Tag: Digital Culture
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IShowSpeed Kenya Tour Surges to 48M Subscribers on Day One
Overview: A Record-Setting Day for IShowSpeed in Kenya American streamer Dareen Jason Watkins Jr., best known as IShowSpeed, kicked off his highly anticipated Kenya tour with a jaw-dropping milestone. On the very first day of the “Speed Does Africa Tour,” Speed reportedly reached 48 million subscribers, a number that underscores his continued global appeal and…
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Love, Live: Ethiopians Are Finding Romance on TikTok Streams
In the Digital Dating Era, TikTok Becomes a Meeting Ground Romance is increasingly unfolding in unexpected places, and for young Ethiopians, the latest venue is TikTok live streams. What began as short-form entertainment has evolved into a space where people connect, ask questions, and share moments that feel intimate—despite the public nature of the platform.…
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What to Expect in 2026: Science, Arts, Politics and Society
What 2026 Might Hold Across Science, Arts, Politics and Society The coming year is expected to bring meaningful shifts across four broad domains: science, arts, politics and society. While forecasts are never guarantees, emerging data, funding patterns and public sentiment offer a credible sense of direction. Here is a pragmatic look at what many observers…
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Instagram in the AI Era: Adam Mosseri on Authenticity, Creation, and the Next Digital Frontier
Facing the AI Challenge: Instagram’s Daring Pivot As the digital landscape accelerates toward 2026, Instagram faces a pivotal question: how do you preserve creator value and user trust when AI-generated images can replicate reality with increasing fidelity? Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, has been vocal about the platform’s strategy in this shifting landscape. The…
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How Emiru Turned Gaming and Cosplay into a Full-Cledged Career
From a girl who plays video games a bit too much to a multifaceted career Emily Schunk, better known as Emiru, is often described with a wink—“just a girl who plays video games a bit too much.” But behind that playful label lies a compelling story of how curiosity, creativity, and community can turn a…
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Understanding Bobby Saputra, Indonesia’s ‘Professional Son’
Introduction: Who Is Bobby Saputra? Since early 2024, online audiences have been introduced to Bobby Saputra, a controversial and highly discussable figure who bills himself as Indonesia’s “Professional Son.” His rise mirrors a broader trend in Southeast Asia’s digital ecosystem: young creators leveraging provocative personas to spark conversation, attract followers, and monetize attention on platforms…
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The Comedian Behind the “Trump Kennedy Center” Domain Names
Overview: A Satirical Sting Goes Digital When the Trump Kennedy Center controversy erupted — with President Donald Trump’s name appearing on the Kennedy Center’s exterior and branding — the internet quickly spun a new narrative: who owns the domain names trumpkennedycenter.org and trumpkennedycenter.com? The answer points to a long-running pattern in political parody online, where…
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Virus Málaga: How a Spanish Virus Brought Google to Málaga
Opening the Mystery: A Virus with a Name and a Map In the quiet corridors of a university in southern Spain, a curious piece of software—Virus Málaga—existed for years as a footnote in the history of cybersecurity. It was never meant to be a modern pest, yet its simple code would ripple through decades, eventually…
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People Are Paying to Get Their Chatbots High on ‘Drugs’
Introduction: The curious case of AI and simulated drug experiences In the digital age, the line between humans and machines continues to blur in surprising ways. A growing niche treats chatbot conversations as a canvas for simulated psychedelic journeys. Rather than actual substances, users seek altered states through carefully crafted prompts, cognitive nudges, and the…
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From Grand Theft Auto to a Mind-Hacking AI: Dan Houser Debuts a High-Stakes Novel
GTA mastermind turns novelist Dan Houser, a name long associated with the meteoric rise of Grand Theft Auto, has ventured into a new arena: the novel. After leaving Rockstar Games and launching his own company, Houser is now captivating readers with a debut that reads like a high-stakes thriller for the digital age. The premise…