Hello fellow citizens of the internet! Andrew here. Welcome to today’s edition of web_crawlr.
We’ve got some exciting news to share! I’d like to use today’s newsletter to introduce you to our new Assistant Editor here at web_crawlr, Kira Deshler! Kira’s going to be helping me put together the newsletter each week, so you’ll be seeing a lot more of her very soon. But I thought it would be fun for you to get to know her, so scroll down below to read a quick Q&A.
Meanwhile, our top stories today are about: A bartender getting revenge on a pair of people who left a $0 tip on a $115 bill, a creepy Hinge experience that has gone viral, why Trump’s lawyers are mad that Biden posted a “Dark Brandon” meme, and why Zoom is walking back its AI data training plan after users were outraged.
Also: If you didn’t take our weekly news quiz yesterday, there’s still time! Just open yesterday’s newsletter and answer the question. If you guess correctly, you’ll be entered to win a “Hot Blog Summer” shirt.
— A.W.
⚡ Today’s top stories
🥃 LABOR
‘You get what you give’: Bartender gets no tip on $115 bill. She gets revenge when table asks her to take a photo
In a viral video, a Canadian bartender shared how she creatively got back at a duo who left her $0 tip.
📱 WTF
‘I’m so done’: Man tells woman that he’s ‘watching her grow up’ on Hinge
Many people were shocked that the man had the nerve to message her the way he did.
🗳️ POLITICS
Trump’s lawyers upset Biden is posting ‘Dark Brandon’ memes
Former President Donald Trump’s attorneys complained in a court filing about a “Dark Brandon” meme posted by President Joe Biden following Trump’s indictment.
💻 TECH
Zoom forced to walk back AI data training plan after user outrage
The company quietly changed its Terms of Service in March to begin using consumer data to train AI.
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📝Behind the Scenes
As I mentioned above, web_crawlr has a new assistant editor! Please join me in welcoming Kira Deshler to the team. Kira has got some great ideas on how to take this newsletter to new heights, and you’ll be seeing more of her in the future.
In the meantime, I thought it would be fun to introduce Kira to readers like you with a quick Q&A.
— A.W.
A Q&A WITH:
Kira Deshler
Assistant Newsletter Editor
ANDREW:
➤ Welcome to the team Kira! Can you tell our web_crawlr readers a little bit about yourself?
KIRA:
➤ Hi everyone! I’m originally from Seattle, but I moved to Austin to attend grad school at the University of Texas. I got my master’s degree in Media Studies, and since then I have been working as a freelance writer and editor.
I’m a film buff, an avid TV-watcher, and a dedicated concert-goer. I love going outside and looking at really big trees, but also staying in and reading the latest pop culture think pieces.
ANDREW:
➤ What aspects of internet culture are your favorite?
KIRA:
➤ I love the unique, oftentimes impenetrable language of the internet. I love jokes or references that you basically need a degree in internet culture to understand because of how many layers of context they contain.
I love deciphering these cultural artifacts and being able to explain them to others. The internet can be hard to comprehend sometimes, and that’s exactly why we’re here.
ANDREW:
➤ You’ve got your own newsletter. Tell us a little bit about it, and what you like about newsletters.
KIRA:
➤ I write a newsletter called Paging Dr. Lesbian, which is all about lesbian and queer pop culture. This is an aspect of culture that often gets glossed over by larger publications, and it is my aim to give queer issues the attention they deserve.
I love writing the newsletter because it allows me to connect with people from around the world and not only share my thoughts, but hear theirs as well. I think newsletters are a great way to build community and create a readership that is not dependent on the whims of advertising. They allow people to get their news without wading through the depths of the internet swamp without a paddle.
ANDREW:
➤ Anything else you want to tell our readers?
KIRA:
➤ I’m very happy to be here! I look forward to diving into this wacky digital universe with you all.
🔒 Surf the ‘net safely
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Just click the button below to ask our Tech Reporter Mikael Thalen a question. If your question gets picked to be answered in a future column, you’ll get this pretty sweet “Your Password Sucks” shirt to show off.
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🕸️ Crawling the web
Here is what else is happening across the ‘net.
🍽️ From Chipotle to Texas Roadhouse, social media has been rushing to chain restaurants this year, eager to buy in bulk and save for the week. Now a TikTok influencer went viral for sharing her “lazy meal prep” from Chili’s.
🧹 After having just finished cleaning up an area, a Starbucks barista was upset to find it messy again due to customers who don’t clean up after themselves.
🆔 A video explaining how customers can take advantage of companies selling their personal information has gone viral.
💸 Found a great deal on Temu? Before you fill in your credit card details, watch this viral video from a woman who claims that after she gave her information to the online marketplace, her bank account was drained of $400.
🌮 A man revealed how a simple act of kindness made a Chipotle worker’s day and how the worker, in turn, gave him a discount on his meal.
🖊️ According to an anonymous survey by Papermate, 100 percent of workers have admitted to stealing a pen from their workplace. But, what if it’s the boss stealing them from an employee?
🔒 A CVS shopper was dismayed to find, in her words, scent beads locked behind a case during a recent trip to get laundry supplies.
📱 This app-based weight loss program prioritizes your mental health so you can live a healthier lifestyle. Here’s how you can try it for free.*
👨👩👦 From the Daily Dot archive: Why some mommy vloggers are taking their kids out of the spotlight.
*The Daily Dot may receive a commission in connection with purchases of products or services featured here.
👋 Before you go
A former server went viral when she posted a short victory clip of herself getting back at her employers.
TikToker Meghan (@meaganwhencough) filmed a clip of herself singing along to “Hater’s Anthem” by Infinity Song. A text overlay reads: “When the restaurant I was working at was stealing my tips and underpaying me so I’d pause their Uber Eats tablet for receiving orders.”
Tip theft is sadly a common occurrence in U.S. restaurants and credit card payments often play a big role in that. Since electronic payments are processed through the restaurant’s system, servers lose direct control over their tips. As cash transactions phase out, more managers are gaining oversight on how tips are distributed.
