Being online more in 2020 changed us
Did being home all the time change how we acted online in 2020? TikToks of people uncovering something bad or surprising at their jobs blew up (more on that, below), and more people were “canceled” this year than last. So, the short answer is yes, lockdowns and social distancing definitely affected internet culture.
The lack of social events and offices meant that we vented more of our feelings online—and that we had the time and space to pay attention to particular posts that maybe wouldn’t have received as much traction in a “normal” year. People also gained large social media followings for documenting their pandemic life, like gardening legend Gerald Stratford and actress January Jones. From March to December, social media became a lens through which we viewed the outside world from home.