If last week gets remembered for anything, it'll be former national security advisor Michael Flynn's request for immunity in the US government's investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the American election. But for a certain subset of the world, it'll be remembered as the week during which Buffy the Vampire Slayer celebrated its 20th anniversary while everyone felt feelings about Joss Whedon's career plans. In other words, it was just another week in the neighborhood we call the internet, filled with wonder and self-doubt as always. Think you might have missed something? Read on to find out!
So Long, @ Replies!
What Happened: Twitter decided to change the way it worked this week. As you might expect, Twitter users were thrilled. Wait. Is that the word we're looking for?
Where It Blew Up: Twitter, media reports
What Really Happened: On Thursday, Twitter announced a change in the way its reply functionality worked, which takes the "@[name]" out of the body of the actual tweet, allowing for more space for the message.
Of course, this prompted much media discussion. But how did Twitter users, those most affected by the change, take it?
Quick, no one tell them that Twitter is also killing off the egg.
The Takeaway: Saying "Please don't @ me" in your bio just got significantly less cool.
Republican Party: Civil War
What Happened: After Republicans failed to repeal Obamacare, the president turned on his own party.
Where It Blew Up: Twitter, media reports
What Really Happened: So, the plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act kind of crashed and burned, which led to much discussion over who was to blame. At the start of last week, President Donald Trump identified the culprits:
Not clear enough? A day later, Trump tried again, with less subtlety:
Ah, yes, the House Freedom Caucus, the right-wing part of the right-wing party. Sure enough, they'd been one of the (many) groups who failed to support the repeal efforts, but why was Trump turning on them specifically? It wasn't entirely clear. And if it was an attempt to strong-arm them into submission, it wasn't working:
Meanwhile, Political Wonk Twitter was passing out popcorn for the inevitable showdown:
And it wasn't just Twitter, as everyone else seemed just as fascinated by the conflict. But how is it playing elsewhere? Well, that's complicated.
The Takeaway: A Republican civil war? Well, it worked for the popularity of the Marvel movies, but isn't there another possibility when it comes to, you know, running the country?
For Sale: Browsing Histories, Slightly Used
What Happened: As Congress sells out internet users across America, some people have an idea how to use the tools of oppression against the lawmakers. Maybe. Possibly.
Where It Blew Up: Twitter, media reports
What Really Happened: This week, the House of Representatives voted to reverse Obama-era regulations on internet service providers' ability to sell users' browsing history on the open market. It was a vote that drew a lot of attention, for obvious reasons, and many were uncomfortable with the change:
For some, however, the reversal brought opportunity:
Yes, that's Supernatural actor Misha Collins, who really did launch a GoFundMe to raise $500 million so that he could buy Congress' internet data and share it with the world. Fans were on board.
The media was down, too. But Collins wasn't alone in his desire to buy the info:
That's Cards Against Humanity founder Max Temkin. Again, there was widespread approval from Twitter.
And again, the media followed the story. There was only one problem: no one is actually selling Congress' web histories.
Well, it was fun while it lasted.
The Takeaway: Actually, let's go back to Max Temkin for this one, shall we?
In Order to Build a More Perfect Union
What Happened: A profile of Vice President Mike Pence's wife accidentally launched a conversation about gender in relationships and culture wars in today's society, because it's 2017.
Where It Blew Up: Twitter, media reports
What Really Happened: Last week, the Washington Post ran a piece about Pence's wife, Karen Pence, which repeatedly emphasized how close she was to her husband. It also included an allusion to something the veep said in 2002: That he never eats with another woman without his wife being present.
Despite the information being 15 years old, its re-emergence prompted much commentary about its meaning and importance. And, of course, Twitter was right there with takes both hot and cold:
Of course, the Pence principle has its defenders…
But, considering Pence's policies towards LGBTQ rights and this week's vote to push forward legislation to remove federal funds from Planned Parenthood, perhaps there's another way to look at this:
No, wait. This:
The Takeaway: Forming perfect unions is hard.
Cristiano Ronaldo's Bust
What Happened: Imagine being so beloved your likeness becomes immortalized in bronze. And then, imagine that the statue version of you looks nothing like you, and indeed, looks so bizarre it quickly goes viral.
Where It Blew Up: Twitter, media reports
What Really Happened: Perhaps you've heard of Cristiano Ronaldo; he's a soccer player for Real Madrid who is so famous and adored that he got a Portuguese airport named after him last week. Aeroporto Cristiano Ronaldo also got a new statue of the soccer star as part of the renaming. There was just one problem:
In case you're wondering just how bad a likeness that statue is, here's a side-by-side comparison with the real thing:
As you might expect, Twitter found itself entranced by this piece of art.
It wasn't just Twitter, though; news outlets couldn't quite believe it, either.
Wonderfully, the media eventually tracked down Emanuel Santos, the man responsible for the statue, to ask him his opinion on the response. It was worth waiting for. "It is impossible to please the Greeks and Trojans. Neither did Jesus please everyone," he reportedly said. "This is a matter of taste, so it is not as simple as it seems. What matters is the impact that this work generated. There is always the possibility of making a difference, I was prepared for all this. I used as a base some photos of Cristiano Ronaldo that I found on the internet, nothing specific. I put the photos next to me and started working on the bust." Please, let this man make statues of all celebrities using "some photos that [he] found on the internet, nothing specific."
The Takeaway: Thankfully, technology can fix what many are saying is an oversight:
https://twitter.com/FootyMemes/status/847145157766123521