Newsletter: Bumble’s AI dating plans are giving major ‘Black Mirror’ vibes

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Hello fellow web crawlers! Kira here. Welcome to today’s edition of web_crawlr. 

Today’s top stories are about: the Bumble CEO’s prediction about what the future of dating with AI will look like, John Fetterman’s support of Florida’s anti-fake meat law, one woman’s nightmare stay at a pricey Airbnb, and the internet’s reactions to a new series of Lord of The Rings movies. 

After that, Mikael has a “One Dumb Conspiracy” column for you. 

Until next time,

— K.D. 

⚡ Today in internet culture

🐝 HUMANS VS ROBOTS
‘Sounds like a terrible dystopian future’: Bumble CEO’s prediction about AI dating draws comparisons to ‘Black Mirror’

According to Bumble CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd, AI may soon allow app dating to get a lot less swipe-y.

➤ READ MORE

🥩 MEATY POLITICAL DEBATES
Fetterman praises Florida’s lab-grown meat ban, which aims to stop the ‘elite’ from forcing ‘the world to eat fake meat and bugs’

Fetterman’s had it with faux foie gras, pirated pork, imitation intestines, hoax hamburgers, and reproduction rib-eye. 

➤ READ MORE

🏠 VIRAL VACATION DISASTERS
‘You used the pool table twice’: Airbnb customer says host charged $924 extra for using things like TV, Wi-Fi

“This is exactly why I’m fine with paying hotels,” one user wrote in the comments. 

➤ READ MORE

🧙‍♂️ HOLLYWOOD FAILS TO PLEASE
‘Nobody cares about Gollum’: The Internet’s reaction to new ‘Lord of the Rings’ films is anything but ‘precious’

How’s the internet taking this news? Mixed would be an understatement.

➤ READ MORE

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🔍 One Dumb Conspiracy 

By Mikael Thalen
Staff Reporter

Does this video show Harrison Ford praising pro-Palestine protesters?

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 your inbox.

🕸️ Crawling the web

Here is what else is happening across the ‘net.

👂 A woman who experienced temporary hearing loss has a horrifying scenario for you to ponder. If it happens to you, there is a chance that it could be thanks to a bug lodged in your ear.

🤖 Should creators be concerned about Instagram’s AI developments?

👁️ A ‘young, healthy’ man issued a dire warning about getting LASIK surgery that has received a ton of attention online. 

📱 Do you use Target Circle? If so, one woman’s viral warning about the rewards and coupons app might be something you need to hear. 

🧂 A man called out Costco for selling seasoning bottles that are half empty. But some viewers are defending the store, pointing out the many reasons the Costco seasonings seem half empty.

📦 This woman shared details about a day in her life as a reseller on Amazon, but viewers are divided over the fact that she sources her products from Dollar Tree.

🔊 From the Daily Dot archive: Distorted TikTok sounds hurt marginalized creators—and AI is making it worse.

📝 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. 

WOULD YOU LET AI TAKE OVER FOR YOU ON DATING APPS?

To answer questions like this in the future, sign up for web_crawlr here.

👋 Before you go

Amazon drivers go through a lot. Whether they’re making deliveries at 3 am, dealing with unruly pets, or managing the numerous bizarre things that happen to them on the job, drivers working for Amazon deal with many strange and uncomfortable experiences while handing packages off to eager customers.

Given the stress that can come with this job, people observing Amazon drivers may think that they are helping them with their job by allowing them to pass them or waving them through a stop sign when the other driver has the right of way. However, as an Amazon driver recently noted on TikTok, this isn’t always the case.

In a video with over 339,000 views, TikTok user and Amazon driver Rozee (@rozskates_) says that some people’s efforts to assist her on her route aren’t as helpful as a casual observer might think.

🎶 Now Playing: “Linger” by Royel Otis 🎶