Death in Peru's TikTok Hotspot
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Rainbow Mountain offers tourists a picture-perfect view that has flooded social media feeds. But behind this viral beauty spot is the story of a community at war, cries for help ignored and a killing. (Source: Bloomberg)
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2 hours ago
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A movement for college kids to ditch their smartphones is coming to an Iowa college
When Seán Killingsworth was a 15-year-old sophomore in high school, the pressures of social media weighed on him. Worrying about his self-image and upholding conversations through texting wasn't adding to his inner peace. He thought deleting his social media would be a good fix, but decided that switching from a smartphone to a flip phone would be a more effective method. He's been smartphone-free since then — minus a few relapses along the way. "Well, it's tucked away in my closet, so it exists. But it's not being used," Killingsworth said. Now 22, Killingsworth said he no longer feels those social pressures. He aims to spread that care-free feeling through the Reconnect Movement — a network of clubs for meeting people without phones — which will soon arrive at Simpson College in Indianola. "People are able to have fun and not worry about what they look like, not worry about having a picture taken or having to curate themselves or their image," Killingsworth said. "They're just in the moment, and it's an experience that our generation has very rarely had." More: These college kids are swearing off smartphones. It's sparking a movement The evolution of the Reconnect Movement Hailing from Orlando, Florida, Killingsworth started hosting phone-free events during his senior year of high school in what he called "a solution that didn't require anyone to change their habits with their phones." Amid the creation, he made the intentional decision to revert back to a smartphone and use it as a promotion tool, understanding that his target audience are the people using their phones but may be fed up with them. Pleased with the results, Killingsworth brought the idea with him to college at the University of Central Florida, where he officially named it the Reconnect Movement. According to the website, events can include listening to music, hiking, painting, ridiculous debates (mountain vs beach? caveman vs. astronaut?), yoga, "side quest day," "vibe day," a thrift swap, or just hanging and talking. Board games may come out, or Frisbees, or hula hoops. And people just talk. Though Killingsworth eventually expanded locally to the University of Florida and Rollins College, the student-led movement began to catch national attention. Several colleges are reaching out to schedule Reconnect in their area. Killingsworth confirmed Simpson College in Indianola as the next college destination this fall. Jack Simons, who counsels first-generation college students at Simpson, reached out to get the movement started there. "My goal is to blow up Reconnect at Simpson so that all schools around us start doing it," Simons, who has led conversations on campus about healthy screen time and phone use at schools. The Reconnect Movement was featured on several national platforms including USA TODAY, Business Insider, and TIME Magazine. Florida cities Tampa and Orlando, along with New York City, will be the first cities to receive a Reconnect chapter. "Simpson is one of many though. I mean, since a couple of different articles have come out, we've had a little bit more buzz," Killingsworth said. "So we've got a wait list that's growing, and we're looking to create a lot of new chapters." The bigger picture The Netflix documentary "Social Dilemma" shined a light on the negative psychological effects of social media. In Killingsworth's eyes, it took his previous view of social media and enhanced it. Since getting off his smartphone, he quickly realized how addictive social media was made to be. It's created what he calls a "social wasteland" — when everyone in a public setting is scrolling on their phones in silence instead of socializing with each other in the room. And Killingsworth having no access to social media only amplifies those feelings. "It's this sense that has been created in this literal environment that has been created where there's no way to have a social life without technology," he said. "And so that, I think, is largely what's driving everyone to be constantly on their phones. Because what are you supposed to do, not have a phone and just not have friends?" Simons feels the same way. He was a teacher at Lincoln High School in Des Moines for 12 years before he transitioned to Simpson College in 2023. The negative effects of social media at both schools were evident. He saw Reconnect as a golden opportunity to highlight those issues and gathered a 17-person team he calls the Reconnect Task Force to help set the event up. "A lot of people weren't ready to have that conversation, but I was," Simons said. "What if we start talking about the damage we're doing to ourselves? If we get more parents involved in these conversations, we can do a lot more." As a father of two daughters, Simons is concerned about his children, and he knows he's not the only parent that feels that way. So along with Reconnect, he plans to start parent book clubs at Moore Elementary School and Hillis Elementary School to talk about these issues starting this fall. "We can fix it. Me and Sean believe it can be fixed," he said. Reconnect has gone from a way to build genuine connections locally to a serviceable event on the rise. When Killingsworth started having the phone-free events, he never aimed to reach these heights. "It's not about creating something that is so special to me. It's about pulling back, or pushing back, the toxic dynamics that currently exist in all of our spaces," Killingsworth said. "Pushing those aside for a few hours and creating an organic experience that's more natural, that's more enjoyable, that's easier to have. "I saw the potential for how many people were interested in it. From the start, I decided I was going all-in. So the goal is to create this, and I'm not going to stop until I see what I want created in the world." Those interested in learning more about Simpson College's Reconnect Movement or the parent book clubs can contact Chris Meglio is a reporter for the Register. Reach him at cmeglio@ or on X @chris_meglio. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Colege kids are ditching smartphones. The movement is coming to Iowa. Solve the daily Crossword
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2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Here Are The 17 Funniest July Tweets On The Internet
While we can't endorse what X has become, we can bring you the worthwhile moments that still exist there, curated and free of the surrounding chaos. As we are reaching the end of July, let's look back at the funniest tweets people have posted this month so far: Related: 1. 2. 3. 4. Related: 5. 6. 7. 8. Why they got the robot dressed like Adam Sandler — Your Hair Shorter Than Mines (@_StillTheShawn) July 12, 2025 Twitter: @_StillTheShawn Related: 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. Related: 14. 15. 16. 17. That's all for this month! Let us know which tweet was your favorite, and we'll see you in August! Also in Internet Finds: Also in Internet Finds: Also in Internet Finds:
Yahoo
3 hours ago
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Astronomer Launches Investigation Into CEO Andy Byron And HR Chief Following Awkward 'Kiss Cam' Moment
Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and his alleged mistress, Kristin Cabot, have found themselves in a world of trouble since being spotted at a Coldplay concert, and it doesn't seem to be ending any time soon. According to a message shared on the company's social media pages, they've officially launched an investigation into the matter and stated that they will share an update with the public soon. CEO Andy Byron Is Under Investigation By His Company After Awkward 'Kiss Cam' Moment With HR Chief Went Viral The Blast covered the news yesterday. Essentially, Byron, the CEO of an open-source technology company, and Cabot, the company's HR chief, were caught on the "kiss cam" at a recent Coldplay concert. However, instead of embracing the moment and displaying their love for one another when the camera landed on them, Byron, who is married, ducked down behind a fixture. At the same time, Cabot covered her face and turned her body away from the camera. Coldplay's lead singer, Chris Martin, could sense the trouble in the air, joking, "Oh, what ... either they're having an affair or they're very shy." The awkward moment of Byron and Cabot has since gone viral on social media, prompting their company, Astronomer, to launch an official investigation into their alleged relationship. Astronomer Shares Official Statement About Investigation After Coldplay Concert Moment Sparks Intense Reactions 'Astronomer is committed to the values and culture that have guided us since our founding. Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability,' the company said across its social media platforms on Friday, July 18. 'The Board of Directors has initiated a formal investigation into this matter and we will have additional details to share very shortly.' The company also addressed different claims that state another Astronomer employee, Ayssa Stoddard, was present during the Coldplay concert, adding, "... no other employees were in the video." They also declared that Byron has "not put out any statement" despite reports confirming he has. Byron And Cabot Share Questionable Statements In An Official Press Release According to Men's Journal, Byron, whose previous employment history includes high-level leadership positions at companies such as Fuze and BMC Software, has been with Astronomer since 2023. Cabot was appointed to her position as Chief People Officer in November 2024. At the time, Byron boasted about her "exceptional leadership and deep expertise in talent management [and] employee management." Byron continued, calling Cabot a "proven leader at multiple growth-stage companies" and highlighting her "passion for fostering diverse, collaborative workplaces." Cabot also commented on her new position in November, saying, 'I prefer to think of my role as people strategy versus traditional human resources, as the real magic happens when you align the people strategy with the business strategy." She continued, 'There are plenty of companies out there where a leadership team doesn't recognize the value that a strong people leader and people team can bring to a company. It's not just about benefits or catered lunches. There's so much more to it, and I was energized in my conversations with Andy and the Astronomer leadership team about the opportunities that exist here.' Social Media Users React To Byron And Cabot's Coldplay Fiasco Following the clip of Byron and Cabot at the Coldplay concert going viral, users have been quick to share their reactions to the drama. "Dear Andy Byron — You are not a victim," one user wrote. "You were in public. No one pointed a camera into your living room." Someone else wrote, "If you didn't want to get exposed, don't cheat." A third user said that had the couple acted "normally," the clip wouldn't have gone viral. Netizens Continue To Share Reactions To Byron And Cabot's Alleged Affair Being Exposed Over on Instagram, the reactions continued, with one writing, "I hope everyone who cheats gets this type of coverage." Another wrote, "I really feel sorry for this man's wife and children." "Caught cheating at a concert you coulda brought your girl to," a third person commented. "Now that's COLD... play." Other users joked that Byron was "at work today looking for a new planet to move to," while another said, "They planned to keep it hidden, but then God had different plans." "Ruined their marriages, ruined their careers, ruined their image," another noted. Solve the daily Crossword
