The ‘Karen’ meme is everywhere — and isn’t racist or sexist
Ernesto Hernandez, Contributing Writer
May 4, 2020
The Karen meme is the latest meme to take Twitter by storm following the likes of “Ok Boomer,” “BBQ Becky” and “Cornerstore Caroline.” But much like everything on Twitter, it has led to controversy, think pieces and some outrageous hot takes. The meme typically refers to a woman, usuall...
Latinos usan Tik Tok para expresar su cultura
Miluska Llerena, Staff Writer
April 23, 2020
TikTok, la plataforma social para compartir videos de tan solo un minuto ha crecido en popularidad durante la cuarentena. No solo ha atraído la atención de jóvenes alrededor del país, pero también la de padres, adultos mayores, y celebridades. La plataforma ha creado diferentes coreógrafos, estilistas hast...
Viral song ‘Make You Mine’ is by PUBLIC — and they want you to know that
Charlie Bevins, Staff Writer
February 24, 2020
The Tuesday-night Thalia Hall crowd came together in harmony as Tom Higgenson of Plain White T’s-fame led them through the final bar of “Hey There Delilah.” The roaring enthusiasm replaced the disappointed sigh released by the crowd after hearing that PUBLIC, famous for the song behind the TikTok...
How YouTubers synthetically bond with viewers
Mackenzie Murtaugh, News Editor
February 3, 2020
In the social media age, those who are lonely can scroll through the endless feed of their favorite outlet to find a creator or influencer to keep entertained during their most isolated times. The most famous YouTubers have hours of content made to keep the viewer occupied, and the automatic “up next”...
End of the decade: Instagram defines 2010s social media
Ella Lee, Arts & Life Editor
December 28, 2019
Light bounces off winter’s first snow outside your window. Your dinner plate’s presentation is that of a “Chopped” champion. An abstract mural catches your eye after a night out with friends. Pause. The perfect picture. Crop, filter, caption, tag, post. This routine is all too common for tho...
End of the decade: the 2010s in memes
Ebony Ellis, Contributing Writer
December 28, 2019
The end of the decade is near. One thing that has become apart of our lives on the internet are memes – and they’ve certainly evolved since 2010. According to Complex, the term “meme” was coined by Richard Dawkins in his book, “The Selfish Gene.” According to Dawkins, a meme is a “cultural idea, a fashi...
Instagram to eliminate likes, ‘depressurize’ experience on app
Kelly Garcia, Contributing Writer
November 18, 2019
Imagine a world where people care less about popularity and more about authenticity. A world where people don’t care about how many likes you get on an Instagram post, but instead they care about the content in your post. As of this week, Instagram will begin to make that a reality. On Friday, N...
Vine walked so TikTok could run
Joey Cahue, Contributing Writer
October 21, 2019
Apps come a dime a dozen, but the few that truly stick out have a cult-like following. Way back when, Vine was the “it” thing that created many memorable quotes and memes. As we waved goodbye to Vine in 2017, we stumbled upon TikTok, which was created only a year before Vine closed its doors. If...
OPINION: We’re losing the media war
Stuart J. Dantoin, Contributing Writer
April 15, 2019
Social media overload is the silent killer of our generation. It affects millions of us, and though many realize its danger, the average young adult does little to escape our internet prisons. Many of us gladly or unknowingly fall into its deadly clutches—and it is having a powerful effect on our daily ...
Has social media stunted our political understanding?
Nikki Roberts, Contributing Writer
October 15, 2018
Social media trends come and go. One week Facebook users are uploading videos of the Drake- inspired Kiki dance challenge, and the next they’re busy sharing memes about moths and lamps. For social media users whose primary sources of political news are sites like Twitter and Facebook, keeping up with...
Personality may play a role in social media addiction
Damita Menezes, Contributing Writer
April 16, 2018
If you can’t control your social media use, your personality might be to blame. A recent study conducted by Professor Isaac Vaghefi of Binghamton University and Professor Hamed Qahri-Saremi of DePaul University says that people with certain personality traits are more susceptible to using social media...
Snapchat’s update unrest
Nikki Roberts, Copy Editor
April 2, 2018
When Snapchat launched as an iOS-only app in 2011, it was not the app that users know and love today. Over the past seven years, Snapchat has updated, rebranded and added a multitude of social media features that have altered how users interact with the app and their Snapchat friends. What once began as...
