Tatum Hunter
@tatumhunter.bsky.social
Internet culture reporter at The Washington Post. DMs and Signal are open: 513.368.3359
NEW: With SNAP benefits paused, one TikToker started calling churches and asking if they'd help with a can of baby formula.
Most said no. Then their responses went viral.
from me and @michelleboorstein.bsky.social
wapo.st/4oJywOk
Most said no. Then their responses went viral.
from me and @michelleboorstein.bsky.social
wapo.st/4oJywOk
This pastor fell for a TikTok stunt and sparked a debate on Christian charity
An influencer’s test of churches went viral, rewarding the generous and shaming the stingy.
wapo.st
November 13, 2025 at 6:53 PM
NEW: With SNAP benefits paused, one TikToker started calling churches and asking if they'd help with a can of baby formula.
Most said no. Then their responses went viral.
from me and @michelleboorstein.bsky.social
wapo.st/4oJywOk
Most said no. Then their responses went viral.
from me and @michelleboorstein.bsky.social
wapo.st/4oJywOk
Reposted by Tatum Hunter
This pastor fell for a TikTok stunt and sparked a debate on Christian charity.
Fascinating reporting with me and @tatumhunter.bsky.social
www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...
Fascinating reporting with me and @tatumhunter.bsky.social
www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...
This pastor fell for a TikTok stunt and sparked a debate on Christian charity
An influencer’s test of churches went viral, rewarding the generous and shaming the stingy
www.washingtonpost.com
November 13, 2025 at 5:41 PM
This pastor fell for a TikTok stunt and sparked a debate on Christian charity.
Fascinating reporting with me and @tatumhunter.bsky.social
www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...
Fascinating reporting with me and @tatumhunter.bsky.social
www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...
NEW from me: Mamdani clinched a win in New York City. So why do ring-wing internet figures seem so...gleeful?
wapo.st/4qLb5FQ
wapo.st/4qLb5FQ
MAGA is trying to turn Zohran Mamdani’s win into their gain
New York City’s new mayor enjoyed a meteoric rise to online notoriety. The internet’s talking heads are just getting started.
wapo.st
November 5, 2025 at 6:09 PM
NEW from me: Mamdani clinched a win in New York City. So why do ring-wing internet figures seem so...gleeful?
wapo.st/4qLb5FQ
wapo.st/4qLb5FQ
good news!! instagram is fixing teen safety. here’s a short history of all the other times they’ve fixed teen safety one day before or after landing in hot water with regulators.
October 15, 2025 at 9:19 PM
good news!! instagram is fixing teen safety. here’s a short history of all the other times they’ve fixed teen safety one day before or after landing in hot water with regulators.
Reposted by Tatum Hunter
Fake AI videos mocking dead celebrities are going viral. We talked to their families, and they're horrified.
We break down OpenAI's Sora 2 and the moral and legal problems of "synthetic resurrection."
Gift link: wapo.st/4nNKzd3 w/ @tatumhunter.bsky.social
We break down OpenAI's Sora 2 and the moral and legal problems of "synthetic resurrection."
Gift link: wapo.st/4nNKzd3 w/ @tatumhunter.bsky.social
October 11, 2025 at 10:44 AM
Fake AI videos mocking dead celebrities are going viral. We talked to their families, and they're horrified.
We break down OpenAI's Sora 2 and the moral and legal problems of "synthetic resurrection."
Gift link: wapo.st/4nNKzd3 w/ @tatumhunter.bsky.social
We break down OpenAI's Sora 2 and the moral and legal problems of "synthetic resurrection."
Gift link: wapo.st/4nNKzd3 w/ @tatumhunter.bsky.social
Ope! I reported in August about the quiet rise of vertical "micro-dramas": TV series in 60-second episodes designed to game your attention. Now the screen actors guild is officially recognizing this exploding industry with a new contract. 👀
www.sagaftra.org/turning-indu...
www.sagaftra.org/turning-indu...
Turning the Industry on Its Side: SAG-AFTRA Goes Vertical With New Agreement
New Verticals Agreement Caters to Serialized Micro-Dramas in Mobile Formats
www.sagaftra.org
October 15, 2025 at 5:16 PM
Ope! I reported in August about the quiet rise of vertical "micro-dramas": TV series in 60-second episodes designed to game your attention. Now the screen actors guild is officially recognizing this exploding industry with a new contract. 👀
www.sagaftra.org/turning-indu...
www.sagaftra.org/turning-indu...
Yesterday we heard from dozens of parents and other people upset by the prevalence of the Charlie Kirk clip on social media. We found that social media apps amplified the video broadly -- often an autoplay to unsuspecting viewers.
From me and @willoremus.com. Here's a gift link: wapo.st/4n6oBSi
From me and @willoremus.com. Here's a gift link: wapo.st/4n6oBSi
‘My kid has seen this. Now what?’: Parents reel as Charlie Kirk video goes viral
Gory social videos of Charlie Kirk’s shooting have inundated children, leaving parents feeling powerless and disturbed.
wapo.st
September 12, 2025 at 7:17 PM
Yesterday we heard from dozens of parents and other people upset by the prevalence of the Charlie Kirk clip on social media. We found that social media apps amplified the video broadly -- often an autoplay to unsuspecting viewers.
From me and @willoremus.com. Here's a gift link: wapo.st/4n6oBSi
From me and @willoremus.com. Here's a gift link: wapo.st/4n6oBSi
Reposted by Tatum Hunter
Visceral closeup videos of Charlie Kirk getting shot in the neck were everywhere on social media. A lot of parents were not pleased that mainstream social apps’ algorithms showed it to their kids.
Story today by @tatumhunter.bsky.social & me (gift link): wapo.st/4n6oBSi
Story today by @tatumhunter.bsky.social & me (gift link): wapo.st/4n6oBSi
‘My kid has seen this. Now what?’: Parents reel as Charlie Kirk video goes viral
Gory social videos of Charlie Kirk’s shooting have inundated children, leaving parents feeling powerless and disturbed.
wapo.st
September 12, 2025 at 2:31 PM
Visceral closeup videos of Charlie Kirk getting shot in the neck were everywhere on social media. A lot of parents were not pleased that mainstream social apps’ algorithms showed it to their kids.
Story today by @tatumhunter.bsky.social & me (gift link): wapo.st/4n6oBSi
Story today by @tatumhunter.bsky.social & me (gift link): wapo.st/4n6oBSi
Reposted by Tatum Hunter
“A user isn’t joining any of these platforms expecting to have their privacy and physical security at risk, just by being in an online space, especially one that presents itself as secure.” www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2... via @tatumhunter.bsky.social
When apps leak our data, who is responsible?
The Tea and Flo apps put women at risk. Where are the consequences?
www.washingtonpost.com
August 7, 2025 at 7:09 PM
“A user isn’t joining any of these platforms expecting to have their privacy and physical security at risk, just by being in an online space, especially one that presents itself as secure.” www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2... via @tatumhunter.bsky.social
motion for a moratorium on the word "performative" you people can't be trusted
August 22, 2025 at 3:55 PM
motion for a moratorium on the word "performative" you people can't be trusted
NEW: The most-downloaded app in America this week lets women rate their dates, complete with green and red flags alongside the guy’s name and photo. Some men say it’s an abuse of technology and a violation of their privacy.
wapo.st/415AZc2
wapo.st/415AZc2
The Tea app lets women review their dates. Men are worried.
The Tea Dating Advice app rose to the top of the charts for exposing abusive behavior, but some say it raises privacy concerns.
wapo.st
July 25, 2025 at 1:38 PM
NEW: The most-downloaded app in America this week lets women rate their dates, complete with green and red flags alongside the guy’s name and photo. Some men say it’s an abuse of technology and a violation of their privacy.
wapo.st/415AZc2
wapo.st/415AZc2
Gone are the days when you could have an affair or yell at a flight attendant or bully your neighbors in peace.
In the internet age the cameras are always rolling, and people’s worst moments draw millions of eyeballs as online audiences flock to weigh in. wapo.st/44DNhL6
In the internet age the cameras are always rolling, and people’s worst moments draw millions of eyeballs as online audiences flock to weigh in. wapo.st/44DNhL6
Analysis | An awkward Coldplay kiss cam went viral. Cue the morality police.
In the internet age, cameras are always rolling. It’s leading to a new era of interpersonal surveillance, which Astronomer CEO Andy Byron is the new focus of.
wapo.st
July 18, 2025 at 11:09 PM
Gone are the days when you could have an affair or yell at a flight attendant or bully your neighbors in peace.
In the internet age the cameras are always rolling, and people’s worst moments draw millions of eyeballs as online audiences flock to weigh in. wapo.st/44DNhL6
In the internet age the cameras are always rolling, and people’s worst moments draw millions of eyeballs as online audiences flock to weigh in. wapo.st/44DNhL6
Reposted by Tatum Hunter
PBS Kids is at risk while YouTube videos engineered for maximum child engagement thrive.
@tatumhunter.bsky.social examined the future of kids entertainment after Republicans slashed PBS funding www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...
@tatumhunter.bsky.social examined the future of kids entertainment after Republicans slashed PBS funding www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...
With PBS funding cut, will the next generation be raised by ‘Skibidi Toilet’?
Cuts to PBS funding could change kids’ media forever, as families opt for short-form video and online series optimized for attention.
www.washingtonpost.com
July 18, 2025 at 2:02 PM
PBS Kids is at risk while YouTube videos engineered for maximum child engagement thrive.
@tatumhunter.bsky.social examined the future of kids entertainment after Republicans slashed PBS funding www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...
@tatumhunter.bsky.social examined the future of kids entertainment after Republicans slashed PBS funding www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...
Looking to talk to parents who frequently turn to PBS kids' TV programming, for a story! DMs are open or tatum.hunter@washpost.com
July 17, 2025 at 4:44 PM
Looking to talk to parents who frequently turn to PBS kids' TV programming, for a story! DMs are open or tatum.hunter@washpost.com
By the numbers: Mamdani's engagement rate on Instagram was 14 times that of Cuomo during June. Across social media during the same period, conversations about him outnumbered mentions of Cuomo more than 30-to-1, Sprout Social told us.
NEW: We all know Mamdani’s social campaign was killer. Top political and media strategists say it’s because he departed from Democrats’ standard playbook, engaging directly with opponents and hammering concrete policy points. wapo.st/4laXIeE
How Zohran Mamdani used social media to build a movement
The Democratic New York mayoral primary winner departed from the standard Democratic playbook to engage directly with opponents and spotlight leftist policies.
wapo.st
June 26, 2025 at 1:44 PM
By the numbers: Mamdani's engagement rate on Instagram was 14 times that of Cuomo during June. Across social media during the same period, conversations about him outnumbered mentions of Cuomo more than 30-to-1, Sprout Social told us.
NEW: We all know Mamdani’s social campaign was killer. Top political and media strategists say it’s because he departed from Democrats’ standard playbook, engaging directly with opponents and hammering concrete policy points. wapo.st/4laXIeE
How Zohran Mamdani used social media to build a movement
The Democratic New York mayoral primary winner departed from the standard Democratic playbook to engage directly with opponents and spotlight leftist policies.
wapo.st
June 26, 2025 at 12:54 PM
NEW: We all know Mamdani’s social campaign was killer. Top political and media strategists say it’s because he departed from Democrats’ standard playbook, engaging directly with opponents and hammering concrete policy points. wapo.st/4laXIeE
Reposted by Tatum Hunter
Bluesky welcoming @jd-vance-1.bsky.social
June 19, 2025 at 12:22 AM
Bluesky welcoming @jd-vance-1.bsky.social
You don’t hate the Sabrina Carpenter album cover because it “sets feminism back” (??) you hate it because it’s too on-the-nose to feel artistic. It’s a defanged, un-fun version of the material/community it’s referencing, a la Nicole Kidman’s “Babygirl.” Hope this helps!
June 12, 2025 at 1:15 PM
You don’t hate the Sabrina Carpenter album cover because it “sets feminism back” (??) you hate it because it’s too on-the-nose to feel artistic. It’s a defanged, un-fun version of the material/community it’s referencing, a la Nicole Kidman’s “Babygirl.” Hope this helps!
A battle has been raging between generative AI companies and copyright holders. Two giant contenders — Disney and Universal — just stepped into the ring, suing the AI startup Midjourney to protect their intellectual property. The outcome could change the future of entertainment.
wapo.st/4jPsVCO
wapo.st/4jPsVCO
How Disney’s AI lawsuit could shift the future of entertainment
Disney and Universal are the first major Hollywood studios to file copyright infringement lawsuits against AI companies, marking a pivotal moment in the ongoing fight by artists, newspapers and conten...
wapo.st
June 12, 2025 at 1:33 AM
A battle has been raging between generative AI companies and copyright holders. Two giant contenders — Disney and Universal — just stepped into the ring, suing the AI startup Midjourney to protect their intellectual property. The outcome could change the future of entertainment.
wapo.st/4jPsVCO
wapo.st/4jPsVCO
All eyes on Newsom today. Here we see another conflict with profound real-world stakes playing out through online beefs optimized for engagement.
NEW: Locked in an online showdown with Trump, California Gov. Gavin Newsom is styling himself as an internet-era champion of the left.
wapo.st/3SI33xL
wapo.st/3SI33xL
‘Come and get me’: Gavin Newsom has entered the meme war
Locked in an online showdown with Trump over the L.A. protests, Newsom is styling himself as an internet-era champion of the left.
wapo.st
June 11, 2025 at 2:53 PM
All eyes on Newsom today. Here we see another conflict with profound real-world stakes playing out through online beefs optimized for engagement.
Local news is saying more than 80 arrests by the end of last night in NYC. One father reached out to me saying his son was arrested but he can’t get through to central booking.
A protester in handcuffs is using the ASL alphabet to sign the Instagram handle of someone who could post her bond, as onlookers try to collect names for jail support.
June 11, 2025 at 12:21 PM
Local news is saying more than 80 arrests by the end of last night in NYC. One father reached out to me saying his son was arrested but he can’t get through to central booking.
NEW: Locked in an online showdown with Trump, California Gov. Gavin Newsom is styling himself as an internet-era champion of the left.
wapo.st/3SI33xL
wapo.st/3SI33xL
‘Come and get me’: Gavin Newsom has entered the meme war
Locked in an online showdown with Trump over the L.A. protests, Newsom is styling himself as an internet-era champion of the left.
wapo.st
June 11, 2025 at 12:45 AM
NEW: Locked in an online showdown with Trump, California Gov. Gavin Newsom is styling himself as an internet-era champion of the left.
wapo.st/3SI33xL
wapo.st/3SI33xL
From the ground in NYC: More than a dozen protesters appear to be under arrest after clashing with police at Federal Plaza in Manhattan
June 11, 2025 at 12:09 AM
From the ground in NYC: More than a dozen protesters appear to be under arrest after clashing with police at Federal Plaza in Manhattan