Preconceived notions and media narratives have warped perceptions of social media and internet culture, shaping misleading stories about generations. A critical look beyond the headlines reveals the complex realities of how people of all ages engage with online platforms in nuanced ways.

Farrah Bostic and Adam Pierno welcome Rebecca Jennings, a reporter at Vox covering internet culture, to unpack the flawed assumptions and evolving trends shaping discourse around TikTok, influencers, and generational divides. Together, they explore how content creation, viral sensations, and the quest for fame and money online impact society in ways that often defy simplistic narratives. The conversation challenges listeners to question their assumptions and rethink the digital world around them.

Resources

• "Romantic norms are in flux. No wonder everyone's obsessed with polyamory." by Rebecca Jennings: https://www.vox.com/culture/24078524/polyamory-open-marriage-anxiety
• "'Girl' trends and the repackaging of womanhood" by Rebecca Jennings: “Girl” trends and the repackaging of womanhood
• "Everyone's a sellout now" by Rebecca Jennings: Everyone’s a sellout now
• "Against trendbait" by Rebecca Jennings: Against trendbait
• "What is 'Cheugy'? You Know It When You See It" by Taylor Lorenz: What Is ‘Cheugy’? You Know It When You See It. (Published 2021)
• "DIGITAL 2024: GLOBAL OVERVIEW REPORT": Digital 2024: Global Overview Report — DataReportal – Global Digital Insights

Our Guest

Rebecca Jennings is a senior correspondent covering social platforms and the creator economy, with a focus on how social media is changing the nature of fame, fashion, money, and human relationships. Since joining Vox in 2018, she has reported extensively on the introduction of TikTok into the US, covered the rise and fall of hype houses and sexfluencers, and investigated young tech entrepreneurs, aesthetic trends, and the nature of beauty in the social media age.

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