Comms Bestie Group Chat [Friday, June 27]

Hey,
If we were in a group chat together, this is what I'd be dropping in. What's making the rounds in your group chats?

• 📰 [POST CHECK] WaPo is piloting a program where sources can annotate the very stories they’re quoted in after they’re published. On one hand: transparency. On the other: the job never ends.
• 📣 [COMMENT CONUNDRUM] Crisis comms isn’t supposed to be a daily thing, but here we are. Here’s a "Should I Comment?" flowchart for comms teams to decide if you really need a POV on *gestures wildly* all the things.
• 🫠 [BRAIN ROT] Saanya Ojha at Bain Capital had a spicy take on the LLM brain rot debate. She says yes, LLMs are making us “weaker walkers” (like the wheel did), but it's worth it to free us up for higher-order stuff. Loved her point, but it’s got me wondering: what about people (teens? kids?!) who never got the cognitive reps in the first place? Is there a gym for higher-order thinking?
• 👩‍💻 [COPY PASTE] I'm noticing more reporters dropping the first few grafs of their stories right into LinkedIn (sometimes, not always). Is this engagement hacking? Paywall workaround? If you know, plz share. 
• 🐕 [DOUBLE TAKE] No stranger to the risqué, Sabrina Carpenter dropped an alternative album cover after some heated responses to her first version. PR stunt, strategic pivot, or just a cheeky nod to her fans? Let’s discuss.

-Gab Ferree
Founder, Off the Record & Your Comms BFF

PS: Last week’s most-clicked link was the WSJ profile on two 27-year-old guys becoming ad execs' new go-to news source.
PPS: No newsletter next week because 🎆🇺🇸🍔. Next group chat drop coming July 11.

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