Technology

Is the FaceTime Haircut Here to Stay?

Out-of-work hairstylists, acupuncturists, and even plumbers are seeing clients online. The transition hasn’t always been easy.

Pandemic Advertising Got Weird Fast

Welcome to disastertising.

Prom at Home Is Sad, but Sweet

The pandemic has canceled proms nationwide, but teens are still re-creating the joy of them on TikTok.

The New White Lies of Lockdown

Spotty Wi-Fi, an upcoming meal, another Zoom happy hour—people are coming up with new excuses for ending social interactions.

The World Where The Bachelor Will Never Stop Airing

Reality TV won’t be filming for the foreseeable future—except in The Sims.

How Facebook Works for Trump

Donald Trump won the presidency by using the social network’s advertising machinery in exactly the way the company wanted. He’s poised to do it again.

The Supermarket After the Pandemic

The coronavirus will change grocery stores, and probably not for the better.

A New Statistic Reveals Why America’s COVID-19 Numbers Are Flat

Few figures tell you anything useful about how the coronavirus has spread through the U.S. Here’s one that does.

No, the Internet Is Not Good Again

After a few weeks of faith in the possibility of online utopia, the cracks are starting to show.

The Quiet Revolution of Animal Crossing

In the midst of a pandemic, it’s delightful to imagine doing whatever you like without worrying about making a living.

White Supremacy’s Gateway to the American Mind

Amazon’s self-publishing arm gives extremists and neo-Nazis banned from other platforms unprecedented access to a mass audience.

America Is Thirsty for Anthony Fauci

What is it about a crisis that can turn even a 79-year-old immunologist into a heartthrob?

Don’t Believe the COVID-19 Models

That’s not what they’re for.

Here’s How to Fight Coronavirus Misinformation

Send this to the person in your life who needs to read it.

There’s No Zoom Party Like a College Zoom Party

Gen Z’s impulse to congregate online and post constantly—which older adults often mock—is serving them well in self-quarantine.

It Wasn’t Just Trump Who Got It Wrong

America’s coronavirus response failed because we didn’t understand the complexity of the problem.

The Art of Comedy in Quarantine

As China enters its eighth week in quarantine, citizens turn to TikTok for a comedic reprieve.

When the Checkpoints Come

How will Americans react when restrictions on their movements are no longer voluntary?

You Have a Moral Responsibility to Post Your Boring Life on Instagram

I’m lonely. Please let me look at your face.

How to Understand Your State’s Coronavirus Numbers

As the outbreak spreads, state websites are still some of the best sources of information on how many people have been tested.