The Global Story Is social media dead?
26 snips
Dec 25, 2025 
In this intriguing discussion, Kyle Chayka, a staff writer at The New Yorker, explores the evolution of social media. Reflecting on the early days of platforms like MySpace and Tumblr, he highlights how the landscape has shifted from genuine connections to algorithm-driven broadcasts. He critiques the corporate consolidation of platforms and the rise of generative AI, warning about content fatigue. Chayka predicts a future where users gravitate towards smaller, creator-led spaces, hinting at a crucial transformation in how we engage online.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Meeting Real People Online
- Kyle Chayka found early social networks like MySpace and pre-college Facebook felt intimate and tied to real-life relationships.
- He met his future wife in an accepted-students Facebook group, illustrating how social media once connected known communities.
Live-Tweet Backlash Lesson
- Kyle described live-tweeting a performance in 2011 and being confronted by the artists afterward about critical tweets.
- That moment taught him online posts can quickly have real-world consequences.
Consolidation Replaced Platform Diversity
- Kyle traces a shift from a profusion of niche platforms to corporate consolidation after Facebook bought Instagram and WhatsApp.
- Acquisitions turned social networks into centralized platforms rather than diverse independent spaces.