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2025-01-15
The internet is a vast, ever-evolving landscape that shapes our lives in ways we often don’t even realize. From fostering connections to sparking creativity, it’s a space where everyone can find their niche. At Mozilla, we celebrate the magic of the internet while acknowledging its imperfections. In our series My Corner of the Internet, we dive into the online spaces that captivate people, the communities that shape them, and how they envision their ideal digital worlds. This month, we sat down with Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay, hosts of Slate’s internet culture podcast ICYMI, to discuss their online obsessions, nostalgic deep dives, and bold predictions for 2025.
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Favorite Corners of the Internet
Kate Lindsay finds solace in her group chats, preferring intimate, curated spaces over the chaos of public platforms like TikTok. Candice Lim, on the other hand, is enchanted by @petunia_rocks, a TikTok account featuring a college student voicing a stuffed hippo named Petunia. From cold-calling frat guys to celebrating Thanksgiving, Petunia’s whimsical adventures bring joy to Candice’s daily life.
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Internet Deep Dives
Kate is itching to unravel the mysteries of the 2010s-era YouTube BritCrew, a group of British YouTubers whose friendships and careers have taken divergent paths. Candice, meanwhile, is perpetually fascinated by celebrity gossip, from the enigmatic relationship between Mindy Kaling and BJ Novak to the timeline of Olivia Munn and John Mulaney’s romance.
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Regrettable Tab Closures
For Kate, it’s the eternal debate over “grey” vs. “gray” that sends her back to Google time and again. Candice, however, mourns the loss of Drew Starkey fancams, a testament to her dedication to niche internet content.
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Current Internet Obsessions
Both hosts are vocal about the loneliness epidemic fueled by the internet. Kate laments how the digital world has replaced real-life interactions, while Candice echoes her concerns, hinting at a potential ICYMI episode on the topic.
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First Online Communities
Kate’s early internet days were spent on Mugglenet and FanFiction.net, driven by a burning curiosity about Harry and Hermione’s romantic fate. Candice was a devoted member of MileyWorld.com, a Miley Cyrus fan site, until a catfishing incident involving someone posing as Miley’s best friend, Mandy Jiroux, left her disillusioned.
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Designing Their Own Corners of the Internet
Kate envisions a modernized MySpace, blending video-sharing capabilities with the intimacy of private friend rankings. Candice dreams of a space that merges KindleTok, hopecore aesthetics, Bella Hadid’s vibe, and cryptic TikTok tarot readings.
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Content They’re Saving for Later
Kate eagerly awaits lengthy vlogs from her favorite English influencers, while Candice is saving Wishbone Kitchen’s cozy cooking videos for quiet nights in, inspired by the chef’s Hamptons lifestyle and soothing culinary rituals.
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Wildest Predictions for 2025
Kate foresees digital wellness becoming the new self-care, with a focus on mindful consumption and logging off—ironically, while still posting about it online. Candice predicts a celebrity or influencer will sue @PopCrave for failing to acknowledge their “stunning” appearance in a photo.
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About the Hosts
Kate Lindsay, a Brooklyn-based writer and author of the Embedded newsletter, has shaped internet culture with viral phenomena like the “millennial pause.” Candice Lim, co-host of ICYMI, brings a wealth of experience from NPR and a passion for dissecting the quirks of online life.
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What Undercode Say:
The conversation with Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay offers a fascinating glimpse into the ways the internet shapes our identities, relationships, and daily routines. Their insights reveal a duality at the heart of digital culture: the internet is both a source of connection and a catalyst for isolation.
Kate’s emphasis on group chats as her favorite corner of the internet underscores a broader trend toward private, curated online spaces. In an era of oversharing and performative social media, many are retreating to smaller, more intimate communities where they feel seen and valued. This shift reflects a growing desire for authenticity in a world dominated by algorithms and influencers.
Candice’s love for @petunia_rocks highlights the power of whimsy and creativity in digital storytelling. Petunia’s adventures remind us that the internet can still be a place of joy and wonder, even as it grapples with issues like misinformation and toxicity. Her fascination with celebrity gossip, meanwhile, speaks to our collective obsession with the personal lives of public figures—a phenomenon that has only intensified in the age of social media.
The hosts’ predictions for 2025 are both humorous and thought-provoking. Kate’s vision of digital wellness as the new self-care reflects a growing awareness of the need to balance online and offline lives. As more people recognize the toll of constant connectivity, we may see a resurgence of analog activities and a renewed emphasis on mental health.
Candice’s prediction about a celebrity suing @PopCrave is a biting commentary on the vanity and entitlement that often pervade internet culture. It also raises important questions about accountability and the power dynamics between influencers and the platforms that amplify their voices.
Ultimately, this conversation reminds us that the internet is what we make of it. Whether it’s a source of joy, frustration, or inspiration, our online experiences are deeply personal and endlessly varied. As we navigate the digital landscape, it’s worth asking ourselves: What does our corner of the internet look like, and how can we make it a better place?
References:
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