People say that there's an “epidemic” in the works, but not the infectious disease kind. Instead, it’s swarms of preteens flooding Sephora stores across the country, ravaging makeup and skincare displays for Drunk Elephant and Rare Beauty products that some experts argue are not suitable for children. (Camero, USA Today)
Read MoreFacebook (now Meta) has become an avatar of all that is wrong with Silicon Valley. Its self-interested role in spreading global disinformation is an ongoing crisis. (LaFrance, The Atlantic)
Read MoreElon Musk says his ambitious plan to let humans wirelessly connect their brains with phones and other devices has taken a new step, announcing that the first human has received a brain implant from his Neuralink company. (Chappell, NPR)
Read MoreIt’s not clear why infectious cases of syphilis rose 9% while gonorrhea dropped 9%, officials at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said, adding that it’s too soon to know whether a new downward trend is emerging for the latter. (Stobbe, AP)
Read MoreIn an era when almost anyone can reach millions on the internet, where is the line drawn between a social media influencer and an influential leader who draws followers to something more sinister? (Arshad & Santucci, USA Today)
Read MoreYoung people are not just experimenting with the app – they are spending a significant amount of time on it, gorging on TikTok videos. The average UK smartphone user spent 36 hours and 3 minutes per month scrolling TikTok in 2023, according to Data.AI’s estimates. That number rose to 46 hours and 12 minutes for 18 to 24-year-olds. (Field, The Telegraph)
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