Despite being online, PCC freshman Hayden Cole explains their lack of interest in Twitter and how their relationship to the platform is becoming strained due to one changed factor—its ownership. “Personally I don’t use Twitter especially with everything going on,” Cole said. “It definitely doesn’t encourage me to use the platform. It just looks like a platform that doesn’t suit my interests.” The “everything” Cole is referring to is the increasingly dark days of Twitter and its anticipated self-immolation by users and outsiders alike since …
Free speech or freefalling? The dark days of Twitter are here
After months of tantrums and tirades, America’s crybaby Elon Musk’s buyout of Twitter is finally complete. If it wasn’t an appealing time to join before, now is an even worse time. Musk shared a manifesto to the platform on Oct. 27 which highlighted his main interests in buying the company, citing mainly an upkeep of freedom of speech on the site. Despite Twitter being a privately owned company with no real need to honor the first amendment, Musk fails to realize what exactly he has …
Yik Yak finally cleans up its trash talking past
The app that caused cyberbullying, bomb threats, and hate speech has officially announced their comeback to social media. Yik Yak is an app that sends messages anonymously. The app closed down in 2017 after being swamped with complaints regarding racism, discrimation and threats of violence.
Unchecked social media power needs to get blocked
Imagine a world where a few companies have the power to control the discourse of almost 4 billion people. These companies decide independently who gets to work with the most essential tools of the 21st century.
Loyal customers help Vroman’s start new chapter during COVID
Vroman’s, Pasadena’s legendary bookstore, celebrates its 126th anniversary this year and times couldn’t be more challenging. After withstanding the Great Depression, two world wars, and over a century of ups and downs, the business is faced with new challenges amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
J.K. Rowling’s sarcasm isn’t the transphobia Twitter says it is
A cisgender man dresses as a woman in order to commit violent acts of murder. Does that sound transphobic? A homosexual woman dresses as a man in order to commit violent acts of murder. Does that sound homophobic? The first one is actually the premise of J.K. Rowling’s new novel ‘Troubled Blood,’ Rowling’s fifth installment of the Cormoran Strike series. Both its author and her new novel have been facing accusations of transphobia. Now if that is indeed true then the other statements would be …
Toppling Big Tech: not an easy fix
It’s no secret that big tech companies are slowly taking over the world, with Facebook now owning more than one social media outlet, Amazon bringing down all their competition because anyone with internet access can quite literally buy everything on their website, and Google also becoming the next big thing with their search engine, e-mail service, tablets and laptops.
Blame it on the Ambien: Our problems are bigger than Roseanne
Beloved and acclaimed media company, Disney, has had its share of racially and ethnically problematic portrayals. Perhaps the most distinct manifestation can be seen in the 1941 film Dumbo. Jim Crow and his group of friends are black crows who don tattered clothing and speak with a long, southern drawl. To match the look, they are depicted as lazy, poor and uneducated, exhibiting stereotypical traits that have long plagued African Americans. Even through the doe-eyed animation, the racial stereotyping and its call to minstrelsy is …
Trump support isn’t the only problem with Kanye
When rap “artist” Kanye West returned to Twitter a few weeks ago, I knew we’d be subjected to more of the “genius” that Kanye thinks he is. I admit, I didn’t think he’d be going this hard in the paint for Donald Trump, but I’m not exactly surprised.
Twitter’s new 280 character is stupid and too long and no one wants to read this much and have I proven my point yet?
During the past couple weeks the public interest in Twitter’s decision to switch it’s character limit to 280 characters for certain countries has diminished, which is the opposite of what the profoundly negative social impacts of this decision will do in the current social and journalistic climate.