How the UK plans to implement under-16s social media ban
Proposed strategies for age verification have been released ahead of new social media rules, which come into effect next spring. The UK’s social media ban aims to stop anyone under the age of 16 from accessing 10 of the main social media platforms, including Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat. The...
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You’ll own nothing and be happy: the subscription crisis
Gen Z subscribes to everything from music and films to software and storage, paying endlessly for things we never actually own. As ownership is increasingly replaced by access, are subscriptions making life more convenient - or creating a generation that pays forever and owns nothing? There was once a revolutionary...
How YouTube is shifting the media hierarchy
People are flocking to the platform as online alternatives replace mainstream media. But Gen Z already knew that. Which chat show host has the monopoly on late-night entertainment? Ask anyone under the age of 35 and they’ll tell you it's not a TV presenter, but a YouTuber. Amelia Dimoldenberg, the mastermind...
How research says Gen Z is redefining friendship online
Online friendships have long been viewed as less ‘real’ than those formed through face-to-face interaction. However, research indicates that for Gen Z, whose social lives are increasingly shaped by digital spaces, that assumption is outdated. In a world of 8.3 billion people, how realistic is it to assume that the...
Is loneliness the latest Gen Z status symbol?
A pivot on singledom, the rise of ‘lonely influencers’, and a crackdown on self-optimisation have more and more of us romanticising the lonely life. I’ve grown up feeling that loneliness is something to hide, or at least feel negative about. My earliest visualisation of adult loneliness was probably Bridget Jones singing...
The UK under-16 social media ban is now official
It’s official. As early as spring 2027, social media will be banned for under-16s in the UK. Keir Starmer is also planning online curfews for under-18s to be announced in July. Touching grass is now mandatory. As expected, the Prime Minister briefed on Monday morning that a social media ban will...
Facial verification on dating apps is failing miserably
Could the strange final photos on dating apps like Tinder be a symbol of our already declining confidence in pre-screened dating? If you’ve been on dating apps recently, you might have noticed something strange. And no, I don’t just mean the obscure but seemingly popular fish holding photos and outrageous Hinge voice notes aside - although let’s not normalise this type of behaviour. What I’m talking about is the strange...
Social media giants face a revolution built on accountability
New landmark rulings from recent trials might just force social media’s big players into being accountable for child safety. Silicon Valley is reeling. The past few days have been quite rough for big tech. The companies that have long positioned themselves above the law just had the rug pulled, and things may never be the same for them. For years, companies like Meta and Google have relied on Section 230...
A Gen Z guide to staying safe while online dating
Over one million Gen Zers are on ‘the apps’ continuously swiping in hopes of finding love or casual hookups. How can we ensure we stay safe? It’s no secret that online dating has taken the world by storm with Gen Z, boasting over 350 million users globally. In th US, 18-28 year-olds make up 37% of dating app users. Dating apps, while often scrutinized for being unsafe and superficial,...
Why are people thirst trapping on LinkedIn?
LinkedIn has become an unusual breeding ground for thirst trap content. Is this peak cringe, or merely a symptom of life online in 2025? I was just looking for inspirational quotes, I swear. The social media flex is inevitable. Whether you’re looking to temporarily numb your brain on TikTok, have a quick peruse through Instagram, or look for job listings on LinkedIn, you’re all but guaranteed to stumble on people ‘thirst...
