Latest Stories from Charlie
Should we be concerned about the Studio Ghibli AI trend?
Social media platforms are ablaze this week with users creating fake Studio Ghibli inspired artwork using generative AI. How much harm does this do to actual artists and animation studios? Another week, another story of generative AI disrupting the creative industry. This time, it looks like the legendary Japanese animation house Studio Ghibli is being dragged into the debate, as thousands of social media users generate and post ‘original’ images...
Just Stop Oil to cease direct-action protests from April
The controversial climate protest group has announced it will be changing tactics starting from this April. It will no longer be engaging in disruption protests after UK government met its initial demands. Just Stop Oil is to halt all direct-action protests from April, it has announced. The group has been in operation for three years, with over 3,300 arrests made and 180 imprisonments. You’ll have likely seen the headlines; breaking...
New study pinpoints ‘optimal’ length of a regular working week
In a new working paper, the National Bureau of Economic has determined that 37 hours is the most ‘optimal’ length of a working week. It comes after years of experimentation with hours and formats to better cater for employees. Are you a morning person? Find yourself more productive in the afternoon? Or do you prefer to work late into the night? Whatever your preference, it’s safe to say that most...
Gen Z are changing the way we think about charity
New studies show that those under the age of 28 are almost twice as charitable as Gen X and Baby Boomers, despite having significantly less disposable income. With traditional outlets like Comic Relief seeing a nosedive in viewership, Gen Z are seemingly transforming the way they give back. Plus, radio surges in popularity and tea could be falling out of favour with UK teens. What do most of us...
Gen Z prefer influencer content over traditional TV and film
A new study shows that young people are favouring social media content over traditional programming, which could be problematic for streaming services in the future. Gen Z choose to watch influencers and creator-driven content via social media apps like Instagram and TikTok, rather than opting for traditional TV on platforms such as Netflix, a new report suggests. According to a survey conducted by research company Deloitte, 56% of Gen...
Napster sells for $207 million USD to Infinite Reality
Napster was once synonymous with music piracy in the early noughties and has been credited with kickstarting the industry shift toward streaming services. It has just sold for $207 million USD. Napster still exists! The once-giant file-sharing platform has been bought by tech startup Infinite Reality for $207 million USD. The deal was announced on Tuesday, with intentions to transform Napster into a social music platform where artists can interact with...
Why Gen Z are ‘social searching’ instead of Googling
Reports show that young people are using search engines differently to their parents, opting to trust TikTok and Instagram recommendations directly sent from friends over Google. SEO experts should take note. If you’re a millennial or older Gen Zer, you’ve probably spent most of your time on the internet ‘Googling’ anything you may want to know. It’s been the standard practice for well over two decades at this point. However,...
Dramatic spiral in night sky believed to be from SpaceX
A large glowing spiral lit up the night sky on Monday in the UK, prompting onlookers to take plenty of dramatic photos that look like something straight out of Doctor Who. The Met Office says the cause is likely to be a SpaceX rocket launch in the US. Is it a bird, is it a plane? No, it’s… *checks notes* … a SpaceX rocket launch? A glowing orb was seen in...
Jamie Laing raises £2 million for charity in ultramarathon challenge
The former Made In Chelsea star and current BBC Radio 1 DJ challenged himself to run five ultramarathons in five days for Comic Relief and Red Nose Day. He says he had never gone further than a 5k before starting. The BBC Radio 1 DJ and former Made In Chelsea star Jamie Laing has completed his ultramarathon challenge, running five full marathons over five consecutive days. Jamie’s attempt to complete...
23andMe DNA testing company files for bankruptcy protection
After going public in 2021, 23andMe has now filed for bankruptcy protection. The company faced a lawsuit last year that claimed customer information was not adequately protected. If you’re from the UK, there’s a high likelihood that either you or a relative has used 23andMe in the past ten or fifteen years. 23andMe offers various different services to better understand your health or family history using sample DNA. Customers simply...
