Privacy Paradoxes and Algorithmic Snooping
"brat summer is out, vow of silence summer is IN"
Travis Scott was named Oakley's first-ever “Chief Visionary” (that’s one way to one up A$AP Rocky’s Creative Director title at Ray-Ban, I guess); basketball star Azzi Fudd hard-launched herself as “Paige Bueckers’s Girlfriend”; The Hollywood Reporter interviewed Eva Victor ahead of Sundance breakout Sorry, Baby’s theatrical debut; and the James Dean biopic found its lead in 13 Reasons Why star Brandon Flynn.
The letter is brought to you by Amazon. Thank you for supporting After School 🫶
Gen Z has redefined what it means to be “good with money.” They budget out loud to stay accountable, impulse-buy handbags to dull existential dread, and calculate purchases using girl math and BNPL logic. Finances are emotional, performative, and always subject to recalibration. Saving looks less like retirement accounts and more like skipping brunch to afford concert tickets.
Amazon’s new Prime for Young Adults membership aims to meet Gen Z’s evolving consumer mindset. Designed exclusively for 18–24-year-olds, the membership offers the full Prime experience — fast, free delivery; extensive entertainment options with Prime Video; access to exclusive shopping events like Prime Day; and more — at only 50% of the cost. Eligible members can give it a try for six months and then pay $7.49/month. For a limited time, they’ll enjoy everyday 5% cash back on beauty, apparel, electronics, and personal care. During Prime Day this July 8-11, members receive elevated savings, including 10% cash back across those same popular categories. Benefits also include access to free Grubhub+ ($0 delivery fees on eligible orders) and limited-time discounts, like $10 off delivery orders over $20.
With Prime for Young Adults, Amazon — which is already the top shopping site among teens — has built a flexible loyalty framework aligned with Gen Z’s priorities: soft saving, little treat culture, and maximized value.
BACK-TO-SCHOOL SPENDING PERSISTS DESPITE ECONOMIC PRESSURE, nbcnews
I know it feels premature to be thinking about back-to-school — New York City public schools’ last day isn’t until tomorrow! — but the season is very much already underway, with 1 in 5 parents starting their shopping in June, nearly double last year. Despite economic pressure, nearly 75% of parents plan to spend the same or more on back-to-school shopping in 2025, according to PwC. Morning Consult reports that families are adjusting to higher prices by cutting back in other areas (39%), using credit cards (28%), or opting for buy now, pay later (17%). Parents are planning purchases more strategically, taking advantage of summer sales like Prime Day (46%) and turning to secondhand options for books, electronics, and apparel.
HE’S NOT THE LEFT’S JOE ROGAN — BUT HE MAY BE EVEN BETTER, rollingstone
Aaron Parnas has built a massive Gen Z following — 3.9 million on TikTok and 447,000 on Substack — by turning headline news into short, digestible videos shot from bedrooms, airplane bathrooms, and at least once, outside of the Cheesecake Factory. The 26-year-old’s no-frills style (“Breaking news!”) resonates with mostly young viewers who are famously skeptical of traditional media. His Substack,
HEIR BALL: HOW THE COST OF YOUTH SPORTS IS CHANGING THE N.B.A., newyorker
Once dominated by playground prodigies, the league is now increasingly filled with second-generation players who benefit from elite training and wealth: 35 NBA players last season had pro-athlete parents, up from 10 in 2009. Gen Z athletes are treated more like clients than kids, coached by private trainers, filmed for YouTube, and groomed for NIL deals; Bronny James reportedly earned $6M before going pro. “They are literally training these kids like robots, and the players don’t have any feel anymore,” said Jermaine O’Neal, a six-time N.B.A. All-Star who recently founded a basketball-centered prep school. “That’s why all the players look alike now. Hell, half these kids don’t even watch basketball — they watch YouTube.”
WE ASKED DATERS WHAT DATING IN 2025 IS LIKE SO FAR, mashable
A conversation with 10 single people about dating reveals unbearably deep fatigue with dating apps and a growing desire for real-life connection, despite the fact that many don’t know how to make that happen. One dater said, “I absolutely hated the apps but they also felt like the only way to put myself out there and meet people,” and likened the experience to volunteering to go on job interviews. “I've gotten off of the apps to focus on meeting people in person…but it hasn't actually garnered a better experience for me. It feels like the culture has shifted,” said another. People “feel like they've been trained to swipe, not speak.”
PRIVACY SCREENS RUIN THE FUN OF SNOOPING, nytimes
Privacy screens are becoming more common in public spaces like subways and airplanes, especially among younger people. The Times interviewed a bunch of Gen Z commuters, most of whom cited a desire to avoid judgment over mundane scrolling habits, like Instagram or “dumb animal videos,” as a key reason for using the screens. The rise reflects what behavioral scientists call the “privacy paradox”: people fiercely guard screen visibility in public, even as they hand over vast personal data to tech platforms. “I mean, it’s always like a give and take with privacy,’ said Mr. Punater, 23 and a computer science major at the University of Southern California. “What you choose to give up right now is out of your hands.”
One last thought:
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This Amazon collab does not sit right with me at all…
Amazon spon? Ew. Terrible and exploitative company. I hope the paycheck is worth it.