Internet culture is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter here. You’ll get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.
Hello fellow web crawlers! Kira here. Welcome to today’s edition of web_crawlr.
Today’s top stories are about: how a brand used a deepfake video of a woman on TikTok without her consent, the internet’s response to Elon Musk’s scandalous anti-Kamala Harris ad, the $3 Temu product that keeps duping the relatives of younger folks online, and the controversial “Office Sirens” trend on TikTok.
After that, we’ve got a “One Good Thing” column for you. And, don’t forget to vote in Week 1 of this year’s Hall of Fame if you haven’t already!
See you tomorrow,
— K.D.
⚡ Today in Internet Culture
🤖 DARK TECH
‘It’s very scary’: Woman issues warning after brand uses AI deepfake of her to promote their product
According to Security Hero statistics, there’s been a 550% increase in deepfake videos since 2019.
➤READ MORE
⚔️ VIRAL POLITICS
Musk PAC ad branding Harris a ‘big old C-Word’ spectacularly backfired
The ad said ‘communist’ but implied something else.
➤READ MORE
🛍️ BUYER BEWARE
‘Temu done got my mama again’: Woman can’t believe what car product her mom bought from Temu for $2.99
“My grandma got this item for everyone in my family last Christmas,” one user commented on the TikTok video.
➤READ MORE
👩💼 TIKTOK TRENDS
‘Office Sirens’ are dividing TikTok: Here’s what the Internet has to say about this controversial trend
Is it cute or an HR fiasco?
➤READ MORE
We crawl the web so you don’t have to. Sign up to receive web_crawlr, a daily newsletter from the Daily Dot, in your inbox each day.
✨ One Good Thing ✨
We cover the “best and worst” of internet culture, but sometimes the “best” can get lost in the shuffle. We’ll focus on stories that highlight the “best” in a semi-regular section called “One Good Thing.”
‘It’s just ruining the aesthetic’: Man shares ‘renter hack’ for how to hide the cords on your wall-mounted TV
A man has gone viral on TikTok for sharing a life hack that solves a common issue for renters: How to hide unsightly cords without risking damage to the walls of the apartment and losing your security deposit.
In the video, TikToker Joshua Mastin (@ijoshuajamal3) stands next to a freshly mounted TV. “I just had my new TV mounted, but I want to hide this cord right here because it’s just ruining the aesthetic that I’m going for,” he began.
“These cord hiders, they have this sticky adhesive that can damage the wall and cost you hundreds of dollars when you move out of your apartment,” he continues, while the video shows a picture of a damaged wall from his old apartment.
Mastin’s video has racked up thousands of views and hundreds of comments since he posted it this summer, with users complimenting his ingenuity and suggesting their own tricks for apartment-friendly decorating.
LEARN THE KEY TO THIS HACK
🕸️ Crawling the Web
Here is what else is happening across the ‘net.
🍓 A woman in a restaurant ordered a fruit salad with no fruit, then proceeded to argue with the server about what is and isn’t a fruit.
✈️ A flight attendant revealed the ‘filthiest’ parts of a plane. It’s not where you think.
🧊 In a viral TikTok video, a man reveals the effort it takes to defrost his Samsung fridge. Hint – it’s icy down there.
💄 A former Sephora worker warned against using the store’s makeup testers after a shopper got sick. She’s not the only one.
🍋 In a satirical TikTok skit, a woman blasts customers who come into a restaurant and try and make their own lemonade to avoid paying full price.
🍰 Rather than spend $4 on a cake pop for her daughter every time she went to Starbucks, a mom discovered a free hack – whipped cream isn’t just for dogs.
🐉 From the Daily Dot archive: Here’s how Multi-User Dungeons built the internet.
📝 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.
HAVE YOU EVER BOUGHT ANYTHING FROM TEMU?
To answer questions like this in the future, sign up for web_crawlr here.
🤳 Today’s Viral Video
Plant lovers, this one’s for you 🪴
Sign up to receive the Daily Dot’s Internet Insider newsletter for urgent news from the frontline of online.
The post Newsletter: 🤖 Brand steals woman’s face for deepfake AI video appeared first on The Daily Dot.
