Social Media
Social media platforms, features, and community shifts.
Age Restrictions Are a Band-Aid on a Broken System
Age restrictions on social media are politically popular but practically useless—because platforms have never built the systems to enforce them, and regulators keep ignoring the real problem: data exploitation.
Authenticity Over Polish: Inside LinkedIn’s Bold Video Shift for Gen Z
An in-depth look at LinkedIn's strategic shift toward vertical video, its newly launched Creator Marketplace, and how CMO Jessica Jensen plans to capture Gen Z by prioritizing trust and authenticity over polished production.Expanded to include tactical insights into B2B brand strategy and Gen Z behavior.
How to Create Viral Content and Build Engagement on Social Media Platforms
Research-backed strategies to increase views, likes, and comments on social media—covering content curation, network building, and credibility as a creator.
Mechanisms and Mitigations of Social Media's Socially Isolating Effects
Exploring how social media's architecture of curated content and algorithmic engagement contributes to real-world isolation—and strategies for reclaiming authentic human connection through intentional digital use.
The UK Will Ban Adolescents Under 16 Years Old from User-to-User Social-Media Platforms Despite Age-Verification Issues and Privacy Concerns
The UK and Australia have jointly announced a social media ban for users under 16, aiming to protect minors from online harms including addiction and exposure to harmful content. This policy—part of broader efforts like the UK's Online Safety Act 2023 and aligning with Australia's similar stance—introduces stricter age verification mandates. However, the move raises significant concerns around enforceability, privacy intrusions, and the exclusion of nuanced alternatives like user-controlled feeds and digital literacy initiatives. Evidence from Princeton research suggests that reimagining social media to prioritize user agency over algorithmic optimization may provide more sustainable protection than blanket bans. Australia's enforcement struggles—where 7 in 10 children retained access three months post-ban—underscore the technical challenges ahead.
Bluesky Launches Group Chats as Company Shifts Focus to Community Features
Bluesky has launched group chats for up to 50 participants, marking a strategic pivot toward community-building as the decentralized social network competes with larger platforms like X. The feature arrives in version 1.124 and represents Bluesky's first major push into private community spaces.
Artemis III Mission Details: Crew, Landers, and Rocket Status for Summer 2027
NASA's Artemis III mission for summer 2027 will feature the first crewed lunar landing since Apollo. The article covers crew announcements, docking plans with Blue Origin and SpaceX landers, SLS rocket status, and lunar lander details.