Inevitably, more of these situations will emerge under the Trump administration, and I’m curious to see if any of Musk’s supporters end up jumping ship.
Passengers on ships
The act of dropshipping—third-party vendors filling sales orders—exploded in popularity in the late 2010s, becoming an integral part of the online hustle culture. With the launch of the TikTok Store, shipping has undergone a paradigm shift, as more and more people use the app to make quick, scalable money.
Imposing heavy tariffs on Chinese imports was one of Trump’s biggest economic promises this election cycle. If TikTok is banned next month, China’s tariffs could hurt the app’s export profits, as most of the product’s production is done overseas. What happens to those who transport them? Where do they go next?
New Jersey Drone Hunters
Without much guidance or information from the government, conspiracy theories surrounding the mysterious planes that are said to be flying over the eastern seas have run out of steam. Just this week, Real Housewives star Bethenny Frankel posted a series of Instagram videos claiming she had a secret Pentagon source who told her drones were looking for nuclear material.
Now, I’m not saying I know the truth about drones, but I can see what it does to people on the internet. For the past few weeks, I’ve been monitoring one of the big Facebook pages dedicated to solving this mystery, and what started as a place for people to share what they saw turned into hysteria. Members accuse the mods of working for the Feds for hiding the “truth” (whatever it is) and encouraging others to plant iodine tablets, gas masks, and, of course, toilet paper.
It’s too early to tell, but I can bet that these groups are introducing people who are already sad and frustrated to ideas they wouldn’t believe. Is this what the alien communities and the UAP expect? It’s possible! In any case, don’t expect the faithful to believe anything the government says unless someone puts a foreigner’s body in front of photographers.
Chatroom
On the podcast last week, we made a few predictions for what the new year will bring. What do you think will happen next year in terms of technology and its impact on politics? Send your thoughts to mail@wired.com.
WIRED Reads
Want more? Register now for unlimited access to WIRED.
What We Learn
🔗 FTC Issues Rules Requiring Hotels, Ticket Sellers to Disclose ‘Unwanted Fees’: There is at least one political victory we can all celebrate this holiday season. This week, the Federal Trade Commission imposed new rules that prevent hotels and ticketing services from hiding extra fees, or “junk fees.” (Washington Post)
🔗 ‘It’s Gonna Be Brutal’: Inside Trump’s Organized War on Leakers and the Media: The Trump administration is reportedly making new plans to go after the media, including more lawsuits and threats of subpoenas. (Rolling Stone)
🔗 Elon Musk and SpaceX Face State Review After Security Breach: The US government is reviewing whether Elon Musk and SpaceX repeatedly violated disclosure agreements that protect state secrets, such as withholding information related to meetings with foreign leaders. (The New York Times)
The Download
When the newspaper went out last week, the final episode of WIRED Politics Lab the podcast wasn’t up yet. If you didn’t catch the interview I had with Tim Marchman and David Gilbert, I recommend listening to it here.
When I get out of the election, I’m still rethinking how the newspaper helps you all. If you have any other ideas or requests, let me know. If not, I’ll spend the holidays completely shut down, so you won’t see me hitting inboxes again until January 9th.
I hope you find time to rest, read, and spend time with the people you love. I’ll see you in the new year. 💞
That’s it for today—thanks again for subscribing. You can contact me via email, Instagram, Xand Signal at makenakelly.32.