IRL with Arielle: TikTok Shop is the next step in social commercialization
Arielle Andrews, Staff Writer TikTok. The doomed app once designated for cringey dances and vine-reminiscent humor is now set to rival Amazon. Open the app and you will quickly realize that everyone is trying to sell you something. If you have been on the internet at all during the last two months, you have probably […]
From hilarious to harmful: On the menu, we have girl dinner
Mika Perez, Contributing Writer When you think about a girl’s night, you revert to classic movies of women in silk robes sipping on wine and enjoying a platter of cheeses and prosciutto. It’s very romanticized to lounge around and enjoy these delicacies. The recent trend of “girl dinner” has shed light on slightly weird yet […]
Intellectual dependency is a huge problem on the internet
Arielle Andrews, Contributing Writer If you have ever watched a cooking TikTok, scrolled through the comments, and saw someone ask if they could remove the peanuts from a brownie recipe because they are allergic, you will believe me when I say critical thinking is at an all-time low. I have seen people ask for shirt […]
How Gen Z is becoming the controversial hope for the future
Nati Feliciano-Soto, Contributing Writer Gen Z is the new leading political force for our country’s future. They make up 20.6% of the total US population and are striving young adults born between the years of 1997-2012, according to a USA Today report. With innate social media expertise and substantial influence among our peers. We utilize […]
Gen Z may have the power to end long-running stigmas
Rachel Spiller, Contributing Writer Generation Z, those born between mid-to-late 90s and early 2010s, is the first generation to have grown up with easy access to information and communication through technology. They are also more socially conscious and open-minded than previous generations, making them stronger advocates for equality, justice and inclusivity. For years, HIV and […]
TikTok stands center-stage amongst xenophobic political theater
Abhiram Prathipati, Contributing Writer A very significant event in American internet regulation occurred on March 23. Congress summoned the TikTok CEO, Singaporean-born Shou Zi Chew, to discuss the role of the app in American society and alleged Chinese involvement in it. There has been a bipartisan push to ban TikTok recently because of the ties […]
U.S. Senate bill proposes TikTok ban, VCU considers similar restrictions
Selna Shi, News Editor Sen. Mark Warner, D-Virginia, and Sen. John Thune, R-South Dakota, introduced Restricting the Emergence of Security Threats that Risk Information and Communication Technology, or RESTRICT Act, to ban foreign-owned mobile applications. The RESTRICT Act states foreign information and communication technology, or ICT, poses threats to privacy and security of Americans and […]
TikTok normalized oversharing, but the risks may outweigh the benefits
Breyana Stewart, Contributing Writer “Anxious & Insecure” reads TikTok user Abby Choi’s profile biography. Her most popular video garnered 1.4 million views, 194.5 thousand likes and about 4.7 thousand comments as of Feb. 15. In said video, Choi discusses her lack of romantic experiences and her feelings surrounding it. Some commenters offered words of support […]
Instagram filters are detrimental to our mental health and body image
Monica Alarcon-Najarro, Contributing Writer Instagram was one of the first apps I downloaded as a middle schooler. I remember using it to post embarrassing, yet wholesome pictures of my friends and myself. People were posting solely to create a collection of memories on their profile instead of worrying whether their picture followed a specific aesthetic […]
‘I’m coming back’: Viral TikTok rapper reflects on budding career while incarcerated
Ebonique Little, Spectrum Editor Richmond rapper FNF Chop, known for his breakout single “Walk Down,” said he used to sleep at the studio to finish recording songs. Now, from his cell in the Richmond City Justice Center, he writes lyrics to his beats over the phone. Chop, who was born Deonte Gaines, was arrested last […]