Issue #41
'Evil' Joe Biden comes to TikTok, while Sesame Street takes over X
Hello again. This is your special leap day edition of Free Speech - exploring the politics and culture of social media. Here are my favourite stories from February.
TechCrunch
1. Joe Biden finally arrives on TikTok
‘Dark Brandon’ is a mix of two in-jokes shared by Donald Trump supporters. The Biden campaign has appropriated these in a new meme - will it work? (TechCrunch)
2. Mark Zuckerberg apologises to parents
At last month’s senate hearing, Meta’s CEO finally said sorry to parents whose children had died from suicide or been otherwise exploited online. (Business Insider)
3. British politicians ignore TikTok at their peril
While the UK government distracts itself with WhatsApp, Nigel Farage’s Reform party appears to be taking TikTok by storm. Can someone please stop him? (Politico)
4. We all need more Sesame Street
In these stressful times, people look for wholesome, anodyne, nostalgic fun - and nothing provides that better than Big Bird, Elmo and Grover. (The Daily Beast)
5. The new gatekeepers
As Facebook turns 20, this excellent podcast from Jamie Bartlett looks back to the halcyon, hippy ethos of early social media and asks what went wrong. (BBC Sounds)