Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Has Mastered the Politics of Digital Intimacy
The congresswoman-elect connects with young voters, promoting progressive positions while chopping peppers and making noodles.
Your Disabled Child Is Not a Prop
Sarah Palin used pictures of her son Trig to demean liberals. She's not the only special needs parent to exploit images of her kids.
Social Media Platforms and the Black Market Sale of Cheetahs
A new analysis finds that, between February of 2012 and July of 2018, a total of 1,367 cheetahs were offered on sale through 906 posts on social media.
What You Need to Know About the 2018 Wildfire Season So Far
A selection of recent Pacific Standard stories on wildfires and their consequences.
Is Minimalism for Black People?
Black communities have long practiced core tenets of the lifestyle—yet are not well-represented among its most recognizable influencers.
The Group Bringing LED Light to Activism
The Overpass Light Brigade first made social justice messages go viral in 2011—today, it continues to help activists realize their collective power.
How Three Photographers Use Instagram to Share and Inform Their Work
Photos that demonstrate how the social media platform also functions as an artistic space.
Snapshots From Our Instagram
Follow @PacificStand and get an early look at our upcoming stories from behind the scenes.
Does Twitter Encourage Shallow Thinking?
New research finds frequent texters are less likely to engage in reflective thought.
How Do You Make a Living, Mid-Career Artist?
Noah Davis talks to Hank Willis Thomas about the value of an MFA, the problems and advantages of living in New York as an artist, and what banking and art have in common.
Selfies Reveal Gender Stereotypes
When it comes to images that portray young women in clichéd poses, advertisements have nothing on selfies.
Do Average- and Plus-Sized Models Actually Help Reduce Body Anxiety?
Maybe for some people—but there's a limit to how much commercial images can do.
Digital Culture: Celebrating All Shapes and Sizes With the Yogis of Instagram
The #curvyyoga movement has attracted tens of thousands of followers who know the activity can be good for everyone.
Subsisting on the Faves
Posting teen angst poetry and being part of an active commenting community helped Christine Friar digest the garden-variety pain of growing up, and—unbeknownst to her at the time—curbed the loneliness of being raised by one sick parent and one caretaker parent.
Is Social Media Making Us All the Same?
Though more information is available now than ever before, the herd continues to beckon.
A History of Americans Gawking at Black and Brown Bodies
Many viewers of “Marvelous Sugar Baby” made it clear they were oblivious to the history of enslavement and abuse—in Walker’s art and this country—when they turned the installation into just another cheap form of entertainment. But that’s nothing new.
Why Are So Many Silicon Valley Companies Valued in the Billions?
WhatsApp, Oculus, Instagram, Tumblr: These are just some of the technology companies recently valued at $1 billion or more. Whether we’re in a start-up bubble or not nobody can agree on, but one thing is certain: We have no idea what the future looks like, and an investment today could result in huge profits tomorrow.
What Are You Worth as a Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, or Instagram User?
With the rise of the invisible economy, the value of social media companies is judged less on their products than on their ability to attract users like you.
Five Studies: Your Privacy Settings Make No Sense
Recent and ongoing research on our privacy paradoxes.
