Internet Culture
Vox’s coverage of the latest memes, social media controversies, YouTube drama, and more.
Nobody asked for candy with anxiety. And why can’t the green M&M be sexy?
A new book aims to show why directives to “just be more confident!” are so harmful.
Netflix’s new Hype House series is a morbid tale of what happens when your 15 minutes of fame is up.
If the onslaught of New Year’s diet marketing is taking a toll on your body image, here are some tips for coping.
Eccentricity in artists used to be normal. Has the internet changed that?
Algorithms are surfacing content that combines Christian ideas and New Age spirituality — along with some conspiracy theories.
Social media doesn’t always help us make sense of horrific events.
Platforms like OnlyFans let people with big followings online earn money. What about the sex workers who were there first?
The most popular holiday gifts might not arrive in time for the holidays, even if you order now.
Social media is now basically WebMD for mental health.
Web sleuthing was a tricky true crime hobby. Then Gabby Petito went missing.
Minaj, under the guise of caution, is helping mainstream a dangerous form of anti-science.
Parasocial relationships aren’t to blame for the John Mulaney/Olivia Munn pregnancy discourse.
Street Dance of China makes a compelling argument that what the world needs now is a giant global dance-off.
Pig invites fans of Nic Cage, the meme, to rediscover Nic Cage, the movie star.
In the past, taste was scouted from hip kids and sold to the masses. But in the great river of content, what does cool even mean?
The payments platform says it’s protecting consumers, but small businesses are paying a price.
It’s up to users to find out if Google is prioritizing wrong information about them in search results.
There’s a crop of influencers romanticizing the workday. Is that a good thing?
The father of the web sees promise in NFTs.
Author John Paul Brammer on how to rethink the ways we seek and give support.
Sarah Marshall on America’s weird penchant for satanic panics.
The keys to BTS’s success: emotional resonance, sincerity, and an ARMY of fans.
Social media’s view of the 99-year-old man’s death is much different.
Lil Nas X put human blood into 666 pairs of Nikes because being queer means embracing your villainy.
“Shrimp guy” Jensen Karp, outed as an alleged abuser, is the latest viral phenomenon to get Milkshake Ducked. But he won’t be the last.
How a tweet about a possible shrimp tail in a box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch became a Milkshake Duck.
The HBO Max release of the fabled “Snyder Cut” happened thanks to a mix of entitlement, harassment, and privilege.
Clout mining is the new way to make money off viral tweets.
Fandom offers many fans a crucial respite from the pandemic. But it’s complicated.
A million-plus-word story is holding AO3’s community hostage.
Cult hit RedHanded balances the appeal of true crime storytelling with progressive politics — and a lot of charm. We talked to its hosts.
Tessica Brown’s TikTok saga is a lesson on the highs and lows of viral fame.
Taking Cara Babies taught her 1.3 million followers how to get their babies to sleep. Then her political affiliations sparked a social media meltdown.
Kellyanne Conway’s 16-year-old daughter has provided an ugly look into their family life, and the latest accusations are especially troubling.
The debate over deplatforming Trump has overshadowed how effective social media bans are at fighting extremism.
The Biden era began with wholesome Bernie memes.
The former BuzzFeed employee’s arrest for his role in the Capitol riot reminds us alt-right racism was never ironic.
Is this the beginning of a mainstream fat acceptance movement? Or will it be buried by the algorithms?
How Trump blurred the lines between politics and persona in ways that will reverberate for years.