Hello fellow citizens of the internet! Andrew here. Welcome to today’s edition of web_crawlr.
Today’s top stories are about: A viral video that captured shopping cart mayhem at Target, a woman sharing how she identified someone who scammed her, Fox News being big mad over M&Ms, and how artificial intelligence is causing controversy in the art scene yet again.
After that, our Culture Reporter Michelle has her weekly “Now Streaming” column.
See you tomorrow!
— A.W.
⚡ Today’s top stories
🛒 VIRAL
‘It’s causing mayhem’: TikToker films Target customers struggling with new anti-theft shopping carts
A recent viral video on TikTok depicted customers at a Target struggling to adjust to the store’s new anti-theft cart sensors.
💸 SCAMS
Woman shares how she identified scammer who used her credit card—with the help of an Olaplex customer service rep
A TikToker posted a method that folks may want to try if they’ve ever had their credit card info nabbed online and want to locate the crook responsible.
🍬 MEDIA
Fox News host says all-female M&M’s package weakens U.S. on the global stage
Fox News is taking aim at M&M’s after it was revealed that the candy would soon come in an all-female version.
🤖 TECH
Is AI photography as ethically plagued as AI art?
After disrupting the world of illustrators, artificial intelligence is causing controversy with a new type of machine-generated content: AI photography.
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📺 Now Streaming
‘The Pale Blue Eye’ is one of the first intriguing movies of 2023
In each edition of web_crawlr we have exclusive original content every day. On Wednesdays our Culture Reporters Audra Schroeder and Michelle Jaworski review or analyze the latest streaming content in their “Now Streaming” column. If you want to read columns like this before everyone else, subscribe to web_crawlr to get your daily scoop of internet culture delivered straight to you inbox.
🕸️ Crawling the web
Here is what else is happening across the ‘net.
💰 A TikToker claims that the Chick-fil-A app recently transferred $50 from her bank account to the app without her consent, and other customers say the same thing has happened to them.
🌯 In a viral video, a Chipotle customer catches a worker lying about being out of chips.
🍔 When you’re buying fast food from a well-established franchise, it’d be pretty jarring to see a menu item from another chain in your bag.
👜 A story about being detained at a Coach store after being accused of stealing has turned into a harrowing, multiple video saga of bad customer service.
🍼 What you need to know about the little conception device that’s making it easier to get pregnant.*
📺 From the Daily Dot archive: “Here’s why you can’t take a screenshot of a TV show or movie on your computer.”
🍸 Staying past closing time may not be a big deal to customers, but for those in the service industry it can present a particular nuisance as one bartender showed in a recent viral video.
🎬 Have you seen M3GAN yet? If not, why not check out our review of the film, where we say it is “programmed for maximum chaos.”
*The Daily Dot may receive a commission in connection with purchases of products or services featured here.
👋 Before you go
A woman confirmed a TikTok hotel hack that has been circulating the platform: how to get free upgrades at hotels.
It’s actually… pretty easy.
