VKontakte (VK)

It’s been months we have been quarantining. The lockdown taught me to bake banana bread, brew the perfect Dalgona coffee, gorge on healthy food to boost immunity, get back to my workout routine, amongst many other things. But, it still hasn’t helped me get over the anxiety I feel every time I attend zoom meetings. I am constantly thinking about how wonky my teeth are or how oily my skin looks or if my double chin is visible or if my acne is getting worse. And, this has resulted in me spending a lot on cosmetics as well as on dermatologist appointments,” says Neha (name changed), who works in a multi-national company in Mumbai.A recent study in the journal Facial Plastic Surgery and Aesthetic Medicine says the lockdown has seen a significant increase in the number of plastic surgeries in the US. Are virtual meetings taking a toll on our faces and minds too? Or are these meetings leading to body dysmorphic disorder? Is it the same in Indian? We try to find out with the help of experts.Change in self-imageIndividuals who earlier used to find it difficult to visit a dermatologist or spend on skincare products are now not reluctant to spend money. “I don’t know if it is just the virtual meetings, but since now people get a lot of time at home, they are critically analysing their features,” says Dr Nirupama Parwanda, a Dermatologist associated with myUpchar and Zolie Skin Clinic.Dr Apratim Goel, Cosmetic Dermatologist, Cutis Skin Studio, believes individuals are more conscious about their features when they are attending virtual meetings. She says, “There is a different set of problems that have come up post lockdown. People are spending more on the treatment on areas more visible such as face, neck, etc. For instance, a lot…

Just when brands had thought they had figured out millennials, we now have a whole new generation of consumers to deal with: Generation Z, which typically refers to the generation that was born between 1996-2010 and succeeds the millennials. This generation has been raised on technology, the internet and social media and will soon represent the largest group of consumers – estimated at 40 per cent of global consumers – this year. And yet, many companies are woefully behind in preparing marketing strategies to engage with this very powerful and idiosyncratic demographic. Marketing to a younger demographic is not as easy as it sounds, especially as one needs to throw out the traditional tried-and-tested marketing techniques that have worked so far. A whole new generation requires a whole new way of thinking. However, not all is lost – the fact that they are perpetually online and their purchasing and browsing patterns can be tracked and analysed, helps greatly in demystifying how to best market to Generation Z customers. Here are a few of the best techniques to engage with this predominantly online audience: 1. ‘Stop ’em in their tracks’ video content Having been born at a time when social media and the use of technology is the norm, Gen Z are used to consuming short-form content delivered via video snippets. Instagram stories, TikTok, Snapchat and YouTube are the medium of choice, with attention grabbing visuals, musical backgrounds, visual effects and filters being the standard modus operandi. Anything bland or visually mediocre will be passed over, in favour of a trending video or viral challenge. 2. Never sell a product – sell the benefit Having grown up with the internet, Gen Z is very familiar with online marketing and selling tactics. They are very aware customers who can spot inauthenticity and…

Five people alleged to be part of a Boulder County drug dealing ring that operated and communicated via Snapchat have been arrested as part of what officials are calling Operation Razzle Dazzle. Michael Galvan, 30, is charged with 20 counts of distribution of a controlled substance, three counts of distribution of marijuana concentrate and money laundering, according to court records. Brittany Kole, 22, is charged with two counts of distribution of a controlled substance, conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, two counts of possession with intent to distribute, four counts of distribution of marijuana concentrate, possession of a controlled substance and possession of a firearm during a drug felony. Izaiah Sampson, 24, is charged with two counts of distribution of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, possession of a controlled substance, distribution of a controlled substance near a school, violation of a protection order and violation of bond. Garrett Rexroad, 25, is charged with five counts of distribution of a controlled substance, two counts of possession with intent to distribute and three counts of possession of a controlled substance. John Dilkes, 25, is charged with two counts of possession with intent to distribute and four counts of possession of a controlled substance. All five have posted bond, with Galvan set for a preliminary hearing in November, Kole and Sampson set for hearings in December, and Dilkes and Rexroad scheduled for arraignments in January. According to an arrest affidavit, a Boulder County Drug Task Force undercover detective on numerous occasions bought cocaine, marijuana, methamphetamine, ecstasy and Xanax from the drug ring, which Galvan told the detective was run primarily through Snapchat. The detective was first introduced to Kole and Galvan through an informant at a buy in July 2019, and conducted numerous buys over the course…

He also groomed a series of girls via Snapchat, claiming he was 15, which he later told police he did to make the girls feel more comfortable talking to ...

Social media site Twitter has added a way to make posts that disappear after a few hours, which has outraged the site’s users.Twitter named the “new” feature Fleets and it’s already being roasted for it.The company said it’s to “share fleeting thoughts” but it also shares its name with a popular “bowel irrigation” product.After a trial in Brazil, the feature has been expanded to Twitter’s global users.Many of them hate it and think Twitter should focus on fixing the features it already has.RELATED: Zuckerberg slammed by own staffRELATED: Insta’s ‘awful’ redesign slammedDisappearing content is not a new idea and has already been introduced on a number of other platforms including Facebook. Instagram stories were also panned when they were first introduced but have since grown to become many people’s main point of focus and interaction on the app.Whether that happens on Twitter remains to be seen, but so far user’s are having fun roasting the “new” feature.RELATED: Trump move could be ‘huge’Some defended the app’s decision but hoped it didn’t lead to the site becoming like every other social media platform.Many people’s debut fleets have been pictures of themselves, which has led to some unfortunate ego checks for some on a social media platform where people don’t even know what some of the most popular posters look like.Others have already grown tired of the whole conversation.

ADVERTISEMENT BBNaija star and CEO of Lambo Homes, Mercy Eke has threatened to quit using Snapchat should the owners fail to verify her on the video and photo-sharing app.ADVERTISEMENT READ ALSO: SEE The Coded Romantic Message Ozo Sent To Nengi Under A Post On Instagram (Photo)According to Mercy Eke who seems to be fame drunk, she has over 1 million followers which fetches her over 500K views on a post. To her, she qualifies for verification on the app but the Snapchat team is feeling reluctant to do so.READ ALSO: Check Out Vybz Kartel’s Reply To Shatta Wale After He Flaunted His Gold And Diamond JewelriesIn light of this, she has threatened to stop using the platform and probably delete her account if they don’t check their statistics and verify her immediately.READ ALSO: Nengi And Star Girl Erica Work Together For The First Time As They Feature In A New DStv Commercial (Video)She wrote;“@Snapchat, with over 500K views and over 1m followers on here, you need to verify my account. Do your statistics or I will stop posting”See image below:ADVERTISEMENT Comments

Boy had marijuana in his system, records showKiarra Clarisse (Brevard County Sheriff's Office)BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. – A mother made her 2-year-old son smoke THC from a vape pen on more than one occasion because she believed the marijuana would help him eat and sleep more, according to the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office.Deputies said an ex-girlfriend of 22-year-old Kiarra Clarisse told one of the boy’s family members that Clarisse only wanted to “party, drink and work in the club” and wasn’t properly taking care of her son during her supervised visits.The woman said Clarisse would let her housemates watch the boy even though they were known to drink excessively, records show.The first time the child had been given marijuana, Clarisse sent a Snapchat message to her then-girlfriend claiming the boy had accidentally gotten ahold of her vape pen and smoked the THC oil that was inside, according to the affidavit. In a separate Snapchat video, Clarisse smokes the vape pen while lying next to the toddler, the report said.Deputies said from there, Clarisse would put the vape pen in the boy’s mouth so he would smoke it in order to help his sleep schedule and appetite.Because she was afraid the drugs would be detected, Clarisse canceled the boy’s doctor appointments in June and July, which meant that he was not given the required vaccines, records show.Authorities said when the relative was visiting with the boy after he had been with Clarisse, he noticed the child seemed lethargic, and then Clarisse’s ex-girlfriend notified him about what was going on, according to authorities.The man called his attorney and called the Department of Children and Families and then took the boy to…

Navigating the world of social media can be tricky, especially if you're sharing opinions that aren't exactly popular. If you've ever been on the receiving end of schools of outrage fish on Twitter hitting the report button on you just because you said Beyoncé's latest album wasn't all that, then you know how account suspension based on "abuse" is a flawed system. The same applies to Snapchat and a lot of banned users want to know why it is that their accounts are permanently locked.Article continues below advertisementWhy is my Snapchat permanently locked?There are a number of reasons why this could happen, the first being straight up abuse and spam. If you're using the platform to hit up people incessantly in attempts at selling some types of goods and services and links, then you're going to be blocked. You can also get blocked for utilizing "bots" to take over your Snapchat account. Again, if you're doing that in order to try and sell items to people, that falls under spam / phishing.But if you're using bots to just send your nudes to randos, then that'll fall under "abusive behavior." If you're also adding way too many friends without verifying your email address or telephone number, that could also lead to a ban, because the larger your friend group is, the more Snapchat wants to make sure that you're a legit human being and all. Makes sense, no?Article continues below advertisement@Snapchat my account got permanently locked like a bunch of others. I have never spammed or downloaded third party apps, I don’t care for the friends on there I just want my high school memories & Disney memories back.— carla (@Carluh_Riveruh) November 17, 2020 The reasons for being "permanently locked" aren't all bad, though. If Snapchat detects an IP address or…

Flora and fauna explode from the sidewalks of Fifth Avenue Verizon/Snap Inc. By David Cohen 7 hours ago Verizon agreed to become Snap Inc.’s official 5G innovation partner last November, and the latest initiative to come out of this union is a landmarker lens with several firsts.The landmarker, for the New York Public Library Main Branch, will mark the first ever 5G landmarker lens, the first full song to be used in a Snapchat lens and the first 3D Bitmoji music performance.Starting Nov. 20, Verizon 5G Ultra Wideband customers with 5G smartphones can stand by the New York Public Library on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan and use the 5G landmarker lens to watch a 3D Bitmoji of Eric Burton of Black Pumas dance to the band’s entire hit song, “Colors,” as flora and fauna explode from the sidewalks of Fifth Avenue. Verizon/Snap Inc. Verizon/Snap Inc. Snap said the 5G lens is 10 times the usual file size, which is why 5G is needed to view it, and it features more than four minutes of content made up of highly complex augmented reality graphics, animations, textures and a motion-capture rendering of Burton for the 3D Bitmoji.The Bitmoji was developed by using Verizon’s RYOT Studio’s motion-capture technology to track Burton’s movements via digital sensors,The 5G lens is available exclusively to Verizon 5G customers with 5G devices, but a scaled-down 4G version will roll out that same day for all Snapchatters, and they do not have to physically be at the New York Public Library to use the lens.In the roughly one year since Verizon became Snap’s official 5G innovation partner, collaborative efforts between the two companies have included: A lens for Super Bowl LIV that highlighted the benefits of Verizon 5G technology for firefighters (the lens itself was not 5G). Both companies…

Saving a chat's history is useful for finding valuable information later on or just reliving a favorite conversation from the past. Sometimes, however, it's good to delete chat threads, and it's even better to have them auto-delete right after you see new messages. While some apps have had disappearing messages for some time (e.g. Snapchat), Facebook Messenger now has it too with "Vanish Mode."Like all optional features, Vanish Mode is not enabled by default, but it also isn't obvious to enable. It's likely once Facebook completes the feature's full rollout on both Messenger and Instagram direct messages that Vanish Mode will be more prominent, but for now, it's a hidden trick.Don't Miss: How to Unsend Messages in Messenger Chats While it's relatively a secret, enabling Vanish Mode is quite simple. First, open a Messenger chat, then pull up on the thread. On iOS, you'll need to swipe up far enough to fill the circle outline that appears, then let go to enter Vanish Mode. On Android, you simply need to hold until the circle outline fills up, then let go.Once activated, a pop-up will describe the feature, including its three core pillars:Seen messages disappear once you leave the thread. If you don't want to lose your messages, just swipe up again or tap "Exit Vanish Mode" at the top of the chat to disable Vanish Mode. If someone screenshots the chat, you'll receive a notification. If someone reports the conversation, otherwise ephemeral messages will remain for up to one hour. Vanish Mode isn't supported in all threads, and you'll know if nothing happens after swiping up on the thread you're currently in. In some cases, you may get an alert that says, "Vanish Mode is not available for ." It won't work in group chats, voice calls, video calls, or…