On today’s episode, Rachelle is joined by Alex Kantrowitz, the writer behind the Big Technology newsletter and podcast. The two discuss the recent changes to Twitter Blue and how paying for Twitter might be a joke, it won’t be for other platforms like Instagram and TikTok. As paid verification models become de rigueur in a bid to woo content creators, what will that mean for the average social media user? Is this all just a giant protection racket? Or is it platforms catering to the people who actually create content for them?

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Rachelle Hampton and Daisy Rosario.
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The Free Trial Period of Social Media Is Over

Join Rachelle Hampton and Candice Lim twice a week as we gaze deep into the online abyss—and tell you what’s gazing back.

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On today’s episode, Rachelle is joined by Slate staff writer and friend of the show, Nadira Goffe. The two revisit last year’s episode breaking down the Tarte brand trip that took over TikTok now that one of the main stars of that debacle, Fannita Legett, is once again TikTok’s main character
This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.
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TikTok’s Current Main Character is a Familiar Face

Rachelle Hampton and Candice Lim are joined by Anna Sale, the host of Death, Sex & Money, to dive into her internet diary. After her podcast jumped to Slate, Sale took a month off and plugged into her surroundings, starting with her local library. Since its return, Death, Sex & Money has dived into diagnosed sociopaths, botox in Appalachia and the magic of mushrooms. But as Sale tells ICYMI, the podcast has developed an interesting relationship with the internet, which makes it both easier and harder to answer the questions her listeners are dying to ask.
This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Anna Sale on Internet Sabbaticals, iPod Culture and WebCrawler

Today, we’re revisiting one of our favorite episodes from September 2022 about TikTok Shop.
In the episode, Rachelle and Candice are joined by sustainable stylist and fashion educator Lakyn Carlton to discuss TikTok Shop — a new feature that lets users purchase products without ever leaving the app. TikTok Shop is a modern day QVC, where merchants can shell products they’ve made — or are authorized to resell — in live videos with products tagged on screen. In the age of Amazon Storefronts and Etsy, it’s not surprising for TikTok to enter the e-commerce space. But the crowded, merchant-filled experience has ruined the app’s appeal and made users consider quitting TikTok for good.
This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.
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Encore: TikTok Shop Is a Dystopian Mall Kiosk

On today’s show, Rachelle is joined by internet culture writer and reporter Kate Lindsay whose recent Bustle article “My Therapist is a TikTok Star” explores the complicated dynamics that emerge when patients run into their therapists online.
This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Ethics of the Therapist-Influencer

Candice Lim is joined by Yowei Shaw (former co-host of NPR’s Invisibilia) to discuss her new podcast Proxy, which takes listeners through the psychological aftermath of a layoff, starting with Shaw’s own layoff from NPR. In March 2023, the public radio institution laid off approximately 10 percent of its staff, resulting in the cancellation of four podcasts, including Invisibilia. Shaw, along with her team, was working on an upcoming season of the podcast when they were suddenly without jobs. More than a year later, Shaw is back with Proxy, which investigates layoff culture and asks questions like “Is there a good way to lay off employees?” and “Why did my HR representative smile when they laid me off?”
This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Free Trial Period of Social Media Is Over

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