I wonder how Billie Eilish’s publicist feels about her new Rolling Stone interview; Gen Z has its own version of Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee (except instead of comedians it’s…Gen Z VCs); Bridgerton’s Nicola Coughlan is Teen Vogue's April cover star; and I think it’s nice that Gwyneth Paltrow’s Gen Z kids help her understand memes.
WHAT HAPPENS NOW THAT BIDEN HAS SIGNED THE TIKTOK BILL, axios
Well, it happened! President Joe Biden has indeed signed the bill giving ByteDance nine months to arrange a sale, with the option to extend the deadline by 90 days if “sufficient progress toward a sale” has been made. If it fails to do so, TikTok will be banned from U.S. app stores. (The hashtag #tiktokban has more than 400K videos, but this news has interestingly enough not made it onto my FYP, which makes me wonder how many young people are aware of this news.)
GEN Z WOULD RATHER TAKE A CHANCE ON A NEW APP THAN USE 'EMBARRASSING' INSTAGRAM IF TIKTOK GETS BANNED, businessinsider
Josie, a Gen Z content creator, said in a recent TikTok that she might be able to handle a ban if posting on Instagram wasn't such a "humiliation ritual." Snapchat, meanwhile, is also "kinda dead," said Kat, a Gen Zer, and its curated content feed "is a clickbait hellhole."
WHAT EMMA CHAMBERLAIN AND KENDALL JENNER CAN DO FOR EACH OTHER, fastco
Chamberlain Coffee, which was founded by Emma Chamberlain when she was just 18, is evolving its marketing strategy — and aiming to age up — by launching an espresso martini kit in partnership with 818 Tequila, Kendall Jenner’s booze brand. The announcement on Instagram has more than 1,700 comments, all of which are glowing (e.g. “The duo we didn’t think we needed”), and the kit has already sold out.
THE RISE OF THE ‘TRADWIFE’ — WHY SOME WOMEN SAY THEY ARE OPTING OUT OF WORK, cnbc
I talked to CNBC about the economics of the rise of the tradwife and stay-at-home girlfriend. This escapist (if regressive) content is resonating with people — or at least going viral on TikTok — because Gen Z women feel so much disillusionment with the daily grind, and really, how could they not? Cue the “I cry a lot but I'm so productive it's an art” meme.
MEET THE TYPICAL ALICE: AMERICANS STRUGGLING TO AFFORD BASIC NECESSITIES BUT MAKING TOO MUCH TO GET HELP, businessinsider
ALICE — Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed — refers to Americans who make too much money to qualify for help but still struggle to afford basic necessities. 36% of Gen Z fall into this category, compared to 24% of millennials.
THE SELF-STORAGE BOOM: LIFESTYLE CHOICE OR INDICTMENT OF UK HOUSING CRISIS?, theguardian
A new company called Hold hopes to appeal to Generation Rent by positioning self-storage units as a lifestyle choice to boost personal well-being and mental health. The self-storage sector in the UK has grown significantly in the past few years, generating £1bn in revenue annually, with over 100 new storage complexes opening.
WHAT IS FRUTIGER AERO, THE AESTHETIC TAKING OVER FROM Y2K?, dazed
An early 2000s aesthetic characterized by glossy, naturalistic design elements — think Windows Vista — is on the rise. On TikTok, #frutigeraero has over 28M views. On Reddit, a subreddit of the same name has grown by over 400% in the past month, and on YouTube, analysis videos breaking down frutiger aero abound. The resurgence is driven by a sense of hopefulness and escapism, offering a break from the current permacrisis and a return to a more playful and nature-focused style.
One last thought:
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