What Internet Fandoms and Communities Can Tell Us About 2025

It’s inevitable that more of this will happen under the Trump administration, and I’m curious to see if any Musk supporters will eventually jump ship.

drop shipper

The practice of dropshipping, in which third-party sellers fill retail orders, exploded in popularity in the late 2010s and became a quintessential part of the buzzy internet culture. With the launch of TikTok storedropshipping has entered something of a renaissance, with more and more people using the app Scalable fast cash.

Imposing tough tariffs on Chinese imports is one of Trump’s biggest economic promises of this election cycle. If TikTok isn’t banned next month, China’s tariffs could undermine the app’s drop-shipping profitability because much of its product manufacturing is done overseas. What happens to drop shippers? Where are they going next?

New Jersey Drone Hunter

Without much guidance or information from the government, conspiracy theory around Mysterious drone It is said to be out of control hovering over the east coast. Just this week, real housewives Star Bethenny Frankel posted Instagram video series Claims a confidential Pentagon source told her the drones were searching for nuclear material.

Now, I’m not claiming to know the truth about drones, but I can see what it could do to people online. For the past few weeks, I’ve been monitoring one of the largest Facebook pages dedicated to solving this mystery, which started out as a place for people to share their strange sightings but has now turned into hysteria. Members accuse the defense secretary, who works for the Fed, of hiding “the truth” (whatever that may be) and encouraging others to invest in iodine pills, gas masks and, of course, toilet paper.

It’s too early to tell, but I’d be willing to bet that these groups are introducing theories to already agitated and restless people that they wouldn’t otherwise believe. perhaps! Regardless, don’t expect believers to believe anything the government says unless someone puts an alien corpse in front of a photographer.

chat room

In last week’s podcast, we made some predictions about what the new year will bring. What do you think will happen in the next year related to technology and its impact on politics? Send your ideas to mailbox@wired.com.

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What are we still reading?

🔗 FTC issues rule requiring restaurants, ticket sellers to disclose ‘junk fees’: We can at least celebrate one political victory this holiday season. This week, the Federal Trade Commission introduced new rules that prohibit restaurants and ticket services from hiding extra or “junk fees.” (Washington Post)

🔗 ‘It’s going to be brutal’: Trump plans war on leakers and media: The Trump administration is reportedly developing new plans to crack down on the media, including the threat of more lawsuits and subpoenas. (Rolling Stone)

🔗 Elon Musk and SpaceX face federal scrutiny for violating safety reporting rules: The U.S. government is examining whether Elon Musk and SpaceX have repeatedly ignored disclosure protocols that protect state secrets, such as withholding information about meetings with foreign leaders. (New York Times)

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The last episode of WIRED when last week’s newsletter was released political lab Podcasting hasn’t risen yet. If you didn’t catch my conversation with Tim Marchman and David Gilbert, I suggest you listen here.

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