Newsletter: Baltimore bridge conspiracies flood the internet


Hello fellow web crawlers! Andrew here. Welcome to today’s edition of web_crawlr

Our top stories today are about: Lawmakers including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R) spreading conspiracy theories about the Baltimore bridge collapse, people online relating to a viral video of someone going off on a self-checkout machine, the internet debating whether or not a woman who went viral is actually AI generated, and President Biden facing backlash online for attending a fundraiser on the same day Trump is attending the wake of an NYPD officer who was shot and killed. 

After that, the trending team shares with you their pick for “Main Character of the Week.” 

And since it’s Friday, it is time for our weekly news quiz. Scroll down below to answer the question. If you answer correctly, you might win a web_crawlr shirt

See ya tomorrow! 

— A.W. 


⚡ Today’s top stories

🌉 CONSPIRACY
‘Intentional attack?’ GOP lawmakers including Marjorie Taylor Greene spread Baltimore bridge collapse conspiracies

handful of GOP lawmakers are coming under fire for their responses to the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapsing after being struck by a cargo ship.

READ MORE

🛒 VIRAL
‘I hate self-checkout!’: Viewers defend CVS shopper going off on self-checkout machine

A shopper at CVS declared, “I hate self-checkout!” in what’s become a viral video, and it turns out a lot of people are inclined to agree.

READ MORE

🤖 AI
Is this woman AI generated or not? The internet isn’t sure

She’s… both?

READ MORE

🗳️ POLITICS
‘Spot the difference’: Biden’s NYC celebrity fundraiser slammed as Trump attends wake for slain NYPD cop

The contrast between the two was flagged.

READ MORE


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✏️ Take our weekly news quiz! 

Are you the most online reader of web_crawlr? Prove it by answering our question of the week! The answer can be found somewhere in one of our newsletters from this week. 

If you answer correctly, you’ll be entered to win a web_crawlr shirt, and we’ll shout out five people who won the shirt! 

FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP GOT MOCKED ONLINE FOR HAWKING A CERTAIN USA-THEMED BOOK. WHAT BOOK WAS IT?

Think you know the answer? Sign up for web_crawlr so you can answer next week’s question!


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👑 Main Character of the Week

By Ramon Ramirez
Managing Editor

A side by side showing a full Bacardi Bucket and one with personal items in it. There is text that says 'Main Character of the Week' in a web_crawlr Daily Dot newsletter font.

Main Character of the Week: Woman who had her Bacardi Bucket confiscated at Applebee’s 

Main Character of the Week is a weekly column that tells you the most prominent “main character” online (good or bad). It runs on Fridays in the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter. If you want to get this column a day before we publish it, subscribe to web_crawlr, where you’ll get the daily scoop of internet culture delivered straight to your inbox.


🕸️ Crawling the web

Here is what else is happening across the ‘net.

💵 This woman says a restaurant worker shamed her for not having Apple Pay. But viewers of her viral video about the incident are torn on who’s right

🙅 A Walmart worker claiming she was in a “toxic environment” quit her job without even giving the customary two weeks’ notice, and expressed immense relief for doing so.

🍷 Ordering wine is serious business. But did you know there’s a whole etiquette behind it?

💑 Viewers of this viral video are divided after a woman laid out the five rules she has for her boyfriend

🚙 Thinking of buying a sedan? Here are this expert’s recommendations for what to buy that will have a lasting engine.

💼 A contract worker went viral on TikTok after posting a video describing a common frustration at her job, shared by employees everywhere.

⚰️ From the Daily Dot archive: Is your kid attending funerals on Roblox?


👋 Before you go

career coach on TikTok offers advice to anyone considering telling their boss they’re unhappy at work: Don’t do it.

In a video, Dilara Casey (@totally_employable) advises against admitting unhappiness to your boss, especially if the reason for your dissatisfaction is poor management.

Casey starts her video off by saying, “If your boss asks you if you’re unhappy, do not say yes. Even if you’re unhappy, don’t tell them that you’re unhappy.”

She goes on to explain that many bosses get promoted because they’re good individual workers, but lack the necessary leadership qualities to handle such feedback effectively.

Expert warns never tell you’re boss that you’re unhappy

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Source: https://www.dailydot.com/news/daily-dot-newsletter-web-crawlr-03-29-2024/