Opinion β Life online is losing its appeal
As we review the digital habits of the last few years and question what they might look like going forward, several factors point to a future in which we arenβt quite so wrapped up in the virtual world. Isnβt it strange to recall a time when social media didnβt exist? For...
Current in Social
Trans youth are turning to TikTok for support
In uncertain political times, Americaβs young LGBTQIA+ community are using social media as a vital crowdfunding tool.Β The day after the 2024 US presidential election, thousands of trans youth across the country woke to a sense of a dread. Iris, a 20-year-old Black trans woman living in Texas, was one of...
Owner of the βUK Nightlifeβ TikTok account has been arrested
A new era of public exposure has landed us here.Β A 27-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of stalking and harassment after covertly filming women on nights out and uploading the videos to TikTok and Instagram. The clips, often titled βManchester nightlifeβ or βLiverpool nightlifeβ were uploaded daily, and featured...
This yearβs Spotify Wrapped is the most immersive yet
Each year, Spotify boosts the metrics and features included in its annual βWrappedβ feature. In 2024, itβs utilised AI to take things up a notch while launching an immersive experience near one of Londonβs busiest tube stations. Itβs the time of year that all Spotify users look forward to most:...
Everything you need to know about Bluesky
Does Jack Dorseyβs new Twitter-alternative mark the end of Muskβs X? The word βBlueskyβ first popped into the public consciousness when Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey launched the app last summer. But as Twitter (now X) becomes increasingly inundated with far-right rhetoric, and Donald Trumpβs election launches X owner Elon Musk into...
Why the world hasnβt fully adopted digital voting
Despite technological advancements, many countries remain hesitant to fully embrace digital voting systems with concerns such as security, accessibility, and trust playing a part. Many tables this year would have seen the topic of elections during dinner. Many elections occur worldwide, and the results determine the fate of nations and...
Grim revelations arise from two-year TikTok investigation
Previously redacted documents about TikTokβs practices have been mulled over by several news outlets. The grim revelations bring to question the platformβs duty of care and lax precautions, particularly when it comes to young users. Two years ago, TikTok discovered some truly disgusting things were taking place on their platform. Children as young as 14 had been stripping on livestream and taking requests from adults in exchange for gifts or digital...
The dystopia of watching Hurricane Milton unfold online
On one side of the internet, content creators and clout chasers used the natural disaster to entertain and engage. On the other, it triggered a surge in misinformation and conspiracy theories. While social media platforms function as a go-to news source for many, is this proof that things have gone too far? Arriving just a fortnight after the misery brought about by Helene, Hurricane Milton tore through Florida last...
Why are men sabotaging the βshe deserved the purseβ trend?
Men have been sabotaging womenβs pay-it-forward scheme by wrecking baby aisles and taking money intended for young mothers. Is this a clap-back against the unnecessary spectacularisation of generosity or against women experiencing privileges men have excluded themselves from by unequally distributing parental responsibility? Across the US, women have been hiding money and gift vouchers among baby products in popular supermarkets as part of a new pay-it-forward scheme developed recently by...
WHO joins TikTok to deliver science-based health info
Since the pandemic, there has been a surge in people seeking health information online. This has led to an increase in misinformation, however, leaving many overwhelmed as they navigate online medical guidance.Β To help tackle this growing issue, the World Health Organization (WHO) have announced a collaboration with TikTok to deliver reliable science-based information on health and well-being to young adults. Gen Z is more likely than other generations...
