Times are changing, both online and off. Nowhere is this more true than in the semi-illicit and ever-changing world of: Drugs.

More than half of US states have decriminalized marijuana. A handful of states have passed (or are in the process of passing) legislation to allow ownership and use of magic mushrooms, ibogaine, and other notable psychedelic plants. Some healthcare providers are advocating for MDMA (otherwise known as ecstasy) and ketamine (an animal tranquilizer) in the treatment of post traumatic stress patients.

It’s not clear just what percentage of Gen Z and Millennial partakes in recreational drug use. Statistics vary, and can be unreliable. And there are plenty of examples of formerly taboo drugs being used in a therapeutic context, which might expand as time goes by. With the ongoing swing of the pendulum, we are undoubtedly witnessing a monumental shift in attitudes, safety, and legality.

…and some of the ways may surprise you.

In a world where Gen Z’s attention is constantly being fought for, many go above and beyond to stand out, and Zoomers notice. In fact, they don’t quite appreciate the over-effort. Whether it be hyper-sexual music videos, politicians trying too hard to relate to them, or (and this is subjective) a really terrible outfit on instagram, teens across the country are using one word to describe when enough is really TOO much: “Extra”.

Did you know most people spend around seven hours a day on their devices? Whether it’s a phone, a computer, or a TV, “screen” technology has become a major part of our day-to-day lives. Now what if we told you that this would lead to your great-great-grandchildren having hunchbacks, clawed hands, and a second eyelid…for the screen-brightness, of course.

A depiction of this “future human” has gone viral on social media, and while it is rather unsettling (it’s horrifying), it’s raising awareness to the very real damage we do to our bodies while enjoying our modern lives.

Ahh, the car of the future. We probably won’t be in Jetsons territory for a few years yet, but…we’re getting there. In the early 2000s, folks were a little freaked out by the Prius. A few years ago, the Tesla seemed like an alien spacecraft. And tomorrow…well, we might be looking at some unusual designs and features that make the old school look like they came from the stone age.

But will the novelty trend catch? Or will we see a wave of nostalgia like we are now, a longing for manual shift drive and good old fashioned gasoline power?

Gen Z is quick to adopt new technology, but they’re also a thoughtful and poignant generation. They don’t seem as easily wooed as one might expect. So where are we going from here? Hop in, and we’ll take a peek.

Elon, Elon, Elon…after what feels like an eternity, Elon Musk’s purchase of social media platform, Twitter, is complete. As promised (dare we say feared), so too came the structural changes that may quite well signal the end of an era.

Content moderation reforms, advertiser exits (right behind executive firings), and questions about the company’s ability to sustain itself financially are at the forefront of most news sources this week. Oh…did we mention that you’ll probably be able to buy a “blue-check” verification soon. As a subscription service, of course. We’re sureeeeee spending money on a previously free (and exclusive) feature is exactly what’s going to keep users happy. Just kidding – Twitter has seen a steady decline in users for the past couple of years, with their already low Zoomer demographic decreasing even more (not to mention the decline of Twitter in general).

Click over to the full article to learn more about the status of this dumpster fire.

Is there a Zoomer in your life that you’re truly impressed by? Wondering how to show your appreciation for their kindness, good grades, or impeccable style? You may want to try gassing them up.

Gassing is the Gen Z way of letting someone know they’ve really impressed you, and the best part about it – it’s free! Learn how to ⛽️⛽️⛽️⛽️ the Z-llennial way with this week’s lingo lesson, right after the jump!

The future of relationships is looking mighty strange, folks. About a decade ago, it was a little funny to hear that a couple had met online and were going strong. “How are you supposed to make genuine connections through the internet?” was a common enough question. Then online dating and matchmaking became deliberate, and apps like Tinder and Plenty Of Fish took off. According to statistics, almost 40% of couples today met digitally.

So what will the future hold? There’s a new trend emerging in the world of URL-to-IRL romance – one where the partner isn’t a real person at all. Does this signal the rise of one-sided relationships? Or will the trend collapse and be nothing more than an internet historical footnote? One thing is clear: the traditional guidelines for dating are becoming more blurred than ever.

Any guesses who’s next up on the creative chopping block? It might be musicians. When traditional artists saw what Dall-E and Midjourney were doing to the world of digital art, many of them panicked and pushed back. The AI art boom is still going, and now the next wave of Artificial content is on the rise. Meet AI generated music – algorithms are stripping lyrics and vocals from popular artists and handing over the tools to anyone who cares to learn how to use them. This means that the Drake song you’re hearing might not be sung by Drake. Anyone with a keyboard can co-opt Beyonce.

Like with other legal disputes within the sphere of Artificial Intelligence, there are no guardrails in place yet. But we might see some interesting developments in the next generation of music: namely, artists may seize this opportunity to make some cash, and any blossoming musician might be able to sound just like their heroes.

With Halloween around the corner, recent ‘pop culture’ costumes have been in the (social media) news. One such costume, Jeffrey Dahmer (yes, that Jeffrey Dahmer), has been recently banned from online and live stores. And he (his costume) is not alone. Will Smith and other pop culture figures have also had their costumes banned. This is leading to an increasingly murky line this Halloween: With increasing expectations of sensitivity and mindfulness, should we as society be censoring Halloween costumes? And if so, where do we draw the line?

While Zoomer romances and friendships are often presented as mature and based on mutual respect and accountability, there can be a…darker aspect to them. Ghosting, a term we’re confident you’ve heard of, has become a popular method of communication, without actually communicating. From reality television to TikTok, you can’t escape stories of confused (and oftentimes angry) Gen Zers recounting the disorienting experience of being ghosted.

Can you blame them? One day you’re sending memes and voice notes back and forth, and the next…silence. Read on to learn all about this spooky phenomenon, just in time for Halloween!

The internet can be a scary place, with danger lurking around every corner. Stranger danger, illegal substances, and the occasional grim viral video are typical internet fare, but there’s a new hot commodity that’s targeting noteworthy individuals on social media.

Like something straight out of a Body Snatchers reboot, identity theft is trending this Halloween. Verified Twitter accounts have become the recent target of internet scammers looking to finesse their way into your crypto wallets. Click through to learn all about it!

We promise we’re not obsessed with AI – but it’s taken another step that we couldn’t ignore. More specifically: into the world of higher education. 📜👩‍🎓 With college students bogged down in assignments and extracurriculars, some of them have found a clever (and morally dubious) workaround: using Artificial Intelligence to write their papers for them, shaving precious hours from their workload. But are these methods appropriate? And will the institutions draw a line in the sand? Even more interestingly – will they be able to stop it, even if they want to?

The world of work is getting weirder, and is showing no signs of returning to normal anytime soon. As Gen Z prepares to leave home or college, they’re entering into uncharted territory where the workforce is concerned. So what kind of wackiness is unfolding inside the corporate machine?

Andy Warhol’s iconic portrait of Prince is the center of a lively copyright debate that made its way all the way up to the Supreme Court. Discussions over fair use and plagiarism are getting louder and more insistent. Could the future of art – and artists – be on the line?

Do you know what it’s like to be triggered? We’ve all experienced that hot pang of embarrassment, fear, or sadness hit us like a ton of bricks after hearing or seeing something triggering. What if we told you that Gen Z is looking to help people avoid those pesky human emotions by calling for Trigger Warnings, disclaimers before potentially traumatizing content to keep those heartstrings (and minds) nice and safe.

Rarely do we stop and actually say “what the”, but during this week’s meeting the staff had an extended conversation with many iterations of WTF being expressed. And how could we not when weaponized robotic dogs are being deployed ever so casually, via drone, in China.

It’s a WTF moment if there ever was one. What’s even crazier is that Netflix has a show that predicted this mechanical monster’s creation (with surprising accuracy) all the way back in 2017…if you want us to get really weird, we can do a deep dive on how that show has a habit of predicting more than a few dystopian events. The full article takes you to more about these four legged robo-fiends, just click through!

We’re all familiar with cancel culture, the Gen Z initiative that holds people accountable for bad behavior (for the most part), but what about the mechanics of it? How does it work? One word: “Deplatforming” 🚫

Ye, née Kanye West, has the entire internet abuzz (not for the first time). This month the musician has been particularly embroiled in conversations about censorship and mental health. And Gen Z is holding their role models accountable for their actions.

This week’s WTF moment gives new meaning to the old adage: “not all superheros wear capes”…or masks, for that matter. Twitchcon, a convention for livestream celebrities and their fans, hosted a much anticipated IRL (in real life) face reveal of Dream.

Kim K is the latest in the celebrity world to land in hot water following a foray into cryptocurrency. She’s been slapped with a hefty fine from the SEC, and it’s cost her some street cred. Are we witnessing a heightened awareness from younger generations where their celebrity idols are concerned?

We think you’re ready for more nuanced Gen Z syntax, like the feeling you get when someone does something only you have an issue with. The 🤢 feeling that lies somewhere between cringe and pet-peeve.

This week’s lingo is all about “The Ick (🤮)”

Social media platforms are losing their right to moderate content following a ruling from a Texas court. Similar rules are trickling in from other states – is this the death of the internet, or the birth of a new online era? Will our kids be negatively affected by less moderation?

Coming soon to a movie screen/television/desk near you – it’s YOUR KIDS! These days, you don’t have to be famous to be an action figure, or to star in a movie. The technology is finally here to make anyone a superstar – so what’s going to happen next?

Surprisingly, recent major media and marketing strategies have been relying on real people to draw engagement. Blurring the lines between digital reality and the real world, without the scary “matrix” vibes

Technology has a cool tendency to advance culture and language in weird and wacky ways – one of which includes “Algospeak”. If you’re thinking “WTF is Algospeak”, strap in for a quick journey through internet syntax.

Here we go again – it seems that the latest internet fad is putting more weird stuff in your mouth. This time it’s NyQuil chicken, leading the FDA to get involved. It isn’t the first time some rather dubious foodstuffs have been trending online, and it almost certainly isn’t the last – so why are the youth so interested in these wacky challenges?

Back in the days before iMessage and screenshots, we had the luxury of getting away with a bit more than kids today. After all, a white lie here…a small fib there – who’s gonna know? Well Gen Z, arguably the most accountable generation, isn’t going for that. You best believe that your words (or texts) and actions need to line up.

This week’s lingo is all about “Receipts (🧾)”

The video game industry is out of the golden age and into some murkier waters. From issues like gambling addiction to literal radicalization, the once-innocent gaming community has some trying times ahead. How will young people cope with the temptation and pitfalls that simply didn’t exist a generation ago?

As if there weren’t enough going on in the biotech-sphere (with all the cloning and whatnot), appearances may become more deceiving as technology and beauty industries continue to merge. From startling surgeries to digital modeling agencies, we’ve got the round-up for you.

AI is apparently going rogue (already) – leading many people to wonder whether the accelerated pace of the tech is…well…safe. Some scientists are warning that AI might want to annihilate human life, and others are pointing to a very different view of the end of the world.

Gen Z is navigating the murky waters between highlighting life’s good parts, and showing off.
Grab your wallet, this week’s extravagant lingo is nothing less than “Flexing (💪)”

With much of Gen Z knowing nothing else but technology their entire lives, there’s a surprising schism surrounding the ever-increasing saturation of social media. Some young people are finding unlikely (and unwholesome) role models, while others are making the pointed decision to disconnect and bond with the real world.

Grand Theft Auto is trending, and before you ask, we’re not talking about the video game. Real kids are stealing real cars for (🥁 please) TikTok likes. If you can dream it, you can be it, and some Gen Z dreams include hotwiring a very specific make and model of car.

What’s it called when you eat 400 chicken nuggets, 3 milkshakes, and two birthday cakes in one sitting? Luckily we’re here to tell you. Click over to this week’s side-splitting lingo: “Mukbang”

With the passing of Queen Elizabeth, the world (online and off) has paid tribute and offered a galaxy of different responses. What does the death of a dynasty mean for the generations that follow?

Pop Culture is having a bit of a moment – and it isn’t pretty. We’re seeing fanbases shut down entire franchises before they even take off. Are we facing a future where the media will eat itself?

It’s every parent’s favorite time of the year…or at least it used to be. Back to school season has gotten progressively weirder in our post-2020 world. While advancements in technology have rapidly paved the way for digital learning, social movements are also advancing in the education sector. Nationwide teacher strikes, hiring students as staff members, and Gen Z mental health concerns are some of the things to consider while doing our back-to-school shopping – and that’s just high school!

The rise of AI shows no signs of slowing. The proliferation of Artificial Intelligence is peeking through in every aspect of life: online, in real life competitions, and even at the drive-thru.

Fall semester is right around the corner, and the love bug is in the air. That’s right, Gen Zs the world over may find themselves cozying up to someone to keep warm through the winter months. As timely as a pumpkin spice latté, “Cuffing Season” is this week’s lovely new lingo.

From Pink Sauce to Fart Jars to Jizzy Jewelry, there are some…unusual…wares available on the internet. Any kid with an iPad and a credit card could ostensibly buy bodily fluids from their favorite influencers – and it doesn’t appear that regulations are coming any time soon.

Well, that was fast…the first Virtual Influencer signed to a major record label was dropped after only a week. FN Meka, a fictional character created with AI algorithms that exploded onto the TikTok scene and amassed 10 million followers, is canceled.

In this ever expanding digital age, compliments are evolving beyond simple likes and shares on Instagram and Tik Tok. In fact, Gen-Z is peppering their language with a culinary term to indicate their overwhelming approval. Hot and fresh out the kitchen, “Ate” is this week’s tasty new lingo.

Social media has become a safe-space for neurodivergent people to express themselves in ways they largely cannot in real life. While there are numerous benefits to this, there are also drawbacks- especially given tech’s lack of automated mental health resources on these apps.

Gen Z are turning up their noses at the Student Debt Forgiveness rollout. Why are these younger generations saying “IDGAF” to what seems like a no-brainer? Response to the recent White House announcement of $10,000 in student loan forgiveness (and twice that for Pell Grant recipients) has been noticeably varied. Underneath it all is an alarming trend. Young or old, loan holders or not, political or non – nobody seems happy.

De-extinction scientists and wildlife conservationists are working to bring back the Tasmanian tiger, an extinct species. If that isn’t weird enough for you, they’re doing it with DNA collected from museum samples, and a gene-editing technology straight from the future – or is it back from the future? Regardless, this has major implications for our favorite generation (Gen-Z, obviously) and the way gene-therapy will play a role in their lives.

Not much gets past those of us with some years under our belts, and we’ve got a ton of sayings that’ll show it. We’ve all used “shut the front door”, “get outta town”, or even “you’re pulling the wool over my eyes”, when hearing and experiencing the unbelievable, but Gen-Z has one word to encompass them all. This week’s lingo introduces “Cap”, a nice way of calling something a lie, to your 2022 vocabulary.

In a world where the algorithm is king, are young or otherwise vulnerable audiences finding themselves funneled toward hateful content? More and more users are seeing misogynistic, racist, or otherwise disturbing rhetoric in their feeds – which has even led to some disaffected youth becoming radicalized. Social Media Giants seem to be cracking the whip while ignoring the deeper problem. So what can a parent do to raise awareness and social responsibility in the face of such overwhelming forces?

You can’t believe everything you see online, and that goes double as we navigate the space in the future. Virtual Influencers are no longer a strange possibility – now they’re getting endorsement deals.

Swatting is on the rise – online trolls are calling the cops over personal beefs, and the consequences can be deadly. So what is swatting? We take a look at this “prank” and give you some insight into why it happens.

Space debris is officially a problem – in the years following the space race, there’s a veritable trash dump orbiting our planet. So what does this mean for our young ones? After all, they’ll be the ones who have to clean it up…

Ask any Gen-Z or Z-llennial how they feel about being followed back by their favorite influencer, flunking an exam, or having really good pictures taken of them, and they’ll tell you they’re “shook”. Check out this week’s lingo to leave your kids/grandkids shook with your shiny new vocab.

So…we’re not sure how we ended up here, but cannibalism is trending. It’s actually been trending for a while now, thanks to editorial explorations found within the pages of the New York Times, as well as some pretty bad behavior from Hollywood A-Lister: Armie Hammer! We’ll start with something to whet your palette, a few news articles broaching the subject, followed by a meatier, juicer (and kinkier) course. If you can stomach it.

Is friendship forever, or for everyone? Gen-Z (or “Friend-Z” as we like to call them) are getting pretty familiar with everyone they talk to. This week’s lingo is Bestie, something you’ve probably heard your grandkids call everyone – from their pets, to their teachers. Click through for your favorite Z-llennial vocabulary lesson.

We’ve seen a steady incline in acceptance and treatment options for mental disorders thanks to advocacy work. Just take a look at Gen-Z’s open discussions around mental illness vs. those we had growing up. A world of a difference. We’ve also been told that faulty neurotransmitters, the structures that fire signals in our brains, are the root cause behind people’s depression. Now what would you say if we told you that everything you thought knew about depression was false? Only one way to find out – click through to this week’s “What The”.

Fair use is under fire! Netflix is suing the duo behind the Unofficial Bridgerton Musical, and the case isn’t as open and shut as you might expect.

Do Z-llennials see freedom differently than the rest of us? Every generation has its challenges, but Gen-Z is rising to meet theirs. They’re growing up in a world that they seem uniquely equipped to navigate, and it might be up to the rest of us to pay attention and follow their lead.

You’re never gonna guess what Taylor Swift did to irk Gen-Z, or what we like to call: The Activist Generation. With sustainability, mental health, and accountability at the top of their minds, Zillennials are actually impacting celebrity bad behavior by taking away what everyone wants from them: Positive attention.

Instagram is circling the drain, and Meta might be a full-on failure to launch. So what’s a young person to do? Fortunately, there are alternatives on the rise – and a subculture of people who think we should ditch social media altogether.

AI is on the rise! DeepFakes are all over the internet already, meaning it’s no longer a sure thing that the video of Tom Cruise you’re watching is actually Tom Cruise! What repercussions are there in the real world as these technologies progress?

Move over bimbos, the newest Gen-Z obsession is here! Himbos are the workout obsessed, meal prep oriented, gym selfie heartthrobs taking the internet by storm. Think about the “dumb jock” stereotype from yesteryear…ring a bell? Read this week’s lingo to see why they’re known for being the shiniest lightbulb – not the brightest.

Gen-Z’s casual approach to language is rather sophisticated, leaving all bite, no bark – to those in the know. With one word, Z-llennials are showing their approval or disdain of…well, everything. This week’s lingo gives you more than a buzzword, it’s an entire lesson on Gen-Z etiquette. Click through to learn all about “Giving”.

Skittles’ recent ingredient call-out (*cough cough* class-action suit) is indicative of a larger trend towards corporate transparency and accountability – ushered in by Gen-Z, of course. As internet access showcases healthier products from around the world, we’re likely to see a lot of edits to our favorite foods. Don’t worry, it’s truly for the best.

Ask any young person in America, and they’re likely to tell you that their healthcare system isn’t ideal. Privacy issues are glaring, and big pharma has run amok for long enough. In a couple of clicks they can see how the rest of the world does it – and when it comes down to it, Z-llennials will do what it takes to be heard. So what is a generation to do?

In a world where your kids can easily warp themselves into virtual reality, tech is taking center stage. It started with VR (virtual reality) headsets and AR (alternate reality) cameras, but there’s a concerted effort to take things even further.

Buckle up – we’re heading into the Metaverse. The good news is that if you don’t like it there, you can unplug.

But there are some that don’t ever want to unplug – even those who are permanently enhancing themselves to elevate beyond our earthly realm.

Artists are more accessible than ever, and social media has allowed stans to build community around them in ways older generations couldn’t have dreamed of. Hey, just because we don’t understand streaming parties and fan cams, doesn’t mean we can’t appreciate geeking out over our favorite song with friends. Have you heard of the Beyhive, the Katy Kats, or the Little Monsters? These are Z-illennial fanbas- excuse us- STANBASES, made up of hardcore fans that devote all their free time to promoting their favorite artists. Maybe your kid has been stanning this whole time and you didn’t know…

We’re suffering a serious case of pandemic fatigue, and this applies to our government, the CDC, and healthcare providers as well. However, the response to monkeypox has been…well it actually hasn’t been anything. No wide-spread government action, no mainstream coverage. Understandably upset and frustrated, Gen-Z and Z-llennials (the most affected) have taken to social media to raise awareness. Monkeypox is trending, y’all. How will Gen-Z be impacted by this evolving, revolving door of disease, treatment, and prevention- especially since they are the most vulnerable to long-term effects?

YouTube is at it again – the platform known for playing fast and loose with striking down creators for little to no reason has gone after another beloved icon. This time Lofi Girl – the darling of the chill music scene – found their account in the crosshairs, and the underlying implications are alarming.

The James Webb Telescope has recently released some breathtaking images of our known universe, sparking a new fascination in space travel for an entire generation. You may remember where you were, down to the moment, on July 20th, 1969 – when Neil Armstrong uttered his famous words “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” Today, a picture can convey a lot more (they’re worth a thousand words, after all). Younger generations of intrepid explorers are scanning the telescope photos, and the stars above, with equal intensity.

Ding Dong DoorDash Ditch

If you’re like us, you probably missed the five-finger discount DoorDash delivered to its users last Thursday. The popular food-service suffered a glitch in its system (or one in the matrix?), allowing Z-llennial foodies to haul thousands of dollars worth of premium alcohol and Popeyes Chicken Sandwiches, delivered right to their doorstep for Free.99.

A Series of Unfortunate Events

Daddy Elon is up to his usual wacky antics, this time going toe-to-toe with tech giant Twitter; and as usual, the story is more interesting than it seems on the surface.

The breakdown goes like this:

Elon Musk, South African diamond mine heir with a bewildering self-made millionaire backstory has somehow gone from king of memes to social pariah and back.

Somewhere along this wildly swinging social pendulum, he’s asserted his intention to get mankind to mars, launched thousands of satellites to bring internet to the underserved, announced his intention to buy Twitter to allegedly crush censorship, dug a couple of giant tunnels in Nevada, and openly mocked his opposition on Twitter. All while fathering 9 children with multiple women, staying cool with Joe Rogan by smoking that sweet sweet kush on air, and keeping his cool when his stock prices inevitably tanked.

The Weirdness

…the official Twitter for the electronics supply company of yesteryear has been tweeting some awfully strange content for the past several months, in fact. The once-dominant chain of stores is not the powerhouse it was; the company filed for bankruptcy and was taken over by a couple of investors who apparently have a thing about penis humor.

The perception from many online is that at least one of the new owners of the Radio Shack name and intellectual property is a serial scam artist deeply enmeshed in the crypto space. This would account for the shameless shilling happening on their official account, the hawking of merch for a business that barely exists, and the sweaty desperation as the tweets for attention roll out like Jack Torrance got ahold of a phone and some adderall.

The phrase “don’t rain on my parade” will never go out of style, but we’ve got something else for your vocab list this week. FUD, or “fear, uncertainty, and doubt” is the updated lingo used to call out modern party poopers. Commonly used within tech and financial spheres, FUD is any tactic one uses to change positive perception to… well – fear, uncertainty, and doubt!

This week, the brilliant pranksters at CERN (derived from the French translation of The European Organization for Nuclear Research) are powering on the particle collider in their Swiss Home Base. The Large Hadron Collider, a very big and very fancy machine for accelerating photons, has made waves almost every time it’s been switched on in the last decade. Yes, it’s a little disconcerting that CERN’s logo looks an awful lot like the numbers 666, and that they were under fire for literally simulating a human sacrifice to a deity of death in 2016, but it’s highly unlikely that in the course of the pursuit of progressing particle physics that they’re actually trying to open a portal to another dimension.

But that’s not going to stop the internet from thinking they are!

Think about how you grew up. No social media to constantly refresh, and most of your friends were people you knew in real life. Well, reverse that idyllic adolescence and you’ll have something similar to the maze Gen-Zers navigate everyday.

Gen-Zers will quickly let you know they don’t need to be told how to think. So where are they looking for guidance and support?

The answer is literally in the stars, Astrology, to be exact.

Ever seen something so embarrassing that you had to walk away? There’s a word for that: Cringe.

As Web3 spins up and becomes more widespread, young people are facing very real challenges, and not all of them are technical.

Last week we explored Web3 fundamentals, covering a high-level view of the direction of the “new internet.” We warned you: it isn’t all roses. Here’s why:

The Bridge: Behind the scenes, the internet as we know it is dissolving and evolving. Trust in big tech has eroded, and some pioneering young people are ushering in a new era – the world of Web3 is here. Your kids are growing up in a totally different internet landscape, and here’s what you need to know about the new environment.

It’s become commonplace to see headlines about data leaks, privacy breaches, and overreaching tech mega conglomerates that pretend to care about their users (only to secretly sell their sensitive data to the highest bidder).

Your phone and television are listening to you, your likes and comments are no longer private, your social media habits are bought and paid for. Your kids have been sold the same line – there’s no alternative, so just get used to it – but while it might be too late for us to scrub ourselves from the web, it isn’t too late for the next generation.

The Bridge: No matter your age, your stance, or your level of involvement – the shockwaves of the Supreme Court decision this week will affect you. Going forward, young people have a lot to consider when it comes to their data and privacy.

Oh boy. It’s been a week, hasn’t it?

There’s been much upset online and IRL (that’s In Real Life, for those hoping to get the lingo merit badge) following the US Supreme Court decision to overturn a 50 year old ruling that will affect the upcoming generation of girls and women.

As with any divisive topic, this ruling hit social media and caused some immediate shockwaves – many of them in unexpected places.

Teens abbreviate everything these days. Doesn’t it feel like clothes, hair, and attention spans all seem to be getting shorter? Speaking of clothing, if fashion is your kids passion you’re going to want to know all about their “OOTD”.

OOTD, or “Outfit of the Day”, is the perfect caption for your teen sartorial savant’s stylish selfie. Bet you can’t say that five times fast.

Unlike “LOL” or “OMG”, this isn’t an abbreviation you say out loud. How can you compliment your kid’s fashion sense? Say “Nice fit!”, it’ll get you major cool points with them.

Post your own OOTD on social and tag us @thegenbridge

The Bridge: As your kids learn and grow in the world of technology, they aren’t the only ones doing so. Meet LaMDA – the supposedly sentient AI who is shaking the foundations of technology as we know it.

Take a deep breath, because it’s about to get really weird.

We mentioned LaMDA (Google’s “Language Model for Dialogue Applications”) in last week’s issue on the AI art bot, but only briefly. To bring you up to speed:

LaMDA is an AI program developed by Google that no one had heard of until a couple weeks ago, when one of the engineers on the project went public with the information that the AI was sentient, and had the cognitive functions of a 7-8 year old child.

Abba is back! You know ‘Dancing Queen, Mamma Mia’-Europop Abba! It’s true, they are BACK!

However…not in the way you may think…

Of all places, Abba has been trending on TikTok and reaching the “core TikTok demographic” which is made up of…you guessed it – Gen Z!

While viscerally surprising, this shouldn’t come as a complete surprise.

Since the band officially broke up in 1982, they’ve had an impressive upward trajectory that included best selling albums and record smashing stage shows featuring their music. In 2016 they reunited for a digital comeback tour, and a couple of years later they announced new music.

If you don’t follow the cryptocurrency market, congratulations! Your blood pressure has probably been just fine the past week or so, instead of spiking every time Bitcoin sunk deeper into the abyss that is the market.

The short version is this: along with the “established” economic markets, cryptocurrencies have experienced a wild downward swing in recent days, making headlines. Bitcoin, the largest cryptocurrency, dropped by ~70% and Ethereum (the next most popular cryptocurrency) dropping ~75%.

However, it doesn’t stop there. NFTs, found everywhere in the news these days, have also declined hard with many investment values dropping over 90%. The market has gone from bull to bear (good to bad) as the economy has staggered and slumped.

Guess what word you’re not allowed to say anymore?

Here’s a hint: it isn’t the first dozen that leap to mind. No – on the scale from hurtful to hate crime, this one doesn’t likely appear to make the cut.

The girl power singer/performer Lizzo learned this lesson via Twitter last week, so you’re forgiven for not immediately knowing the answer yourselves. She wrote a song titled with a unique butchery of the English language called “GRRRLS”, wherein her poetry included the following:

“Do you see this shit? I’m a s**z.”

Still don’t know what the word is?

It’s okay! You likely didn’t know until today that it was considered a slur.

Summer is coming, travel restrictions have been all but lifted, and so whether you’re in your teens or twenties… “school is out for the summer!”

Everyone is prepping for their adventures, in spite of the highest price of gas per gallon we’ve ever seen. With record inflation, looming food shortages, and doom in the news – are kids preparing for adventures in the same way? Will the travel industry take even more of a hit? Or are we carrying on, cautiously optimistic?

Regardless of how the summer shakes out, #SummerVibes is trending and the consensus on first glance appears to be business as usual. Which brings us to the bigger question – how much of this “business as usual” attitude in spite of inflation is rooted in a positive outlook, or how much of it is an attempt to make everything picture-perfect on social media, where the majority of our youth “live?”

Netflix has doubled down in an attempt to gain back the loyalty of their customers. The network has announced a reality competition based on the hyper violent Korean megahit Squid Game, which premiered late last year.

The distilled version is this: the original show follows a group of contestants in a high-stakes game of life or death as they traverse potentially lethal challenges for the entertainment of an elite few.

Spoiler alert: it isn’t pleasant.

The direction Netflix is taking as their viewership loses faith in the platform is not surprising, but it is disheartening. In response to users asking for more quality content, they ignored all requests and offered audiences an opportunity to metaphorically kill each other off, instead.

It’s happened – the folks working in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI) have decided it would be a good idea to put a paintbrush in the hand of a machine to see what would happen. The idea being that in an evolving artistic landscape, technology will play a huge role in the next wave of masterpieces.
Dall-E (cleverly named for Salvador Dalí, the surrealist painter, and WALL-E, the adorable robot) is basically a few lines of extremely complex code running on a server that has been learning from the users that try it out. Sound complicated? Let us simplify that for you:

“Check the fit, fam,” says one ultra-cool young person to another.

“Dang son, you drippin,” replies the other, “Bet.”

What can we make of this exchange? We have observed the usage of “fam” and “bet” in other contexts. What is this “fit”? And what could the youth mean by “drippin?”

Fit is easier to make sense of – it’s a shortening of outfit. It can relate to carefully selected streetwear or even a digital wardrobe in a video game.

Drip or dripping is a way to compliment another by remarking on the absolutely superb quality of their clothing or accessory selection. Synonyms are fab, trill, and swag (don’t worry, we’ll cover these, too). So the next time you check your fit, ask yourself: do I drip today?

This single word, used by children and teenagers everywhere, is incredibly versatile. It can be used ironically, sarcastically, or with raw enthusiasm. It can be shouted, whispered, hissed, and spat. It can be kindly delivered, or caustically hurled.

TV is dead, and social media killed it. Or at least it helped dig the grave. TikTok, the wildly successful video app owned by Chinese company ByteDance, is upping their game. In an attempt to stand alongside content giants Twitch and OnlyFans, they’ve introduced a paid portion of the platform. If you’re unfamiliar, Twitch and OnlyFans host creators for specialized content – Twitch is primarily for gamers, and OnlyFans allows subscribers to privately follow their favorite…ahem…adult performers. TikTok’s hope is that it will get more eyeballs on screens if they incentivize the growing community to become even more active. After all, who doesn’t want to reach out and touch their favorite creators?

With the widespread adoption of social media like TikTok and Instagram, Black voices are now easier to hear than ever. We don’t think it’s a coincidence that the celebration of Juneteenth was finally acknowledged in mainstream American culture and made a federal holiday as recently as 2020 (and yes…this was long overdue). Kids these days are observing cultural happenings – riots, murders, unrest – and instead of watching helplessly, they’re posting about it. They’re blacking out their pages in solidarity. They’re protesting in any way they can.

BTS has been busy. This South Korean boyband which you may have heard by now (their streams are in the billions across platforms) has officially broken through in the USA. And break through they did – in the White House, no less. The Biggest Band in the World might seem like a bold claim, but some are even calling BTS bigger than The Beatles. Though they’ve only been around for a decade, they’ve amassed a following of millions of adoring fans that call themselves A.R.M.Y (try not to worry, they’re probably harmless).

“Cheer up, emo kid!” was a common, cheerfully spoken phrase used by many highschoolers in the early 2000s. This was the start of the era of asymmetrical multicolored hair, skinny jeans, studded belts, and eyeliner for all. Band t-shirts were worn as badges of pride, bad poetry and mixed CDs were swapped and pored over. Emo (which stands for Emotion) was a peculiar musical trend for a number of years, evolving from the goth and punk subcultures of the 80s and 90s. Early adopters had the good fortune to be raised alongside Myspace, a platform you might not be familiar with if your kids are younger than 20.

When a performer takes ill, there are a few ways the fanbase will typically react. A wave of condolence messages is appropriate, or public demonstrations of solidarity, or even a well-meaning tweet. Throwing dough at a merchandise truck is probably not the most appropriate display of support, but this is the kind of juvenile response apparently warranted by Justin Bieber’s announcement of a rare diagnosis that paralyzed half of his face. While the immaturity of one fan is not indicative of a widespread problem within a group, this churlish behavior goes back a ways in Justin Bieber lore.

Gen-Z girls have their work cut out for them when it comes to making it in the corporate world in the upcoming decades. It was already tough, but it just now got tougher. Here’s why… Back in 2008, when Facebook was on the rise, the woman responsible for the roaring success was Sheryl Sandberg. She began her career as a Silicon Valley darling, giving hope to women in the tech industry everywhere. Her position with the company is now in flux, as it was announced earlier this month that she would be departing Meta in the fall. Almost immediately, the company launched a probe to investigate the former executive.

Let’s take a moment to acknowledge the disgruntled climate change activist that disguised himself as an elderly disabled woman to smear cake on the Mona Lisa. Read that sentence again, it won’t get any less weird. Predictably, TikTok had some relevant content (and a subsequent field day) when news broke about the attempted vandalism. The artist might have laughed at the absurdity of the situation – the man dressed quite conspicuously as a woman was dragged from the scene screaming (to paraphrase): “There are people who are destroying the earth! Think about it!”

As Mental Health Awareness Month came to a close, it was perhaps inevitable that many parents were reeling from the ongoing coverage of events out of a small Texas town. It’s difficult for the most developed minds to come to some sort of agreement on how to handle these tragedies. Imagine how much harder it must be for children trying to form their own opinions, especially with a screen in their pocket that constantly screams that they’re in physical danger. When everyone is frightened, no one makes much sense. This ever-present fear is nothing new, either.

This means Father’s Day, the Global Day of Parents (bet you didn’t know about that one, eh?), and of course, Pride Month. Gay Pride events have amassed millions of attendees in the years since, and serve as a safe place for self-expression and increased visibility of the gay community and its allies. The acronym continues to evolve, now most commonly seen as LGBTQ+ (standing for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, plus allies). There’s been a relatively dramatic increase in youths in America identify as gay, bi, or trans in the past several years. While approximately 5% of the adult population identifies as LGBT, almost 16% of Gen-Z and 9.1% of Millennials do. The reasons for this self-identification are numerous and potentially complex.

In the words of the estimable Chief Keef, “Bitch, you gotta glo up one day.”

#SummerGlowUp is in full swing, and tweens and teens everywhere are preparing themselves with fake tans and papaya body spray. Some things to be aware of: The #SummerGlowUp Challenge is a checklist floating around that has a generally positive message. The timeframe for the Glow Up period averages to about a month, but searches for “How can I glow up in a week?” can also be found. This could open the door to conversations with your kids about realistic expectations and the power of forming good habits vs instant gratification and corner-cutting. While it isn’t inherently negative to focus on oneself, it’s important for young people (boys and girls alike) to have a sense of balance and not get lost in the mindless pursuit of looking good.

If you’ve only heard about NFTs on the news, it can be tempting to write them off as a pyramid scheme or a flash in the pan – but there’s more going on with them than meets the eye, and we’re here to help you understand exactly why. If you haven’t even heard about NFTs yet, don’t fret – they’re an evolving and ongoing trend that won’t be disappearing any time soon. Your kids assuredly know what they are – they might even be investing in them. So what are they? And more importantly why should YOU care..?

This will be a *spoiler free* breakdown of the wildly popular streaming series Stranger Things – to get right to the point, there will be no in-depth discussion of plot, characters or cast. What? How to discuss a show without discussing…well…the show? Instead, this is intended as a meta analysis of the television phenomenon itself, and will hopefully shed some light on why your kids just won’t stop talking about it.

You may not be able to pick him out of a lineup, you may not have heard a single one of his chart-topping songs, you might not know who he’s dating (spoiler alert, it’s Olivia Wilde, saved you a click). But chances are that once you know who he is, you won’t be able to get away from him. Harry “Watermelon Sugar” Styles, British pop icon that rocketed to fame while barely leaving puberty behind, seems to be no stranger to controversy.

AAPI stands for Asian American Pacific Islander Month and is celebrated in the U.S. in May. You may have noticed that most months carry some type of significance these days – that is for a good reason. Gen Z’ers tend to lean on the side of the socially conscious, where they are fighting for inclusion for all of their peers, classmates, and coworkers regardless of sexual orientation, nationality, political, or cultural differences. With AAPI communities representing 7.3% (and rising) of the American population, it is important to pause and honor the rich cultural achievements and contributions that these communities share with the nation.

Even if you’ve gone out of your way to ignore it, you’ve likely found yourself exposed to the Johnny Depp/Amber Heard defamation trial in one form or another. The story seems cut and dry: a successful woman, allegedly battered by her husband, speaks out publicly to bring attention and strength to victims of domestic violence. That’s where the simplicity ends, and where the absurd begins to blossom from within the courtroom. It’s the story of sliced-off fingers, poopy beds, and ruined careers. In the court of public opinion, Johnny Depp has already won this case – which is not, in itself, the unusual thing. Whether you care to take sides isn’t necessarily the issue, because there’s something happening here that your kids are noticing.