The Intimate and Interconnected History of the Internet The Intimate and Interconnected History of the Internet
Kevin Driscoll’s new book The Modem World offers a picture of an early Internet defined by community, experimentation, and lack of privacy.
Oct 14, 2022 / Q&A / Jacob Bruggeman
Pankaj Mishra’s Novel of Intellectuals and Influencers Pankaj Mishra’s Novel of Intellectuals and Influencers
Mishra’s first work of fiction in over a decade examines how ideas circulate in an age of social media and “ideas festivals.”
Oct 3, 2022 / Books & the Arts / Jennifer Wilson
The Prying Eyes of Social Media The Prying Eyes of Social Media
The lack of regulation of online platforms puts our private lives up for sale.
Sep 20, 2022 / Feature / Patricia J. Williams
Searching for Local Identity in “The Bear” and “Chicago Party Aunt” Searching for Local Identity in “The Bear” and “Chicago Party Aunt”
The FX drama and Netflix animation both attempt to embody the city of Chicago. That’s an increasingly difficult task when the city itself is a jumbled simulacrum of its own past.
Aug 25, 2022 / Ryan Zickgraf
What’s Life Like for the Content Moderator? What’s Life Like for the Content Moderator?
Hanna Bervoets’s novella We Had to Remove This Post attempts to get inside the mind of one the Internet’s frontline workers.
Aug 23, 2022 / Books & the Arts / Joanne McNeil
Why the Internet Sided With Johnny Depp Why the Internet Sided With Johnny Depp
In a he said/she said scenario, we tend to believe him, regardless of our own gender.
Jun 6, 2022 / Highlights / Kate Manne
Do Revolutions Have a Secret Ingredient? Do Revolutions Have a Secret Ingredient?
A conversation with Gal Beckerman about his book, The Quiet Before, on the hushed moments and activities that precede social change
Apr 28, 2022 / Books & the Arts / Jasmine Liu
Jennifer Egan’s World Wide Web Jennifer Egan’s World Wide Web
Her latest novel tackles a favorite topic of her fiction—the excesses of the Internet and modern technologies.
May 3, 2022 / Books & the Arts / Erin Somers
Cancel Culture Exists Cancel Culture Exists
It’s fashionable to claim there are no real consequences for online callouts. The truth is, there very often are.
Apr 14, 2022 / Column / Katha Pollitt
We Can’t Let Billionaires Control Major Communications Platforms We Can’t Let Billionaires Control Major Communications Platforms
Elon Musk may not be sitting on Twitter’s board, but he remains its largest shareholder—and that’s bad news.
Apr 14, 2022 / Editorial / Victor Pickard