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...
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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...
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...
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...
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...
Opinion – SSC Napoli proves social media is a powerful weapon
Despite an empty apology from the football club, Osimhen’s racist treatment on TikTok has already done irreversible damage. Victor Osimhen may be the first footballer to sue his own club over social media mistreatment. The 24-year-old threatened legal action against SSC Napoli last week, after the club shared videos mocking Osimhen to their TikTok channel. The tone of the content was undeniably racist, and all videos have since been deleted. But the...
Canada’s blunder is a lesson in the importance of historical literacy
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has apologised after the government accidentally honoured a Nazi. ‘Deepest apologies.’ Those were the words of a Canadian parliamentary official following a major gaffe by the country’s political leaders. At a House of Commons meeting last week – attended by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and visiting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky – members of parliament were seen honouring an individual who served in a Nazi unit during World War II. The...
Bond Street station advertising shows scope of public space commodification
For one week, London’s Bond Street station was renamed ‘Burberry Street’ to advertise the fashion house of the same name. It caused outrage and shows how public spaces are increasingly being used to aggressively advertise. Commuters in London were left confused last week when Bond Street station was changed to ‘Burberry Street’ in collaboration with the fashion house of the same name. Complaints were sent to TfL by travellers who...
The case of Doja Cat proves cancel culture isn’t real
The artist’s new single Paint The Town Red has hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100, proving that cancel culture isn’t real despite a huge portion of Doja Cat’s fanbase saying they would stop supporting her. Did you hear? Doja Cat is cancelled. After numerous years of not being taken seriously as a rap artist by RCA Records, Doja Cat captured her label’s attention in 2019 with a project...
