Why are people obsessed with Japanese miniature cooking videos?

We talked to miniature makers and fans about why videos of tiny real food are so strangely appealing.
Inside the world of Lyft spam on Facebook

What happens if your profile picture ends up on a fake Facebook profile pushing ridesharing services? Hopes&Fears goes fishing for bots and talks to copyright experts.
Laugh-cry emoji beats out “refugee” for Oxford Dictionary’s Word of the Year
The “face with tears of joy,” better known as the “laugh-cry face,” was chosen as “the ‘word’ that best reflected the ethos, mood, and preoccupations of 2015.”
Rigorous fun: A conversation with PBS Idea Channel's Mike Rugnetta

Hopes&Fears sat down with the YouTube empresario to discuss his process, his (failed) attempt to improve arguing online, and "decreasing world suck."

My life as a Facebook admin with coked-up cats and junkie Jesus
Facebook can be a dirty (and lucrative) business. Someone has to manage those shareable cats. One such admin shares her story.
How will "likes" and "hearts" change Twitter?

Twitter users were surprised today when their favs were replaced by cutesy hearts. We asked experts how Twitter's new "likes" will affect the way we use the platform.

Are you happy now? The uncertain future of emotion analytics
By the time we'll need reform, it might be too late.

How to make it as a Yelp Elite
Becca Rothfeld investigates what it takes to become a member of this coveted cabal and considers how they're changing the face of criticism.
URL IRL: Photos from an internet flea market

Hopes&Fears went to Internet Yami-ichi’s inaugural Queens event with a photographer to document what happens when internet people spend the day offline.
Searching for Deez Nuts: how the internet is selling your fake data

Deez Nuts made news with his presidential bid. We set out to find the man himself, but what we discovered was the value of a fake name.
This USB stick loaded with data collected by The Data Drive is for sale on eBay

According to the listing, the drive includes 3500 pieces of data from 1700 unique visitors to the site.
Nestlé's latest bid to have you buy their creamer features nude baristas

Of course, it's a marketing stunt.
Man arrested for violating restraining order after liking ex-girlfriend's Facebook pictures

It happens more often than you'd think.
How virtual reality is turning browsers into walkable cities

The physical Internet is the new "web site."
Parmigiano Reggiano seeking legal action against PornHub Premium for "distasteful" use of brand name

PornHub recently launched its $9.99 subscription service, and an advertisement endorsing it which uses Parmigiano Reggiano cheese as a selling point.
This. the link-sharing site that limits you to one link a day just raised $610,000

Think the internet has too many links? Well, there’s a new link-sharing platform that cuts down on all of that.
Facebook's algorithm doesn't create political echo chambers, users' choices do, says study

We want to engage with news we already agree with.
Russia threatened to ban Reddit over weed thread

The Russian government has threatened to block Reddit if one particular thread that gives tips for growing cannabis isn't removed.