Keep scrolling for the Twitter alternative where users are constantly posting their butts.
The University of Alabama Crimsonette tryouts are TikTok’s new wholesome obsession
The University of Alabama is taking over our TikTok FYP once again. But this time, we’re swapping sorority pledges for twirling batons as users watch hopefuls audition for a spot on the coveted Crimsonettes.
The Crimonsettes is the University’s esteemed dance team that performs alongside Bama’s Million Dollar Band during half-time shows and pep rallies.
Much like #RushTok, social media users are following along the Crimsonette tryouts as hopefuls document the process— where some students have gone viral over recent days.
Creators like Chloe Holladay (@chloe_holladay) and Rylie Dewley (@roo.dewley) have become some of the go-to Bama girls to follow for behind-the-scenes insight into the rigorous tryouts.
Training for decades to become a Crimonsette is not uncommon. With five components of auditions, including an interview and a dance technique test to assess spins and leaps, the process is extensive, aiming to identify the most talented and well-rounded performers. Each candidate must perform a pre-choreographed routine, learn a group performance on the spot, and perform a solo act.
To stand out from the pack, each participant chooses a unique theme for their individual performance, giving them a chance to showcase their personality. It’s these solo routine themes that TikTok users seem most excited about.
“Being a Crimsonette has truly changed my life and brought me so many friendships, opportunities, and memories that will last me a lifetime,” Chloe told Centennial World. “Coming in as a freshman during [COVID-19] was very hard, but being a member of the team, I automatically was given 25 built-in best friends. My years [as a] UA Crimsonette have given me so many experiences like National Championship games, playoff games, twirling night games in BDS, and so many volunteer opportunities to reach many people. I am so honored to be on this team and to be named a Captain. Having the opportunity to lead this team is something I will never take for granted.”
Although the onslaught of Crimsonette content serves as a reminder that life at Bama is truly another world, users find it inspiring to watch these young women work hard to fulfil their dreams. Cheering from the sidelines is providing viewers with a much-needed dose of positivity on an app that can be so overwhelmingly negative.
Read the full story via Centennial World.
TikTok may be developing AI-generated disclosures to combat the rise in deepfakes
A new report by Kaya Yurieff for The Information found that TikTok is working on a feature that will allow creators to disclose whether their content was created using AI.
This development would help combat the rise in deepfake content— technology that relies on AI to replace the “likeness of one person with another in video and other digital media.”
The most recent example of this is the “Fake Drake” situation, where a video circulated of Drake singing a tune he didn’t actually sing. The video was AI-generated, but many fans were unaware of this fact given how convincing the technology was.
Unfortunately, deepfakes are often produced with more sinister intentions. The vast majority on the internet are pornographic in nature and many map faces from female celebrities onto the bodies of porn stars.
TikTok’s new tool may be similar to a sponsorship disclosure, however, it is unclear if the platform would mandate these disclosures and if so, how they would enforce this initiative.
Despite the report, a spokesperson for TikTok told TheWrap, “We don’t have anything to announce at this time. At TikTok we believe that trust forms the foundation of our community — and we are always working to advance transparency and help viewers better understand the content they see.”
Read the full story via The Information.
What is Bluesky? The Twitter alternative everyone’s talking about
Since Elon Musk’s takeover, Twitter has been in freefall. But recently, it seems Twitter users (who miss when the app actually worked) have been granted a glimmer of hope with the introduction of Bluesky.
Bluesky is a decentralised Twitter alternative that celebrities and journalists are flocking to.
The platform is backed by former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey and was first made available in February. At the moment, Bluesky is invite-only while the company works out “critical” elements, including moderation.
“Centralized social sites use labeling to implement moderation — we think this piece can be unbundled, opened up to third-party innovation, and configured with user agency in mind. Anyone should be able to create or subscribe to moderation labels that third parties create,” wrote Bluesky CEO Jay Graber in a company blog post on moderation.
Basically, Bluesky plans to allow users to design their own algorithm by applying labels and filters to the content they consume.
This means someone could design a user experience for themselves free from a lot of the rage-bait posters, conspiracy theorists, and men’s rights influencers who currently make Twitter such a toxic place to be.
Those who have been lucky enough to explore the platform in recent days say that Bluesky is a significantly more positive space than Twitter (though this culture will likely change once the app officially launches to the public).
In terms of verification, one of Twitter’s biggest self-inflicted problems at the moment, Bluesky tackles this by giving users domain names— more similar to an email address— rather than classic social media handles.
At the moment, the platform is dealing with some major issues (like AI-generated threads so long that it glitches the entire platform) and some lighter issues, like people constantly posting photos of their bare butts.
On Thursday, Graber asked people to stop referring to Bluesky posts as “skeets”.
Bluesky currently sits at around 40,000 users who clearly love shit-posting.
Read the full story via The Verge.
Chinese food is giving Americans a lesson in grammar and Brits a lesson in casual racism
Confusion surrounding British Chinese food is dominating the internet after American TikTok creators questioned why Brits use the term “a Chinese” to describe grabbing takeaway food.
Earlier this week, popular American TikTok creators @dandydemon and @soogia.1 went viral for their criticism of British Chinese takeaway food.
While their outrage was partly over the nature of the cuisine— like hot chips and curry sauce, which are not typically associated with authentic Chinese food— it was more so due to the way Brits refer to the food.
Rather than saying they're ordering "Chinese food” or “Chinese takeout," many Brits say they're ordering "a Chinese."
"I know it's not intended to be racist, but it just kind of feels like it is a little," Soogia said in her video that now has over 3.2 million views. "Here in the United States we call it 'Chinese food' like we do all other foods […] Do British people also say ‘I’m going out for a Greek or a Mexican or an Italian’? Or is it exclusively just when they talk about Chinese food?”
These creators have faced intense backlash from Brits who claim it’s a colloquial way they refer to all types of food, like “a full English” to refer to British food and “an Indian” to refer to Indian food.
“In British English, speakers refer to "a Chinese takeaway" as a singular object, similar to a meal. This seems unusual to people in the U.S., where takeout is used as a mass noun, similar to the word food. Brits love to abbreviate everything, and so this gets shortened to "a Chinese," as well as "an Indian" for an Indian takeaway, and "a Full English" for a cooked breakfast with bacon, eggs, etc,” writes Laura Holliday for Mashed.
However, some British people have agreed with the outrage from American creators, claiming that the term “a Chinese” is the modern, less-offensive derivative of a slur that Brits previously used when referring to Chinese takeaway food.
Others have emphasised that there’s a difference between the food offered at Chinese takeaway shops in the UK and the food offered at Chinese restaurants.
“The history of a Chinese takeaway in the UK can be traced back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries when Chinese immigrants began arriving in the country,” food blogger Ruiz Asri told Mirror. “Many of them were drawn to the port cities of Liverpool and London, where they opened small, family-run eateries known as 'chop suey houses' to provide other immigrants with a taste of home and create a sense of community in their new home. As more immigrants arrived, the number of establishments increased which led to the modern version of the Chinese takeaway. Many of these establishments began offering a fusion of Chinese and British flavours to appeal to their new customers which is where we are at today."
Soogia has since made a follow-up video, explaining that in the US, Americans may use the term “a Chinese” or “a Mexican” in a derogatory sense to strip that person of their humanity.
Despite originating on TikTok, it seems this debate is significantly more complex than either party care to admit.
Read the full story via Mashed.
Met Gala 2023: Karl Lagerfeld’s problematic history & red carpet recap
This week's infinite scroll podcast is our annual Met Gala recap with a side of Karl Lagerfeld deep dive. We first recap all the rumours leading up to the Met Gala before sharing our opinions on the best looks from this year's carpet. Then we dive into the backlash around this year’s theme, including a look into the late designer’s most controversial moments of his career.
Listen to the full episode on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube.