Microprocessing
Why Angry Taylor Swift Fans Lash Out Online
Fandom is all about community — even when it gets toxic
In Microprocessing, columnist Angela Lashbrook aims to improve your relationship with technology every week. Microprocessing goes deep on the little things that define your online life today, to give you a better tomorrow.
Last week, I made a huge mistake. I tweeted something negative about Taylor Swift’s new single.
It was only 10 minutes or so before the Swifties found me. I counted them — 50 total Twitter users, 45 of whom identified themselves as fans in their bios, handles, banner photos, or profile photos. That isn’t a huge number as Twitter warfare goes, but at the time it felt like an army, a massive swarm of pastel-clad, smiling blondes descending upon me.
Some accused me of being bitter. One sarcastically thanked me for promoting the song. Another told me I couldn’t even “make the front page” (of what, I’m unsure) while Taylor’s song shot to number one on the charts. (I will…
