Internet culture is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter here. You’ll get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.
Hello fellow web crawlers! Andrew here. Welcome to today's edition of web_crawlr.
Our top stories today are about: A man issuing a warning about a new scam that is "really working well," Elon Musk's controversial "salute" sparking widespread outrage online, a woman finding something strange in her oysters, and how the only girl at a hackathon getting asked out on a Post-it note sent the internet ablaze.
After that, our Assistant Newsletter Editor Kira has a "Decoding Fandom" column for you.
See you tomorrow!
— A.W.
⚡ Today in Internet Culture
⚠️ SCAMS
‘They catch you unexpectedly’: Man issues warning on new Apple email scam
A tech expert is warning his followers to be on the lookout for the latest Apple scam. Here’s how to avoid getting hacked.
😮 VIRAL POLITICS
Musk’s controversial ‘salute’ sparks outrage and renewed scrutiny of far-right content
Yesterday, Elon Musk performed a stiff-armed salute that sparked widespread condemnation online. Musk has received waves of criticism in response to his controversial gesture.
🦪 WTF
‘It’s swimming’: Woman goes out to eat oysters. Then she notices the strangest thing when she looks down to take a bite
A woman shared a video of a worm-like creature “swimming” towards the flesh of one of the raw oysters on her plate, sparking a debate about the safety of the popular delicacy.
📜 VIRAL
The ‘only girl at a Hackathon’ gets asked out in a Post-it note—then all hell breaks loose
A Post-it note handed to “the only girl at a Hackathon” has sparked an internet-wide debate about gender dynamics in tech spaces and public shaming when it comes to dating.
We crawl the web so you don’t have to. Sign up to receive web_crawlr, a daily newsletter from the Daily Dot, in your inbox each day.
By Kira Deshler
Assistant Newsletter Editor
Neil Gaiman fans reevaluate identity, fandom following harrowing exposé
In each edition of web_crawlr we have exclusive original content every day. On Wednesdays our Assistant Newsletter Editor Kira Deshler dives deep into the world of fan culture in her “Decoding Fandom” 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 your inbox.
🕸️ Crawling the Web
Here is what else is happening across the 'net.
🍪 A shopper who knows her Oreos tried the new Game Day variety and found that the cookies veered significantly from the ones that she knows and loves.
🥛 This coffee shop customer’s recent experience with an oat milk surcharge is reminding people to always double-check prices—and not be afraid to speak up if something isn’t right.
🍴 How would you feel if you had a date night at Chili's, just to have the restaurant confiscate your IDs?
📦 An Amazon delivery driver received a note with a special request from a customer, and he’s not willing to play along.
🚗 Unless you’re an experienced mechanic, it might be difficult to tell when a major issue is happening with your car.
🏳️🌈 From the Daily Dot archive: How a Sims 2 fan forum became an unwitting safe space for queer creatives.
📝 Question of the Day
Everyone's got opinions, and we want to know yours. Just click a button below to answer the question, and tomorrow we will let you know how fellow web crawlers like you answered.
DID YOU WATCH ANY OF THE INAUGURATION ON MONDAY?
To answer questions like this in the future, sign up for web_crawlr here.
🤳 Today's Viral Video
🎶 Now Playing: "Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)" by David Bowie 🎶
