In a video featuring co-founder and CEO Evan Spiegel, Snap describes 'Reals' as a place where 'real people share real moments. Really.' Spiegel emphasizes that 'People feel free to be their full selves and to keep it Real on Snapchat.'
"I've spent a lot of time looking at the comment sections on these videos actually, and it does not seem like bots. I clicked on people's profiles, these are real profiles, thousands of followers, no signs of inorganic activity. People just like it."
The BBC and researchers from the independent AI publication Riddance found dozens of accounts on the two platforms featuring highly sexualised black female digital characters or avatars. The images and videos were generated by AI but not labelled as such, in apparent breach of the platforms' guidelines.
In one moment, Kai Trump said that she will have to "file for bankruptcy" after learning about a store-branded sweater that costs $165. The ultra-luxe grocery chain in the Los Angeles area is known for its remarkably high-priced products, such as $22 smoothies and $13 Medjool dates.
It was the highlight of my life and everyone loved it. It also was the worst time of my life ever. It was the worst of times, b****. The entertainment industry led me to substance abuse and alcoholism and my life falling apart. I got chewed up and spit out by Hollywood, girl.
The lyrics have a rather annoying quality to them, similar to the way that other songs like "Call Me Maybe" by Carly Rae Jepsen, "Fireflies" by Owl City or even "Friday" by Rebecca Black did in their time - songs that gained rapid popularity and, just as quickly, sparked rapid backlash from many due to overexposure to them.
I think of my dad, the 21-year-old broadcast journalism major said, explaining that he is a business owner who works in finance, not exactly the most trendy, fashionable guy. Watching from home was the subject of the joke himself: McCrary Mac Lowe. His reaction, a blend of disbelief and amusement, was captured by his wife, Shannon, who filmed the moment and later posted it to Instagram.
The rise of TikTok and YouTube has dramatically changed the lives of content creators by turning social media into a legitimate career path rather than just a hobby. These platforms allow ordinary people to build massive audiences without traditional media connections, often through algorithm-driven exposure.
The Class of 2020 still aren't over the COVID-19 pandemic cancelling their graduation. Apparently they never stop bringing it up, according to TikTok. Now their complaints are being used as a punchline. Being robbed? "Did you know that I didn't get a graduation." Slip on ice? "I didn't have a prom, I didn't have a homecoming." Oh, your grandma just died? "Okay, well if you think that's bad, I literally didn't graduate."
The TikTok video starts with Jess saying: "Female-to-male trans (people) and first time moms: y'all need to get together and decide who gets to keep the FTM acronym." She can hardly keep a straight face as she continues: "In my local neighbourhood giveaway group, this woman posted 'FTM: looking for boy clothes', and to be fair, she said 'boy'. That should have been my first clue."
Internet users called out influencer Logan Paul as a hypocrite even as he publicly split with his brother, Jake Paul, to defend Super Bowl LX halftime performer Bad Bunny, praising the show as a celebration of Puerto Rican talent after his brother branded the artist a fake American. As the Puerto Rican superstar took over Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, joined by surprise appearances from Ricky Martin, Lady Gaga, Pedro Pascal, and Cardi B, social media lit up with praise for the performance's unapologetic embrace of Latin identity.
This grief feels similar to what they would experience if their family member died, but in some cases, it feels even worse. Family estrangement has reached epidemic proportions. A 2022 survey found 29 percent of Americans are currently cut off from a parent, child, sibling, or grandparent, and a 2025 survey found 38 percent have experienced estrangement from a close family member at some point. These aren't just statistics. They're the tragic consequences of families ripped apart.
Anyone wanting to get their TikTok fix in the United States recently had a rough time. The app went haywire, kicking off early on the morning of January 25, due to a power outage at a key data center that knocked out services nationwide. Users reported the app crashing, with videos getting stuck and refusing to play, upload, or even hit a single view.
I asked Buffer's team of creators - because creating is important to us since our product is for creators - to share what actually helped them get past the fear, overthinking, and blank-page paralysis that accompanies early-stage content creation. And their advice was refreshingly actionable. A bit of backstory: In an initiative spearheaded by Sabreen Haziq, our Senior Brand & Community Manager, Buffer's team has been transforming into a group of creators with real skin in the game.
"Bound by Honor," billed as a "top series" on ReelShort, opens with a young woman being drugged and coerced into marriage. In "Divorced at the Wedding Day," a "popular" pick on DramaBox, a pregnant widow is whipped and pushed onto broken glass at an engagement party before being locked up in a crate. ReelShort and Disney-backed DramaBox are the market leaders in the rising category of micro dramas, made-for-mobile soaps that feature fast-paced action and wild plots.
On Monday (26 January), Stalter announced she is leaving the platform, citing that she believed it had censored anti-ICE videos she made. She captioned the post: "I've tried for hours to upload the same video and it wouldn't show it to one person. ABOLISH ICE! Delete TikTok!" Stalter added in text over a photo of herself that she is downloading her videos and "deleting" her TikTok page because the app "is under new ownership and we are being completely censored and monitored".
US TikTok users are navigating a major ownership shift as TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC takes control of American operations, addressing longstanding national security concerns. Amid the transition, glitches, feed changes, and privacy policy scrutiny fuel uncertainty, prompting creators and casual users alike to reevaluate their engagement. Daily uninstall rates have spiked dramatically, while rival platforms gain traction, illustrating how trust, control, and technical reliability shape digital loyalty in real time.
A few months ago, I was scrolling through TikTok when I came across a video that stopped me in my tracks. It starred an animated frog, dressed in a wizard hat, robe, and pink nail polish, superimposed over a psychedelic background and speaking in a hypnotizing, ethereal voice. "It's time to stop doing nothing, and start doing something," he crooned. "I cast . . . motivation!"