did everyone know threads was a mean place but me

ALSO: these scandal-filled midterms, influencers are re-selling just their PR packaging, a wearable robot bag charm designed for joy, and more

Happy Friday, August 21st!

FYSA, every Tuesday and Friday, I’ll be in your inbox with the latest in politics, tech & social media, culture, and other relevant topics – and I’ll share some notes and tips on what I’m keeping my eye on.

I’M ALSO LOOKING FOR MORE PEOPLE TO DO MINI INTERVIEWS like the one below :) Tips, thoughts, concerns, good jokes, bad jokes, tea, etc?

And finally, if you enjoy this newsletter and want to share it with your network (and/or your chronically online friends), or buy me a matcha, that would be so appreciated 🙏

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A VERY QUICK ANNOUNCEMENT!

After years of only using IG for personal purposes… I finally made one for the newsletter HERE! It’s actually been more fun than I thought – and if you want to come hang out, I promise to do some cool IG-specific stuff on there!

(Also, as I think y’all know already, I am also very on TikTok for newsletter purposes lol.)

This week, I accidentally got embroiled in some very mild (but very funny, I fear) Threads drama (TL;DR here or here). In sharing about this experience, I am realizing just how much people hate Threads and think it’s an especially mean platform! I had heard this before… but didn’t think people thought it was this uniquely bad against the current landscape.

I also can’t find much coverage on this, except this WIRED piece from 2024?? So, for my own curiosity…

The US national debt now stands at $40 trillion

However, experts say the exploding debt and the latest record milestone are already affecting Americans’ pocketbooks by raising borrowing costs for things like mortgages and cars, lowering wages from businesses that have less money available to invest, and creating more expensive goods and services. (AP, 8/19)

The midterms of scandal are underway

Voters have increasingly displayed a willingness to tolerate controversy — especially when political power is on the line. A recent POLITICO Poll shows voters are willing to accept their preferred candidates having DUI convictions, being accused of using tax loopholes, concealing a terminal illness or exaggerating their military service, though Democrats were less tolerant than Republicans of sexual assault and domestic violence allegations. (POLITICO, 8/21)

• Lucy’s note: this is hell

Website behind widely shared fake election polls run by 21-year-old

“I think my overall takeaway was that if you just make it look a bit pretty, it’s rather easy for it to spread,” Prakash said. “And I hope it gives a really good lesson going forward in that we need to be very serious about these things and very serious in how, if one person can do this, what can a serious operation do in the future – a real, you know, operation for an organization, country, whatever.” Prakash, who said that he made the website using artificial intelligence, said he alone created Median. (The Guardian, 8/20)

TikTok Is Exploring Feature to Send Money Over Direct Messages

The code suggests that receivers can “tap to accept” payments sent to them before an expiration date, and senders can be notified about the status of the transaction via push notifications or their inbox. There are also references to the ability to add a message with the payment, similar to the captions in PayPal Holdings Inc.’s Venmo service. (Bloomberg, 8/18 – free version)

YouTube is offering creators millions of dollars to stay off Netflix

Netflix has been signing YouTube creators to non-exclusive deals that allow them to post the same content on both platforms simultaneously. Creators including Alan Chikin Chow and Nick DiGiovanni have already signed such agreements, and Netflix remains in active conversations with dozens of other channels and programs, including the celebrity talk show Hot Ones. Netflix’s pitch is straightforward: creators receive a substantial additional payday for content they have already produced, and their work reaches an audience that numbers more than 325 million subscribers. (Quartz, 8/20)

Influencers and Resellers Are Turning Empty Boxes Into Big Cash

There are currently over 1,500 listings on eBay specifically for the search term “empty box decor.” Listings include a “rare” empty Abercrombie & Fitch “PR box” listed for $50 and a “rare” empty Fenty Beauty “multi-tier influencer PR launch box” selling for $245. Both of these were originally sent out to select influencers by the companies’ respective public relations teams, indicating that the OG influencers are reselling the items to the next generation of creators coming up behind them. (WIRED, 8/21 – free version)

Sophie Cunningham and the WNBA culture wars

No known trans athletes have ever played in the WNBA, but that hasn’t much deterred pundits from weighing in. It’s the latest instance of the WNBA playing a central role in conversations about race and gender — even as most of the outrage is happening outside the court, while players and coaches would rather focus on basketball. (Vox, 8/20 – free version)

Group Chats Might Be Full of Affiliate Links Soon

The pervasive lack of disclosures may fly in the face of consumer-protection guidance in the US. The Federal Trade Commission’s guide for social media marketing for affiliate links is vague but does state that a disclosure should be made if a “significant minority” of a person’s followers may not realize they have a “material connection” to a brand. Affiliate link disclosure should be “clear and conspicuous” and “the closer to the recommendation, the better.” The FTC declined to answer specific questions about how it expects users to disclose affiliate links and about how or if it polices the practice. (Bloomberg, 8/21 – free version)

In a drier world, some infectious diseases are unexpectedly thriving

Research in other areas has found similar dynamics: When drought results in fewer bodies of water, birds carrying West Nile virus can come into closer contact with mosquitos, resulting in more mosquitos that carry the disease and can infect humans. Drought can also make bodies of water warmer, creating conditions in which some dangerous mold, algae, and bacteria can thrive. (Grist, 8/21)

‘Look! My son!’: I spent a week with a wearable robot sloth

The idea for Mirumi first emerged at Yukai Engineering’s internal Make-a-Thon in 2024, where staff came up with the idea of a “spirit-like companion”. After raising over half a million dollars from a global Kickstarter campaign, Mirumi was released in Japan in April and has since been selling out in the UK and Hong Kong. Now, after a pop-up at Harrods in London and KaDeWe in Berlin, Mirumi is available for pre-order in America, ahead of its September US release. (DAZED, 8/21)

Extra Credit 🤓

Substacks That Really Substacked This Week 🤌

• 100+ specials since Trump’s return show Democrats in good position to reclaim the House from Daniel Donner and The Downballot

• Away just launched @actuallyaway from Rachel Karten of Link in Bio

Sneaky Links

TL;DR I’ve inexplicably started receiving codes to stuff… here are the things I actually like :)

• My BNTO code for August is LC7QE5 for $20 off (if you know me IRL, you know my rant about the Nuulification of the 20-something city dweller)

• I also have a code for CampSnap??? And I do love my CS8 camera from them but like I don’t think I said that online? Either way, it’s LUCYR7 for 7% off

That’s all for now – I’ll see you on Tuesday!