importantSYS.SOURCE: TechCrunch• 2026-09-25T20:33:58Z

Middle Schoolers Using NPR Comment Sections as Social Hubs

#social networking #npr #middle schoolers #podcasts #comment sections

Middle schoolers are using NPR's comment sections as an unexpected social hub, bypassing traditional social media platforms. The phenomenon was discovered through podcast comments, with kids favoring platforms with fewer comments for group chats.

When NPR staffers flagged strange comments under their podcasts on Spotify as bots, it took a Gen Z colleague to (immediately) figure out the mystery.

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