Taylor Lorenz’s Power User

A sharp takedown of a celebrity-led push to dismantle Section 230 and what that would mean for the internet. The show traces the law’s origin stories, FOSTA‑SESTA harms, and how repeal would boost Big Tech and silence small communities. It exposes the coalitions backing repeal and lays out policy alternatives like privacy and antitrust.

Erin Ryan, host of Hysteria and culture writer known for media and gender analysis, joins to unpack why MAGA forces are turning on white women. They trace insult origins, smear campaigns, and the 'toxic empathy' framing. Conversations hit trad-wife pressures, reproductive attacks, and how misogyny polices conformity. The talk maps political strategy without losing sight of cultural caricatures.

A deep dive into Section 230 and why it underpins comments, forums, reviews, and online communities. A history lesson from CompuServe and Prodigy to Zeran v. AOL explains how legal decisions shaped platform liability. The conversation covers FOSTA-SESTA's harms, state censorship risks, and how reforms could squeeze out small creators and marginalized voices.

The Cavernacle, a UK YouTuber and political commentator, explains Britain’s shift toward mass surveillance. Short, punchy takes on the Online Safety Act, proposed digital ID and VPN bans. They discuss how speech norms, media culture, and political incentives normalize monitoring and why those systems could spread globally.

Caroline Moss, founder of Gee Thanks, Just Bought It and commentator on shopping and internet culture, breaks down how content creation has morphed into a pyramid-like hustle. They unpack course-selling schemes, faceless marketing trends, ChatGPT-fueled template content, and why stay-at-home moms are prime targets. Short, sharp, and revealing.

Steven Asarch, internet culture journalist who’s spent a decade covering Twitch communities, walks through r/LiveStreamFail’s origins and rise. Short clips, clip farming, and viral moderator power are key topics. They dig into how clips turbocharged streamers, enabled harassment, and turned the subreddit into a political battleground.

Liz Nolan Brown, a journalist covering tech and legal fights, breaks down the landmark California lawsuit accusing platforms of designing addiction. Short takes on why proving causation is hard. Why design-defect claims could threaten free speech and Section 230. A look at moral panics past and whether regulation or user-focused fixes are the path forward.

Caroline Kwan, Twitch streamer and pop culture commentator, explores why Chinese-inspired memes and apps are reshaping internet taste. She traces TikTok migrations, CapCut and other tech influences. Short takes cover lifestyle trends, high-speed rail vs US decay, shifting views on Made in China, and how online nostalgia and identity are changing cultural power.

Kat Tenbarge, journalist and author covering online culture and celebrity drama. She breaks down the backlash to Brooklyn Beckham’s Instagram post. Short takes on how tabloids and right-wing influencers distort stories. Discussion of why women get blamed when men set boundaries and how PR and smear campaigns shape public outrage.

The podcast dives into the alarming world of surveillance capitalism, revealing how your online activities fuel data harvesting for government use. It discusses plans for a centralized portal where agencies can buy sensitive data like location and social media content. Concerns about AI-driven analysis, including the risks of biased algorithms and pre-crime policing, are highlighted. The need for privacy laws to safeguard free speech is emphasized, warning that unchecked surveillance poses a significant threat to individual freedoms.