Open Tabs

Today’s topics: the new social media app that promises no algorithm and no ads, Spotify’s move into music videos, and charli xcx’s “anti-marketing’ prediction and what it says about super fan culture.

Timestamps:

📵 0:00 - A new app called Yope has raised $20 million on a promise of no ads and no algorithms, built around “micro-communities” [think family and friend…

What’s on the docket today: the Dunkin’ x Parke collab, the bean soup-ification of TikTok, and social media’s AI slop problem and how Substack is fighting against it.

Timestamps

🍩 0:00 - Dunkin’ Donuts is partnering with clothing brand Parke [Gen Z’s fav sweatshirt brand] on a new line of drinks and a limited-edition clothing collecting featuring two di…

Today we're talking about the Gap x Hailey Bieber jean drop and what it says about the brand's comeback, why ballet is having a moment, and the Phia affiliate scandal that's put Bill Gates' daughter under scrutiny.

Timestamps

👖 00:00 – Gap and Hailey Bieber launch “The Hailey Jean,” a ‘90s-inspired denim capsule. We talk through why the campaign works, …

Today, we're talking about why Meta pulled its new AI image feature just days after launch, our thoughts on Time’s 100 Creators of 2026 list, and whether an app can actually fix the loneliness epidemic that tech helped create in the first place.

Timestamps

🤖 00:00 – Meta pulls its Muse Image feature days after backlash. We revisit last week’s conversatio…

Today, we're talking about why friendship is becoming one of the internet's biggest status symbols, why Meta's latest AI rollout has creators [and users] concerned, and how Netflix is making its boldest move yet to compete with YouTube.

Timestamps

🤝 00:00 – Are influencer friend groups the internet’s newest flex? We dive into why creators are building en…

This Wednesday:

* Taylor Swift’s wedding felt anticlimatic [00:00]. The wedding finally happened, but was the speculation more fun than the event itself?

* When brands should sit out the meme [~00:08:00]. We discuss Silence, Brand!’s piece breaking down all the brand posts that came out of the recent Empire State Building climb.

Behind the paywall:

* The rise of utility creat…

This Friday:

* Taylor Swift's "royal wedding" speculation [00:00]. The internet is convinced Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are secretly getting married today. We unpack why the speculation has reached a fever pitch, how Taylor trained fans to look for Easter eggs, and where the line between authentic fandom and manufactured hype begins to blur.

* When fandom …

This Wednesday:

* TikTok’s “hot girl” controversies [00:00]. Two content creators are under fire for trademarking the terms Hot Girls Read and Hot Girl Walk. We unpack what these controversies reveal about ownership, community, and why creators are increasingly treating culture like intellectual property.

* A24's AI backlash [~00:13:13]. Indie darling A24 is …

This Friday:

* Meta wants to be your bookie [~00:03:18]. Meta is reportedly building a standalone prediction market app called Arena, joining the rush toward betting on everything from elections to reality TV outcomes.

* The rise of butter squishies [~00:24:50]. A trip to 7-Eleven leads us down a surprisingly deep rabbit hole of butter-shaped squishy toys. On…

This Wednesday:

* Creators take over Cannes Lions [~00:01:55]. Brand spending on influencer marketing is forecast to hit $12.4 billion this year, and for the first time brands are flying creators out to pitch them, not the other way around. We get into what's actually driving that power shift and whether a 23-year-old who went viral on TikTok has any busin…