Memes as surveillance. Algorithms as gatekeepers. The internet as a place no one fully understands, including the people building it. In this episode of Social Sleuth, we sit down with Aidan Walker: writer, content creator, internet culture researcher, and someone who has literally published dissertations on memes.
We go deep on how memes have evolved from punchlines into a form of cultural shorthand, and how they've quietly become a mechanism of digital surveillance. Aidan introduces the idea of grounding yourself when consuming the web (imagine a Victorian child on your shoulder, what would they think?) and why that kind of critical distance matters more than ever.
We also get into algorithms, content funnels, and the things the web actively doesn't want to serve you. Essential listening for anyone trying to make sense of internet culture, digital media, and the future of online expression.
Topics: memes, internet culture, digital surveillance, algorithms, social media, content creation, media literacy, online expression, meme research
