First Thing's First Archives

November 16, 2022

What Will Gen Z Make Of The FTX Crypto Debacle?

You may have heard something this week about what appeared to be the crypto apocalypse, (and the millennial founder of a massive cryptocurrency exchange as one of the four horsemen). Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF) has fled the US following a total meltdown of his platform FTX, and is in custody in the Bahamas. $10 Billion (with a B) in user funds have been wiped from the slate. Whispers of political corruption, money laundering, and worse have been making the rounds on every social media platform. The US government is stepping in, and we are witnessing the dawning of a new age of digital currency. This Enron-level catastrophe might be the canary in the coalmine – or it could signal a radical shift in public awareness and understanding. We’re talking about Decentralization, of course – and this might sound familiar to you. We’ve covered the broad strokes in past issues, and now we see an opportunity to give you a little more context. Before we dive in, there’s a silver lining to this thundercloud: the first-ever member of Gen Z is making his way to congress. This means that the generation that will be most affected by these radical changes is already stepping up to do their part.

November 4, 2022

Gen Z: We Don’t Care About Elon Or His Twitter Takeover

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.

October 26, 2022

Halloween Costumes Are Being ‘Censored’…With Reason?

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?

October 21, 2022

Warhol, 2 Live Crew At Center Of New Plagiarism Debate

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?

October 14, 2022

Kanye + His Clothing, Getting Censored

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.

September 30, 2022

Gaming Platforms Unlock Mom’s Wallet For Gen Z Gambling

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?

September 22, 2022

Gen Z Finding Controversial Role Models In The Wake of Overtechnologization

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.

September 15, 2022

Queen’s Passing Catalyzes Wider Social Media Debate

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?

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