from the chat: youtube supreme

ALSO: the Espresso Proteini, links in Instagram captions, the rise of the political influencer merch store, and more

Mar 13, 2026

Happy Friday, March 13th! I saw a theory that because the last Friday, March 13th, was in 2020 and was the unofficial start of the world shutting down for COVID, this Friday, March 13th, will be the closing of that period. Here’s hoping 🤞

WELCOME :)

Just a reminder: 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.

REMINDER: the jobs corner is at the bottom of the newsletter! Today, we’ve got the DGA, the ACLU, Protect Democracy, and Vocal Media!

ALSO Want to do a super fun, super cool rapid interview for this newsletter like the one below??? Reply to this email or hit the button below. Tips, thoughts, concerns, good jokes, bad jokes, ☕️, 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 🙏

Today, we have some texts from the wonderful Emma June Welsh-Huggins, who is the founder of The June Group (amongst many things, including an alum of the Warren 2020 campaign 💚). She also runs Nontoxic Media here on Substack! Enjoy :)

LR: You just launched an additional content digest newsletter from Nontoxic Media to share everything that’s bubbling to the top on the left AND the right. Can you share a bit more about your motivation to start this up and what knowledge gaps you are seeking to fill? (Also, how did you come up with “Al Gore’s Internet”!)

EJWH: We think of Al Gore’s Internet, our weekly newsletter about politics and the Internet, as perhaps being for a more general audience than the Digest—some in our readership might be digital politics nerds like you and me, but others might only hear the name “Nick Fuentes” when I bring it into their inbox every week. On the other hand, our Content Digest is designed primarily for industry professionals in media, culture, and politics. It provides summaries of the dozens of videos being published every day by the most influential creators online (political and apolitical) to help teams working at these intersections make sense of the deluge. We built the Digest to help media teams, researchers, and creators themselves digest (pun, sorry) the unending stream of video content that makes up the creator Internet.

The name for Al Gore’s Internet was a cheeky nod to the memeing of the former Vice President’s 1999 quote, “I took the initiative in creating the Internet,” which culture (newly online and off) took him to task for, as if he had claimed he invented the Internet. I think of it as the first example of a politician being misunderstood and meme’d online. At its inception. That’s what we cover in Al Gore’s Internet: The world of politics and the Internet.

LR: From your vantage point, in regard to all of our many, splintered social platforms, where do you think the most influential political conversations are actually happening right now – and are journalists/pundits paying attention to the right places?

EJWH: The most influential political conversations online are definitely happening in the places that pundits pay the least attention to. We are still not paying enough attention to YouTube. These conversations are happening in forums like Discord and Reddit, sure, but they’re definitely happening on YouTube, on streaming platforms, and in comment sections across the Internet. Gen Z is being radicalized in real time by seemingly apolitical channels on YouTube. That’s why we built our media monitoring tool, Sonar, to summarize and analyze video and comment sections across platforms. I predict we’ll see more use of comment section sentiment as a political temperature gauge in the future, similar to traditional polling.

LR: Who are three influencers or channels making content that addresses politics that you think are absolutely killing the game?

EJWH: I’m going to start by shouting out someone who isn’t a huge creator (yet) — @MaxLevyStrategies on Instagram (a fellow digital communications strategist) is out there talking about how Democrats should communicate online in a way I think is unique and valuable for the party and progressive movement. Another slightly deep cut, but I enjoy @InternetGentleman on TikTok. He’s a small creator with around 37.4k followers. He’s started to lean more into political content in a way that really works—his “breaking news” shtick engages with political and geopolitical issues with a sense of humor that doesn’t annoy me (yet). Lastly, I’ll shout out a local creator here in New Orleans, @AubreyAvocado, who makes content about politics and local issues that feels as creative as the city we live in. So many political creators at the national level are churning out news-only content, but they’re not expanding their audiences beyond their base on the left or the right. I see the most effective political creators as those who don’t just cover politics in one direction or another—they also talk about food, culture, local issues, and community.

LR: I know your creative strategy agency is called The June Group… but what’s your favorite month of the year and why?

EJWH: I have to admit that my favorite month is April because of my birthday. I was born on April 22nd (Earth Day). I really do enjoy spring as a season. The June Group is named for my great-grandma, with whom I share a middle name (June).

LR: If your newsletter(s) were a sweet treat, what would it/they be?

EJWH: Such a good question. Al Gore’s Internet would probably be a SpongeBob ice cream from an ice cream truck that actually plays a jingle. The Content Digest would be a scoop of vanilla bean in a cup. Maybe a drizzle of chocolate syrup. A little more buttoned up.

This Is the Next Wave of Political Fundraising

Unlike traditional fundraising models like super PACs that pool funds from publicly reported donors, these creator collectives pool audiences and leverage social networks and off-the-shelf tools like Shopify and Tiltify to convert followers into donors. Creators for Peace is one of the most prominent groups in a line of creator coalitions mobilizing around causes from Gaza relief to immigration aid—establishing a model that could reshape grassroots fundraising ahead of the midterm elections. (WIRED, 3/11 – free version)

Pentagon bars press photographers over ‘unflattering’ Hegseth photos

But after they published photos — which have broad reach because they are licensed by publications globally — members of Hegseth’s staff told colleagues that they did not like the way that the secretary looked. Hegseth’s aides decided to shut out photographers from the two subsequent briefings at the Pentagon, on March 4 and March 10, according to the two people familiar with the decision. (WaPo, 3/11 – free version)

Abortion bans reshaped reproductive health, and now the rental market

They found that between July 2022 — the first month after the fall of Roe v. Wade — and June 2025, housing markets with abortion bans experienced a 2.2 percent decline in rental prices, compared to similarly trending markets in states without bans. Rental vacancies went up by an average of 1.1 percent in housing markets with abortion bans compared to similar markets in states without bans. (The 19th, 3/9)

YouTube Lays Claim to Another Crown: The World’s Largest Media Company

YouTube had more than $60 billion in revenue in 2025, parent company Alphabet reported last month. Now, the influential financial research firm MoffettNathanson runs the numbers and comes to the conclusion that YouTube’s estimated $62 billion in 2025 will have allowed it to pass The Walt Disney Co.’s media business, which generated $60.9 billion last year (excluding Disney’s lucrative experiences division). (The Hollywood Reporter, 3/9)

Every influencer eventually becomes a merch store

To be clear, the new “fire” Carlson merch that “goes kinda hard” (not my words) is a niche curiosity in a corner of the internet. Progressives aren’t going out in droves to buy stuff from Carlson’s merch store, at least that I can tell, but the incident does relate to something I’ve wanted to prod at for a while: for influencers and content creators, one of the best things that can happen is they become a purveyor of branded physical goods. (The Verge, 3/10 – free version)

Meta is testing clickable links in Instagram captions for verified subscribers

The test is also the latest way that Meta has experimented with making link-sharing a paid feature. The company has also recently tested restricting creators’ ability to share links on Facebook by requiring a Meta Verified subscription. Meta Verified for creators starts at $14.99 a month, with the most expensive plans costing $499.99 a month. (Engadget, 3/12)

TikTok now lets Apple Music subscribers play full songs without leaving the app

TikTok has partnered with Apple Music to allow subscribers of the streaming service to play full songs without leaving its social network, the company announced on Wednesday. Apple Music subscribers who discover a song they like on their TikTok “For You” page or Sound Detail Page can tap the new “Play Full Song” button to open up an Apple Music player to listen to the full track. (TechCrunch, 3/11)

Wired headphone sales are exploding. What’s with the Bluetooth backlash?

Recently, a quiet movement has grown in the shadows based on a controversial truth: wired headphones are better than Bluetooth. Sales are through the roof in recent months. You can often get better sound for the money with a wired pair, but it’s not just audio snobs either. Wired headphones are a full-blown cultural trend – a resurgence some tie to a broader anti-tech backlash. (BBC, 3/11)

Buffalo Wild Wings unveils wing-flavored protein espresso martini

The Espresso Proteini rides the ongoing protein hype, as more food chains and brands add protein-centric items to their menus. In recent months, Starbucks added several protein lattes and protein cold foam, Subway unveiled Protein Pockets, Chipotle debuted a 4-ounce cup of meat and Tropical Smoothie launched new drinks with up to 39 grams of protein. (USA Today, 3/9)

Class Action Lawsuit Alleges Popular Protein Bar Is Packed With Extra Fat & Calories

A class-action lawsuit filed against David Protein on January 23 alleges that the brand is misrepresenting the calorie and fat content of its coveted bars, violating both state and federal consumer laws. According to the suit, the protein bars contain significantly more calories and fat than advertised—83% and 400% more, respectively. (Delish, 3/10)

Lucy’s notes: and yes, the Mean Girls jokes are flying

Lords a-leaving: Britain is ejecting hereditary nobles from Parliament after 700 years

The House of Lords plays an important role in Britain’s parliamentary democracy, scrutinizing legislation passed by the elected House of Commons. But critics have long argued that it is unwieldy and undemocratic. The case of Peter Mandelson, who resigned from the Lords in February after revelations about his friendship with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, drew renewed attention to the upper chamber and the problem of lords behaving badly. (AP, 3/11)