Hello fellow citizens of the internet! Andrew here. Welcome to today’s edition of web_crawlr.
I hope you had a good weekend! We’re kicking off our week with a “One Dumb Conspiracy” column from our Tech Reporter Mikael.
Besides that, we’ve got some key reports on: Whether or not Twitter’s new policies will ban the Santa tracker on Christmas Eve, how White Lotus sounds are taking over TikTok, artists being fed up with AI image generators, and how a disinformation campaign is threatening Pakistan’s trans community.
See you tomorrow!
— A.W.
⚡ Today’s top stories
🎄 TWITTER
Will Elon Musk suspend NORAD for tracking Santa on Christmas Eve?
It’s not clear if new rules apply to NORAD or just people who track Musk and his rich buddies.
📽️ CULTURE
‘Do you know these gays?’: ‘The White Lotus’ season 2 took over TikTok
The many sounds of White Lotus dominated TikTok.
💻 TECH
Artists fed up with AI-image generators use Mickey Mouse to goad copyright lawsuits
Artists are pushing back on imagery generated by artificial intelligence (AI) by using the technology to create content containing copyrighted Disney characters.
✏️ DISINFO
Disinformation campaign threatens rights of Pakistan’s trans community
The gains the Khwaja Sira made could soon be washed away.
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🎁 Holiday gift guides
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🔍 One Dumb Conspiracy
Is this map allegedly showing Elon Musk’s jet flying to Epstein’s island real?
In each edition of web_crawlr we have exclusive original content every day. On Mondays our Tech Reporter Mikael Thalen debunks the most wild conspiracy theories swirling around the web in his “One Dumb Conspiracy” 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 sparked a discussion about feeling lost in the workplace after posting a video revealing that he still has no clue what he is doing 4 months into his job.
☕ When it comes to coffee orders, some are very particular.
🐦 From our friends at Passionfruit, the Daily Dot’s creator economy newsletter: “Twitter isn’t dead: What happened to platforms hailed as the alternative?”
✨ It’s easier than ever to gift the magic of Disney. Here’s everything you need to know about the all-new Disney+ gift subscriptions.*
🍔 A woman’s video where she claims a Wendy’s manager accused her of lying about her burger being raw in the middle has drawn over 600,000 views on TikTok.
🎁 A corporate worker shared what he considers “red flag” Christmas gifts that companies often give to their workers.
🌐 From the Daily Dot archive: These students are ditching college to run an NFT business.
*The Daily Dot may receive a commission in connection with purchases of products or services featured here.
👋 Before you go
In a series of viral videos, TikTok user Claudia (@quantum.jedi) shared that her water from Costco smelled like wet dog and asked if other users had the same issue. Some users agreed, causing alarm in the comments section.
“What’s going on @costco? The [smell] burns your nose,” Claudia writes in the caption.
