💎Enshittification explained: why platforms go from loved to hated

Plus, Netflix’s lifestyle pivot, the Super Bowl halftime show, and the power of Discord and IRL community

In this Monday’s email we’re sharing:

• 6 headlines to start your week — Netflix wants to be a lifestyle brand, the inconvenience of community, is Instagram spying on you?, setting social media boundaries, teens are leading the AI charge, and how Gracie’s Corner is connecting with parents and kids

👉 For members:

• 💩“Enshittification” explained → the 3 phases showing how once-great social media platforms go from user-friendly to awful

• 👾 Vulture moves to Discord → what brands can learn from the rise of digital group chats

• 💬 Culture Chats → the team dives into “Horse Girl Fall,” how Taylor Swift is the ultimate horse girl, Bad Bunny performing at the Super Bowl halftime show, and predicting Taylor Swift’s next strategy move

• 🎓 College students are the new influencer pipeline → how brands are tapping raw, authentic campus content to drive culture and sales

+ recent exclusives: 💎Breaking down the influencer-to-reality-star pipeline (and other trends you need to know), Franchises > one-offs: the content consumers actually want from brands, Hot takes are about more than going viral; they help you find your audience

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💎cultural gems💎

👥 “Inconvenience is the cost of community” is trending, reminding us that meaningful friendships and in-person connections require effort—but the payoff is less loneliness.

🎥 Netflix is evolving from a streaming platform to a lifestyle brand, aiming to cultivate a dedicated fanbase akin to Disney’s. The platform may even be coming to a city near you with Netflix House, offering IRL immersive experiences around their content.

📱 Social media can feel overwhelming, but experts say boundaries, smarter feeds, and platform responsibility can help make online life healthier and more productive.

🤖 San Francisco’s AI boom isn’t just about billion-dollar startups—it’s fueled teenagers. A wave of young prodigies are creating the next generation of apps and startups.

👀 Ever wonder if Instagram was spying on you in order to serve more targeted ads? Instagram head Adam Mosseri took to the platform to dispel concerns, stressing that targeting comes from activity, interests, and friend networks, not your microphone.

mosseri

A post shared by @mosseri

🧸 Gracie’s Corner is showing that kids’ programming can do double duty: entertain little ones and connect with parents through culturally affirming, music-driven content.

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Beyond the paywall…

We’re sharing 3 strategy pieces this week that go deeper than the headlines and give you tactics you can actually use plus our Culture Chats series:

• When great platforms go bad — how platforms go from beloved to broken in 3 phases

• From feed to hangout — how Vulture’s move to Discord shows the future of engaging younger millennials and Gen Z

• Culture Chats — the team talks about why the Ralph Lauren aesthetic is dominating fall, why the collaboration between Bad Bunny and the NFL makes so much sense, and why we think Taylor Swift has her eye on livestreaming 👀

• College students are dominating influencer culture — what brands need to know about RushTok, student ambassadors, and authentic campus content