| THE BIG STORY
The American internet sucks. The alternative is China.
There’s a major ideological fragmentation in the digital world, a significant disagreement over what the internet is for.
The American model broadly goes like this: Move fast and break things. Let people post what they want and may the consequences be damned. Profits over patriotism. For years, these have been the values of the American-led social internet and its masters in Silicon Valley.
But an alternative to that model is on the rise. It’s an internet governance model perfected in China, that stresses central state control, order, and authority. At its core is the idea that governments should control the internet that their citizens use and the data they generate.
The Chinese one lends itself directly to mass repression, while the American one leads to mass amplification, with sometimes horrible consequences. But despite that difference, or perhaps because of it, it's the former that's on the rise.
👉Which model will the world adopt — ruthless government control, or chaotic, corporate-approved freedom? Joe Bernstein’s deep dive into internet governance and what it means for us is fascinating.
STAYING ON TOP OF THIS Remembering the victims of the California school shooting: “There’s a hole in everyone’s heart”
Last week, two students — a 15-year-old girl and a 14-year-old boy — were killed and three others were injured after a 16-year-old student opened fire at Saugus High School in Southern California.
Gracie Anne Muehlberger, 15, is being remembered as a fun-loving loyal friend, and someone who cared deeply about mental health.
Friends remembered 14-year-old Dominic Blackwell as a happy teen who radiated positivity and one who would reach out to others in need of a friend.
DONALD TRUMP'S IMPEACHMENT The impeachment inquiry continues this week with three days of public hearings
For more than six hours on Friday, members of Congress tried to get Marie Yovanovitch, the former ambassador to Ukraine, to cry. She testified that her removal at the hands of a president influenced by corrupt Ukrainians and Americans, would set a dangerous precedent: “How could our system fail like this? This is about far more than me or a couple of individuals.”
Read Miriam Elder’s piece on Yovanovitch’s testimony and the sexist narratives put on her.
👉Then get ready for this week’s hearings with today’s episode of Impeachment Today. Listen and subscribe right here.
SNAPSHOTS Prince Andrew said his inability to sweat is evidence he didn’t have sex with one of Jeffrey Epstein’s victims. The prince described the behavior of Epstein, who sexually abused dozens of girls and young women, as “unbecoming.” One of the victims, Virginia Giuffre, has repeatedly said that she had sex with Andrew when she was 17 as part of years of abuse while under Epstein's control.
The Tories think their ground game is strong, but they are losing the air war. The British election is coming up soon. Boris Johnson's team remain relaxed and think they are on course for a small majority on December 12. But privately, some are starting to get jittery.
A married man leading a “double life” killed his girlfriend and pretended to be her on Facebook. John Chapman allegedly confessed to killing Jaime Feden after taking her to Las Vegas under the guise of a vacation. Chapman’s wife, Maureen, found out about her husband's “double life” and Feden's alleged killing in a call from police Friday morning
A woman took out a restraining order against her husband. He killed her, their three sons, and himself the next day. Police were dispatched to the San Diego home after getting a 911 call where no one spoke, but an argument could be heard in the background. A fourth child, who was also shot, underwent emergency surgery and is in critical condition.
THE WEIGHT OF WORDS “Revenge porn” is neither porn nor revenge
We’re fortunate here at BuzzFeed News to have a brilliant copydesk, who do an incredible amount of thinking about words.
This week, they’ve shared a window into their discussion about the term “revenge porn,” and how it should be used in news stories.
The central issue is this: the word revenge, many argue, puts blame on the victim — implying that they had done something wrong to provoke the perpetrator to leak these materials. Meanwhile, pornography implies consent, when the very issue at hand is the lack thereof.
GEN Z IS AT IT AGAIN Gen Z is calling Gen X the “Karen generation”
Gone are the days where Gen X is a bystander of the generational wars.
Fresh from presumably turning all boomers to dust with “OK, Boomer,” Gen Z, the Lone Ranger of the generation wars, is calling Gen Xers the “Karen generation,” as in Karen, the middle-aged white mom who is always asking for the manager and wondering why kids are so obsessed with their identities.
The fundamental allegation here is that Gen X doesn't understand the causes Gen Z cares about. As one Gen Z put it, “they’re usually racist, homophobic, and transphobic, don’t believe in vaccines or climate change, and are mostly also the parents of Gen Z children.”
As of this writing, millennials are shaking in their boots waiting for what Gen Z will say about them.
Wishing you resilience and patience today, Elamin P.S. If you like this newsletter, help keep our reporting free for all. Support BuzzFeed News by becoming a member here. (Monthly memberships are available worldwide). 📝 This letter was edited and brought to you by Elamin Abdelmahmoud and BuzzFeed News. You can always reach us here.
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