The Gist Garrett M. Graff on “Long Shadow” and the Internet’s Descent Into Outrage
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Sep 15, 2025 
Garrett Graff, a writer and historian and host of the Long Shadow podcast, explores the troubling evolution of the internet into a breeding ground for outrage. He discusses how corporate decisions by platforms like Facebook and YouTube have prioritized profit over ethics, fueling anger and division. Graff reveals how unregulated algorithms have exploited political fractures, including foreign interference in U.S. elections. He also critiques legacy media's failures in understanding social media's impacts and shares insights on contemporary political narratives.
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Legacy Media Misses The Real Platforms
- Mike Pesca argues legacy media misdiagnoses social media because they focus on the wrong platforms.
- He emphasizes most attention flows in unedited, algorithmic spaces like TikTok and Twitch, not Sunday shows.
Unedited Content Dominates Attention
- Pesca and Graff highlight that most media consumed lacks editorial oversight and ethical training.
- The volume of unedited content overwhelms professionally produced civic-minded media.
Direct Efforts At Programmers Not Pundits
- Ask better questions and hope public officials answer them to influence platform programmers.
- Target those who build and use social intermediation, not just Sunday show audiences.