Are social media algorithms breeding misogyny and violence?
Amid mounting evidence to suggest that men and boys are being pushed violent and misogynistic content online – without deliberately searching for or engaging with it – many fear that this unregulated far-right radicalisation is increasingly turning them against women and girls. On Monday, BBC Panorama released a new documentary. Titled...
Current in Social
Why did TikTok ‘make’ you buy it?
Social media is no longer a place we go to connect with others. It’s a place where we go to learn, laugh, and most of all – to be marketed to. Let’s face it. TikTok is fueling overconsumption. Upon opening the app, users are ushered into a digital marketplace from anywhere,...
Opinion – our phone addiction is out of control
In a world where scrolling has become second nature and our devices an extension of ourselves, we’ve become completely detached from both how dependent we are on being perpetually ‘connected’ and how negatively this is impacting us all. Last week, I finally did what I’ve been urging myself to...
The ongoing battle between Snapchat and TikTok
Could Snapchat’s continued focus on engendering genuine connections give it the edge on TikTok, as the latter over pushes ecommerce? Is Snapchat beating TikTok? Recently, we’ve seen two of the biggest social media platforms, TikTok and Snapchat, take radically different approaches to expanding their user bases and ensuring growth for 2024. TikTok’s...
Noplace is the latest social media app attracting Gen Z
Noplace is offering Gen Z a fresh social media experience that prioritises authentic connections and community over algorithms and ads, blending nostalgic MySpace vibes with Twitter's immediacy. In an era where algorithms dictate what we see, and ads interrupt our scrolling, a new social media app is rising to prominence...
Are US lawmakers focusing too much on child safety in online spaces?
It’s no secret that social media is a place where our sense of self-worth comes to die. So as policymakers in the United States strive to enforce safety measures for children in these spaces, are adults being wrongly left out of the equation? Public awareness of the dangers posed by...
Opinion – We need better social media boundaries to prevent ‘sadfishing’
The internet may have done wonders for the mental health conversation, offering anyone struggling a space to feel heard, understood, and supported, but with sadfishing on the rise, is there a limit to how much we should be disclosing online? While I’ve always been one for the occasional #ootd on Instagram, a retweet of something I relate to, or a TikTok video of aesthetic moments I’ve compiled throughout my week,...
TikTok used to sway young voters ahead of global elections
This year, 4 billion people are eligible to cast their political vote around the world. Social media platforms – especially TikTok – are playing a huge role in the build-up to UK elections. As Britain prepares for its highly-anticipated election, TikTok has emerged as a fresh battleground for the nation’s political parties. Leaders from the Conservative and Labour parties are engaging in a back and forth of viral trends and memes,...
The unsettling rise of Facebook Marketplace sperm donors
Why bother with expensive IVF or IUI treatments for your fertility needs? Facebook Marketplace apparently has you covered. What’s the most ridiculous thing you’ve heard today? Wait, here us out. Thousands of people are currently looking for unregulated fertility treatments on – get this – Facebook Marketplace. Now, it goes without saying that assisted conception is a sensitive topic, and the sad reality is that treatments are incredibly expensive and inaccessible to...
Digital portal between Dublin and NYC shuts down after just one week
This is why we can’t have nice things. What happens when a digital ‘portal’ is placed on the streets of Dublin and New York City with the aim of encouraging residents to connect and interact with each other through a live video stream? If you answered something along the lines of ‘a strengthened sense of humanity’s bond,’ bless your soul. The correct answer is debauchery, of course. Despite the good intentions of...
