Taiwan, TikTok technology: Biden and Xi speak without hiding their differences (II)

The democrat also called for respect for the "right and freedom of navigation in the South China Sea", after recent incidents involving the Philippines in particular.

“The Taiwan question is the first impassable red line in Sino-American relations,” said the official Xinhua news agency, reporting Xi Jinping's remarks. “We will not allow separatist activities or external collusion supporting Taiwan independence forces to go unchecked,” she added.

The United States does not support the independence of Taiwan, whose sovereignty Beijing claims, but it provides it with military support, and opposes any change in the status quo by force.

Joe Biden also expressed his “concern” about the economic and industrial support that Beijing offers to Moscow, according to the White House.

“Don’t sit back”

“As time has gone on, we have really seen China move to help Russia rebuild its defense industrial base,” said a senior US official.

Another contentious subject, and not the least: the measures taken by Joe Biden to limit exports to China of certain advanced technologies, which Washington fears could be used for military purposes.

Xi Jinping, who sees this as a desire to undermine Chinese technological development, made it clear to his counterpart that Beijing would not “stand idly by” in the face of these restrictions.

The warning did not have much effect on the American president, who according to the White House intends to "continue to make the necessary decisions to prevent cutting-edge American technologies from being used in ways that compromise the national security" of the United States. United.

Regarding TikTok, Joe Biden reiterated his “concern” about the Chinese parent company of the popular social network, threatened by a bill in the United States.

The 81-year-old Democrat, however, assured that the objective was not to ban the platform, but to see it change ownership, explained John Kirby, spokesperson for the National Security Council, during a briefing. press.

The Dangerous TokTok: Trends that still continue to seduce (II)

Spray Anti-Perspirant On Your Face
Tip of the day: it is better to avoid reproducing them.

Having oily skin is not easy to live with. No matter how hard you try, this skin type continues to shine and it can be somewhat... Annoying. If there is one period dreaded by all those with oily skin, it is, without a shadow of a doubt, summer. With the heat we tend to sweat on our faces and shine like a real disco ball.

To combat this phenomenon, beauty addicts have found a solution: apply an antiperspirant to your face. A rather unusual idea, isn't it? Many people seem to have adopted this method, which is bad for the skin. An antiperspirant to be applied to the armpits is not suitable for facial skin. By doing this you risk blocking your pores and preventing your epidermis from regulating its temperature by sweating, which, remember, is a completely natural phenomenon.

Booktok, the big TikTok trend that pushes teenagers to read
Tip of the day: it is better to avoid reproducing them.

What is Booktok on TikTok?

The code name for this trend? BookTok, and the principle is very simple: it's a kind of digital reading club where TikTokers share their opinions on their latest favorite reads or their favorite authors. This trend, born from the craze of book devourers, is gaining more and more followers.

Why is this problematic?

Even beyond the fact that certain scenes are not designed to be read by teenagers, it is sometimes necessary to have a certain perspective on sexuality so as not to be offended by certain passages. Some books play on rape culture, on imposed violence, on Stockholm syndrome... In the genre, we find the series "A touch of Darkness" which is a revisited version of the myth of Hades and Persephone. If the first pages allow us to review the notable characters of Greek mythology, the rest of the book is only a series of particularly explicit sensual scenes which are obviously not suitable for all audiences.

While it is obviously wonderful to see teenagers devouring books by the dozen, there is obviously another side to the coin. Some slightly spicy books (on Wattpad we call them Lemon, on TikTok we call them Dark Romance), are not recommended for all ages or all profiles. If reading is a wonderful way to escape, it is obvious that a parent would never put a book by the Marquis de Sade in the hands of their teenager in the midst of an existential crisis. However, some books recommended on BookTok include scenes just as daring as The Hundred and Twenty Days of Sodom and parents don't even suspect it.

The Dangerous TokTok: Trends that still continue to seduce (I)

Here are 4 trends unearthed on TikTok that continue to seduce even though they are bad for you 

Tiktok is by far the place of inspiration for all beauty addicts. Every week, new trends emerge on the social network so coveted by the most trendy girls. To name just a few: the 'glazed skin' - launched by Hailey Bieber -, the 'broccoli freckles' trend or even the 'botticelli brunette' - a gourmet coloring. If the latter are unanimous among beauty fans, 'tips' are also popular on TikTok. It's impossible that you haven't come across 'unicorn heatless curls' - a tip for creating curls without heat - or the '2.4.2' method - which allows you to obtain a perfect complexion.

Many trends go viral as quickly as they are paraded, however, not all of them are to be reproduced. Some even turn out to be dangerous for our health. Focus on 3 beauty trends that it is best to avoid replicating.

Drinking Water With Clorophyll: A Worrying Trend To Say Least
Tip of the day: it is better to avoid reproducing them.

Beauty addicts whose holy grail is to obtain beautiful skin, whatever the method, have fallen under the spell of a strange trend. Many personalities are aficionados of chlorophyll water. Some even, who position themselves on the social network as being professionals, would have contributed to the craze surrounding this drink. His promise? Free our skin from imperfections, especially acne.

The hashtag #chlorophyllwater has over 270 million views on TikTok. If beauty sphere seems to have set its sights on this drink, scientists explain that there is no proof that this method is effective. What are the risks ? A disruption of the digestive system and the occurrence of stomach aches. You might as well avoid taking such a risk, especially when you can apply a cream enriched with niacinamide, salicylic acid or even azelaic acid - whose effectiveness on acne is proven -, right?

Do You Know The Trend That Promisses Facets?
Tip of the day: it is better to avoid reproducing them.

Perhaps you've already noticed it, but in recent months, one trend in particular seems to have beauty fans hooked: it's the 'dimple makers'. We will all agree that dimples are a very charming element of beauty. Not everyone is lucky enough to have it naturally and many girls would like to have it. To remedy this, there is only one solution: use a device in the form of pliers to be inserted inside the mouth in order to mark the skin to reveal dimples.

The hashtag #dimplemakers has more than 100 million views on TikTok. Guess what ? This (non-medical) device represents a health hazard. First, it has never been studied by scientists, so it has never been the result of studies. No data exists to show the effectiveness of this product. Also, applying this device to pinch your cheek can lead to a real risk of skin necrosis and scarring.

Using this tool daily, which compresses the skin, could even lead, in the long term, to recurring pain by damaging the tissues and mucous membrane. As you will have understood, its use clearly does not seem like a very good idea.

(to be continued)

Winter 2024 Fashion Trends (III)

 BOOTS AND ANKLE BOOTS, ONE OF THIS WINTER’S MAIN TRENDS

When temperatures drop, ankle boots are the main choice for facing the cold in style. For this season, military style boots and ankle boots with thick soles will be very present. There is therefore no doubt that these models will be the stars of the season.

Another trend this fall/winter 2023 is high boots, whether high or flat heel, but with a unique touch, from lace or buckle details to two-tone prints. Besides keeping your feet warm, tall boots add a dramatic and stylish element to any look, whether with skirts, dresses or pants.

Since they provide excellent protection against rain and cold, boots are definitely a great choice!

Learn About 2024 TikTok Trends (I)

TikTok, the social network at the heart of trends, has just revealed in its annual report the trends that will emerge in 2024 and that you absolutely must follow!

TikTok is today considered the first social network to ride trends, but not only that: very often it is the one that creates them! Whether for music, entertainment in general, cinema, art and many others.

So when we wonder what content will appeal in 2024, we can trust TikTok to identify them!

In its report entitled “What’s Next 2024 Trend Report”, the social network highlights the trends that will be popular on the platform during the year 2024. 

Here are the 3 main trends to remember:

CURIOSITY

First, according to the app's researchers, users come to the app to search for a good answer and satisfy their curiosity. According to them: “Every curiosity and every interest reaches its peak on TikTok”. Users are 1.8 times more likely to admit that TikTok introduces them to topics they are unfamiliar with but enjoy. Curiosity is what brings the platform to life. The algorithm presents new content to users every day because it knows them so well that it knows they will like it. And very often, the algorithm is not wrong

(to be continued)

January 2024 TikTok Trends (II)

 The truth is, TikTok trends come and go really quickly, so they’ll often be outdated by the time they hit the Trends page in the app, so it’s a good idea to always keep an eye out for emerging trends.

(Added January 10, 2024) “Can’t Bring Me Down I’m on a High Right Now” Trend | Example: Posting a funny video using the CapCut template and audio from the example, with a text overlay describing a situation where you would be dismissing haters because you’re on a high/feeling on top of the world.

(Added January 12, 2024) “Come Here, Look at Me, Hey” Trend | Example: Posting a video to this sound using the CapCut example from the template, with a funny text overlay describing a situation where someone would tell you to stop/cut it out.

(Added January 14, 2024) Slow Mo Ariana Grande Meme Trend | Example: Posting a video using the CapCut template from the example, with a funny text overlay describing a scenario when someone would smugly strut into a situation. Usually accompanied with this sound.

(Added January 15, 2024) Confused Ryan Gosling Trend | Example: Posting a video using Ryan Gosling’s reaction to winning best original song for “I’m Just Ken” in a relatable meme relavant to your niche.

(Added January 18, 2024) Perspective Trend | Example: Posting a two photo carousel to this song that shows the power of perspective, with two slides showing the same photo and text, but using different colours/punctuation/emojis to show what a big difference a change in perspective can make.

(to be continued)

"Mob wife aesthetic”: the new beauty trend of 2024?

Bye bye the aesthetic of the “Clean Girl”. 

Today, it’s a much more glamorous trend that is starting to get people talking: that of the mob wife or the mafia boss’s wife. His inspiration? You probably know her well since she comes straight from the gangster films of the 90s and 2000s on the small and big screen. Long nails, XXL blow-drying, flashy earrings and a (fake) fur coat... 

The Mob wife's appearance is maximalist and plays with concepts of bad taste to take advantage of them. 

And if this concept has come to punctuate the fashion and beauty landscape like a hair in the soup, 
it seems to be popular since, on TikTok alone, the hashtag #mobwife has already collected more than 
10 million views. But when it comes to beauty, how can you opt for this trend without making a 
mistake? We'll explain it to you.

The beauty of the mob wife

If you like light beauty treatments that go unnoticed, go your way. With the Mob Wife trend, you 
will rather move to the “more is more” side of the force. If the complexion remains glowy and 
light, you will need to add a sunny side to it to be able to take part in this new trend. 

How ? 

By applying a little bronzer to the cheekbones, temples and jawline to add warmth to your complexion.

The Nose Cover Trend Gen Z'ers Are Doing In Photo

  It’s the new fashion accessory that’s all the rage with Internet users. In wool, hand knitted, 
patterned or simply plain, the nose cap, also called "nose cover" or "nose scarf", has gone viral 
on social networks. With the freezing temperatures that have hit France in recent days, many TikTok 
users have recently appeared with this little accessory, which they believe has become essential to 
avoid catching a cold.

Originally from South Korea, the nose cap began to be exported around the world since influencer 
Jeff Kimie told his 400,000 subscribers about it. The video, published on TikTok, now has nearly 
6.5 million views, and has won over many Internet users, who are clearly not afraid of ridicule...

Useful against diseases in winter?

Beyond its more than questionable aesthetic side, this accessory which we call "ko do ri" in South 
Korea, and which attaches behind the ears, can be really useful to protect your nose, which is more 
sensitive to viruses when it's very cold. The French cardiologist and nutritionist Frédéric 
Saldmann explained in 2019, in his book Vital! (Albin Michel editions), the benefit of mufflers to 
prevent illnesses in winter, such as nasopharyngitis, angina or bronchitis, citing a study carried 
out by American researchers.

For those who would now like to go out fully covered, and who have not yet mastered crocheting, it 
is now possible to obtain it online on the Etsy or Alibaba marketplaces