Into It: A Vulture Podcast with Sam Sanders

Tech Bros Laid the Foundation, But Women Built Social Media

Oct 3, 2023

Guest Taylor Lorenz argues that the real protagonists of social media are the users, not the tech bros. She discusses the under-reported history of social media and how marginalized people played a significant role. They also explore the impact of social media on entertainment, television shows, and society as a whole.

38:34

Episode guests

Taylor Lorenz

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Quick takeaways

Users, particularly women and marginalized communities, played a significant role in shaping the social media landscape and its breakthrough features.

YouTube's success can be attributed to its user-driven approach, trusting content creators and implementing monetization programs early on.

Mommy bloggers were pioneers in revolutionizing conversations about motherhood, breaking taboos, and creating new revenue models.

Deep dives

The Power of Users in Social Media

The book 'Extremely Online' challenges the notion that social media platforms were made great by their creators. Instead, it argues that users and communities on these platforms are the ones who create the actual value. Breakthrough features and trends, such as hashtags, content creation, and the influencer economy, were driven by the users rather than the original creators. The book highlights the role of users in shaping the social media landscape and calls for recognition of their contributions.

Introduction

2min

The Mythology and Evolution of Social Media

11min

Internet and Social Media in Hollywood and the Entertainment Industry

4min

The Impact of Social Media on Television Shows and the Creative Process

8min

The Impact of Social Media on Society

13min

The story of social media has usually been told from the perspective of tech bros, set to a soundtrack by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. Washington Post columnist Taylor Lorenz argues in her new book, Extremely Online, that the real protagonists of the story are actually the users, who figured out what these platforms were best at before the people who invented them did. “Venture capitalists act like Mr. Beast invented it all,” Taylor says. “It was mothers, women, marginalized people, LGBTQ people.” Taylor guides Sam through the under-reported history of social media, from mommy bloggers who pioneered content monetization to brands tweeting about Scandal.

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