Endless Thread Group Chats: The Dark Matter of American Politics
May 23, 2025
Ben Smith, Editor-in-chief of Semafor and co-host of Mixed Signals, dives into the unseen influence of elite group chats in American politics. He discusses the shift from public discourse to private conversations, revealing how platforms like Signal and WhatsApp empower influential figures to shape political narratives away from scrutiny. The conversation explores the casual versus high-stakes nature of these chats and their critical role in the political landscape, especially during the tumultuous summer of 2020 and their implications for modern journalism.
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Formation of Chatham House Chat
- Mark Andreessen created multiple groups categorized by industry to exchange ideas and gossip.
- When some groups became unproductive, Andreessen helped form Chatham House, a politically charged group chat influencing Trump's supporters.
Dynamics of Effective Group Chats
- Successful group chats need a "nuclear reactor" who dominates conversation and "cooling rods" to moderate.
- Side chats form to discuss annoying members, creating a dynamic social environment.
Ephemeral Chats Enable Free Thinking
- People retreat to ephemeral chats to freely try half-baked ideas without permanent records.
- This mirrors oral conversation dynamics that traditional social media has diminished.