🔍 Loyalty-testing your partner

Happy Thursday! It’s August 31 — people are talking about Meta’s decision to block news in Canada, partner loyalty tests, and more.

As always, we’ve summarized and organized the different shades of perspective, so you can see the big picture quickly.

📰 In the news: Meta vs. Canadian publishers

In response to a Canadian bill requiring Meta to pay news publishers when users post their content, Meta decided to block links to news outlets throughout Canada.

📰 The NYT explains Meta’s POV: The bill misrepresents the value that news outlets are worth to Facebook and other Meta products. News publishers get more benefit from Meta than vice-versa.

📰 Wired says the news block wreaks havoc in Canada, where citizens are unable to access info about raging wildfires in the region.

📰 But the NY Post covers Prime Minster Trudeau’s POV: The news block is "bad for democracy", as people need to be able to access information openly.

📰 This Reddit thread in r/Canada blames the Canadian government — they started this. If the bill hadn’t passed, then news wouldn’t be blocked.

📰 Reuters thinks Meta won't lift the ban. Their engagement has remained the same with the ban, and news links are only 3% of Facebook content anyway.

🔍 Cultural trend: Loyalty-testing your partner

There’s a new TikTok trend where people are covertly testing their partner’s romantic loyalty. Is this a violation of trust, or is it a way to gather useful intel?

🔍 Chastity Soules is a TikToker who charges for her services in running these loyalty tests. Here’s an example video — she DMs the person’s partner and starts flirting. If the person flirts back, then they have failed the test.

🔍 One Love Foundation thinks this trend is unhealthy and manipulative. It's a toxic way to address your own jealousy — and it violates your partner’s trust.

🔍 But the NYT says the numbers speak for themselves — about 50% of people fail the test! Nobody likes being cheated on, and you have to find out if your partner is legit before taking your relationship to the next level.

🔍 Distractify thinks there are definitely some moral questions, but it's hard to deny the results. Plus, the videos are so entertaining!

Quick hits

🏛️ Trump pleaded not guilty in the Georgia election interference case. (CNBC)

🏐 Nebraska set a world record women’s sports attendance. Over 92,000 people turned out to watch Nebraska's volleyball team play Omaha. (NBC News)

⚫ A building fire in the South African city of Johannesburg killed at least 73 people and injured at least 50 more. (Fox News)

🏛️ Mitch McConnell froze for about 30 seconds during an interview in Kentucky, similar to his incident during another interview last month. (CNN)

That’s it for today. Reply at [email protected] to let me know what you think of our newsletter, or to suggest a topic for next time.

Here at Shades we’re trying something new – quick summaries from different points of view. We think it’s a better way to stay informed and see the big picture. Please reach out if you’re curious to learn more!

- Jeff (co-founder of Shades)