so what do we do with this dead internet
ALSO: i am obsessed with the nantucket no influencers sign, gen z's "generational spending hangover," the state department made just so many errors this week, and more
Happy Friday, July 31st! August Eve!
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.
ALSO want to do a super fun, super cool rapid interview for this newsletter??? 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 🙏
This is a quick one just to say I’ve become utterly fascinated with the accidental performance art that is the viral “No Influencers” sign at a random store in Nantucket…
… such that I’ve made two videos about it in the last 48 hours, HERE and HERE. At risk of yapping far too much about it (which I could), I’ll just leave it there lol.
Musk Plans to Spend at Least $100 Million to Help Republicans in the Midterms
Mr. Musk, the world’s richest person, has authorized his super PAC to spend $100 million to $120 million on a new field program in at least eight states to help elect Republicans in November, according to two people briefed on the plans, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the private deliberations. (NYT gift link, 7/30)
Lucy’s note: The states are reportedly, of course, the big 8 for Senate: Alaska, Iowa, Maine, Michigan, Ohio, North Carolina, Georgia and Texas. Also, for House, California, Wisconsin and Washington.
State Department map of Africa mislabels every country at AIDS conference
A Reuters analysis found the image of the map included in the presentation contained an artificial intelligence watermark that signals it was made with OpenAI tools. The company said it was investigating the report. The State Department said it took “full responsibility” for the confusion caused and that the map had been produced by a team member who hastily changed the slide deck before the event. (NBC News, 7/30)
Political profanity is having a f*cking moment
Presidents, vice presidents and presidential hopefuls have used profanity at least 692 times in public since 1919, according to data from Cardiff University. And 605 of those instances occurred in just the past 10 years. Trump and former President Biden account for 78% of all recorded profanity. Biden prefers words such as “damn,” whereas Trump has used more colorful language like “fuck,” “shit,” “bastards” and “shithole.” (Axios, 7/29)
Inside an AI TikTok Shop Slop Factory That Shills Supplements Recalled By the FDA
The lawsuit reveals new details about how this group of 20-something YouTubers built their army of AI-generated influencers. In practice, Rosabella is more of a social media AI content hustle and AI marketing exercise than a supplement company. What happened in this case is the same type of spam and buy-my-course to get-rich-quick strategy that we have repeatedly written about, only this time the slop is being used to shill supplements largely to the elderly. (404 Media, 7/30)
The ‘dead internet theory’ is real. And it’s killing the web as we know it
What makes this moment different from the bot traffic of years past is what the machines are doing. According to Human Security’s 2026 benchmark report, traffic from AI agents that take action on the web—such as clicking links, filling out forms, and completing tasks—grew 7,851% year over year. Not scraping. Doing. (Fast Company, 7/28)
HBO Max is putting on vertical shorts
The feed, called “HBO Max Shorts,” will be accessible from an icon on the bottom navigation menu. It will show you things like trailers, clips, and bonus content from the HBO Max library, and it’s tailored to you based on your watch history. You can jump into a show or movie right from the HBO Max Shorts clip or add it to your list if you want to bookmark it for later. (The Verge, 7/28 – free version)
US bans humanoid robots from China, citing ‘unacceptable risks’
The restrictions apply only to robot and inverter models that have not yet been released. However, the FCC has the authority to revoke authorizations for sales of models that have already been authorized for purchase in the US. Humanoid robots, topped with AI-enabled “brains”, are forecast by some analysts for broad adoption in consumer and industrial arenas, while explosive datacenter construction in the US will depend on reliable sources of inverters. (The Guardian, 7/28)
The brutal math behind Gen Z’s lonely weekends: $15 drinks are driving a generational ‘spending hangover’
The Harris Poll, in a separate survey of 4,100 American adults conducted in late May and early June, found a harsh set of economic conditions that conspire to leave half of the generation lonely every weekend: and that’s because they can’t afford to go out. Nearly three-quarters spend their weekend time at home, and according to the pollster who ran the numbers, the connection between them isn’t psychological, it’s a “spending hangover.” (Fortune, 7/28 – free version)
Forget Franzia—Boxed Wine Went Bougie. Now Sales Have Surged More Than 144 Percent
While alcohol sales and consumption rates remain stuck at historic lows in the United States, premium boxed wine has exploded. Over the past 12 months, off-premise sales have soared by more than 144 percent, according to Nielsen data through June 13—making the industry roughly two and a half times larger than it was this time last summer. This boom has turned bougie boxed wine into one of the few bright spots for an otherwise languishing alcohol sector, which has faced a continuing string of bankruptcies and closures. (Inc., 7/23)
The ultimate digital detox? Playing a trumpet
In today’s digital age, there’s a growing anxiety around our shrinking attention span, which is backed up by research – notably, a 2023 study indicated that as our attention spans diminish, our perceived stress levels and heart rates rise. Playing an instrument can offer a kind of pure absorption that’s difficult to find elsewhere, with all the health benefits that carries. But there’s also a draw in being able to share the beautiful mahogany and strings online. In the same way that posting classical literature or a Letterboxd review of a three-hour-long film has become a status symbol, playing an instrument signals to the world that your attention span is longer than most. (DAZED, 7/28)
The 7 weirdest TSA finds of the summer
Weapons and explosives aside, the recurring find that defined the summer was ranch dressing, which captured the hearts of international World Cup travelers. Countless bottles of buttermilk goodness were confiscated thanks to TSA’s liquids rule. If you’d like to take some ranch on your upcoming travels, remember to decant it into containers of 3.4 ounces or less (you could pack as many minis that will fit into a quart-size plastic bag) or bring a full-size bottle in your checked bag. (WaPo, 7/29 – free version)
Why You Should Always Follow This Georgia Farmer’s Brilliant “Palm” Rule to Pick Out the Best Peaches
The squeeze test is reliable, but the devil’s in the details. For instance, many shoppers test the pointed tip to avoid hurting the fruit, but “oftentimes, the tip is soft before the peach is ready, whereas squeezing the whole thing in the palm of your hand is a better indicator,” Lawton says. If it’s ripe, it’ll be strongly fragrant and “soft with a slight squishiness like a tennis ball.” (The Kitchn, 7/28)
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Extra Credit 🤓
Substacks That Really Substacked This Week 🤌
Sneaky Links
TL;DR I’ve inexplicably started receiving codes to stuff… here are the things I actually like :)
My BNTO code for July is UQG7S9 for $20 off (if you know me IRL, you know my rant about the Nuulification of the 20-something city dweller). I’ll update with August as soon as I have, but should work for today!
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!