Covid-19
How NFT philanthropy could deepen inequality
Cashing in — Increasingly, the super wealthy are capitalising on the NFT boom to support charitable causes. But this could end up fuelling many of the existing issues with philanthropy, as well as presenting charities with a host of new problems.
Written by: Chloé Meley
Prisoners on the devastating reality of life in lockdown
Breaking point — Inmates describe the conditions inside the UK’s prisons amid the pandemic, shedding light on the Criminal Justice System’s deepening crisis.
Written by: Ben Smoke
Inside the anti-vax campaign targeting schools
Classroom battle — New research from Logically shedding light on efforts to promote vaccine hesitancy among schoolchildren and parents has exposed the disturbing lengths certain groups are willing to go to.
Written by: Ben Smoke
Inside the moral maze of friend-rental services
‘It’s exploitative‘ — Amid a loneliness epidemic, platforms offering to connect people for paid friendship have been on the rise during lockdown – but some worry the service is being used for the wrong reasons.
Written by: Poppy Koronka
How Dublin‘s public space problem hurts young people
Fenced in — The Irish Government’s attacks on outdoor space are disproportionately harming the city’s youth, who face exorbitant rent prices and already have very few places to go.
Written by: Kelly Doherty
How to escape the tyranny of work under capitalism
Lost in Work — In her new book, writer and researcher Amelia Horgan explores the many problems facing today’s underpaid, exhausted and disillusioned workforce and why fixing them will mean radically changing the very foundations of society.
Written by: Daisy Schofield
The Uber drivers facing abuse from riders over mask rules
In the firing line — Drivers have been on the receiving end of physical and verbal abuse from riders who refuse to wear a mask. They say that Uber has failed to protect them, reflecting a wider pattern of the app’s abysmal treatment of its workers.
Written by: Tallulah Belassie-Page
The Indian street barbers persevering amid Covid-19
Knights of the knives — Photographer Yuvan Kumar recounts documenting India’s curbside barbers last March, who were left fighting to survive in the face of a looming second lockdown and an impending calamity.
Written by: Yuvan Kumar
Why more young people are ditching their smartphones
Return of the brick — As Covid-19 causes people to become increasingly glued to their devices, growing numbers of Gen Zers are shunning their phones and embracing a way of life that they say is improving their mental health. But how easy is it really to kick the habit?
Written by: Serena Smith
The hospitality workers losing out on tips amid Covid
Short changed — With venues becoming increasingly cashless and Covid rules making it difficult to build rapport with customers, restaurant and bar staff have had their tips slashed during the pandemic, reports Polly Smythe.
Written by: Polly Smythe