The Internet Isn’t the Web Anymore: TikTok + Chatbots Ate Everything

The Internet Isn’t the Web Anymore: TikTok + Chatbots Ate Everything

Welcome back to The Howard Lindzon Show. Howard’s back with week two of the finger—now officially nicknamed “Pointy”—and we’re getting closer to the big reveal at the Cashtag Awards on May 4 at the New York Stock Exchange, where voting is wrapping up. Think: finance’s version of the ESPYs—awards, laughs, Nathan McIntosh, Polymarket as sponsor, and a room full of market people. Then we get into the heavy stuff. Howard’s Sunday blog line hits hard: “We were promised Web3.0 and all we got was deglobalization, degeneracy, and slop.” The point isn’t just crypto disappointment—it’s the bigger shift: while the world was chasing NFTs and decentralization narratives, AI was quietly building in labs and now the entire “web” experience is changing. If you’re 15 or 20, the internet is TikTok and a chatbot—you don’t “surf the web” anymore. From there: X as a “freak show,” algorithmic timelines rewarding garbage, the uncomfortable truth that negativity sells, and why people are migrating toward niche communities and group chats for signal over noise. Howard explains why StockTwits benefits from this shift—real-time streams, people talking to people, and no algorithm propping up the loudest “Cat Turd” equivalent. We close on a rare optimistic note: good work still wins. In a world of giants, small teams can drill into one pain point, build something real, and get rewarded. Disclaimer: All opinions expressed on this show are solely the opinions of the hosts’ and guests’ and do not reflect the opinions of Stocktwits, Inc. or its affiliates. The hosts are not SEC or FINRA registered advisors or professionals. The content of this show is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Please consult with your financial advisor before making any investment decision. Read the full terms & conditions here: https://stocktwits.com/about/legal/terms/ Chapters 00:05 - Intro + “Pointy” finger nickname update 02:41 - Cashtag Awards at NYSE May 4: voting is wrapping up 03:10 - Categories + why this year’s event is bigger (Nathan McIntosh, Polymarket) 04:17 - Why we need the Cashtag Awards: the news cycle is chaos 05:00 - “Civilization ends tonight” rhetoric + markets barely moving 06:21 - Oil ripping + the market’s surreal calm 08:34 - Apple as an “edge” AI winner: phones, hardware, and the store moat 10:38 - “Held hostage” mentally: markets + geopolitics + daily game-show energy 13:36 - Anxiety bubble: why people feel it everywhere 14:04 - The line: “We were promised Web3… and got slop” 15:19 - Web2 was fun… then the Web3 story… then reality 16:45 - The Bahamas/SBF era: the tell at the top 17:54 - While everyone watched crypto, AI became the real shift 19:15 - “We lost the web”: TikTok + chatbots ate the internet 19:47 - Tokens + Nvidia as the arms dealer 23:03 - Life lesson: don’t chase the shiny object and miss the real opportunity 24:54 - AI could pull us away from screens (ironically) 25:57 - Attention + trust + vertical networks + group chat matter more 26:40 - X is a freak show: algorithm drives what you see 29:54 - New York Times chart + negativity/defeatism selling 31:39 - Why StockTwits gets more engagement with a smaller audience 33:28 - Creators moving to Substack/Beehiiv + algorithm choke points 35:22 - America as the world’s soap opera 37:37 - Niche platforms can win: TBPN story + doing the work 39:14 - Wrap + finger typing struggles

Dangerous World, Orderly Markets | The Oil Puzzle Nobody's Talking About

Good morning from The Howard Lindzon Show. We open with a quick health check: Howard’s garage mishap and finger reattachment is still the talk of the town—turns out “The Tail of the Finger” was one of the best-performing posts on StockTwits. But after the laughs, it’s straight into the markets. Howard lays out why this sell-off feels “too orderly.” Look at what’s on the board: oil spiking toward $130, rising yields, rising mortgage rates, tariffs and de-globalization pressures, private credit stress, and major geopolitical uncertainty. With that mix, you’d expect panic… and yet the indexes are only pulling back. That disconnect is what’s making this market so hard to read—and why Howard’s staying cautious even while admitting the tape is holding up better than the headlines suggest. Then the conversation turns to something bigger than one week’s price action: the blending of private markets into public markets, and how the rules are being rewritten. Howard and Michele discuss the potential push to bring mega-private companies like SpaceX, OpenAI, and Anthropic public—and the concern that investors could be forced into these names through market-cap weighted index products on day one. The result: less transparency, more “shell games,” and more pressure on the integrity of markets that power retirement accounts. We wrap with perspective: if you’re young, volatility can be a gift—keep compounding and keep buying—while also learning how to protect yourself if indexing changes (including the rise of direct indexing and the ability to opt out of specific names). Disclaimer: All opinions expressed on this show are solely the opinions of the hosts’ and guests’ and do not reflect the opinions of Stocktwits, Inc. or its affiliates. The hosts are not SEC or FINRA registered advisors or professionals. The content of this show is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Please consult with your financial advisor before making any investment decision. Read the full terms & conditions here: https://stocktwits.com/about/legal/terms/ Chapters 00:05 - Intro + “Tale of the Finger” post goes viral 01:49 - Howard’s finger update: garage mishap recovery check-in 06:05 - 911 and the hospital experience: fast emergency care vs the system after 08:41 - Nickname brainstorm: “Stubs” vs “Scarfinger” 09:23 - Finger story as content: why “train wreck” traffic works 09:49 - Markets and geopolitics: the back-and-forth that snapped the rally 10:24 - Why the sell-off feels “too orderly” 11:49 - Oil, yields, private credit stress: “why haven’t markets crashed?” 14:06 - Oil spikes and recession history: what the textbook says 15:05 - De-globalization and commodities: aluminum, copper, silver breaking out 16:32 - Dangerous mix: rising commodity costs + rising rates 17:49 - Why “orderly declines” usually don’t end orderly 18:16 - Buffett’s cash pile + Gunlock’s warnings 19:58 - Private markets blending into public: “shell games” and opaque pricing 20:52 - The stakes: SpaceX/OpenAI/Anthropic IPOs and trillions in demand 22:07 - From “kept private too long” to “forced into ETFs day one” 23:06 - Direct indexing as a response: opt-outs and tax-aware customization 23:59 - SpaceX + Twitter + Grok packaging questions 24:48 - Why pros fear shorting: a headline can flip the tape instantly 25:18 - Integrity of markets: the real issue under everything 26:21 - Retirement accounts and rule changes: who benefits? 27:06 - If you’re young: hope the market drops and keep compounding 28:00 - “Pay attention, don’t study”: find mentors, protect yourself 31:14 - Travel vibes + perception: the “American tourist” question 32:20 - Wrap + tease: finger reveal next week + Cash Tag Awards plug

Truth Social Moves Markets + Why Young Traders Think the Market’s Rigged

This week starts with a hype check: the Cashtag Awards are back May 4th at the New York Stock Exchange. Last year overflowed—this year there’s room for 500 people, Polymarket is the title sponsor, and Nathan McIntosh is bringing the comedy (plus special investing guests and plenty of side chatter). VOTE FOR CASHTAG AWARDS HERE: https://cashtag.stocktwits.com/ Then we get into the Degen Stock of the Week: Clear (YOU). With TSA issues creating massive airport lines, Clear is catching a wave of “I can’t go back” adoption—Howard calls it an “8-to-80” product: once you have it, life before it feels impossible. It’s not just airports either—Clear is a security brand with broader applications as the world gets more dangerous. From there, Howard goes bigger-picture: young traders discovering “the market is rigged,” the idea that “someone always knows,” and why you don’t want to live at the “line of scrimmage” reacting to every real-time headline. The Truth Social layer adds a new twist to information flow, and Howard’s point is simple: don’t lose your mind—95% of investing is still doing the work, finding great companies, or indexing. Finally, Robinhood’s backlash: when the stock is down and the app leans hard into prediction markets and betting, users revolt. Betting and investing aren’t the same, and mixing them creates a mob problem. StockTwits’ advantage is staying trading-neutral—ideas, journaling, community—without turning your feed into a casino lobby. Disclaimer: All opinions expressed on this show are solely the opinions of the hosts’ and guests’ and do not reflect the opinions of Stocktwits, Inc. or its affiliates. The hosts are not SEC or FINRA registered advisors or professionals. The content of this show is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Please consult with your financial advisor before making any investment decision. Read the full terms & conditions here: https://stocktwits.com/about/legal/terms/ Chapters 00:05 - Cashtag Awards hype: NYSE venue, bigger crowd, Polymarket sponsor 01:00 - Voting is live: cashtag.stocktwits.com + May 4 details 01:52 - Degen Stock of the Week: Clear (YOU) 03:15 - “8-to-80” product: once you have Clear, you can’t go back 04:00 - TSA chaos = free advertising + the Atlanta line nightmare 04:30 - Clear as a security brand, not just “tech” 04:39 - Is it too late after the rip? How to follow the story 06:21 - “If you’re going to panic, do it first” — are we in panic yet? 07:05 - Casino rule: if you don’t know who the sucker is, it’s you 08:41 - “Someone always knows” + the rabbit hole traders fall into 09:38 - Truth Social as a new info layer and why it matters 11:03 - Trust erosion and why it’s dangerous for markets 13:14 - “Stay away from the line of scrimmage” investing advice 14:06 - The chaotic 60-minute window: positioning before the post 15:53 - Why this is different from the old “Goldman boogeyman” era 18:48 - Robinhood backlash: too much betting inside an investing app 19:26 - Mob psychology: heroes on the way up, villains on the way down 22:05 - “Robinhood’s next food poisoning” branding moment 23:02 - Prediction markets aren’t going away — tough conundrum 24:25 - Stocktwits: pseudonymous ideas, no trading attached 25:57 - Why “seeing people’s trades” isn’t the edge you think it is 27:09 - Tease: new product/streams coming in the next 3–6 months 27:52 - Wrap

America vs China: The AI Approval Gap Nobody's Talking About

Has Silicon Valley completely lost the plot with AI? This week on the Howard Lindzon Show, Howard and Michele break down the massive "vibe shift" around Artificial Intelligence, including new Pew Research showing a staggering gap in AI approval ratings between the US and China. Plus, they dive into the SEC's controversial proposal to make quarterly earnings optional, why the market is brushing off terrible headlines, and how the "oversupply of degeneracy" is impacting prediction markets, Robinhood, and DraftKings. 🏆 Don't forget! The 2026 Cashtag Awards are coming up on May 4th at the New York Stock Exchange. Get all the details and secure your spot: [Insert Link to cashtag.stocktwits.com] In this episode, we cover: Why investors are fleeing to cash at the fastest rate since 2020. The unintended consequences of the SEC potentially ending quarterly earnings reports. Why the tech industry's biggest billionaires are ruining AI's public image. The hidden AI hardware winners: Apple's Mac Mini and Google. The oversupply of prediction markets and why Robinhood’s stock is struggling despite the degeneracy boom. Chapters: 00:00 - Intro & St. Patrick’s Day Banter 00:48 - Announcing the 2026 Cashtag Awards at the NYSE! 02:21 - Market Vibes: Why are investors rushing to cash? 05:38 - The SEC wants to make quarterly earnings optional?! 10:50 - Insider trading risks & the SpaceX SPY inclusion 16:21 - The AI Vibe Shift: Why 83% of Americans dislike AI 21:39 - Big Tech's massive PR problem & Claude vs. the Pentagon 24:26 - OpenAI’s pivot & why Apple and Google are the real AI winners 28:16 - The "Oversupply of Degeneracy": DraftKings, Robinhood, & Prediction Markets 33:05 - Outro & Finding global buying opportunities

Trump, Truth Social, and Market Whiplash + The Real Degenerate Economy

Howard opens the week with a rapid-fire mix of real life and markets: Narcan, “Claude Code,” eye strain, and the kind of personal optimization advice that somehow turns into a conversation about underwear orientation and brushing your teeth with your feet. Then we get serious (in the most Howard way possible): the Cash Tag Awards are back—May 4th at the New York Stock Exchange—with Polymarket presenting and comedian Nathan MacIntosh bringing the heat. Howard explains why the show is the “ESPYs of finance,” why last year overflowed the room, and why this year will be bigger, louder, and more degenerate. From there, it’s market reality: war headlines and Truth Social posts whipping oil and stocks around, and why investors have to accept that this isn’t a “normal” market. Then we go deep on the new narrative stack—AI agents, stablecoins, Stripe, and the idea of machines paying machines—plus why Howard still trusts what has real users today (Claude/Anthropic) more than the last decade of “go set up a crypto wallet.” We close with the part people ignore until it’s too late: private credit liquidity. BlackRock’s fund caps withdrawals, redemption requests spike, and the “equity returns with bond volatility” dream meets the Hotel California rule: you can check in, but you can’t always get out. Disclaimer: All opinions expressed on this show are solely the opinions of the hosts’ and guests’ and do not reflect the opinions of Stocktwits, Inc. or its affiliates. The hosts are not SEC or FINRA registered advisors or professionals. The content of this show is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Please consult with your financial advisor before making any investment decision. Read the full terms & conditions here: https://stocktwits.com/about/legal/terms/ Chapters 00:07 - Narcan + “Claude Code” (spell it right) 01:09 - Screen fatigue: “stare at the horizon” advice 01:35 - Underwear front vs backwards (market prep) 02:38 - Cash Tag Awards: NYSE on May 4th + Polymarket + Nathan MacIntosh 03:49 - Doing standup for 11 people: why Nathan got the gig 04:30 - The “ESPYs of finance” and degenerate economy tribute 05:54 - War headlines, markets whiplashing, oil cliff-drop + reversal 06:45 - Truth Social as plunge protection / market-moving lever 08:23 - Real war, real bombs, and why this won’t be “normal” 11:02 - AI agents + stablecoins + Stripe: machines paying machines? 12:30 - Crypto wallets vs product-market-fit: why AI adoption feels different 13:21 - Claude Code in the real world: building sites without begging users 14:20 - The agent-to-agent future (and why it might be annoying) 16:29 - Claude’s growth + why “this has never been seen before” 18:06 - OpenAI drama + why Howard doesn’t trust the structure 18:34 - SoftBank as the leveraged OpenAI tell 20:11 - Use Stocktwits/search to triangulate stories from angles 22:29 - Private credit warning: BlackRock caps withdrawals 24:39 - Redemptions = viral panic (but downward) 25:15 - KKR/BlackRock pressure + software rollups meet mark-to-market 26:20 - Liquidity isn’t free: public volatility vs private lockups 27:40 - Naming your AI agent: Vern, Howie Town, and “Howie.com is taken” 28:56 - Wrap