Latest Stories from Charlie
Why are the music charts full of old songs?
someone put on Mr. Brightside, please The UK music charts are full of old artists right now, featuring everyone from Oasis to Michael Jackson to The Goo Goo Dolls. It seems Gen Z is consuming youth culture from the twentieth century as if it were contemporary, leaving pop music in a bizarre position. Have you glanced at Spotify’s ‘Top 50’ song lists lately? Any unassuming observer would expect new music, given that most chart...
Why is Insomniac’s ‘Wolverine’ facing backlash?
Despite reportedly having a budget of $300 million USD, Insomniac’s latest superhero video game ‘Wolverine’ has faced intense criticism for being too forgiving, linear, and patronisingly handholdy to the point of frustration. Is this a warning to other AAA developers? Insomniac, the developer behind the recent, critically acclaimed ‘Spider-Man’ games, is facing criticism following the release of its latest title, ‘Wolverine.’ The game follows a new, original story from the X-Men...
Macklemore dropped from Ed Sheeran’s tour after ‘free Palestine’ speech
Rapper and musician Macklemore has been removed from Ed Sheeran’s ‘The Loop’ tour after making comments on stage regarding Palestine. He took to Instagram to explain and defend his position, arguing that ‘there is no neutral position between the oppressor and the oppressed.’ Macklemore has reportedly been dropped from Ed Sheeran’s ‘The Loop’ tour following his comments on Palestine during a recent performance. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmSErSKL874 He had been the opening act for the...
Gen Z’s skills seem to be on the decline…but why?
According to the latest data from the OECD’s 2025 PISA report, Gen Z’s academic skills are falling behind, with literacy, mathematics, and science skills all underdeveloped compared to students from ten years ago. What’s causing the change? New research suggests that Gen Z is struggling to develop basic academic skills compared to students from previous generations. According to the OECD’s 2025 PISA report, published this week, reading levels for teenagers...
Is Gen Z running out of friends?
New research in the UK has found that young people are now five times more likely to have ‘no close friendships’ compared to 2014. Experts believe it is a mix of austerity, economic hardship, TikTok, and a loss of self-esteem that has caused a perfect storm of isolation. What can Gen Z do? Is Gen Z facing a social crisis? A new report by the Institute for Public Policy...
Booking.com vulnerability exposed by fake Downing Street listing
Researchers from consumer group ‘Which?’ say they’ve successfully listed 10 Downing Street on Booking.com as part of a security test. The property was ‘available’ for two months before being removed. Fancy a stay on Downing Street? Consider yourself a future Prime Minister and need to trial run your accommodation? We’ve got you covered. Well, not really, but consumer group ‘Which?’ says it successfully listed 10 Downing Street on popular property and...
Shein disappoints after going public on Hong Kong stock market
After struggling to go public in both the US and UK, Shein saw its shares fall in a disappointing Hong Kong stock market debut. It suggests the company is unlikely to keep its fast-fashion, low-cost business model intact amid intense scrutiny and competition. Fast-fashion company Shein saw its shares fall by roughly 10% during early trading on the Hong Kong stock market this week. Co-founder of Shein Global Holdings, Sky Xu...
Did Meta fail to protect Gen Z?
here’s to a better Meta (supposedly) Mark Zuckerberg’s tech firm Meta - the owners of Instagram, WhatsApp, and Facebook - has agreed on an $18 billion USD settlement to resolve claims that its platforms actively harmed children. Was it right to do so? Meta, the tech company that owns Instagram, WhatsApp, and Facebook, has agreed to an $18 billion USD settlement with US states and territories, resolving claims that its platforms have...
AI songs to be banned from Australian charts
After months of escalating concerns that AI music is flooding streaming platforms like Spotify, the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) has said it will be banning any tracks that are not human-made from the charts. The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) has announced that songs made predominantly using AI tools are to be banned from the charts. Starting immediately, all songs must be ‘substantially human-made’ to count in the chart listings....
What’s going on with Meta glasses?
In the UK, Meta’s AI smart glasses have been banned in courts, restaurants, and pubs, largely due to privacy concerns and reports of wearers secretly filming others without their knowledge. What might it mean for the tech’s future? As of last week, Meta’s AI smart glasses have been banned in courts, restaurants, and some pubs, at least in the UK. It follows a turbulent year for Zuckerberg’s latest tech venture....
