ChatGPT is Wikipedia’s most viewed subject of 2023
ChatGPT sits atop the most viewed subjects on Wikipedia for 2023. Given the meteoric rise of OpenAI and generative AI in general, it’s hardly surprising. The annual ranking of the most popular searches on Wikipedia is a solid indicator of what was big in the zeitgeist that year. Somewhat predictably,...
Current in Media
Olivia Colman stars in satirical ad mocking the fossil fuel industry
The Oscar winning actress became a fossil fuel baron draped in latex for a recent Make My Money Better ad campaign. Her sarcastic taunts aim to educate the British public about how their pension funds are bolstering oil and gas profits. No reading between the lines is required for Make...
LGBTQ+ people still feel unsafe on London transport
A new report suggests that, despite widespread effort, LGBTQ+ abuse still prevails in our everyday spaces. Though the rise in LGBTQ+ figures in the mainstream media – and flourishing national pride campaigns – may foster some ignorance to the realities of queer life in the UK, that reality is still painful...
Why is Kim Kardashian on the cover of GQ’s ‘Man of the Year’ issue?
She’s a businesswoman, reality TV star, aspiring lawyer, and mother of four. Despite her long list of accolades, many people can’t help but ask: why is Kim Kardashian the face of GQ’s ‘Man of the Year’ cover spread? People may be rolling their eyes and wishing they could banish the...
YouTuber ‘The Completionist’ facing claims of charitable negligence
Long time YouTuber Jirard Khalil, known as ‘The Completionist’, is facing accusations of withholding over $600,000 USD in charitable donations over a span of nine years. If you’ve ever donated money to the Open Hand Foundation as part of the annual IndieLand livestreaming event, it’s likely that your money...
M&S ad controversy highlights social responsibility of brands
Amid the ongoing crisis in Gaza, marketing blunders like these demonstrate the urgency of brand due diligence. Each year, the arrival of Christmas creeps slightly earlier. Nowadays, we’re still busy binning Halloween decorations and transforming pumpkins into a buffet of soups and risottos when Mariah Carey starts defrosting. And it...
The Rock’s wax figure is part of a much bigger problem
The actor reached out to a Parisian museum after his wax figure was revealed to have a much paler complexion than his own. Last week, the unveiling of a Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson statue raised eyebrows not for its impeccable likeness, but for a glaring issue that’s sparked a broader conversation about whitewashing in major cultural institutions: the colour of its skin. Musée Grévin is modelled on London’s Madame Tussauds, where...
Julian Assange’s case to define the future of whistleblowing
The case of Julian Assange has taken the media by storm igniting bombshell debates from the public to governments. Julian Assange became a prominent figure in the press when he made classified information public via WikiLeaks. Established in 2006, WikiLeaks has become a powerhouse for previously unknown information, causing significant headaches for governments. Assange was granted asylum by the Ecuadorian embassy in London during 2012, because he feared being...
Lego’s new braille bricks are a step toward more inclusive toys
Bricks with studs corresponding to braille numbers and letters have been designed to help blind and visually-impaired children learn through play. Since 2020, Lego have been quietly distributing a groundbreaking toy – free of charge – to select schools and services catering for visually-impaired children. The brand’s braille bricks were designed with the usual Lego studs, only these ones correspond to braille letters and numbers. The product has been helping young children with...
Pokémon and Van Gogh collaboration causes scalping chaos
A recent promotional collaboration between Pokémon and the Van Gogh Museum lead to commotion both online and in person, as scalpers attempted to make a profit from reselling. The Pokémon company has apologised for the chaos that ensued after launching a new collaboration with the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. Last week, the museum opened a new exhibit that showcased several depictions of famous Pokémon re-imagined within some of Van Gogh’s...
