger's apology song on YouTube was criticized for trivializing serious allegations and being dated.
  2. Creators should learn to evolve with the industry to sustain success, beyond just relying on one viral schtick.
  3. Ballinger's response to allegations highlights the importance of adapting to changes in online behavior and audience expectations.

Overthinking Elon Musk

Read Max • 2766 implied HN points • 06 Oct 23
🕹 Technology Social media Tech Ethics Business Strategies Digital Advertising
  1. Elon Musk may be making decisions for Twitter based on private-equity strategies to grow revenue and margins quickly.
  2. Product changes on Twitter, like removing headlines, may be aimed at increasing metrics to attract advertisers rather than harming journalism intentionally.
  3. Many negative changes on Twitter may be due to structural power dynamics and financial pressures rather than Elon Musk's personal ideology.

Group chats, AI girlfriends and algorithmic culture

Links I Would Gchat You If We Were Friends • 838 implied HN points • 22 Jan 24
🎭️ Culture Social media Influencers History Religion Art
  1. Mormon women have had a significant impact on internet culture, particularly through the popularization of products like the Stanley tumbler.
  2. The shift in caffeine consumption among Mormons in 2012 led to the growth of a soda culture, influencing trends like 'dirty sodas' and impacting products like Stanley tumblers.
  3. Mormon women's strong emphasis on family, combined with the openness of the internet, allowed them to become influential mommy bloggers and shape internet content with a focus on lifestyle and family values.
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Experiences Quitting Twitter

Something to Consider • 99 implied HN points • 22 Jul 24
🎭️ Culture Social media Mental health Productivity Personal Growth Lifestyle
  1. Quitting Twitter can be easier than you think. After a short period of craving, you might find more freedom and productivity.
  2. Removing social media entirely might be more effective than just cutting back. It's like going on a strict diet; all or nothing might work better for habits you want to change.
  3. After cutting out Twitter, you might feel an initial sense of anxiety but it can quickly turn into a sense of relief and focus, helping you pursue more meaningful activities.

What happened in marketing: 30 Days of TikTok, Ads on Threads and Reddit vs X

The Social Juice • 24 implied HN points • 26 Jan 25
💼 Business Marketing Social media Advertising Trends Politics
  1. Trump is starting to use TikTok for his messaging, which could impact how politics and social media mix.
  2. Threads is introducing ads, which means it’s becoming more similar to other social media platforms.
  3. Reddit is moving away from X (formerly Twitter) and this might change how users engage with different platforms.

It’s Rational And Humane To Lack Strong Political Beliefs

Singal-Minded • 724 implied HN points • 24 Oct 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political Beliefs Social media Emotional Health Cultural critique
  1. It's okay to not have strong political beliefs. Beliefs can be complicated, and it's normal to feel uncertain about many issues.
  2. Getting too emotional about every news story can be unhealthy. It's better to approach complex situations with a level head instead of distress.
  3. Having a few things you care about deeply is more sustainable than feeling pressured to take a strong stand on everything. Focus on what really matters to you.

How Much Dissent is Optimal?

In My Tribe • 744 implied HN points • 12 Oct 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Dissent Censorship Social media
  1. Dissent is important because it helps to challenge wrong opinions and beliefs. If everyone only agrees with the mainstream view, mistakes can go uncorrected.
  2. Censorship can lower morale and create a negative work or social environment. People should feel free to express concerns without fear of punishment.
  3. Policing dissent is risky because those in power might misuse it to silence voices that challenge their ideas. It's better to allow open discussion, even if some views are unpopular.

New: Shocking From Taibbi

FOIA Around And Find Out • 1493 implied HN points • 19 Feb 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Social media Censorship Information Warfare
  1. Some Twitter accounts were banned without a clear explanation, leading to suspicion of being flagged for political reasons.
  2. State Department officials requested Twitter to remove accounts based on claims of being Russian-controlled, without concrete evidence.
  3. The situation raises concerns about information warfare and the targeting of accounts for sharing content related to Russiagate or Hunter Biden.

Self-aware villains, tech secessionists and a theory for why everything's getting worse

Links I Would Gchat You If We Were Friends • 718 implied HN points • 10 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Social media Friendships Technology Internet Youth culture
  1. The Facebook party album from 2008 was a unique sociological spectacle that reflected youth relationships and friendships
  2. Social media platforms have evolved in how they enable users to navigate and express their friendships, from Facebook to Instagram Stories
  3. Modern digital signals of relational closeness, like group chats and Instagram grid posts, continue to play significant roles in mapping friendships

Well, TikTok's Gone

Default Wisdom • 366 implied HN points • 19 Jan 25
🕹 Technology Social media Internet culture Digital Trends User Experience Information Technology
  1. Many people feel a deep emotional loss now that TikTok is gone. It wasn’t just a time-waster; it was a community where they connected with friends.
  2. TikTok's ability to make ideas stick in people's minds is powerful, which is why some lawmakers were concerned about its influence. They worried it could be used for spreading certain messages too easily.
  3. Some folks are now looking at China differently and even romanticizing life there. This shift seems to stem from frustrations with their own lives and technology in America.

Open Thread 317

Astral Codex Ten • 2340 implied HN points • 26 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Social media AI Data
  1. Some users who were supposed to be unbanned were not truly unbanned, leading to a need for them to reach out to get it fixed.
  2. Substack acknowledges issues with page and comment loading speed, with plans to improve that in the future.
  3. GPT-6's training might require only 0.1% of the world's computers, according to Ben Todd's findings, a significant discrepancy from previous estimations.

Is there life after CNN? Chris Cillizza hopes so

Simon Owens's Media Newsletter • 623 implied HN points • 05 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political Analysis Media Impact Journalism Social media
  1. Getting fired can be really tough and emotional, and people can be unkind about it online. It’s normal to feel a mix of shame and anxiety after losing a job.
  2. After leaving CNN, Chris Cillizza started his own Substack newsletter and YouTube channel. He is trying to build a new career as an independent content creator and finds some success there.
  3. He misses the camaraderie of working in a newsroom but is learning that his new path can also provide fulfillment and revenue on his own terms.

How to Create a Strong Online Reputation for Your Business

Nail It and Scale It • 79 implied HN points • 29 Jul 24
💼 Business Marketing Reputation Online presence Social media Entrepreneurship
  1. Having a strong Google My Business page is crucial. It helps people find your business and leaves a good first impression.
  2. Make sure to gather positive reviews on key sites like Glassdoor and Trustpilot. These reviews can really influence potential customers and new employees.
  3. Regularly check your online reputation and respond to any negative comments. Keeping an eye on your brand helps you maintain a good image and shows you care.

Offer accepted

Off to Lunch • 687 implied HN points • 07 Feb 24
💼 Business Mergers Infrastructure Media Social media Podcasts
  1. Barratt Developments is acquiring Redrow in a £2.5 billion deal, creating the largest housebuilder in the UK
  2. The all-share deal values Redrow's shares at a 27% premium, with Barratt shareholders owning 67.2% of the new company
  3. The merger expects to save up to £90 million in annual costs and position Redrow as the premium housing brand within the group

The Data Dam Break of May 2023: How Twitter Challenged the Racial Industrial Complex

The Rabbit Hole • 1395 implied HN points • 11 May 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Race Media Statistics Social media
  1. Data is not racist, but there is a stigma around discussing data on certain topics.
  2. Challenging dominant narratives and spreading reliable information is important.
  3. Engaging with data, asking questions, and using platforms like Twitter can lead to expanding the discourse and challenging establishment ideologies.

Statistical Methods Links

In My Tribe • 303 implied HN points • 10 Jan 25
🏥 Health Politics Mental health Public Health Substance Use Social media
  1. The more time teens spend on social media, the more likely they are to face mental health issues. This shows a clear relationship between social media use and negative effects on mental well-being.
  2. Historical evidence suggests that violence can lead to increased social advantages, but it doesn't prove that violence is beneficial overall. There could be alternative outcomes for peaceful behavior that aren't considered.
  3. Combining multiple studies doesn't automatically correct biases in research. If all the studies have flaws, their average result will likely still be flawed.

Emotional infiltration

Internal exile • 52 implied HN points • 03 Jan 25
🕹 Technology Data Privacy AI Ethics Digital Culture Behavioral Economics Social media
  1. Technology is moving toward an 'intention economy' where companies use our behavioral data to predict and control our desires. This means we might lose the ability to understand our true intentions as others shape them for profit.
  2. There is a risk that we could become passive users, relying on machines to define our needs instead of communicating and connecting with other people. This can lead to loneliness and a lack of real social interaction.
  3. Automating responses to our needs, like with AI sermons or chatbots, might make us think our feelings are met, but it can actually disconnect us from genuine human experiences and relationships.

LA wildfires disinformation reveals limits of fact-checking

Weaponized • 37 implied HN points • 13 Jan 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Disinformation Social media Fact-checking Public Policy Crisis response
  1. Meta is ending its fact-checking program, and many are worried this will make it harder to fight disinformation. However, fact-checking wasn't very effective in tackling deeper issues of intentional misinformation to begin with.
  2. Disinformation today is more complex, with factors like social media and human biases making it hard for fact-checking to keep up. People often prefer simple narratives over nuanced facts, which leads to the spread of misleading information.
  3. Just because Meta is stepping back from fact-checking doesn't mean it's going away. Other organizations will still work to debunk false claims, and we need to rethink how we approach the problem of disinformation in our online world.

Why we need an insufferable liberal elite

Wrong Side of History • 503 implied HN points • 23 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political theory Social media Censorship Polarization Political Movements
  1. People are moving to new social media platforms like Bluesky to find communities that share their values. They are looking for a place where they feel understood and accepted.
  2. The discussions on Bluesky feel less harsh compared to Twitter, but the problems of online bullying and toxic behavior still exist. It's like changing from one bad situation to another with similar issues.
  3. Echo chambers on social media might not be as bad as they seem. Sometimes, people are more affected by seeing too many extreme views rather than just talking to others who agree with them.

Zuck orchestrates hiring blitz to take Meta back from the woke mob

The Dossier • 346 implied HN points • 06 Jan 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political culture Social media Censorship Ideology Political strategy
  1. Mark Zuckerberg is making changes at Meta to distance the company from political censorship and bring in people with different views. He recently hired individuals who support free speech.
  2. Zuckerberg seems determined to regain control of Meta, much like Elon Musk did with Twitter. He wants to ensure he doesn't lose influence over his own company.
  3. Despite facing strong opposition from within and outside Meta, Zuckerberg's strategy signals a shift towards more open discussions and less censorship on the platform.

A reflection on my journey to LinkedIn Top Voice [Storytime Saturdays]

Technology Made Simple • 778 implied HN points • 14 Jan 24
💼 Business Career development Social media Personal Branding
  1. Sharing your work and thoughts on platforms like LinkedIn can have a positive impact on your career by positioning you as a reliable source of high-quality information.
  2. Approach building your presence on different social media platforms individually as each has its own nuances and strategies for success.
  3. Reflect on your experiences and learnings regularly to adapt and refine your approach to maximizing your presence on platforms like LinkedIn.

The coming pro-smoking discourse

Read Max • 3504 implied HN points • 05 Jun 23
🎭️ Culture Discourse Trends Social media Subcultures Influencers
  1. There's a prediction that a pro-smoking discourse backed by socio-political identities is gaining momentum.
  2. Historically, contrarian arguments in favor of smoking have existed but are now potentially resurfacing in various circles.
  3. The potential pro-smoking coalition includes The Intellectual Dark Web, cool downtown art and scene kids, and 'trad' health and lifestyle influencers.

The Forbidden Fruit of Politically Volatile Dick

Default Wisdom • 506 implied HN points • 01 Dec 24
🎭️ Culture Gender Studies Social media Political Discourse Feminism Masculinity
  1. The Gender War on social media shows how right-wing men and left-wing women attract each other based on their perceived strengths and weaknesses. This tension often leads to extreme views and oversimplified narratives about gender roles.
  2. Many discussions about the Manosphere and movements like the 4B are too simplistic. The realities of these movements are often misrepresented in popular media, failing to capture the cultural and contextual nuances behind them.
  3. Relationships between people from opposing sides (like leftists and rightists) often explore themes of power and vulnerability. These dynamics can highlight underlying attractions that aren't just about politics but also psychological complexities.

Taylor Swift, AI cults and the pain of the personal brand

Links I Would Gchat You If We Were Friends • 638 implied HN points • 03 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Technology Music Social media Entertainment Television
  1. Modern living rooms heavily feature large TV screens, but there's a rising trend towards hidden technology, like TVs that blend into backgrounds.
  2. There's a significant shift towards concealing technology in everyday objects, like smart speakers disguised as lamps or laptops made to look like books.
  3. Personal screens have become an integral part of daily life, but there's a growing desire to minimize their visibility, especially accentuated during the pandemic.