Technology
We need socialism to fix our broken internet
Ben Tarnoff discusses his new book, which calls for a radical restructuring of the internet to address its harm to society.
Written by: Becca Inglis
The fight to amplify Black stories on BookTok
New chapter — As TikTok continues to transform book sales, Black BookTokers are calling for greater inclusivity both on the app and the publishing industry at large.
Written by: Tife Sanusi
The technology police are using to target minorities
Surveillance state — FoIs obtained by Huck reveal a sharp increase in police fingerprint scanners, with Black and minority ethnic communities more likely to be scanned than their white counterparts.
Written by: Jack Barton
Disabled benefits claimants are being unfairly investigated
Cruel system — The government is using an algorithm forcing people into gruelling and invasive benefit fraud investigations. Now, disabled people who claim they have been unfairly targeted are mounting a fight back.
Written by: Anna Dent
The young people plunged into debt by borrowing apps
‘It put me in a dark place‘ — With young people bearing the brunt of economic precarity, many are now turning to cash advance apps to get by.
Written by: Chloé Meley
TikTokers are using secret hashtags to discuss self-harm
Under the radar — The hashtag #selfharm is censored on TikTok, but that hasn’t stopped users from speaking out about their experiences. While the platform needs to do more to keep young people safe from triggering content, experts stress that the problem runs much deeper than social media.
Written by: Serena Smith
The dystopian megacities of anime architecture
Brave new world — A new book celebrating the creative process behind Japan's animated cityscapes offers both architectural escapism and bold imaginings of a near future.
Written by: Gunseli Yalcinkaya
The young hackers transforming rural China
Blockchain Chicken Farm — In their new book, author and technologist Xiaowei Wang meets the residents of a place often left out of Silicon Valley narratives who are building their own high-tech future.
Written by: Josh Gabert-Doyon
A guide to unplugging from capitalism (for sanity's sake)
Doing nothing, finding everything — Technology’s grip on our attention span is grinding us down, sapping us of life. But artist and writer Jenny Odell has come up with a manifesto for opting out: a mindset where slowing down is the only way to survive.
Written by: Jenny Odell
The creators of Black Mirror want you to stop worrying
Future shock — As creators of the dystopian series Black Mirror, Charlie Brooker and Annabel Jones have mastered the art of depicting society at its most anxiety-inducing. But when it comes to the future, the pair aren’t ready to panic just yet.
Written by: Daniel Dylan Wray
Is the internet leading us into a 21st century dark age?
New Romantics — Social media platforms keep guzzling our most personal data, with the promise it will be saved forever – but what if it was all lost?
Written by: Emily Reynolds
The tech industry has a serious sustainability problem
And it’s going unchecked — While consumers have forced the fashion industry to start confronting its ethical and environmental shortcomings in recent years, the tech world remains unchecked. Why?
Written by: Kat George