Despite hours of scrolling, smartphones hardly play a role in our dreams. Yet their absence may actually demonstrate our dependence on them.
Tag: social media
Thousands of Turks who want to come to Germany are having their visa requests denied. Asylum influencers show them how to get in and how to navigate welfare and benefits.
More and more teachers are finding a successful side career on social media as influencers. But commenting on exam results, dancing with students and even sharing personal stories about pupils raises ethical and legal questions.
Following the arrest of Telegram founder Pavel Durov near Paris on Aug. 24, independent Russian-language media Important Stories looks into the claims Western authorities have made against Durov since the messaging application was launched in 2013, always keep its door open to the internet’s darkest corners.
The cities of Amsterdam and Bruges may inspire the Portuguese capital to reinvent its approach to tourism. As Porto launches an experimental new vision map designed to disperse tourist flows, could Lisbon do the same?
Hadeer Abdel Razik says her guilt is that she does not feel “shame” about her body and wants to live her normal life as a woman. Hadeer Abdel Razik made TikTok videos as a fashionista; or not ashamed of having sex with her husband.
The Muslim Brotherhood called for anti-government protests on July 12, yet again failing to understand what is really on Egyptians’ minds and overestimating their readiness of taking to the street against the government of President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi.
Narcissistic and other deeply self-involved parents can turn their children into diffident, dysfunctional adults. But it’s never too late to help yourself and decide to step away from their toxic discourse and manipulative games.
Having gained notoriety for his Male State movement, which was deemed too radical, even for Putin, Vladislav Pozdnyakov came up last year in connection with brutal videos being shared online, as well as a more recent attack against an ally of late Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny.
Influenced by social media, more and more teenagers in Argentina, and elsewhere, are using anti-aging products. Dermatologists warn that this trend is not only unnecessary but can also be harmful for their young skin.
At just 18-years-old, Daria Kozyreva sits in a pre-trial detention center. She is facing five years for “repeatedly discrediting the Russian army.” Here is her letter to all Russians, trying to convince people of good will to denounce the Kremlin regime.
Nothing can beautify life in Afghanistan under the Taliban. So how can we promote a country whose government practices terrorism against its people? That’s what Arab world influencers are doing.
There is real generational disaffection that is pushing some young voters to the far right in Europe and the U.S.. But their skills, including on social media, is a real advantage for success among the youth.
This is not the first spike in deaths of those making the Hajj pilgrimage, but what this year’s toll was accompanied by photos and videos circulating on social media that showed how many dead pilgrims were left on the roads near Mecca.
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Dear Love Letter, Where Have You Gone?
Whatever happened to the love letter? Many are sitting in literary archives, while today’s youth prefers WhatsApps and emojis.
Scientists are testing new tools to spot the origin of cheetahs poached from the wild and smuggled for the pet trade.
Facing a U.S. ban of the Chinese-owned social media, a TikTok power user makes his case for free speech and freedom to scroll.
Not for the first time in history, simplistic dualism is taking hold of people’s minds, often rooted in religious beliefs. Is this a prelude to even more violent intolerance and — in the worst scenario — another big war? asks Argentine poet and writer Miguel Espejo.
The killing of an Egyptian soldier by Israeli fire on the border with Gaza, and Israel’s control of a buffer zone has increased tensions between Israel and Egypt, which finds itself in a difficult position.
The recent outrage of Colombians online over a singer’s reported criticism of the country’s late, great novelist García Márquez, showed perfectly how jingoism and a primitive hatred of freedom go hand in hand.
In spite of the Iranian regime’s inclination to conclude the matter of the president’s recent fatal helicopter crash, murmurs around a possible murder plot or a foreign strike are not going away.
The latest online uproar involves a baby taken to Taylor Swift’s concert in Paris, and photographed on a blanket on the floor. We thought the Swifties were supposed to know how to talk to each other…
An Egyptian journalist surprised by the growing and incomprehensible campaign over the past months that raises slogans against Arab “refugees” who were forced by civil wars in their countries — Iraq, Syria, Yemen and Sudan — to reside in Egypt.
Images of recent student-led, pro-Palestinian protests across the world are reminiscent of the demonstrations of solidarity in support of Vietnam, that rocked campuses some 50+ years ago. But beyond the same indignation fueling the demonstrations, the context, and potential political repercussions, vary greatly.
Social networks are full of false gurus who claim to be experts in mental health and well-being. Do we need new laws against these kinds of charlatans to restore credibility to professional psychology?
The Middle East’s militant and terror gangs, often described as Iran’s proxy forces, may have more in common with the cartels of a globalized war than with the fighters with a cause, more typical in the 20th century.
Despite stereotypes that portray Gen Z as hyperconnected and glued to their smartphones, studies show that young people are actually moving away from social media and using it more passively than their Millennial parents and teachers.
This phenomenon appeared late on the Arabic-speaking internet. It began with the translation of Andrew Tate’s videos into Arabic, some began copying his appearance, as the Miami-based Jordanian Jalal Abu Muwais does.
Long the preserve of the elite, caviar is now attracting a wider audience, boosted by its ubiquitous presence on social networks. This new visibility fascinates as much as it questions big names in the sector and Michelin-starred chefs.
While “Most Views” which aired in Egypt during the month of Ramadan is credited with showing poverty in the country, the drama series misses an important opportunity to address the root causes of the TikTok girl trend.
Political battle lines are becoming increasingly entrenched, and opposing views are being pushed towards ever greater extremes. Language has become a battlefield. If morality pushes us apart, and religion does not help in the process, we may find a solution in our sense of humanity, writes German psychiatrist Manfred Lütz in Die Welt.
In the run-up to India’s general elections this spring, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been showcasing his adventures in social media posts, his preferred method of communication, saturating the digital landscape of a highly connected country — and avoiding hard questions from the press.
Despite the lack of tangible evidence that the Chinese-owned social media platform poses a security risk, the recent vote at the House of Representatives in favor of banning TikTok from the U.S. shows that none of this matters, when it’s China we’re talking about.
As Israel-Hamas war in Gaza drags on, the momentum for solidarity with the Palestinians , whether individual or collective, has declined. It’s a contrast with the continued anti-Israel demonstrations in Western capitals. The reasons are both external, and internal.
In countries and communities where sexuality is often kept under wraps, more and more women are taking up their microphones, pens and keyboards to talk about intimate issues without filters.
Following the strike that hit Al Jazeera journalists Ismail Abu Omar and Ahmed Matar, posts spread on social media platforms calling Abu Omar a “terrorist” affiliated with Hamas. At the same time, a campaign by Israel’s Foreign Ministry and military promoted the same allegations.
After posting online her answer to a homophobic comment about her restaurant near Milan, Giovanna Pedretti lived the peak of fame in its ups and mostly in its downs that lead to her drastic decision of ending her life.
Prabowo Subianto’s campaign team has heavily promoted him as a baby-faced cute grandpa on the internet, overshadowing the former army general’s dark authoritarian past and potential intent to dismantle Indonesia’s fragile democratic system.
Whether we’re kids or adults, with different risks and problems posed, we share the same challenge: how to use screens, and use them well.
Despite the numerous penalties imposed on perpetrators, Egyptian women continue to endure the horror of blackmail, physical violence, and cyberviolence. However, relying solely on the law is insufficient to prevent the severe consequences that these forms of violence have on Egyptian women.