Opinion – Musk should not be charging for Twitter’s blue tick status
New Twitter boss Elon Musk is planning to charge $240-per-year for blue tick status. Could shifting away from simple verification and toward an open premium service lead to fundamental flaws in the platform? We reckon so. Elon Musk’s hard-fought campaign to get his hands on Twitter was always superseded by...
Current in Social
Opinion – social media’s obsession with ‘aesthetic’ needs to stop
While there’s arguably nothing wrong with drawing inspiration from trends as a means of self-exploration, the sheer volume that’s being presented to us by social media on a daily basis is becoming increasingly problematic for both our wellbeing and the planet. Ever found yourself identity flip-flopping? Trends, aesthetics, and niche groups...
YouTube reports Gen Z want curated content over viral videos
It seems the days of dancing foxes, Gangnam Style, and other viral content are over. New studies suggest that Gen Z prefer to see specific, tailored content for them, rather than popular videos intended for all audiences. If you’re an older Gen Zer like myself, you may remember a...
20% of Americans use TikTok as their primary health consultant
TikTok influencers are deemed more accessible than health professionals by many Americans, according to a new survey conducted by CharityRx. In the current age of instant gratification, healthcare is frankly painfully slow. The entire world may feel as though it’s at the tips of our fingers at times, but the process...
Are tech companies failing to protect children?
With TikTok facing a £27m fine for endangering under-13s and a recent study uncovering that almost half of British children have seen harmful content online, we must address the threat posed by social media platforms and their blatant disregard for the wellbeing of young users. Earlier this week, news...
Is Twitter’s new ‘editing’ feature a good thing?
A new, highly anticipated ‘edit’ tool is being internally tested for Twitter. The update would let users amend tweets up to 30 minutes after posting. Could this open the door for even more misinformation problems? Most of us have probably had to delete a tweet before. Whether it was due...
Instagram’s new tool allows users to block weight loss ads
The option for Instagram users to customise their targeted ads was introduced in early June, with a ‘body weight control’ category only added this week. Is this enough to stifle the toxic culture that festers within the appearance-obsessed platform? Amidst the rise of body positive values in marketing tactics and amongst the general public, you’d think we’d no longer have to deal with inadvertently being shown weight loss adverts on...
Why are all AI assistants feminised?
Ever wondered why Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant all answer our beck and call in sweet dulcet tones? The female gendering of AI technology is pervasive and largely unquestioned – but does it enforce damaging stereotypes? Rather disconcertingly, AI assistants are now an omnipotent presence in day-to-day life. Whether you use them for weather updates, fun-facts, or quick math equations (guilty), most of us interact with AI on a regular...
Opinion – Andrew Tate exemplifies a growing surge in right-wing rhetoric
The influencer’s brand of hyper-toxic masculinity has fostered a cult of violent sexism online. With young men most easily swayed by his disturbing ideologies, Tate’s permanent removal from social media should only be the start of confronting what is a much wider issue. When I first came across Andrew Tate his ramblings were so outrageous and flagrantly misogynistic that I was certain they were a joke. It wasn’t long, however, before...
Opinion – navigating algorithmic anxiety has become exhausting
As Instagram faces pressure to stop displaying only what it deems ‘most engaging’, it’s time we assessed the impact of engineered content that influences us in ways we’d otherwise steer clear of. Fairly recently, I attended an event intended for likeminded people to gather and discuss their interests. Situated in a remote part of the UK, phone signal was scarce (or so I thought) and I spent the day getting to...
