Very Online

Very Online: The Terrifying Scale of the Online Gossip Economy

Photo-illustration: Three figures looking at phones against bright static background
by Jenna Mahale
December 17, 2021 at 11:21am
Our human instinct to discuss—and judge—others is increasingly warped by social platforms.
a triptych of photos of a thin Asian woman arranging food

Very Online: Emily Mariko Has Us Obsessed—for Now

by Jenna Mahale
October 21, 2021 at 12:14pm
There’s a fundamental contradiction in nearly all influencers’ lifestyle content. Read more »
A pregnancy test with the text, "hopefully we don't have no babies."

Very Online: On TikTok, Teens Reshape Abortion Culture

by Rachel Charlene Lewis
March 12, 2021 at 9:46am
Young people know that forced-childbirth diehards are on the wrong side of this fight. Read more »
Claudia Conway, a white teenage girl with brown hair. Text reads, “Is Claudia Conway safe?”

Very Online: Can Claudia Conway’s Platform Save Her?

by Rachel Charlene Lewis
January 29, 2021 at 11:00am
“My mom deserves to go to jail—that’s unreal.” Read more »
A bowl of beans next to the phrase "performative parenting."

Very Online: Bean Dad Continues a Tradition of Performative Parenting

by Rachel Charlene Lewis
January 8, 2021 at 2:09pm
From Facebook to Twitter and beyond, parents dunk on their own children online. Read more »
A person holds a phone with Twitter pulled up. Both Joe Biden and Donald Trump are on the Twitter feed. Over top, text reads, “even if it’s a lie.”

Very Online: Is “Owning the Libs” is More Important than Telling the Truth?

by Rachel Charlene Lewis
November 13, 2020 at 11:12am
Racist white politicians are learning that they don’t have to lie well. Read more »
The TikTok logo and the words, “death becomes inescapable.”

Very Online: You Can’t Escape Death on TikTok

by Rachel Charlene Lewis
October 22, 2020 at 1:00am
We’re still learning what to do with death, both online and off. Read more »
Three hands hold up blue makeup sponges.

Very Online: Biden Beauty and the Presidential Merch Wars

by Rachel Charlene Lewis
October 2, 2020 at 10:44am
Biden Beauty feels to me like less of an investment in Biden himself than the result of a nagging uncertainty. Read more »
Ruth Bader Ginsburg wears glasses. A crown is pasted on her head. The text reads “unfortunately symbolic.”

Very Online: Distilling RBG into a Meme Warps Her Legacy

by Rachel Charlene Lewis
September 25, 2020 at 9:04am
In death, the memeification of Ginsburg fails her. Read more »
A black box that reads, “Yes, it’s performative.”

Very Online: Inside the Endless Post-Police Brutality Loop

by Rachel Charlene Lewis
September 11, 2020 at 1:15pm
We continue treading the same digital footsteps, hoping that, maybe, this time, it’ll make a difference. Read more »
Three women wear the same bucket hat.

Very Online: Quarantine Is Changing Influencer Culture. Will It Last?

by Rachel Charlene Lewis
August 27, 2020 at 9:18am
In quarantine, influencer marketing is being tossed into harsher light. Read more »

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