Slate Business What Next: TBD | 2025: The Meme of the Year
Dec 28, 2025
Kate Lindsay, host of Slate's ICYMI podcast, dives into the fascinating world of memes and online culture in 2025. She discusses how memes have evolved beyond simple images into powerful moments that reflect societal issues. From the sensational Coldplay kiss-cam scandal and its underlying themes of surveillance and public shaming, to the emergence of niche memes like 6'7, Kate highlights the complexities of internet culture today. She even speculates on the future evolution of memes in an ever-fragmenting digital landscape.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Memes Are Now Moments Not Just Images
- Memes have shifted from static images to broad internet moments driven by video and audio.
- Kate Lindsay says a meme now means anything that took over the internet and became a shared moment.
Coldplay Kiss‑Cam Turned Into A Viral HR Scandal
- The Coldplay kiss-cam clip exploded into identification and fallout within 24 hours.
- Kate Lindsay traces how the man was ID'd as Astronomer's CEO and both employees soon lost their jobs.
Social Media Acts Like A Surveillance State
- The viral spread revealed how social media functions as a surveillance apparatus with little privacy left.
- Lindsay notes people post strangers without taboo and expect anyone in public can be exposed.