Category: News

There’s a new generation of young scam artists, and they seem to be as savvy as they are dumb. There’s Sam Bankman-Fried, the schlubby crypto king who was just arrested after allegedly defrauding scores of customers. Now there’s the cadre of social media types who engaged in pump and dump schemes, while bragging about it in places where people could hear them.

As per Vice, the Securities and Exchange Commission has charged eight young influencers after they pumped stocks on places like Discord and Twitter as well as podcasts. They had handles like “@MrZackMorris, who would tweet things like this:

According to the SEC complaint, the octet would identify a security they wanted to manipulate, then purchase it at a lower rate. Pretending to be skilled stock traders, they would then promote the stock to their followers, which included some 1.5 million put together on Twitter alone, so as to generate demand, often using false or misleading claims. The stock would thereby inflate in price. Then they would dump it.

To cover up their malfeasance, they would simply delete old tweets and Discord chats. Alas, they left one heck of a paper trail. For one thing, they had a habit of talking to each other about their wrongdoing on Discord voice chats they thought were private. They weren’t. In one such chat, one of them, who called himself the “Deity of Dips,” bragged about “robbing f*cking idiots of their money…”

The gang tried to cover themselves by claiming they were never formally giving their many followers advice. But the SEC isn’t buying that one, citing their propensity for sharing images of their lavish lifestyle, suggesting that their tips could lead to similar riches.

One of them, Perry Matlock, the “CEO” of Atlas Trading, would tweet things like “LET’S ALL GET RICH!” After dumping the stock, he would publicly lament everyone else’s bad break. Here’s how one of his pump and dumps went, according to the SEC complaint:

“Matlock, for example, having promoted FDS Pharma, Inc. (NASDAQ: HUGE) to followers, reported on Atlas on February 3, 2021: ‘HUGE I took the loss on it too. We will find a better one.’ Matlock in fact made approximately $27,734 dumping his HUGE shares the day he made that post.”

In other words, in today’s digital world, whether it be crypto of NFTs or even something as old fashioned as stocks, don’t fall for modern day version of Jordan Belfort, the swindler of The Wolf of Wall Street. Though at least Belfort knew better than to not brag about his wrongdoing on social media.

(Via Vice)

Back in November, Rico Nasty first teased a track on her TikTok of her flowing over a beat that distinctly featured a sample of Missy Elliott’s “Get Ur Freak On” as its backbone. Her bars are punctuated by the hilarious call out, “If my ass so small, why your n**** always lookin’?” And now the wild new single “Freak” is here, along with an equally out-there video that Rico said almost got shut down multiple times during the shoot.

The track opens with the noticeable Missy Elliott stem from Timbaland, before Rico — who released her latest album, Las Ruinas in July — unleashes a totally possessed verbal assault. “Get yo freak on, freak ’em then I leave ’em / He said he love me, don’t know if I believe him / That feeling been gone, my heart cold like some freon / Married to the money, that b**ch been my fian…cée!”

On an Instagram post that hyped up the brand new video Directed by Spudsmckenzie, Rico Nasty quoted the aforementioned lyric and said, “The way this sh*t almost got shut down like 5 times [cry laughing emoji] SHOUT OUT TO ALL MY DMV BAD BITCHES THAT PULLED UPPPPPP IN THE COLD !!!! I love YALL.”

Watch the new video for “Freak” above.

Rico Nasty is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

2023 is right around the corner, but plenty of binging can be done before that happens. If you’re downshifting for the holidays and are looking for content to supplement your relaxation time, then Netflix has you covered. Nostalgia will run thick throughout the month with a reboot of the That ’70s Show franchise (some special guest stars will appear in the That ’90s Show), and Pamela Anderson’s counterpoint to Pam & Tommy will also surface, so that you can relive the 1990s in two ways. Christian Bale will also star in a genre picture, and there will be teeth-gnashing Vikings. Oh, and Bernie Madoff’s tour of terror will also receive the documentary treatment.

New additions to the library will be action heavy and include the Rocky movies (although Rambo will leave the service at the end of the month) and Top Gun. You can also strut alongside the Reservoir Dogs before the crime caper goes to bloody hell. Here’s everything coming to (and leaving) Netflix in January.

That ’90s Show (Netflix series streaming 1/19)

Jackie and Kelso got married, meaning that real-life spouses Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher will be on hand as guests in this series that takes place (as the title suggests) in 1995. The show revolves around Kitty and Red somehow looking much like they did back in the ’70s, and the actual story involves Leia, whose parents happen to be Eric and Donna. Leia is looking for adventure and thinks that the Forman place is the place to be for achieving that goal, especially since a rebel named Gwen lives next door. That basement is a real party once more, even if we can’t figure out how Jackie and Kelso worked out after all these years.

The Pale Blue Eye (Netflix film streaming 1/6)

Every A-lister seems to be leading Netflix movies these days, here’s Christian Bale doing it, too. He portrays world-weary private investigator who enlists a poetic young cadet, Edgar Allen Poe (Harry Melling), to solve a horrific murder of a fellow military man. The poor soul happens to be missing a heart, if you’re wondering where the literal literary connection lies, and the talent-studded cast includes Gillian Anderson, Lucy Boynton, Charlotte Gainsbourg, and Robert Duvall.

Pamela, a love story (Netflix documentary streaming 1/31)

Although Hulu’s largely absurd Pam & Tommy treated Pamela Anderson’s perspective with as much respect as possible, Pam herself wasn’t on board with the showcasing of how her home video was broadcast to the world. Anderson determined to share her perspective to the world, and this documentary takes a different kind of intimate look behind the blonde-bombshell nature of the Baywatch star. The project charts the movement from small-town origins to her rise as an international sex symbol, but this story also shines light on her activism and motherly perspective.

Vikings: Valhalla: Season 2 (Netflix series streaming 1/12)

After the O.G. series dominated for six full seasons, this spinoff gave the franchise new life in the streaming realm. This part of the story still takes place around a century ahead of its predecessor with a different generation of history-famous Vikings, including Leif Ericsson, Freydis Eriksdotter, and Nordic prince Harald Sigurdsson. They’ve all embarked upon different parts of the world to pursue power and new worlds while igniting rivalries and simply attempting to survive with honor.

MADOFF: The Monster of Wall Street (Netflix documentary streaming 1/4)

This four-part financial thriller takes a look back at a system that not only allowed but arguably encouraged a monster to flourish. This revisiting of the fallen king of the Ponzi scheme just might manage to take some twists that you haven’t heard about already.

Avail. TBA
Coming Soon
JUNG_E
Physical: 100

Avail. 1/1
Kaleidoscope
Lady Voyeur
The Way of the Househusband: Season 2
The Aviator
Barbershop 2: Back in Business
Blue Streak
Brokeback Mountain
The ‘Burbs
Closer
The Conjuring
Daddy Day Care
Fletch
Forrest Gump
G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra
Grease
I Know What You Did Last Summer
Jerry Maguire
King Kong
Leap Year
Life
Minority Report
National Security
New Amsterdam: Season 1
The Nutty Professor
The Nutty Professor II: The Klumps
Old Enough!: Season 2
Parenthood
Reservoir Dogs
Resident Evil: Afterlife
Road to Perdition
Rocky
Rocky II
Rocky III
Rocky IV
Rocky V
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
Survivor: Season 18
The Taking of Pelham 123
This Is 40
Top Gun
Transformers: Dark of the Moon
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Twins

Avail. 1/4
How I Became a Gangster
The Kings of the World
The Lying Life of Adults
MADOFF: The Monster of Wall Street

Avail. 1/5
Copenhagen Cowboy
Ginny & Georgia: Season 2
Woman of the Dead

Avail. 1/6
Love Island USA: Season 2
Mumbai Mafia: Police vs The Underworld
The Pale Blue Eye
Pressure Cooker
The Ultimatum: France Season 1 Part 2
The Walking Dead: Season 11

Avail. 1/9
VINLAND SAGA: Season 2

Avail. 1/10
Andrew Santino: Cheeseburger
The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker

Avail. 1/11
Noise
Sexify: Season 2

Avail. 1/12
Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight: Season 2
The Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House
Vikings: Valhalla: Season 2

Avail. 1/13
Break Point
Dog Gone
Sky Rojo: Season 3
Suzan & Freek
Trial by Fire

Avail. 1/17
The Devil to Pay

Avail. 1/19
Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre
Khallat+
The Pez Outlaw
That ’90s Show
Women at War

Avail. 1/20
Bake Squad: Season 2
Bling Empire: New York
Fauda: Season 4
Mission Majnu
The Real World: Season 28
Represent
Şahmaran
Shanty Town

Avail. 1/23
Minions: The Rise of Gru
Narvik

Avail. 1/24
Little Angel: Volume 2

Avail. 1/25
Against th3e Ropes
Begin Again

Avail. 1/26
Daniel Spellbound: Season 2
Record of Ragnarok: Season 2 Episodes 1-10

Avail. 1/27
Kings of Jo’Burg: Season 2
Lockwood & Co.
The Snow Girl
You People

Avail. 1/30
Princess Power

Avail. 1/31
Cunk On Earth
Pamela, a love story

And it’s your last chance to stream these titles:

Leaving 1/6
Bulletproof 2

Leaving 1/8
L.A.’s Finest: Seasons 1-2

Leaving 1/12
CHIPS

Leaving 1/15
Steve Jobs

Leaving 1/17
Yummy Mummies: Season 1

Leaving 1/26
Z Nation: Seasons 1-5

Leaving 1/29
She’s Funny That Way

Leaving 1/31
Addams Family Values
Battle: Los Angeles
Love Jacked
Newness
Rambo
Rambo: Last Blood
The Borgias: Seasons 1-3

Disclaimer: While all of the products recommended here were chosen independently by our editorial staff, Uproxx may receive payment to direct readers to certain retail vendors who are offering these products for purchase.

Welcome to SNX DLX, your weekly roundup of the best sneakers to hit the internet. Right now you’re probably freaking out about picking up some last-minute gifts before the holidays are here and we don’t blame you. The holidays are a stressful time for everyone, which is why we’re making your shopping experience as easy as possible by rounding up this week’s strongest sneaker releases.

Whether you’re buying for a friend or family member or merely shopping yourself, this week brings a little bit of something for everyone with vintage Jordan colorways and legendary designs making returns, future classics like the latest Sacai drop, and even a new sneaker collaboration from Billie Eilish and Nike.

Once you finish browsing our picks of the week, be sure to hit up our sneakerhead and streetwear gift guides for even more great gift ideas. It’s never been an easier time to be a streetwear-obsessed hypebeast.

Air Jordan 9 Fire Red

The Jordan 9 is getting a Fire Red drop! Featuring a leather upper, embroidered accents, and that iconic mudguard, the Jordan 9 serves as the perfect bridge between the early Jordans and the more luxurious takes on the silhouette that would emerge post-Jordan 10.

Its transitionary status is solidified with this OG colorway that first appeared on the Jordan 3.

The Air Jordan 9 Fire Red is out now for a retail price of $200. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app.

Nike Zoom Cortez x Sacai Iron Grey

Chitose Abe is bringing the waffle Sacai look to the Cortez. Featuring a nylon and suede upper equipped with Zoom Air cushioning, the Sacai Cortez features double collars, double Swooshes, and double tongues over a wedge shape midsole with dual branding at the heel.

The Cortez is a near-perfect shoe, only Abe could mix it up enough to make it new without ruining its essence. That’s why she’s a GOAT in the vein of Abloh.

The Nike Zoom Cortez x Sacai Iron Grey is out now for a retail price of $180. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app.

Nike Air Force 1 Billie Mushroom/Sequoia

Billie Eilish’s sneakers just don’t seem to be nearly as popular as you’d assume them to be and that’s a shame because look at these things! The Air Force 1 Billie is dope and sports a Nike Grind outsole and foam scrap sicklier with an upper composed of repurposed AF1 High scraps. It’s stylish, sustainable, and drops in two dope colorways, what more could sneakerheads want?

The Nike Air Force 1 Billie Mushroom/Sequoia is out now for a retail price of $140. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app.

Nike Women’s Air Force 1 Flax

A perfect sneaker for fall released a month too late, this Women’s exclusive Air Force 1 Flax is oozing autumnal vibes. Featuring a weathered pigskin suede veg-tanned leather upper, this sneaker combines Flax and Vachetta Tan colorways for an ultra-clean slightly luxurious look on an all-time classic.

The Nike Women’s Air Force 1 Flax is out now for a retail price of $140. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app.

Aimé Leon Dore x New Balance Rainer

Aimé Leon More, the label partly responsible for New Balance’s massive rise in popularity, is tackling yet another iconic but forgotten silhouette from the NB archives. Designed in partnership with mountain climber Lou Whittaker, this hiking boot is getting a luxurious makeover courtesy of Aimé Leon Dore with a full GORE-TEX liner, Vibram rubber outsoles, OG branding, and a nubuck and nylon upper.

The Rainer has never looked this good, and Aimé Leon Dore managed to revamp the sneaker without sacrificing any of its functionality. The sneaker arrives in three colorways.

The Aimé Leon More x New Balance Rainer is up for raffle for a retail price of $200. Enter the raffle here.

Stüssy x NIKE AIR Max Penny 2

This year the Air Max Penny 2 made a comeback and before the year’s end, a final big-name collaboration of the sneaker is dropping. Made in partnership with Stüssy, this Air Max Penny 2 drops in two colorways, all-black and vivid green, and features a Zoom Air midsole and a textile upper with subtle Stüssy logo branding at the midfoot.

The Stüssy x Nike Air Max Penny 2 is set to drop on December 16th at 10 AM PST for a retail price of $200. Pick up a pair exclusively at Stüssy.

Bodega x New Balance 9060 Citadel with Kangaroo

Bodega and New Balance are teaming up for a truly beautiful take on the 9060. Featuring a mesh upper with perforated leather paneling and a hairy suede tongue, this take on the 9060 outfits it with so many different fabrics and feels that it’s practically another silhouette entirely.

According to New Balance, the sneaker was designed by the spirit of the renaissance era and referenced in its balance of neutral whites, grey, tans and heavenly blue. I don’t see it, but that hasn’t stopped New Balance from shipping the sneaker in a special renaissance fine art box, so we’ll take it!

The Bodega x New Balance 9060 Citadel with Kanagree is set to drop on December 15th at 7:00 am PST for a retail price of $179.99. Pick up a pair via the New Balance webstore.

Nike SB Dunk Low Sandy

One of the rarest skate sneakers of all time (only two pairs made in its original run) is finally getting a full SNKRS release. Featuring a patent leather upper with translucent windows throughout, the Dunk Low Sandy is a recreation of a for-charity sneaker that was released to raise money for Portland-area skateparks. The winning bidder ended up being skate legend Sandy Bodecker, whose legacy is forever enshrined in this dope pair of kicks.

The Nike SB Dunk Low Sandy is set to drop on December 17th at 7:00 AM PST for a retail price of $130. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app.

Air Jordan 7 Cardinal

In celebration of the 30th anniversary of the legendary Air Jordan 7 Cardinal, the famous colorway is getting a re-stock. Featuring a crispy white leather upper with Cardinal Red and Chutney accents, the Cardinal is an all-time great colorway in the Air Jordan 7’s lineage. It’s the perfect Christmas gift for hardcore Jordan heads.

The Air Jordan 7 Cardinal is set to drop on December 17th at 7:00 AM PST for a retail price of $210. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app.

The trial against Tory Lanez for allegedly shooting Megan Thee Stallion in the feet in 2020 is finally underway, and with it, we’ve come to learn more details about that night and the circumstances leading up to the shooting. While some of what has happened since has confirmed a few disputed facts — namely, that Megan Thee Stallion was indeed shot in the back of her feet after initial reports said she was cut by some broken glass — the first three days of testimony have given further insight into the facts of the case.

What We Knew Ahead Of The Trial

This is what we knew ahead of the trial from reports and interviews that took place since. On July 13, 2020, it was reported that Tory Lanez was arrested for possession of a loaded, unregistered firearm in a vehicle after a party in the Hollywood Hills. It was then that Meg told police she’d cut her foot on glass.

According to Megan’s account, the pair had apparently been at a party hosted by Kylie Jenner but left when an argument broke out in the car after they left. When she demanded to be let out of the car, she heard Tory yell, “Dance, bitch!” and saw him fire several shots at her feet. Medical records and photos Megan posted to Instagram afterward confirmed that she had surgery to remove bullet fragments from her feet and she told Gayle King that she still had some left over.

Meanwhile, Tory was charged with assault with a semiautomatic firearm and pled not guilty. He was later issued a restraining order, which he violated with his surprise appearance at Rolling Loud Miami in 2021.

Tory Lanez Tested Positive For Gunshot Residue

Although some reports earlier this year obfuscated the point (whether intentionally or not), the prosecution’s opening statement did confirm that Tory Lanez tested positive for gunshot residue, as did Kelsey Harris, Megan’s friend who was in the car with them when the shooting occurred. While the residue can travel in an enclosed space like a vehicle’s passenger area, the logical inference is that the shots came from inside the car. A few days later, Megan first disclosed that she’d been shot, later stating that Tory was the perpetrator. It should be noted that Lanez’s defense rests on an alternative shooter theory, and will likely use the presence of residue on Harris to offer her up as a suspect.

Megan Thee Stallion And Tory Lanez Were In A Relationship

This doesn’t come as much of a surprise, but it turns out that the two rappers were romantically involved before the shooting, although it doesn’t seem that they were exclusively dating at the time. However, Megan hid the relationship from Harris, who she said had a “crush” on Lanez, and its revelation is what led to the argument that prompted the shooting. According to Megan’s testimony, after Lanez tried to pit the two friends against each other, she insulted his music career, which the prosecution has suggested led to Tory’s angrily shooting Megan after she exited the vehicle.

Kelsey Harris Denies Shooting Megan Thee Stallion

On the third day of testimonies, Harris was called to the stand to give her account of the events on June 13, 2020. Although she asserted her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination, she also staunchly denied being the one to shoot Megan Thee Stallion, calling the notion “ridiculous.”

This post will be updated as more facts become available.

“30 Rock did it” is the new “Simpsons did it.”

TLC has released the first trailer for MILF Manor, a new reality series about eight non-Jennifer Coolidge MILFs who look for love with men half their age. “The women include a competitive 47-year-old fitness studio owner from Mexico currently living in Miami, a spontaneous 50-year-old ‘disco mommy’ from Orange County, a 44-year-old Jersey girl who’s relocated to Los Angeles, a 59-year-old fitness instructor and singer from L.A., and a 50-year-old event planner who used to be a B-Girl,” according to People.

If the premise for MILF Manor sounds familiar, that’s because it’s a 30 Rock joke come to life. In the season two episode, “MILF Island,” the TGS with Tracy Jordan staff becomes obsessed with MILF Island, which Jack Donaghy memorably describes as being about “25 super hot moms, 50 eighth grade boys, no rules.” (One of the moms turned out to be a prostitute, but that doesn’t mean she’s not a “wonderful, caring MILF.”)

The 30 Rock episode was written by Tina Fey and Matt Hubbard, but even they had the restraint to not include a “shocking” twist like MILF Manor. The trailer only hits at what it is (“Things just got real,” one of the MILFs teases), but come on… the studs are their sons, right? We’ll find out on January 15, when MILF Manor premieres to record high ratings in the NASCAR dads demo on TLC. Until then, please enjoy the 30 Rock jokes.

Look forward to Bitch Hunter, coming next fall to Peacock.

(Via People)

After getting routinely criticized for the “low energy” announcement of his 2024 presidential run, Donald Trump apparently has a new announcement coming. Whether it involves his 2024 campaign — which is already polling behind Ron DeSantis who hasn’t even entered the race — remains to be seen, but the whole thing is giving off creepy, authoritarian vibes.

In a new Truth Social post on Wednesday, Trump wrote, “AMERICA NEEDS A SUPERHERO. I will be making a MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT tomorrow. Thank you!” However, he included the message with an image of him ripping off his suit and tie to reveal a superhero costume while firing laser beams out of his eyes. The whole thing gave off major unhinged vibes from his days on Twitter.

After catching a glimpse of the weird, Homelander-esque image and all-caps message, people on Twitter immediately went to town dunking on Trump as “MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT” started to trend. You can see some of the reactions below:

Again, it’s unknown if this announcement will have anything to do with Trump’s 2024 campaign. However, Republicans have roundly criticized his first campaign event as “low energy,” and ill-advised given its proximity to the midterm elections that failed to produce a red wave. Although, some of that criticism came from Trump’s highly controversial dinner with Kanye West and noted white supremacist Nick Fuentes. A dinner that was reportedly a massive troll to make the former president look bad.

However, based on the manic superhero meme and a return to all-caps posting, it does appear that Trump is dipping back into his less restrained public persona and really getting wild with his public statements. So who knows what he’s going to announce on Thursday, and may God have mercy on us all.

(Via Rick Wilson on Twitter)

The lottery is always a long shot but the odds of winning can be increased by teaming up with your workmates, friends or family members.

A lottery pool is where everyone pitches in a certain amount of money and if any one person wins, the prize is split between everyone in the group. If the gamble pays off, it’s a sweet deal because even if yours is not the winning ticket, you still win if someone in the group wins.

Most of the time, no one in the pool wins and everybody begrudgingly shows up for work the next day knowing their lives remain the same. But recently, in one itty bitty town in Belgium with a population of less than 4,000, a pool of 165 people hit the jackpot.

Of course, the chances of winning the lottery are slim. In America, the chance of winning the the Powerball jackpot is 1 in 292 million and the chance of winning the Mega Millions jackpot is even slimmer at 1 in 302 million. In Europe, the odds seem a little better but it’s still a very, very, very long shot at about 1 in 139.8 million for the EuroMillions, so the fact that this group of people won is newsworthy.

Local shopkeeper Wim Van Broekhoven regularly organized lottery pools for the town where each person would pitch in 15 euros, which is around $16. This time, the lottery gamble paid off because a good bit of the town played and they collectively won the 142.9 million euro ($151.8 million) EuroMillions prize. That’s a lot of unexpected money that I’m sure the residents aren’t upset about winning.

Each person who won in the town will receive close to around 900,000 euros (about $956,000) tax-free. The big payoff is coming just in time for the holidays, too. Van Broekhoven told Reuters that many customers who won have been in disbelief. “We have had quite a few new customers since the big win, but no one in the village holds any grudges against the winners,” he said.

It seems that most of the winners have already made plans for their money, according to Van Broekhoven. He also revealed, “The winners are from all walks of life, but regardless, everyone can use the money, especially ahead of the holidays and with the current energy crisis.”

It’s always nice to hear that when someone comes into that much money it’s a person who truly needs it. Though, unless you’re topping the millionaires list, couldn’t just about everyone use an extra $956,000? I have a feeling Sinterklaas is going to be very generous in that little Belgian town this Christmas.

There has been a lot of hand-wringing and teeth-gnashing over the past few weeks after billionaire Elon Musk took over Twitter.

Although, Musk presents himself as a free speech advocate, his critics fear he will turn the place into a fertile breeding ground for hate and misinformation.

“The reason I acquired Twitter is because it is important to the future of civilization to have a common digital town square, where a wide range of beliefs can be debated in a healthy manner, without resorting to violence,” Musk wrote.

The nationwide reaction to Musk’s takeover is due, in part, to the fact that Twitter is extremely popular with people in the media and “very-online” news junkies. This makes the platform a great place to get breaking news but also creates a skewed version of reality for both the media and those who overconsume it.

In his controversial 2021 Netflix special “The Closer,” Dave Chappelle made light of the public’s overestimation of the platform’s importance. “Apparently, they dragged me on Twitter,” he said. “I don’t give a f*ck because Twitter’s not a real place.”

A new poll by Pew Research Center does a great job of putting Twitter, and Musk’s involvement with the platform, into proper perspective. Around 1 in 5 Americans (23%) use Twitter, about the same number as those who use WhatsApp (23%) and Snapchat (25%).

Can you imagine the world freaking out over someone buying Snapchat?

The top 10% of active users on Twitter create 138 tweets a month, while the median user in the bottom 90% tweets an average of twice per month. To put it simply, Twitter amplifies the voices of a very, very small percentage of the American population.

This imbalance makes it very easy for Twitter users to develop a funhouse mirror version of reality and it also bleeds into the real world. As the preferred social media tool for journalists and media types, it plays a huge role in shaping public opinion. But given the small number of voices actually speaking on the platform, is it an accurate representation of reality?

Travis View, host of the QAnon Anonymous Podcast, a show about conspiracy theories in the “post-truth era,” reality-checked the forum on December 11 and it received nearly 5,000 likes.

u201cI find it helpful to remember two humbling facts. 1) Normal people donu2019t have a Twitter account. 2) 90% of Twitter users create just two tweets per month on average.u201d

— Travis View (@Travis View)
1670815713

If you have a Twitter account and tweet several times a week, please understand you a weird person. You are not representative of the general population. There’s something wrong with you that isn’t wrong with normal people.

— Travis View (@travis_view) December 12, 2022

When it comes to politics, Joe Biden’s White House has found success by proudly brushing off Twitter’s influence over his party. When Biden ran in the 2020 Democratic primary, his campaign’s mantra was “Twitter isn’t real life.” Washington Post columnist Jennifer Rubin notes that the media’s fixation on the party activists who dominate Twitter created a skewed version of the average Democratic voter.

“The hyper-partisan left-wing rhetoric on social media — a realm where many media personalities live — is not representative of the party,” Rubin wrote, and Biden won “despite the media’s fixation on the loud but less politically viable left wing.”

A former White House staffer told Semafor that Twitter is an “afterthought” in White House communications.

The idea that extreme views on Twitter aren’t representative of the general voting public was confirmed in a 2019 New York Times study, “The Democratic Electorate on Twitter Is Not the Actual Democratic Electorate.”

When you look at the data, it’s pretty obvious that Twitter isn’t “real life” or a “real place,” but social media never was supposed to be in the first place. If the internet has taught us anything over the past generation it’s that the trouble starts when we confuse the digital world with reality. That’s why it’s important we all find the right balance in our lives and take time to put the phone down and touch grass to see what’s really happening.

For the study, researchers recorded the comings and goings of free-roaming cats using 60 motion-activated wildlife cameras across 1500 different locations in Washington, D.C. Over the span of three years, the D.C. Cat Count Survey’s findings revealed an overwhelming amount of reasons to opt for the great indoors instead.

For one thing, free-roaming cats are exponentially more exposed to dangerous diseases.

“We discovered that the average domestic cat in D.C. has a 61% probability of being found in the same space as racoons – America’s most prolific rabies vector – 61% spatial overlap with red foxes, and 56% overlap with Virginia opossums, both of which can also spread rabies,” said Daniel Herrera, lead author of the study and Ph.D. student in the University of Maryland’s Department of Environmental Science and Technology (ENST).

Herrera’s conclusion was straightforward: “By letting our cats outside we are significantly jeopardizing their health.”

Free-roaming didn’t only put cats at risk of infection—they often wander to high-exposure areas of rabies or toxoplasmosis, both of which can be transmitted to their owners.

Diseases aside, free-roaming cats pose a threat to wildlife.

Herrera explained that while most people might assume cats help balance the food chain by hunting invasive species like rats, they frequently shared spaces and preyed on small native wildlife, including grey squirrels, chipmunks, cottontail rabbits, groundhogs and white-footed mice.

“Cats are keeping rats out of sight due to fear, but there really isn’t any evidence that they are controlling the non-native rodent population. The real concern is that they are decimating native populations that provide benefits to the D.C. ecosystem,” said Herrera. Though this study only took place in one city, it feels pretty safe to assume that its findings are fairly universal.

It’s only natural to want to give our pets the best life possible. And while the thought of letting Whiskers out on an adventure might seem like a way to honor his primal side, Herrera and his fellow researchers strongly encourage keeping him safely indoors.

Luckily, there are other ways to let a cat express their natural instincts. As cat expert and influencer Jackson Galaxy advocates, consider 10-15 minutes of play a necessity, the same way you’d consider walking a dog as something that comes along with the job. Playing is a great way to not only keep your feline friend happy and healthy, it’s an adorable bonding meowment.

Ultimately, the choice on whether or not to allow a cat to roam free is up to the owner. But with great companions comes great responsibility. And all pet parents should at least be aware of the risks that come along with their decisions.