Riveting documentary, “The Social Dilemma” challenges perceptions of social...
As teenagers, we are often reminded of the trite adage that technology is taking over our lives. Complaints of academic stress, frustration over extracurriculars or even a measly headache will trigger...
View ArticleCOVID-19 introduces changes to the guidance department
Like many things in and outside of Staples, the guidance department looks different this fall due to COVID-19. The counselors have made accommodations to help students in a safe and organized fashion....
View ArticleMedia’s influence on an impressionable generation impacts our well-being
Social media and the internet are utilities that have been available for our generation for as long as we can remember. This includes appliances like phones, televisions and computers, but also apps...
View ArticleInstagram transforms to platform for political conversations
With a global pandemic forcing communities into lockdown, polarization during the presidential election and civil unrest regarding systemic racism, 2020 has created the perfect storm to transform...
View ArticleHunt for the perfect match: how seniors are finding college roommates
Facebook, an app viewed by many in our generation as dead, has recaptured the attention of many high school seniors now that the college selection process is in full motion. For many, moving to...
View ArticleNew wave of “social media activism” flawed but well-intentioned
Take yourself back to June 2, 2020. You open your Instagram app, and as you scroll, it seems to be an endless array of black squares. You realize that it is #BlackoutTuesday, so you also post a Black...
View ArticleInstagram’s new pronoun feature endorses inclusivity
Social media is a notoriously toxic outlet, especially for those who are part of a marginalized group. However, Instagram recently added a feature that allows users to add up to four pronouns next to...
View ArticleHarmful bias in social media posts spread Israeli/Palestinian conflict...
Throughout the past year, social media has been used as the main source of spreading information and educating social media users on current events, but with the Palestine and Israel conflict, is it...
View ArticleSocial media activism portrays bias, reflects performative actions
What used to be an Instagram feed flooded with birthday posts, photos with friends and funny memes has now been overpowered by misinformed teenagers reposting one-sided infographics, biased photos and...
View ArticleTikTok star Sienna Mae’s sexual assault case leaves young viewers too intrigued
After long school days, extracurriculars and the pressures that come with high school, most kids resort to their abundance of technology as a way to relax. Choosing whether to scroll through Snapchat,...
View Article‘The D’Amelio Show’ displays the harsh reality of being an influencer in...
As Charli D’Amelio wakes up in her mansion in LA, she reaches for her phone and opens up her social media apps to her 123.6 million followers on TikTok and 43.5 million followers on Instagram, with the...
View ArticleInstagram for kids destined to construct safer social media environment
In March 2021, Instagram released their idea of Instagram Kids on an employee message board. Instagram Kids, a safer and more controlled version of the original app, would be made specifically for...
View ArticleContemporary Issues: Student Perspectives
In the whirlwind of COVID, social and personal issues have been deemphasized in the news and in everyday life. As 2021 draws to a close, Staples students share their opinions and experiences with...
View ArticleSocial media perpetuates negative body standards, impacts young girls
I open my Tik Tok app to a bright eyed 17-year-old girl smearing a glossy pink tube across her lips and running a blow-dry brush through her wet curly head of hair explaining how to get the perfect...
View ArticleThe trend of casual Instagram is far from casual: instead increasing issues...
For many of us, checking TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat is a daily routine, which has created unhealthy standards with constant comparison to internet personas. Recently, there has been a notable...
View Article“Cancel culture” is not the punishment everyone thinks it is
The list of supposedly “canceled” figures is extensive and diverse. Real people; fictional characters, companies and corporations, even ideologies––including “cancel culture” itself in a paradoxical...
View ArticleSocial media hiatus reaps substantial reward
“Does seeing that make you happy?” My mom asked me once when she caught me endlessly scrolling through social media. Although I got annoyed and told her to leave me alone, it left me thinking. And my...
View ArticleStudents should reconsider the roommate search; maybe random isn’t so bad...
As seniors decide where they are going to college, the vast majority’s next step is joining numerous Facebook groups, changing their Instagram bios and having their friends post about their acceptance...
View ArticleBeauty industry, social media encourage toxic overconsumption
As I scroll through my TikTok “For You” page, I can’t help but notice the alarming nature of beauty trends. Influencers who are receiving paid sponsorship encourage their young and impressionable...
View ArticleRoommate process stresses seniors
Now that many universities offer the chance to choose a roommate for your freshman year, getting accepted is only the first step in a series of networking attempts. By using social media platforms,...
View ArticleTikTok serves as imperative scout for discovering new songwriters, small...
In today’s day and age, everything seems to start with an online presence. To make it big in entertainment, it is crucial to have a large following on various forms of social media, with the newest...
View ArticleSummer camps help escape everyday social circles
When I’m at home on the weekends, a large amount of my time is spent scrolling through social media. But I’m not on Instagram or TikTok looking at the latest trends or where people spent their summer...
View ArticleBeReal not “real” enough for enjoyment
I’m currently five weeks BeReal sober. When you put it that way, it sounds like I’m aggressively against the app—I’m not—but after a summer of reflecting, I’m doubtful of my future BeReal status. When...
View ArticleBeReal: Instagram’s effortless, relatable twin sibling
Four weeks ago, I uploaded my first BeReal. I had heard murmurs about the new social media platform all summer and finally decided to try the app myself. After all, the concept HAD piqued my interest:...
View ArticleSocial media produces original Halloween costume ideas
It is officially the season of pumpkin spice lattes, scary movies and uggs, meaning Halloween is just around the corner. The pressure of finding the perfect costume is on, and Spirit Halloween props...
View ArticleBeReal takes internet by storm with attempt at authenticity, casual social media
BeReal, a relatively new social media app, has recently captured the attention of many social media fanatics. With a recent valuation of $600 million, the app sends all users a notification at a...
View ArticleGas app gains popularity at Staples
Social media is known to cause feelings of inadequacy in one’s life or self. You’ve heard it on the news – the negative impacts it has on the developing mind, the FOMO it gives to people leaving them...
View ArticleYouth struggles with Kanye West’s recent anti-semitism
Kanye West has recently been banned from Twitter and Instagram following anti-black and antisemitic remarks he made over the past few months. Additionally, Adidas announced that they would end their...
View ArticleBookTok praises few books, proves dangerous for most authors
In English class earlier this year, my teacher asked that we all bring in as an independent reading book to read during our free time in class. The next day, when he asked us all to share which books...
View ArticleProposed Connecticut legislature requires parental permission for young...
Proposed Connecticut legislation would require children under the age of 16 to have parental consent to sign up for social media platforms. This would amend previous legislation that required parental...
View ArticleTikTok bill enforced to protect the security of the U.S. government, U.S....
While the government issued a technology ban on government devices, some lawmakers want TikTok banned entirely in the United States. Republicans introduced the bill, which provides President Biden the...
View ArticleStaples community divides over potential Tik Tok ban
The CEO of Tik Tok, Shou Zi Chew, testified in front of Congress regarding the potential banning of the app on March 23. The hearing was streamed live on multiple sources as numerous representatives...
View ArticleStudents react to rise in hazardous TikTok challenges
Imagine you’re on TikTok, scrolling through an endless amount of short videos, favoriting the ones you find entertaining and texting your friends witty clips–all as you let the hours quickly pass you...
View Article“I saw it on Instagram:” un-tinting my window to the world
A few weeks ago, I made the reluctant first step towards a positive self-image: I opted for a sort of “digital detox,” and bid farewell to the toxic wasteland of jealousy that thrives on Instagram....
View Article‘Post high school plan’ Instagram pages prove unproductive, generate competition
After months of waiting and excruciating anticipation, the moment finally comes to open the decision letter from your dream college. You open it, and there it is: the acceptance you have long awaited...
View ArticleBREAKING NEWS: “TikTok Ban” Bill soars through the House
After a 352-65 vote this past Wednesday, the House of Representatives passed a new bill that would grant the President the ability to deem social media apps under control of foreign contenders, such as...
View ArticleI actually read Tiktok’s terms and conditions: here’s what you need to know
The first time I downloaded TikTok was the summer of 2019. I remember the moment vividly: a colorful array of velvet scrunchies covering my wrists, a venti strawberry açaí in one hand and an oversized...
View ArticleTikTok Ban: Can Gen Z live without it?
For the past eight years, “TikTok” has shaped the perspectives of its users, particularly Gen Z, becoming both entertainment and a cultural conversation starter. While Millennials had “Vine” and...
View ArticleStudents amplify political dialogue, advocacy through Instagram
In the age of social media, students are finding their voices and making them heard in powerful, creative ways. From sparking conversations about climate change to advocating for human rights,...
View ArticleDonald Trump signs an executive order to stall the the ban of the popular...
President Donald Trump signed an executive order to stall the ban on popular social media app, TikTok in the United States after a bipartisan law and a Supreme Court ruling resulted in a federal ban...
View ArticleDeleted TikTok? Users scramble for VPNs, pre-installed phones to get it back
The evening of Jan. 19 arrived and millions of users across the U.S. realized their favorite app had officially been banned. Out of anger and sadness, many deleted the app, only to discover that TikTok...
View ArticleTikTok Resurrection: downloads available now
Downloading TikTok is now available in app stores and Google play on Feb. 13. When opening the app, an announcement reads, “Tiktok is now available on the App Store and Google Play| Download the latest...
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