the internet on trial
ALSO: the music world on Kalshi, #whereistheTJslemonsheetcake, Jeopardy is trying out YouTube, and more
Happy Friday, March 27th! So close!
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 DCCC and Oath.
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 🙏
I did a little writing this week on Zara Larsson’s video about being pro-choice (and why it’s the type of content that we desperately need) and posted it separately in case you’re interested 👇🌺
Bigotry among young conservatives has Republicans on edge
Radicalization on the young right has set off a bitter debate in the GOP about how much Republicans should police their movement and how serious a threat its most extreme elements pose. Some dismiss Fuentes and like-minded commentators as online agitators with little real influence — infiltrators trying to hurt the Republican Party. Others are alarmed at the traction they have gotten and say the party needs to push them more forcefully out of the GOP tent. (WaPo, 3/26 – free version)
The TSA is broken — is privatization next?
Supporters of TSA privatization clearly sense an opportunity with Mullin in charge. Since his nomination was announced, Fox News, Reason magazine, and the right-leaning Competitive Enterprise Institute have published articles laying out the case for TSA privatization. Over the weekend, Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) promised to revive his “Abolish TSA Act,” which died in committee last year. (The Verge, 3/25 – free version)
Olympics bans transgender athletes from women’s sports
The move aligns with an executive order signed by President Donald Trump barring transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports and follows a similar policy adopted by the U.S. Olympic Committee last year. The Trump administration cheered the IOC’s move, with the White House’s rapid response X account highlighting the decision and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt crediting Trump for the change. (POLITICO, 3/26)
Lucy’s note: reminder that less than 1% of the US population identifies as trans… and the Right’s compulsion with being absolutely horrific to this small group of people just trying to live and be happy needs to be studied…
Social Media Companies Are Suddenly Getting Killed in Court
These cases tried to circumvent that defense entirely. They focused instead on the platforms themselves, making the argument that, as products, they can cause personal injury — again, inspired directly by the pre-social-media legal fight against the tobacco industry. The immediate possible consequences fall into two main categories. (Intelligencer, 3/26 – free version)
‘Jeopardy!’ Plans YouTube Spinoff Show as It Ramps Up Production on Platform
The new edition of the show will hosted by Ken Jennings, and feature three YouTube creators playing for their charity of choice. While the format will be similar to the main show that is available on TV screens across the country (as well as on Hulu and Peacock) it will also feature clues and categories related to internet culture and YouTube itself, with many video clues from other creators. (The Hollywood Reporter, 3/26)
OpenAI “indefinitely” shelves plans for erotic ChatGPT
Insiders told FT that OpenAI mulled scrapping the “adult mode” plan entirely, as even its own advisors warned that ChatGPT users could form unhealthy attachments, which might harm their mental health. One advisor chillingly suggested that the tweak risked turning ChatGPT into a “sexy suicide coach.” (Ars Technica, 3/26)
Lucy’s note: we live in hell
Wikipedia Bans AI-Generated Content
The new policy, which was accepted in an overwhelming 40 to 2 vote among editors, allows editors to use LLMs to suggest basic copyedits to their own writing, which can be incorporated into the article or rewritten after human review if the LLM doesn’t generate entirely new content on its own. (404 Media, 3/26)
How Prediction Markets Are Changing the Music Industry
Davies has models to predict everything from Rotten Tomatoes reviews of movies to Spotify streams. When Kalshi first introduced in the fall of 2024 markets to predict the daily top songs on Spotify, Davies says, he would clear five figures a couple times a month. Today, however, there are dozens of music-related markets, and users like he and Fean have chased out a lot of the action. (Rolling Stone, 3/25 – free version)
The peptide gold rush: How impending deregulation could supercharge a shadow industry
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is reportedly poised to allow compounding pharmacies to dispense certain peptides that are currently restricted by the Food and Drug Administration. As of now, consumers are bypassing the FDA by buying vials of peptides labeled “for research use only” and then conducting that research on themselves. But with the potential of federal deregulation, an array of players — from billion-dollar telehealth platforms to the gray-market suppliers themselves — are scrambling to establish legitimate supply chains. (Sherwood, 3/26)
Record share of Americans carry credit card debt, can’t pay monthly bills
Roughly 111 million people — 50% of Americans with a credit card and 40% of the U.S. adult population — carry credit card debt, according to a joint report from The Century Foundation, a left-leaning think tank, and the advocacy group Protect Borrowers. That’s a 17% increase from the 95 million who were in the same situation five years earlier, the report found. (CBS News, 3/25)
Trader Joe’s Fans Threaten to ‘Riot’ Over Missing Seasonal Favorite
Fans of Trader Joe’s frequently get to know approximately when their favorite seasonal items usually return to the store. In the case of one particular dessert, that often sells out quickly every year, there has been no sign of the product yet this spring. The Lemon Mini Sheet Cake has a passionate fan base, and they are getting antsy that they haven’t been able to acquire it yet in 2026. (Parade, 3/24)
Stephen Colbert tapped to write new ‘Lord of the Rings’ movie
CBS announced last year that “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” was being taken off the air despite the program’s longtime critical acclaim. The last show is set for May 21. The 10-time Emmy winner said he’s always wanted to partner with his screenwriter son Peter McGee to ink a “Rings” script. (CBS News, 3/25)
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Extra Credit 🤓
“it’s not that i’m irresponsible, it’s that everything is expensive” from Ochuko Akpovbovbo from as seen on
“Why Are the Wealthy Pouring So Much of Their Wealth into Politics?” from Robert Reich
That’s all for now – I’ll see you on Tuesday!
Have a job or opportunity (full-time, part-time, contract, or a secret fourth option) to share? SUBMIT IT HERE!
Social Media & Creative Director, DCCC
JD HERE, $110,000 per year
Growth Marketing Manager, Oath
JD HERE, $110,000-140,000 per year