TikTok is testing a distraction-less “clear mode” (greeeeat, just what we need!); Bella Hadid makes her Balenciaga debut; and Tucker Carlson slammed Biden for pandering to Gen Z by inviting BTS to the Oval Office — and in doing so, the Fox host invited the eternal wrath of the boy band’s fan army.
HOW THE INTERNET TRICKED ME INTO READING A NEW BOOK EVERY SINGLE DAY, buzzfeed
This is technically a personal essay, but it’s also a fascinating glimpse into the increasingly complex machine of online book recommendations and how Very Online young people (including the author, reporter Kelsey Weekman) consume books.
BookTok is a superpowered engine of discovery, stacked with recommendations and niche references, and I used it to build up a TBR (or “to be read”) list on Goodreads, a social network for reading. If you asked me who my favorite BookTokers are, I honestly couldn’t tell you because their videos aren’t long enough for me to form an attachment to them.
GEN Z MAY BREAK THE DEADLOCK OVER ABORTION RIGHTS, nymag
Millennials sure aren’t going to do it, but Gen Z just may be able to. A new Pew survey released in May showed that 74 percent of adults ages 18 to 29 believe abortion should generally be legal, and that includes 30 percent who say it should be legal in all cases without exception.
WHY GEN Z CARES LESS ABOUT GETTING A 4-YEAR COLLEGE DEGREE, fastco
The ‘why’ here isn’t exactly a surprise — because it’s expensive? because loans are life-ruining? because many feel as though they don’t need higher ed? — but it is interesting to note that Gen Z “seems to have more in common with their grandparents who were more focused on technical skills that allowed them stable careers in trades, and less in common with their parents’ generation, who had low-cost access to four-year degrees and general education programs.”
54% OF TEENAGERS FEEL UNPREPARED TO FINANCE THEIR FUTURES, cnbc
Many young people today are making different choices to ensure they can afford college (for those who do plan to go): 28% are only considering in-state schools, 22% plan to live at home while taking classes, and 10% are weighing a two-year degree versus a four-year degree.
US ARMY IS FACING ‘WAR FOR TALENT,’ COURTING GEN Z WITH BENEFITS, bloomberg
A new campaign aimed at 17- to 25-year-olds launched yesterday designed to reach nationwide audiences on TV, online, and podcasts, as well as on Reddit, Google, YouTube, Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. TikTok is noticeably absent from this list! A massive oversight for a brand specifically trying to reach Gen Z.
One last thought:
P.S. Today’s links shaped up to be unusually heavy — this week has been unusually heavy!!! — but rest assured I have a weekend dispatch in the works that’s full of some internet-y fun and frivolity. Plenty of insights, too! But absolutely no armies or abortions.
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