#How to crack the instagram algorithm

[webslingingslasher]

is trouble ever frat!peter’s lock screen? Either before or after the whole situationship thing or secretly during both eras? If so, what picture?

yes! relationship!peter does it proudly, situationship!peter is a bit more stealth. iphones have a wallpaper feature where if you hold the screen down you can swap between photos and i imagine that’s how it is.

peter went home for a week and really missed you and went through his photos and he saw that picture he snapped of you at a party. the background is blurred, proof that the liquor was flowing heavily. you’ve got a smile that shows off almost every tooth and a vice grip on a liter of rum. he doesn’t know why, but he made it his wallpaper for the week and would pick up his phone every five minutes just to look at it.

relationship!peter has a picture of the both of you. something he looks at and is reminded of what he has and how much he truly loves you. it was from a double date night you both had a few months into being official, your friend pressured peter for the photo, he rolled his eyes and gave in. he’s glad he did. it’s his favorite.

you’re wrapped around him in a side hug, peters got a grip on your shoulder. he’s laughing at something your friends date said, he’s wearing the grin you tell him you love. but the reason he has such adornment for the photo is because of the way you’re looking at him.

your eyes are bright and shining, your smile matches his, not because you found anything funny, but because peter’s joy was contagious for you. each time he looks at it he feels warmth radiate, a visual reminder of how much you love him.

—

(you know i had to add a bonus of trouble finding peter’s wallpaper!! -situationship!peter obv)

‘just sit here and look pretty, i’ll be thirty minutes tops.’

peter had pulled you away from date night with the promise of stopping at his chapter meeting. he had negotiated the first hour, trent, the chapter president, wouldn’t break on the last thirty minutes and demanded peter be there. or else.

you wouldn’t mind but peter didn’t tell you until last minute and now you’re sitting down at an empty table at the library while they fill up a rented room across from you.

‘it’ll be longer than that and you know it.’

‘you’ll be fine. give me a kiss.’ you meet him with one, you grumble down at your phone. ‘my phones about to die, what am i supposed to do?’

peter feigns shock, ‘oh no!’ he looks around, ‘i hope you’ll find something to do in this big, empty library. it might be hard.’

your eyes narrow, you hate his sarcasm. ‘the library doesn’t have instagram reels, peter. how am i supposed to entertain myself while you’re talking numbers and business?’

there’s a miniature battle of silence, you win when peter groans and hands over his phone from his back pocket. ‘here. use mine.’ you reach forward, peter’s giving you unbridled access to his phone, you’d be dumb to say no.

‘nuh uh. you promise me right now you won’t fuck up my algorithm, i spent months perfecting it.’ you make grabby hands, ‘promise.’

the sleek, black screen is in your hold in seconds. your thumbs fly over the screen, you’re in and on instagram in a second. peter looks back once more, ‘thirty minutes.’ you nod, the first video already playing, you wish you could send it to peter. you send it to yourself to send back to him when you’re at a full charge.

ten minutes and you need a refresher, wandering around towards the bathroom you grab a water from a vending machine. cracking the cap, your left thumb pressed into peter’s home screen and his wallpaper separated, another photo right next to it.

you can recognize the edge, you swipe and feel your heart melt into a puddle. it’s you and only you. smiling and posing just for peter. he snapped the pic and saved it, he even went one step further and put it as his screensaver. a backup one, but something tells you he doesn’t want you knowing it exists.

you can keep a secret.

you can’t stop smiling at his phone and the short videos playing aren’t even that funny. you perk at a kiss on the top of your head. ‘told you i’d only be thirty minutes… what? why are you looking at me like that?’

‘no reason. it was very nice of you to offer me your phone, thank you.’

another kiss, you can’t wait til you get him alone. you might be the only one in on the secret, but he was going to be treated very nicely for it.

‘no problem, trouble. what’s mine is yours.’ your heart thumps louder. ‘and now,’ peter gently pulls you up with him, you’re along for the ride.

‘i owe you dessert, let’s go.’ you don’t walk with him, you stay until his hand tugs yours, peter looks back at you confused. ‘i wanna have dessert at yours.’

peter pouts, ‘tarrent polished off the ice cream.’

‘i know.’ peter knows that tone, now he’s standing straighter and acting casually. ‘oh? alright, yeah, let’s go home.’

[epicbuddieficrecs]

Weekly Recap | May 27th-June 2nd 2024

That finale sure was... something.... Can't wait for all the fix-it fics we're gonna get over the summer!!

Complete

the same damn thing that made my heart surrender by fleetinghearts/ @shitouttabuck (Crack, Getting Together | 1,5K | Teen): “Ever since that barbecue at Bobby and Athena’s last weekend I’ve been getting the weirdest targeted ads on my Insta,” he pouts, scrolling some more. On the screen is an ad for… a pale blue babydoll tee with the word BRAT screenprinted across the chest in curly pink letters. or, buck’s instagram algorithm is plaguing him with salacious clothing ads and eddie can’t be held responsible for playing Beefcake Barbie dress-up in his head about it

seeing you with him just don't feel right (you're giving me a heart attack) by bellabrady (Post-S7, Crack | 1,9K | Not Rated): Or: Buck and Eddie accidentally give their homophobic captain a heart attack.

stained by my mistakes by Tizniz/@tizniz (BTHB: Accidental Murder | 2K | General): Like an overslept mistake or killed a dude mistake? Under any other circumstances, Eddie would probably laugh at his best friend’s reply. But he’s not laughing. Not right now. He swallows the lump in his throat and stumbles over his reply. …the second option.

Everything you lose is a step you take by justhockey (Getting Together, Post-Lightning | 2K | General): For a while, when Buck would find himself about to float - about to slip into that space where he couldn’t believe he was still here, still breathing - he would need something to keep him steady. To keep both feet firmly planted on the ground. That’s how all of it started. Because it had been instinct, like it always has been with them, for Buck to reach for Eddie that very first time he felt like he was floating. And Eddie, like he always does, reached back. Through fire and trauma, under fire trucks, across blood-soaked asphalt - Buck and Eddie always reach for each other. It’s what they do. It’s who they are. They reach, and hold on, and they pull each other to safety.

that's the way love goes by heartbeatdiaz/ @loserdiaz (BuckTommy Break-up, Buddie Getting Together | 4K | Teen): Tommy thinks Buck and Eddie used to date and never really got over each other... he is very tired and confused. But it makes some feeling realizations come to light and a pair of idiots to see what they've been missing all along, so it's all good.

Sweet as Sugar by Tizniz/ @tizniz (BTHB: Chronic Illness | 8K | General): “There’s still something wrong with me.” “I don’t like that phrasing, but your labs did come back positive for something, yes.” Buck swallows, rubs his hands down his thighs, “Okay. What?” “Evan, you’re diabetic.”

What’s Your Order? by JJK/ @trenchcoatsandtimetravel (Post-S7E5, BuckTommy | 18K | Teen): 5 Times Buck Guessed Tommy’s Coffee Order + 1 Time He Didn’t Have To

🔥 a place we both know by not1_2write (A/B/O AU, Not A Firefighter!Buck | 42K | Mature): This whole thing is Bobby's fault. He's the one that suggested Eddie apply for the mate matching service, it was his idea to look for an Omega that would love and care for Christopher, to find a mate to be by Eddie's side. Eddie's gonna have to send him a fruit basket or something. It was the greatest idea Bobby's ever had and because of it they now they have Buck in their lives, in their pack and firmly nestled right in Eddie's heart.

WIP

🔥 stuck now so long, we just got the start wrong by Daffi_990_ao3/ @daffi-990 (Canon Divergent, Different First Meeting | 7/10 | 55K | Not Rated): Probational Firefighters Evan “Buck” Buckley and Eddie Diaz meet on a call which ends with them at odds with each other. As the months roll by, they keep running into each other on the job, much to Eddie’s dismay and Buck’s delight. Can they put aside their first opinions and misunderstandings and allow the seeds of friendship, and possibly something more, to take root?

🔥 like a bird stealing bread out from under your nose by Daisies_and_Briars/ @cal-daisies-and-briars (Post-S7, Fix-It | 2/7 | 6K | Mature): If you’d asked Eddie back in May what rock bottom looked like, it was his son leaving him. That felt like it; everything ruined so entirely that there was no way to ruin it further. There’s always more to lose.

🔥 Things We're All Too Young to Know by Daisies_and_Briar / @cal-daisies-and-briars (Canon S1-S6, Divergent Post-S6 | 128/? | 401K | Mature): This is a love story. Even if it doesn’t always look like it. Even if it doesn’t always feel like it. A look back on Eddie and Buck's lives up to now, and what led them to each other, interpreted from the current 9-1-1 canon.

🔥 Held Up a Lightning Rod (Wonder Why I'm Struck) by letmetellyouaboutmyfeels/ @letmetellyouaboutmyfeels (Not A Firefighter Eddie, Sugar Baby Buck | 3/22 | 14K | Explicit): When Eddie Diaz stumbles his way into money, he finds himself one of the most eligible bachelors in Los Angeles - to his dismay. He needs a way to get people off his back without confessing his messy marital situation, and Shannon's still not answering his calls, so he caves to a friend's suggestion: hire someone to pretend to be his partner. Enter Evan "Buck" Buckley: sugar baby, fire fighter, and the man about to turn Eddie's world upside down.

Podfic

🔥 [Podfic] Your Fingerprints Smeared on My Heart (Lead Me Back to You) by MistMarauder/ @mistmarauder for letmetellyouaboutmyfeels/ @letmetellyouaboutmyfeels (Cowboy AU, Reincarnation, Soulmates | 10-15h | Explicit): In 1880, Evan Buckley of the arriviste set is sent out west to oversee his family's railroad and recover from a broken heart - and meets Eddie Diaz, cowboy. When fate tears them apart, they make a promise: find each other again. In 2018, Buck walks into his fire station in Los Angeles - and meets Eddie Diaz, new recruit.

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

AITA for telling my sister that I didn't find her instagram post funny and that I didn't want her to send me things like that again?

I (32f) have never had a good relationship with my sister (34f). We have gotten somewhat better over time, but we have always had a strained relationship. We are about as opposite as you can be. Social rights issues? No compromise. ACAB? Constant disagreements. Politics: best never mention them. TV Shows? No interest at all. Music? We cannot stand each other's music. We genuinely have nothing except our blood and the fact we were raised by the same people in common.

I am currently in the process of finishing my PhD and live on a different continent to her. We have been vaguely trying to talk and maintain a cordial friendship from afar.

For the past four months I had been preparing for a conference that I was organizing, leading, and moderating. It was a massive project that will be a huge part of my dissertation research, and it went very well. The day after the conference I had a long career planning discussion with some academic advisors, and spent about three hours talking in my second language with my own advisor. The combination of everything left me genuinely exhausted to the point that I woke up the day after it all still too tired to move.

After I woke up, I realized I had a text from her containing an instagram link - no comment, no notes, no context, just the link. I know I wasn't in a perfect headspace and still needed more sleep, but I clicked it because usually she just spam sends me instagram videos about random baby rearing things she finds funny. I don't find any of them amusing, but tolerate them because she seems to enjoy it. I usually just nod my head or offer a few responses to show I've seen it and move on.

But this video was different. This video was, as far as I can tell, an influencer attempt at selling an AI. It had a young woman walk into a classroom with the onscreen text describing how "my professor is the same age as us and she has her phd!" and when she was asked how she got it, the video shows how the "teacher" went onto Youtube, put Youtube videos into this AI which created an algorithm to summarize the video. It ends with the words "University is a joke in 2024".

I was....genuinely offended. After everything I had been through working on this conference and with years of thesis work, I was just hurt. I watched it a few times, trying to understand what it was even trying to say, and could come up with no good reason for why she would just send it to me. So I wrote back to her "idk how you even want me to respond."

She said she thought it was funny, and I asked her if she understood why I wouldn't find it funny. She wrote back "because you lack my sense of humor smh." I tried explaining why I was upset and reframed it in the context of her job. She doubled down that she thought it was funny, but that it was because she thought it was amusing anyone would think they could get any kind of degree like that.

I explained that AI is genuinely a problem in universities right now and that our students are using it to get through their classes and it's causing a lot of chaos with profs trying to crack down on it. Then I told her it felt like she sent me something just to annoy me.

The argument continued from there. I asked her not to send me stuff like that again, and she asked how she was supposed to know I would be triggered by an AI video, and that I was being oversensitive, and how it was my fault for always assuming that she is plotting to piss me off and that she can never show an interest in my life without me having a "feelings dumpfest" and calling her out for being a bully.

I don't understand how she could think sending a video to me saying "university is a joke in 2024" with no context at all would be taken as a joke in the first place. And I felt like if I didn't tell her I didn't like this kind of video and why it made me upset she would keep sending things like this to me I'd have to keep seeing and ignoring future posts.

AITA for telling her I didn't think it was funny and to stop?

Should I have just ignored it and gone back to sleep? (At this point that's what I felt like I should have done...)

What are these acronyms?

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Maxwell Tani at Semafor:

Soon after Vice President Kamala Harris became the Democratic nominee, deputy campaign manager Rob Flaherty turned his attention to sports. The campaign needed to introduce Harris quickly to people who aren’t obsessed with politics. Sports is perhaps America’s last remaining monoculture, and Flaherty and the Harris team decided to book her on sports shows and podcasts. But one by one, the biggest personalities and shows politely turned them down. “Sports and culture have sort of merged together, and as sports and culture became more publicly and sort of natively associated with this Trump-conservative set of values, it got more complicated for athletes to come out in favor of us,” Flaherty, 33, told me in an interview last week. “It got more complicated for sports personalities to take us on their shows because they didn’t want to ‘do politics.’” “That’s not to say Steph Curry and Steve Kerr and LeBron [James] and all them coming out wasn’t impactful or important,” he said. “It was more impactful because it had gotten so much harder. But certainly the culture that has been associated with heavy sports-watching has become associated with right-wing culture in a way that makes it harder for us to reach people.”

Flaherty declined to say who turned Harris down, but she didn’t appear on key shows hosted by sports figures sympathetic to Democrats, like Colin Cowherd, Bill Simmons, or the Kelce brothers. (As Semafor first reported at the time, Harris did appear on All The Smoke, a popular but more niche basketball podcast, and NFL hall-of-famer Shannon Sharpe’s Club Shay Shay podcast.) The campaign’s failure to completely crack the sports sphere was, to Flaherty, ominous, and part of a larger trend in which some influencers who had felt comfortable engaging with the Biden White House, demurred when asked to help Harris make her case to their followers. “When it’s not cool to talk about politics,” he said, “you’re kind of afraid of the audience.” “Campaigns, in many ways, are last-mile marketers that exist on terrain that is set by culture, and the institutions by which Democrats have historically had the ability to influence culture are losing relevance,” he said. “You don’t get a national eight-point shift to the right without losing hold of culture.”

[...] Flaherty was also paying close attention to how the race was being run on the Republican side. Donald Trump was leaning into new podcasts, and his opponents were tapping a large network of right-leaning and conservative personalities to amplify their message.

Then, he acknowledged that the Republican Party had done a better job building up its alternative digital media ecosystem with podcasters, YouTube streamers, and friendly pundits. But he argued that the then-Biden campaign would overcome those obstacles by better navigating the “personalized internet,” by which sophisticated algorithms feed Americans highly specific information tailored to their tastes and online behavior. Speaking with me again last week, Flaherty said that remained their theory of the case the entire time. The campaign knew from the beginning that the race was going to come down to voters who do not pay attention to politics or mainstream news and instead get their information from people on YouTube, their friends’ Instagram stories, or links or memes dropped in a group chat. This firstly meant a shift in paid advertising from previous campaigns. Instead of just blanketing the airwaves in the battleground states, the campaign also invested heavily in ads on YouTube, recognizing the rapid growth in streaming. That’s where, the campaign’s data showed, many of Harris’ key voters were spending their time.

More importantly, this meant building out a strategy focused more on podcast appearances and interviews with influencers than on traditional media. Flaherty said the campaign skipped opportunities to talk to the major legacy news outlets because of Harris’ extremely limited time and its survey data, which showed that their audiences overwhelmingly supported Harris already. “There’s just no value — with respect to my colleagues in the mainstream press — in a general election, to speaking to the New York Times or speaking to the Washington Post, because those [readers] are already with us,” Flaherty said. Flaherty isn’t dismissive of television and other legacy media. “One of the most important moments of the campaign for the vice president was her interview with Bret Baier. That was a huge fundraising moment. It was a huge social moment,” he said.

“When Trump did the McDonald’s thing, it was smart, because it was a thing that obviously drove television coverage, but it also drove social media engagement too,” he said. “And those things often happen in tandem, but they don’t always, and so it was the sweet spot. It drove traditional coverage and nontraditional media. I don’t think TV is dead. It’s still probably the most important thing, but it’s the literal TV and what’s on it that matters.” As the campaign wore on, though, Flaherty said he realized their failure to gain traction in certain corners of media reflected a deeper problem — one that wasn’t solved when Harris replaced Biden on the ticket. The Harris campaign, representing what many voters saw as an embodiment of the status quo, was running contrary not just to ideological distrust of establishment figures but to media trends. The media successes of 2024 were independent, nontraditional online personalities who themselves were avatars of the rewards of going up against the Establishment.

Rob Flaherty, Kamala Harris’s digital campaign chief, told Semafor’s Maxwell Tani that the Democrats’ loss of hold on the culture played a big role into Donald Trump’s win.

[callsignthirsty]

I'll do #9 "I don't care how good it feels you'd better not cum until I tell you to." With Bradley 😏

hey girl, hey —

so I’m finally getting around to the smut prompt fills from forever ago. please enjoy my first crack at writing Rooster. I had a fun time writing him, so hopefully it translates.

Pairing: Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw x F!reader Word Count: 1005 Warnings: sex toys, slightly under-negotiated kink (kind of), in public, overstimulation (mentioned) Minors DNI

Smut Prompt #9

The last thing any of the Daggers had expected after the uranium mission was to be granted time off. Not that you were going to look a gift horse in the mouth when it meant that your boyfriend would be home for two whole months. The time off was a gift, and you were determined that you and Bradley would make the most of the unexpected time together.

All over his assigned housing.

After three weeks, the endorphins had you in a good—if slightly loopy, dick-drunk—mood, and when the Instagram algorithm struck while Bradley was in the shower, who were you to say no?

Which is how you ended up with your newest toy for $39.99 plus shipping and handling.

Frankly, you’d thought it would be hot. Sexy. Something to spice up your already adventurous sex life. The ad made it seem like a good time, and the premise was simple enough: a remote-controlled vibrating egg tethered to an app on your boyfriend’s phone.

You’d managed to keep hush-hush about it while it shipped, entertaining visions of Bradley activating the toy while you made dinner or watched a movie. Maybe, if you were both feeling up to it, you’d wear it out while the two of you were out on a date. A trip to enjoy sunbathing on the beach. So once your package had arrived, it was fair to say that when Bradley had invited you out to the beach, waggling his eyebrows as he offered you the toy and an opportunity to take your play outside, all from his open palm, you’d said yes with a smile.

What you hadn’t expected was for his squad mates to be there. Your fate sealed when a weak mechanical vibration made itself known between your legs as Phoenix pulled you into a hug.

Dogfight football, you’re sure, is a lot more fun to watch or ignore when you aren’t being tortured. You grab an ice cube from a nearby cooler and cup it to the back of your neck, but it does nothing to cool the fire raging inside you. You whine, face tilted up toward the sun. If anything, the shock of ice against your heated skin makes everything worse. Skin tingling. Senses heightened.

“Rooster!” you squeak, grabbing more than just your boyfriend’s attention to the point that you must remind yourself that no one else knows. “Can you c’mere real quick?”

Rooster smirks, all broad shoulders and glistening tan as he passes his Nerf ball off to Coyote and makes his way toward you. “Yeah, babe?”

“Please,” you whine when he’s close enough. You’ve already crimped your beer can, toes curling in the sand as you try desperately not to writhe for all his friends and other beachgoers to see.

“Please what?”

You don’t see his hand disappear into his pocket, but you feel it. This time, you can’t help but arch your back, a gasp tumbling from your lips. “I need to cum. God, just–” He cuts you off with his lips against yours, pressing you into sun-warmed sand, and you drag him with you. You open your mouth and welcome his tongue with your own as you press your chest to his, overeager to feel his body against yours. Every touch sends a zing straight to your core. You don’t care that you’re on the beach. You don’t even care that his friends can definitely see you. You just. Need. to cum.

You’re almost there when the vibrations cut out completely.

This time your groan is from frustration. Because what the hell? Did it just die on you?!

You’re contemplating a refund when Bradley parts from you with a nip to your lower lip. “I don’t care how good it feels,” he murmurs, close enough that his mustache tickles your lip when he speaks. The toy pulses once, then goes still again. “You’d better not cum until I tell you to.”

“Bradshaw!” Bradley’s head whips around to where one of his squad mates is heckling him back to their game.

“Be right there!” He presses a wet kiss right below the crux of your jaw. “Don’t worry, this game’s almost over.”

You heave a sigh of relief. “Thank god.” The sooner you can drag Bradley back to his housing assignment, the better.

“Best two out of three.”

You pout. “Bradley.”

“Then maybe some drinks. Wouldn’t want to leave if everyone’s sticking around.”

“If you really think I’m sticking around for you t–” You’re cut off as the vibrator kicks up again, this time settling into a pattern that is just light enough that you know it’ll drive you mad.

“Bradshaw! Let’s go!”

Rooster stands up, idly brushing sand from his shorts, sunglasses snug on his stupidly handsome face. “Be good.”

What follows is the longest, most tortuous game of dogfight football probably ever. It feels like Bradley purposefully lets the other team win the second game to force a tiebreaker, all while fiddling with his phone. By the time the third game wraps and everyone makes their way to the cooler, you’re flushed and covered in beads of sweat.

Ever observant, Phoenix clocks the shake in your hand as you pass her a water bottle. Her brow furrows. “You feeling alright?”

You open your mouth to tell her you’re okay, but nothing comes out.

“Hey, Roo!” someone echos, “your girl’s looking a little flushed. She okay?”

Bradley takes a knee at your side, offering you his water like that’ll help. “You okay, baby?” And because talking hadn’t worked for you so well last time, you glare. Or try to. You’re unable to hold it. There’s no real fire behind the look—desperation and oversensitivity set in a while ago.

“Might be heatstroke,” Fanboy suggests. “Have you been drinking enough water?”

“Yeah, I just–” you cut yourself off, eyes slamming shut as the rhythmic pulsing switches up again. Blindly, you smack Bradley’s hand away from his phone. “Take me home.”

“Alright, baby,” Bradley smiles, gathering you in his strong arms. “I’ve got ya.”

[emilydorp]

Okay so I think the anon that asked for cute moments yesterday probably did end up praying for me to have more time because European trains did what they do best and ruined my entire schedule so I got an entire hour that was normally gonna be spent on a lecture for free & I instead got to do the hardest part of making this post and transferred most the romantic reels to my laptop?

You can't see the fact that GD liked this stuff cuz Instagram still hates me, which is why I always tried including the name of the account so that you could find it, but if you ever need a link to a particular one cuz you can't believe it, I got ya (because I myself had to double check some likes, even tho I personally saved these reels, this man is something). And I have managed to set my perfectionism aside by convincing myself that I'm going to make this a trilogy instead of a duology cuz otherwise I'll keep delaying this (lol don't hold yer breath for part 3).

WARNING: INCREDIBLY CHAOTIC WRITING

I'll try and make everything as chronological as possible, but Instagram is a bish and using anything other than Whatsapp for messaging is SUCH a hassle, so the flow of time will be based upon certain events taking place rather than dates, especially since I needed to comb through 400 saved reels to find these :'D GD plz just publicly date perform with Tabi again so that I don't have to bother with this anymore~

a) Well, we got GD manifesting MAMA being a GTOP thing + manifesting T.O.P in all common (yes I paused at the T.O.P moments, Ji's man is fly, what can I SAY?):

(This one above made me crack up; the creator literally went all "Not even comparable to GD and Taeyang" and GD still liked this reel. Now I have an image of GD pushing YB under the bus and while holding hands with Tabi lulz).

b) Now here comes just SOME, not even all, of the BS I had to sit through while nobody believed me when I said that he was in love again because he was being romantic on main. This man is cheesy, cringey, insane, lovey dovey, crazy... *keeps waxing poetry for the rest of her life*. These likes are over the course of a few days? But lord he was in a MOOD.

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Listen. This man is a teenage girl. He's a TEENAGE GIRLIE POP. Just ask @deliciouskamepi, I was losing my MIND over all these dumb af likes. MY DUDE. YOU'RE ON MAIN. COMME DES FUCKDOWN.

Okay so listen, it keeps going. Like, it keeps going on like this for multiple days and my algorithm still hasn't recovered completely to this day. Maybe I'll share more of Ji's romantic likes in part three (since I do wanna make a record of more things? And document this properly?). BUT LIKE. THIS IS SO SO BLATANT?? You wouldn't be liking any of this if you weren't in a romantic mood? I am losing my mind ALL over again TTOTT. Last like from this time period that I'll share (for now):

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c) I like to call this section: Tabi stole GD's phone there is NO other explanation.

(He liked three different posts about Graffiti sofas.. KWON JIYONG!)

(What... what even IS this device for? Hmmm? GD I hate you.)

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It keeps going btw. It just. F-cking kept on going... and ruined my algorithm, my poor poor algorithm that has just started recovering.. *is in TEARS recalling the panic attack I was having while it was like 5 A.M. because I was being delulu beyond belief imagining T.O.P using GD phone and the pass code still being the same and--*

d) We then had the space MV BS, blah blah blah, the jacket he was wearing was too big for him just look at how they don't sit right on his shoulders like at all, blah blah blah, a billion TOP references, blah blah blah blah blah, this man was on a personal mission to assassinate me.

Here's where it gets interesting tho. I believe GTOP had an argument, because GD's behaviour mirrored his 2014 break up behaviour.

So the last positive GTOP thing I saw before this BS started was him liking a post of 'Missing You' + confirming that he was copying Thanos from Squid Game, who was copying T.O.P from Zutter, during Good Day just before he went on his date with Kwanghee.

Because then came the bipolar stories (that I already covered and posted (except the Secret Admirer story)) + GHyuk content. I shall admit that I kinda zoned out and just despaired during this section and focused more on going through old content + trying (and failing) to start watching Good Day + irl stuff + fics since I was sick and cuz it was obvious to me that something had happened and I was upset their "tryst" had ended (So I thank Rachel for helping and keeping track of things for me) :"(((.

(GD you 1000% wrote that Soopalomi BS you are NOT slick hun).

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Here's an anecdote: I was running on like 2 hours of sleep when GD posted this story. And since Korean is like my 6th language, I thought the song was saying "I MET someone else" in English, after which I saw the Palomi Insta stories. Yeahhh I was PISSED at Tabi for a while and thought it was over fr fr this time.

e) And then everything starts to heal again? Because GTOP is stronger than anything and everything? Like, GD goes on to post his collarbones via Palomi and likes posts that are calling him hot and several other things happen really (including this possibly being when Tabi unblocks GD?). But the point is, by the time Dae's concert comes up and goes on, everything is fine again, and we're all in on the fact that they're talking again starting from he posts 'High High' on main, likes that one post about how he "does everything intentionally" and "disappears" for 4 days, after which he's back to liking GTOP on main and proceeding to reference Tabi on main + other stuff I've covered these past few days.. :D Anyways here are some fun likes that I still wanna share.

Btw this ring like was after Dae's concert, just like the "Rockstar married to a supermodel" like (which you can find using the tag '#so be patient :")'), and it's 100% a reference to Tabi *sparkle sparkle*.

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A post shared by 브금소금 bgmsalt (@bgmsalt)

HE ACKNOWLEDGED TOP DOLL'S EXISTENCE OMG MY REAL OTP OF GDXTOP DOLL IS SAILING

G-Dragon is the definition of "I'm just a girl"

He wasn't tagged.. like at all.. sweetie pie I know you love your husband, never stop making it so obvious plz :"))

Love love love love love love (in Mac Miller's voice)

This post has so many quotes that give me feels, I wish I could link it, I SWEAR Tumblr and their 10 link policy is the definition of pain.

[theflowergothic]

On Self-promotion and Feelings of Inadequacy

Hey guys, it’s Flowergothic. Taking the time here to get a little more personal. I’ve been working on this on and off since last week, and now it’s ready to share.

First of all, thank you to everyone who has watched, shared, and enjoyed the Max/Kelly exposé! I’ve had a blast reading your comments, seeing the discussions it’s sparked, and realizing that, yes, we’re all collectively raising an eyebrow at the same things. The response has been so much fun, and the attention it’s gotten so far is about what I expected, given my channel size, the subject matter, and the general messiness of it all.

But I can’t help but worry that I’m not doing enough to make the videos have maximum reach. I’ll admit it, I’m not the best at self-promotion. Sometimes when I’m sharing my work repeatedly on social media, I start feeling like I’m being annoying or trying too hard. And I know that’s a dumb thought (if I don’t hype up my work, who will?). But it’s a mental block I still haven’t fully shaken.

Part of it probably stems from being told to shut up about my passions and interests growing up (the joys of being on the spectrum), and part of it is that I just don’t know what the best methods are for promoting my work. I see other creators getting their stuff out there so effortlessly, and meanwhile, I’m over here wondering if posting about my own video twice in a week is overkill.

So yeah, I’m figuring it out as I go, but I want to get better at it. Because I know this is a story worth telling. I know there are more people out there who would be interested, entertained, and just as baffled as the rest of us if they found it. But finding them is the challenge.

And in turn, some of this is feeding into my fears of inadequacy. My feelings that I could be doing so much more to make sure the exposé gets attention. My feelings that everything I’m doing isn’t enough. They don’t stem from the video itself, they’re fears I’ve had for a very long time and contribute to how I function as a human being. Because while I am deeply proud of this project and the attention it has gotten, there’s still that little voice saying, “But what if it could be bigger? What if there’s some magic formula I just haven’t cracked yet?”

I also worry about what will happen once I start my other projects back up, once I branch out beyond Max and Kelly. The next video I have planned has nothing to do with them but is something I was working on alongside Max/Kelly when the latter was still in its infancy. I know a lot of y’all found me through Max/Kelly, but I hope y’all will stay for what comes next. Because I have so much more in the pipeline, projects I’ve been sitting on for ages, waiting for the right moment to dive into. A dissection of the second Nina Paley film. A deep dive into House of Anubis. A video on Burning Man that I have a very personal stake in.

At the end of the day, I’m not planning to stop anytime soon. I’m here to tell stories, to deep-dive into the absurd, the overlooked, and the bizarre. But to keep doing that, I need to figure out how to get my work in front of the people who will care about it. I know I have my weird self-promo anxieties, but whether I push past them or trust the algorithm gods to do their thing, I’m going to keep going.

If you’ve enjoyed what I’ve made so far, I hope you stick around. I have so much more coming. And if you want to help get these videos seen, there are a few things that really make a difference. Sharing the video anywhere relevant helps so much, whether it’s Twitter, TikTok, Instagram stories, Discord servers, group chats, or even a random comment section. Engaging with the video through likes, comments, and shares also pushes it further in the algorithm. Starting discussions, whether that’s through quote tweets, reaction posts, memes, or even arguing in the comments, keeps the conversation alive. And if you see people talking about Kelly or Max, drop the link! Make more people aware of my work!

Every share, every comment, and every discussion helps push it further, and I appreciate it more than I can say. I also hope that when I branch out beyond Max and Kelly, you’ll still be here. Because this is just the beginning, and I have so many more stories I can’t wait to tell.

Love,

FG

[webalothebruja]

Video Essays I Watched In March

With the lack of film watching in my life, I have noticed video essays becoming a big part of my entertainment. This usually happens when I find myself not having the time to sit through a whole movie. I gravitate towards video essays because of their convenience. I can watch a whole one during my lunch and not have to find other things to watch to fill my time. Some might suggest I need to invest in a TV show and to that I say have you seen what is on TV nowadays?

These were some of the highlights of my month. The full list can be found on my instagram under the “video essays” story on my profile.

If you’re not following me on instagram-what are you doing @/webalothebruja

This Month's Fav Creator: Ryan Hollinger

I found myself so far up Ryan Holliger’s ass I could hear him say HIEVER from a mile away. Though it's not very hard to influence my boyfriend, he even enjoys Ryan Hollinger and found himself waiting for his next video on the queue. My particular fondness of him comes from not only his views on the films (because I couldn't agree with him more) but his confident understanding of the films he is reviewing. I consider him a reliable source and the influence on the horror films I will be watching in the future. For me, watching a video essay on a movie I have yet to see doesn't ruin the fun for me. If anything it makes me want to watch the film more because I can then go back to the video and see what points he was making. These are some of the videos I watched from him this month:

Ryan Hollinger-Exploring The Things Shockingly Faithful Video Game Adaptation ⭐️9/10

Ryan Hollinger- Exploring Nicolas Cage’s Most Disturbing Film ⭐️9/10

Ryan Hollinger- Why Is The House That Jack Built So Messed Up ⭐️8/10

Favorite Video This Month:

Hailey Elizabeth- 14 Year Old Murders Mom Over a Vape: Case of Carly Gregg

⭐️9/10

I had heard of this story briefly when it came out but I NEVER heard the details that made this story wickedly evil. This was one of those videos that had been sitting in my “watch later” folder on youtube for the longest time. I had enough interest to put it in there but I hadn't come around to watching it until recently. I used to watch Hailey Elzabeth a lot during covid and surprisingly missed the style of her videos. She is one of those creators who is just good at telling a story. And even if she’s doing something as simple as putting on makeup, I never lose interest in what she is talking about.

Unfortunately for me she was a youtuber that happened to fall through the cracks of the algorithm so I rarely see any of her videos but I'm glad this is the one that brought her back to me. One of the great things about Haley is she uses footage from different outlets. She shows the video they used in court that presents the crime that was done. When I finished watching this video I couldn't help but send it to my homies. That's how much it impacted me.

Good But Hard to Recommend:

Nicole Rafiee- Chronically online girl explains Nikki Blonsky controversy + lore.

⭐️10/10

This is a category that I am unsure will stay here but it felt needed. I loved Hairspray when I was a kid so I clicked on this video mainly for nostalgia purposes. I had briefly heard about Nikki Blonsky’s racist past recently. I am no longer on tiktok due to political indifferences so I had no idea she had a resurgence over on that side of the internet. This video really went into detail on her past which I appreciated because I wasn't keeping tabs on the girl. Really the only thing I knew her from was Hairspray and all her tweets where she would introduce over the internet numerous times.

This video feels educational, even though there is chisme being spread which I appreciate. I think what sets Nicole apart from other drama channels is she's really just here to tell a story and update anyone who may not have all the details.

What makes this hard to recommend is the topic. To be honest I dont know anyone around me who gives a shit about Hairspray as much as I do. I showed my best friend Micah Hairspray for the first time last year. I want to say it didn't age well but then again, was it ever really considered a great piece of film when it came out? I’m unsure. I was only 5 years old when it was released.

Least Favorite This Month:

Whang!- Reddit’s Greatest Unsolved Mystery: SecretHDD and Dovic - Tales From The Internet

⭐️0/10

This video essay, though short, pissed me off. I haven’t watched any of this creators videos previous to this one but just based off the recommendations under the video, I believe this is part of a series. This topic may have been a huge mystery on Reddit but I dont necessarily think it translated to that big of a deal in video form. I think Reddit mysteries sometimes come off as a bigger deal when you’re looking at the threads and the numerous comments but if you’ve ever tried to explain some of the things you’ve seen on Reddit to a friend, they can come out lackluster. Which is probably why those videos exist where they’ll tell a story from Reddit but have some Minecraft gameplay in the background. Because without that gameplay, people would probably find nothing to hook themselves onto to want to watch the full video.

Now, this isnt any hate to the creator. His rendition of this story wasnt the problem. It was the story itself. This “great” Reddit mystery was never solved because the case itself never came to light.

The story goes that a Redditor found a hard drive sewed into a bag he had purchased online that happened to be second hand. When he tried to contact the previous owner he got no response. After numerous attempts to try to get the information off the hard drive, it was then going to be sent to another Redditor who believed they could retrieve the information. Which is a great set up cause now we’re all wondering what the hell was on the hard drive. Turns out the original redditor never sent it to the guy so now we’re just left with a guy who found a hard drive. There. Done. No new information…

So in that case why are we telling this story?

Short and Sweet:

Popicana- Iconic Pop Culture Moments: The Meat Dress

Popicana is a channel that makes various videos on drama from the 2000s. It can sort of be seen as a time capsule for all things seen in the tabloids or topics that may need more information beyond the rumors.

The Selador-Rage by Stephen King | The Book You’re Not Supposed to Read

I don’t want to give away too much information about this video but this was one of my favorites this month as well! If it hadn’t been so short I probably would have placed it in the number one spot but I think the length of the video is excellent.

This was a topic I knew about briefly but I did not know the details. Leave it to Stephen King to write some freaky shit. I couldn't be more surprised. Then again, reflecting on the events that led to Stephen King outing himself makes me realize we as a society would have cancelled this man to death had this happened in the present time.

Honorable Mentions:

Defunctland- The History of the Muppet Show

⭐️9/10

I love Defunctland! This is one of their videos from their Muppet series.

Brie Cheese- Shane Dawson Won $250,000 For Directing Not Cool (2014) | The Chair Review

⭐️9/10

Even though I have watched numerous videos about Shane Dawson in The Chair, this video is what got me to finally watch the series.

Theft King-The FNAF game that DISAPEARED

⭐️9/10

I cannot believe this game is actually real. After hearing about the lore surrounding this game, I can see it easily becoming lost media.

Coldcrashpictures-Candyman: Breaking All The Rules to Horror

⭐️9/10

If you’re curious about Candy Man lore-and don't mind spoilers-this is an interesting watch. I have recently become infatuated with Tony Todd so I have been looking more into his filmography.

If you have any recommendations for video essays please let me know! I’m always open to new creators and topics!

[arifulshuvo]

How to Get More YouTube Video Views: Proven Strategies for 2024

YouTube is one of the largest platforms for sharing videos, with millions of creators competing for attention. Whether you’re a business, a content creator, or just someone looking to grow your presence, getting more views on YouTube is key to your success. In this post, we’ll explore practical strategies to help you increase your video views organically in 2024.

1. Optimize Your Video Title, Description, and Tags

Your video title and description are the first things viewers see, and they heavily influence YouTube’s search algorithm. Here’s how to optimize these elements for maximum visibility:

Titles : Use engaging and relevant titles that include important keywords. Make them clear, concise, and interesting. Avoid clickbait, but ensure your title piques curiosity.

Descriptions : Write detailed descriptions of your video’s content, ideally over 250 words. Include keywords naturally and add relevant timestamps for viewers to navigate easily.

Tags : Use relevant tags to help YouTube understand your content and suggest it to the right audience. Avoid stuffing too many keywords—focus on a mix of broad and specific ones.

2. Create High-Quality, Engaging Content

Quality content is king. No matter how well you optimize your video for search, viewers won’t stick around if the content isn’t engaging. Focus on the following:

Value : Ensure your video provides value—whether it’s educational, entertaining, or solving a problem for your audience.

Consistency : Post videos regularly to build a loyal audience. You don’t have to post daily, but consistent uploads help keep your subscribers engaged.

Engagement : Encourage viewers to like, comment, and subscribe. You can do this naturally by asking questions in your video or creating content that sparks a discussion.

3. Use Eye-Catching Thumbnails

Your video’s thumbnail is another crucial factor that determines whether someone will click on your video. Custom thumbnails perform better than automatic ones.

Design : Use bright colors, bold text, and an image that represents your content. Make sure the thumbnail is visually appealing even in a smaller size.

Faces : Including faces in your thumbnails can boost clicks. Studies show that human faces in thumbnails often draw more attention.

4. Leverage Playlists to Keep Viewers Watching

Creating playlists can help keep viewers on your channel longer, boosting overall views and watch time. YouTube rewards longer watch times by pushing your content to more users.

Playlists : Organize your videos into thematic playlists. For instance, if you create content about technology reviews, you can have separate playlists for laptops, smartphones, etc.

Auto-Play : When a video in a playlist finishes, the next one will automatically play, increasing the likelihood that viewers will stay on your channel.

5. Promote Your Videos Across Multiple Platforms

YouTube alone can be tough to crack. Maximize your video views by promoting your content on other platforms where your target audience is active.

Social Media : Share your videos on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok. Create short teaser clips or highlights to attract attention.

Email Lists : If you have an email list, send out newsletters with your latest videos to drive traffic to your YouTube channel.

Blogging : If you run a blog, embed your YouTube videos in relevant posts to draw traffic from your website.

6. Collaborate with Other YouTubers

Collaboration is a great way to expand your audience and introduce your channel to new viewers. When you collaborate with other YouTubers, their audience is exposed to your content, and vice versa.

Guest Appearances : Feature in other creators’ videos or invite them to feature in yours. Choose creators in your niche or a complementary field.

Cross-Promotion : Promote each other’s channels through shoutouts or by sharing videos in community posts.

7. Encourage Viewer Interaction and Community Engagement

Engagement metrics such as likes, comments, and shares are important for the YouTube algorithm. Encourage your audience to interact with your content.

Comments : Ask questions or run polls to spark a conversation. Responding to comments also shows your viewers that you care and are engaged with them.

Call to Action (CTA) : Include clear CTAs in your videos, asking viewers to subscribe, like, and share the video. Offer value in return, like giveaways or access to exclusive content for those who interact.

8. Use YouTube Shorts

YouTube Shorts are a fantastic way to get more eyes on your content. With shorter attention spans and the growing popularity of short-form content, this is an opportunity you shouldn’t miss.

Bite-Sized Content : Create short, engaging snippets of your longer videos, or new unique content, and upload them as Shorts. These can help draw new viewers to your channel.

9. Monitor and Analyze Your YouTube Analytics

YouTube’s analytics provide powerful insights into how your videos are performing and what your audience is responding to.

Audience Retention : Look at your audience retention rate to see when viewers drop off. This can help you adjust your video structure to keep them engaged longer.

Traffic Sources : Review where your views are coming from—whether it's YouTube search, suggested videos, or external websites. This can help you refine your promotion strategy.

10. Utilize YouTube Ads (Optional)

For creators with a budget, YouTube Ads can be an effective way to get more views and exposure. You can run ads that target specific demographics based on interests, location, and more.

Targeting : Use detailed targeting options to ensure your ad reaches the right audience. This can increase your subscribers and engagement in the long term.

Conclusion

Growing your YouTube views requires both creativity and strategy. By optimizing your content, promoting it across platforms, engaging with your community, and leveraging YouTube’s features like Shorts and playlists, you can significantly increase your reach. Stay consistent and focus on providing value to your audience, and over time, the views will follow.

[krs-kross]

Art in the Digital Wilderness...

Im just gonna be brutally honest with how I feel at the moment. And this may come off really weird & cringey, but it is what it is. maybe you can relate to this in some way, who knows.

maybe you'll just hate on it... because, that does seem to be the current state of content nowadays: hate watch it. hate read it. hate lurk it. hate hate it. we're in a ✨ Hate Era ✨ that aside...yet slightly in mind... trying to grow as an artist in this day and age seems like a ridiculous struggle that I cannot even wrap my head around, daily.

any and all tips for artists to grow, seems to be extremely outdated and honestly just a guessing game. 

I don't think anyone is out here actually cracking the algorithms; I think it just comes down to...

being at the right place, at the right time, with the right people watching or stumbling across your content... and it all adds up together to...

✨ Sheer luck! ✨

Yes, hard work and determination is also involved. I don't mean to discredit anyone's success; but just... "pOsTiNg CoNtEnT dAiLy!" & "EnGaGiNg WiTh YoUr AuDiEnCe!" or... "cOlLaBoRaTiNg!" only gets you so far, if anywhere.  Honestly, a lot of that art advice just seems designed to maintain the popularity of the already popular artist, at the moment.

We are being sold, a pyramid scheme, people!

At least it seems that way... How many art groups have you joined, just to end up being another number at the end of the day?

How many “ArT rElAtEd” questions have you put out there, in a caption, before pressing 'Send', just to be left answerless. How many group art trades have you joined, for it to just zap any and all creativity out of you, at the end?

How many tags have you used...

Or don’t use!

What are your thoughts on tags?

Do you use "keywords" nowadays?

How many "viral trends" have you tried to follow, or successfully followed, just to be left with the same results in the end. 

Absolutely Nothin'.

Another silent struggle that no one really talks about is, gaining a large following and it not reflecting towards your art content or the actual thing that you're working towards, at all.

Sure, it's great that a lot of people are following you, but... don't you...also... want those people... following you...for... Your Content...too?

I don't just want to be ✨ TuMbLr FaMoUs ✨ ...okay, calm down could I be any more dramatic?!

...I want my work to actually be seen and appreciated at the end of the day, too. WOW! How original. This is what most people want, as artists. . . ..Is what you must be thinking, right about now. As Chandler Bing (the late Matthew Perry) would say...

Thanks! Im just being honest about my current thoughts at the moment, pertaining to art, if that's ok with you! I bet Van Gogh felt a similar way, when he was alive.

Did you know? Even though considered a master now, Van Gogh only managed to sell one painting during his lifetime - ‘The Red Vineyard'.

Yes, I just compared myself to The Great, Vincent Van Gogh.

What?

Im still trying to achieve the art audience that I've been not just waiting for, but trying to attract since like 2016...only with a bunch of people following me now lol

And it's crazy to think about the state of social media noways. There was once a time on Instagram, where nudes were not allowed, At All.

I received a suspension for posting what I believed to be a tasteful nude Drawing, a while back...

Now, open up Instagram, I guarantee, you're gonna see a pair of fake tits in your face, with nothing but a thin sheer fabric not even trying to hide a nipple. It's wild.  Like, don't get me wrong, Im not hating...but if I post slightly nude art now on instagram, is it gonna get yeeted, meanwhile the actual nipples get to stay up...

I also realize that lately I have a love/hate relationship with digital art. Don't get me wrong, digital art is great for it's conveniences purposes...but Im more of a traditional art girly. That's the art medium I started with and I miss getting messy with paints and all that. These are things that can be improved in the future, but I feel kind of defeated every now and then. And I don't think Im alone in this. I watched a YouTube video from someone the other day, RawBeautyKristi, and she kind of shared a similar feeling towards social media at the moment or the state of it. Just everything is very much hate fuelled, vapid. Empty. It just kind of feels like...what's the point? you know? and I guess what Im trying to say is that...Im supposed to find the point, we're supposed to find the point; but I haven't found it yet. And maybe you haven't found it yet, either. I feel kind of discouraged to create things and that this is a whole different level, of something that just...Im turning into a competition, when there really is no way to compete with this. especially when it comes to digital art, or art in general. Social media, even. But I can't help but think about the first time I put my work out there and how well it was received. I guess I've been trying to capture that same reaction or outcome with art again, but it really was just luck.

I don't think what I shared is really that original, I think a lot of people artists or not, could relate to some degree: a desire for recognition of some sort…and I want to be a Van Gogh; as cliché as that may sound it's the truth.

but maybe it's just not meant for me. and I guess Im just trying to find a way to be ok with that and also acknowledge other factors like:

I've moved, changed art mediums and changed my social media handles a bit here and there; which, all of that combined, also makes it difficult to follow or keep up with someone. Put digital art aside and turn to traditional art...we have...Child Art Prodigy’s out here. Like how do you compete with that?! The answer is you don't! lol There's really no need for this kind of pressure that Im putting on myself.

Which is why questions like this are laughable:

because there's really nothing I can do, and Im not going to drive myself into a mental state, all in the name of trying to stay relevant. you know what Im saying? I don't know... Perhaps it's about, exploring platforms beyond the mainstream; supporting each other, and finding joy in the process, not just the numbers. Our art deserves to be seen, appreciated, and celebrated; but it's also ok if it takes a little longer than others, or doesn't happen at all... maybe it'll happen. maybe it won't.

So, let's redefine success beyond follower counts and algorithms. Let's create a space where every artist's journey is acknowledged and celebrated. Share your stories, your struggles, and your victories. Let's navigate this together. And remember: "We don't make mistakes - we just have happy accidents." - Bob Ross

[harina-esmala]

Are we all iPad kids or victims of the algorithm?

Overstimulation is a constant in the age of anxiety. To "live in the moment" is a luxury that a little amount of people can afford. Today I want to investigate why it is like that. Why everyone is an iPad kid in one way or another? Throughout the years there has been different conflicts present in the fiction and non-fiction world. In the medieval times it was human vs god, during the renaissance it was human vs human, after industrialization it was human vs system, in the 20th century human vs government, starting mid to late 20th century human vs their own soul...And now? Now what? Most of our time we spend behind a computer or our phone or some device of sorts. We have created this extensions of our existence, it's even strange to think about it. So many things could be done electronically now, especially after the covid times. Now you pretty much can survive with your laptop and a phone anywhere around the world. Crazy. Yet it is harmful to human beings because now we live mostly using our brain and not our body. We consume a ridiculous amount of information every day. It excites our brain but creates stress and anxiety. Of course, naturally entertainment was created in the same key as our general existence was going. It all started with YouTube and then Vine... Now we have Instagram Reels and TikTok. The peak of attention economy. Many people feel bad for losing their attention span because of this but how could we resist the brain rot? The formula of the modern entertainment is just there to abuse your brain and act as crack cocaine. To be very addictive, make you forget about the insane rhythm of everyday race. I've noticed myself that even content varies in a way from rage bait to a funny meme, to a travel video then switches to some social issue to make you sad after it goes for some recipe. It's targeting every possible emotion within an hour of scrolling. And not just that...all of the content that you see is tailored to you and your personality by the algorithm. So everyone lives in their own personal bubble now. Seeing their personalized feed, isolating themselves from the masses. So we are really connected and disconnected to each other more than ever. Algorithms. That's the new fundamental conflict. Weapons of math destruction. Algorithmic biases... Human vs Algorithm. It feels similar to Human vs God. Because Algorithms are similar to Gods in my opinion, they exist outside of our understanding, we depend on them (our job application, our love life, our shopping..etc), we don't know why we get certain things from them but we get them, they prevent us from getting a certain thing or meeting a person but they help a ton. I always found deeply romantic the fact that modern dating apps are working according to an algorithm that doesn't let actual potential matches together because it's in their interest to make people stay on the app as much as possible. So when two people meet on said apps and actually stay together it's some sort of miscalculation. Like something went so wrong to go right. Just as the universe was created.

[goldenpinof]

anon from earlier, I see what you mean now, it is kind of dead here today but to be honest, I don't think in the grande scheme of things we're that important here on tumblr (as in we probably don't have that much of an effect on the overall numbers)

(not saying we are a meaningless part of the phandom because we definitely are integral to maintaining our very special fandom ecosystem, I'd even argue that when dnp think of Phannies™ they still think of us here (as proven by their (dan's) frequent tumblr mentions) - but like, that's a completely different but also really interesting discussion)

we're creating free promo, especially when we're trending. like, each tagged post is still a promo. you never know who will see it and click on the video, channel and etc. not only on tumblr, of course. any social media that has a normal-ish tagging and trending system (so, not instagram 😂). and external links are very important for youtube algorithm, the more people share the link to the video, the better.

we're not the most important platform, you're right. i'm not sure what is going on on twitter today, like the general atmosphere. i'd assume it's similar, but i can be completely wrong. with twitter it's a bit easier, they don't make gifs and link videos in the descriptions. thus, they don't need to spend hours to be able to push dnp videos. twitter promo is more based on interactions with the original tweet and the trending system. it's faster, so maybe even today it's less dead.

but overall, it's kinda obvious that the majority of views don't come from phandom spaces on twitter and tumblr. which is quite interesting, since twitter phannies have a huge influence on dnp and their content. but so as youtube comments. which is a completely different territory that i don't know how to crack.

[wutheringheightsfilm]

i'm not sure if anyone else has seen a similar news segment, but at least on ABC 7 news (the one that reports for New York/the tristate area), they were talking about how certain politicians in New York want to "crack down on videos depicting the """war""" and violence" i.e. videos coming out of Gaza. They say it's "for children", or against the "toxic" algorithms that TikTok and Instagram use, but this to me very clearly reads as people who want to censor Palestinian voices even further. They never cared about restricting any site's algorithm before. Why now? They don't want people to know what's actually happening in Gaza, what's actually happening to Palestinians, because if people can see what Palestinians are suffering they maybe wouldn't be so quick to fall for Israeli propaganda.

[brocoffeeengineer]

Scroll, Learn, Invest: Finance on Social Media

After being banal or merely entertaining for choreographed dances and trending memes, TikTok suddenly has room for Wall Street. Gen Z traders and part-time investors are watching 60-second videos that break down difficult investment strategies into simple bits with the help of finance influencers.

But, does it even beg the question? Are the real mechanisms of money and the market capable of being taught on social media? Or are the users falling prey to infotainment that masquerades as the wisdom of finance?

Rise of Finfluencers

"Finfluencer" typically refers to social media creators dispensing financial advice, investment tips, and updates on markets online. On TikTok, Instagram Reels, and Youtube Shorts, creators break down ETFs, compounding principles, and even technical day trading strategies into bite-size nuggets. With hashtags like #StockTok and #FinanceTips getting billions of views, the movement is now mainstream.

The rise of Finfluencers is no coincidence. With the failure of traditional financial education and many schools not prioritizing investment literacy, TikTok has become an alternative learning ground.

If we add to that the enormous bullish run in 2020, retail investing became popular, and low-cost brokerage apps culminated to form a veritable tempest!

Advantages That You Can't Ignore

If a finance professional will be ready to scoff, so be it. But the undeniable fact is that social media has made investment activities open to all:

Breaking barriers: Most young people say that they learned how to invest in stocks from creators, and not at school.

Visual learning: Charts, infographics, and animations simplify concepts that are laden with jargon.

Timeliness: Going by a creator could mean that one is informed about trends in the market and breaking news, up-to-the-minute.

Community: There is a sense-of experience shared, peer to peer, even across borders.

And yes, some of these creators are CFA Charterholders and/or credentialed analysts or former finance pros using their platforms for giving back-turning their knowledge into snackable for new generations.

Of course, many learners use Tik-Tok as a supplement, not as a replacement, to formal education. Increased applications to courses like CFA course Delhi are being witnessed as candidates tilt toward a mixed blend between traditional and real-world knowledge they come across online.

But Here's the Caveat...

Social media finance doesn't come without risks. Virality doesn't equate to validity.

Regulations out online to safeguard avoidance of fraudulent activities are the tears-drops. Hence, one can post investment "advice" sans qualifications. Penny stock tips to crypto hype spread misinformation like wildfire and most often, with real financial consequences attached to it.

Cognitive biases are irrelevant. Because algorithms amplify everyone's agreement, they can flush similar bullish opinions into the feed whenever a creator says, "Tech stocks are the future." Such algorithmic manipulation effectively suppresses contrarian and risk-aware opinions.

There exist other signs. Several influencers endorse trading apps or crypto tokens, often in an undisclosed manner. Hence, questions of ethics, transparency, and influencer accountability arise.

Regulators Are Aware

Internationally, the financial authority is gaining an audience. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the U.K. recently issued warnings regarding illicit financial advice published on social media. The SEC in the U.S. has also cracked down on creators promoting securities without registration or disclosures.

In India as well, SEBI is working to develop a framework for administering online financial advice as an increasing number of retail investors enter the market from Instagram or YouTube Shorts.

These actions underline a growing need to narrow the credibility-accessibility divide — a task still left to the tried-and-true financial designations.

Does Social Media Offer Financial Education?

Yes-but Then Again, a Little.

It's like comparing fast food with a wholesome meal. Social media gives one instant entertainment-bites of important sapience about finances, but one requires complete and credible institution for real feeding. It takes in-depth, critical thinking, and often consumes much of professional guidance.

Hence, smart learners are using Tik-Tok and YouTube to visit curiosity sparking. They turn to old-fashioned training and designations for actual know-how.

Conclusion: Mix Fad with Faith

It's not bad that social media is really reshaping the way finance passes: it's not bad. A viral TikTok can turn you on to hearing about ETFs or candlestick charts, but that's not where you'll really learn to speak financial fluency: that's through trusted education and experience.

This combinational approach has gained popularity in India's growing finance ecosystem, particularly in urban centres where professional programs are progressing to fulfill newer demands. One such example is the CFA Training Program in Delhi, whereby aspiring analysts supplement their formal study with curated online content and peer engagement.

No, the future of education in finance is not an either/or proposition at all; it is both. It is all the credibility of professional learning with the access of this digital age.

[tasksource]

Beat the Scroll: Crack Social Media Algorithms Like a Pro

In 2025, success on social media isn't about follower count—it's about understanding platform algorithms that control content visibility. Each platform, from Instagram to TikTok, now prioritizes engagement quality, watch time, and personalized experiences over simple likes or views. Brands must create platform-specific, engaging content that captures attention quickly, encourages interaction, and extends viewer time. Adapting strategies through experimentation and hiring skilled talent is crucial for sustained growth. Task Source connects businesses with experts who understand these shifts, helping them stay competitive in a constantly evolving digital landscape.

Original Source: https://tasksource.net/explore-how-social-media-algorithms-work-their-platform-specific-variations-and-hidden-factors-that-help-you-crack-social-media-algorithms-like-a-pro/

[sparklynightfart]

BLOG #3

Ethan Curtis

Prof. Susi

Social Media Communication

April 11th, 2025

Social media ethics has been on a trend towards a greater transparency in the media, accountability and honesty as well. Users want clear disclosure in any type of sponsored content and ethical data handling in the media. This stems from the growing awareness of how our privacy concerns can be compromised, and the impact of social media misinformation in the media. These are factors that are reshaping guidelines and business models in the industry every single day.

One case involves recent FTC cracking downs on influencers who have failed to disclose any of their sponsorships on social media, demonstrating how now regulatory bodies like the FTC are enforcing a need for transparency for ads and other sponsored media. Another concern debates over the algorithmic bias on our platforms like Instagram and YouTube, where decisions on content visibility can unfairly impact some groups of people across these platforms. Just recently, Instagram had a major example of this where many individuals were a victim to the algorithm when on Feb. 26th, users had a feed flooded with violent content, myself included. Both cases highlight the need for some ethical standards to be put in use so that they can protect consumers and promote fair ads.

If I had to, I would consider joining an organization who's values align with mine, like the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), who has a code of ethics all about honesty, integrity, and transparency. The PRSA says that professionals must clearly disclose any conflicts of interest like ads, avoid any deceptiveness to their consumers in these ads, and take responsibility for the information they have or will put out. I value this because it mirrors my belief that ethical communication helps build long term trust within my audience/consumers.

Some brands such as Patagonia and REI are recognized for their use of ethical practices in their brand. They always incorporate transparency in their marketing strategies since their product is straight forward; outdoors and camping. They engage with consumers honestly, which has earned them respect in both the digital and real world communities.

Professionals who have good media presence, like Ann Handley, who knows a lot about business, and Brian Solis, who owns one, maintain high ethical standards by consistently advocating for honest, value based digital communication so their companies/image look good. Their commitment to quality content is what sets a positive example for the industry since they both want positive outcomes for themselves and the companies. We typically see this type of professionalism in older people, as nowadays it's hard to come across an influencer who is also as professional as a author or anthropologist.

I’ve learned the true importance of clear sponsorship disclosures and the need to avoid spreading any sort of misinformation, since you could get in massive trouble for these kind of things, and also just outright entirely losing your company. Maintaining honesty in anything and engaging with audience feedback is crucial for building trust and credibility, and overall a company/it's social media presence.

My core principles include transparency, honesty, advocacy, accuracy, fairness, integrity, and expertise. These will ensure that every post and interaction with consumers upholds the highest ethical standards and holds a genuine connection to the consumer and my audience.

I strongly oppose against things like misinformation and manipulation. These do not only damage the trust of others and companies but also have the potential to harm communities and individuals, which would lead to an obvious downfall of my company.

Transparency: Clearly disclose sponsorships and data use

Honesty: Take responsibility for content and its impact

Advocacy: Provide a voice in a marketplace of ideas and more.

Accuracy: Verify all information before posting.

Expertise: Having advanced professional development and forever increasing.

Fairness: Promote equitable practices across all platforms.

Integrity: Uphold honesty in all communications.

FTC. “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements And ...” PDF, 1972, www.ftc.gov/sites/default/files/attachments/press-releases/ftc-publishes-final-guides-governing-endorsements-testimonials/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf.

PRSA. “PRSA Code of Ethics.” PRSA, 1959, www.prsa.org/about/prsa-code-of-ethics.