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Hello fellow citizens of the internet! Andrew here. Welcome to today’s edition of Internet Insider.
The internet loves cats, and one of today’s top stories exemplifies that. Our other key reports include an update on the state of net neutrality, a break down of a new conspiracy theory, and a recap of a recent viral video about employers.
Besides that, we’ve also got our weekly “Dirty Delete” column from our Politics Reporter Claire.
Let’s get right into it.
— A.W.
INTERNET CULTURE: Stray, a video game where you play as a cat in a cyberpunk world, is engrossing the internet. As our Culture Reporter Michelle notes, the game has many people online chatting about it—but it’s not just people who seem intrigued, dozens of people have posted videosof their cats trying to engage with the ones on TV screens.
NET NEUTRALITY: Democrats in Congress are promising that they will introduce legislation to restore net neutrality rules and the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) authority over the broadband industry. But as our Contributing Reporter Jacob Seitz notes, the path to the bill passing isn’t an easy one.
CONSPIRACY: Far-right outlets are posting dire stories about four natural gas facilities being destroyed in recent explosions. Many are implying that the explosions are part of a conspiracy. Our Politics Reporter Claire breaks down the conspiracy theories in her full report, which you can read here.
VIRAL: A TikToker has gone viral after sharing a storytime about a peppy HR representative who interviewed him and didn’t disclose the salary for the role up front. The TikToker called this “deception,” and many people in the comments found the video relatable.
The QAnon time traveling candidate
Terpeschore Tore Maras is a QAnon follower who parlayed lying about fraud in the 2020 election into prominence on the far-right.
After some initial troubles getting on the ballot (which oddly didn’t stop her from campaigning) on July 18, Maras qualified to run as an independent candidate for Ohio Secretary of State. She previously intended to run as a Republican.
She was a relatively unknown podcaster known as Tore Says until the Washington Postrevealed that she was Sydney “the Kraken” Powell’s secret witness to so-called election fraud. Her contribution to the case was basically just a blog she wrote for Laura Loomer. (Yes, that Laura Loomer.)
Other followers have distanced themselves from the QAnon conspiracy theory that the planet is controlled by elite pedophiles who worship Satan, eat children, and sometimes wear their skin.
Not Maras.
Her Facebook page says she’s running for “Secretary Qf State.” Her social media channels are littered with QAnon obsessions about pedophiles, the cabal, and other slogans popular among the conspiracists. She also pals around with QAnon hero Mike Flynn.
Improbably, being connected to Powell, Loomer, and Flynn, and following QAnon aren’t even the strangest things about her.
Maras claims to be a time traveler. And not just any time traveler, either. She calls herself the “OG time traveler.” Whatever that means.
She may be chummy with some of the fringiest members of the far-right, but Maras isn’t down with all of them. She’s got bizarre beef with Ali Alexander, who planned the Stop the Steal protest that became the Capitol riot.
Apparently it is possible to hope that both sides lose a fight.
She’s been kicked off Twitch and Twitter. But online, you can still find Maras on Telegram, Facebook, Instagram, Gab, Parler, Gettr, and Truth Social. She has tens of thousands of followers on most of these platforms.
Maras faces an inordinately uphill battle to win the race to become Ohio’s next Secretary of State.
She’s running against a popular incumbent who secured former President Donald Trump’s endorsement and even far-right Republicans may shy away from voting for someone who claims to be a time traveler.
Whether Maras wins or not, as her battle to get on the ballot illustrates, she’s got the tenacity to keep fighting long after reasonable people would’ve simply given up.
But she is a time traveler (supposedly), so maybe she knows what the future holds.
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👀 TODAY ONLINE
Here are some key dispatches from across the ‘net.
🗣️ A TikToker turned the tables on a man who catcalled her best friend, and the responses she got online have shown just how far society still has to go.
👕 Goodwill customers are scoffing at a police themed Pride t-shirt.
🌡️ It’s hot in Texas right now. So one man’s air conditioning hack is going super viral, racking up more than 6.6 million views.
✏️ A man on TikTok recently posted about quitting his job as a teacher to be a manager at Walmart. His reason? He allegedly will make more money.
😜 Not all expansion packs are created equal. These are the Cards Against Humanity expansions packs that are totally buy-worthy. *
🍻 One bartender gave people a “taste” of what she has to deal with on the job by posting a video of her throwing limes at a customer who didn’t pay for their drink.
🏳️🌈 Here’s how a Sims 2 fan forum became an unwitting safe space for queer creatives.
🥝 Instagram creator Amira the Wanderlust is encouraging Muslim women to adventure in the outdoors. If you want more stories like this, subscribe to the Passionfruit newsletter.
*The Daily Dot may receive a commission in connection with purchases of products or services featured here.
👋 BEFORE YOU GO
A party of 11 left a waitress in tears after the group allegedly skipped out on a $220 bill. A video of the waitress’s reaction has gone viral. “I hope you need the money more than I do,” the woman who posted the video wrote under the caption.
Now Playing: 🎶“Little Lies” by Fleetwood Mac🎶