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New York University's independent student newspaper, established in 1973.

Washington Square News

New York University's independent student newspaper, established in 1973.

Washington Square News

New York University's independent student newspaper, established in 1973.

Washington Square News

Technology

(Charlie Dodge for WSN)

Opinion: Every NYU class needs a Zoom or recording option

Adding virtual attendance to regular classes would help alleviate the pressure and stress caused by mandatory attendance policies.
Shanay Tolat, Deputy Opinion Editor April 7, 2025

Most students have experienced rushing to class despite being physically and mentally drained, simply because attendance is mandatory and lectures are not recorded or available...

(Kiara Mujica for WSN)

Off Topic: The alt-right is lying about free speech

Despite its supposed commitment to freedom of speech, the Trump Administration’s actions reveal its commitment to stifling political opposition and controlling narratives.
Noah Zaldivar, Opinion Editor February 26, 2025

One of the biggest talking points of the alt-right has been the so-called destruction of free speech, which they often blame on the rise of politically correct speech, or wokeness,...

Off Topic: DeepSeek’s arrival is a wakeup call for AI regulation

Off Topic: DeepSeek’s arrival is a wakeup call for AI regulation

With a new, more cost-effective chatbot permeating the market and openly sharing the secrets to its success, we must question whether DeepSeek’s effects will be disturbing or democratic.
Shanay Tolat, Deputy Opinion Editor February 19, 2025

Just last week, DeepSeek, the latest competitor to ChatGPT, burst onto the scene, immediately causing an uproar among U.S. tech companies and the recently inaugurated Trump administration....

(Illustration generated with DALL-E, edited by Samson Tu)

Opinion: ChatGPT’s environmental destruction outweighs its benefits

While much of the discourse surrounding artificial intelligence concerns plagiarism, the significant environmental costs often go overlooked.
Serin Lee, Contributing Writer February 4, 2025

Artificial intelligence platforms have taken the world by storm. AI — referring to any technology that can process information and superficially mimic human thinking —...

Opinion: Trump's TikTok ‘solution’ is all about control

Opinion: Trump’s TikTok ‘solution’ is all about control

President Trump’s justification for and reaction to the ban on TikTok show his intent for strict control of discourse on social media.
Leila Olukoga, Deputy Opinion Editor January 27, 2025

On the evening of Jan. 18, over 170 million TikTok users in the United States, including myself, found themselves unable to open the app. Before the app went dark, I — like many...

An illustration of a tweet from user @A1exandraCohen with text “if i EVER get Twitter blue, just know it’s a cry for help.” against a blue background. The tweet has two likes.

Opinion: Students can save Twitter

Users await the fall of Twitter under Elon Musk. But students could be the solution.
Alexandra Cohen, Opinion Editor November 16, 2022

Billionaire Elon Musk bought Twitter for $44 billion — something that would be hilarious as a “Saturday Night Live” sketch, but is not funny in real life. Since his purchase...

An illustration of Google Classroom’s logo with a crown on top against a light blue background. The logo has three people in white against a green board framed in yellow.

Opinion: Brightspace is poorly designed

Brightspace is supposed to be an efficient way to keep track of your classes, but Google Classroom just does it all better.
Anuj Jain, Contributing Writer November 8, 2022

Last year, NYU announced it was going to transition from NYU Classes to Brightspace, a platform developed by software company Desire2Learn. The FAS Office of Educational Technology...

An illustration of the TikTok icon and a 10-minute timer.

Opinion: A 10-minute video is a damn TEDTok — and an ideal venue for misinformation

TikTok’s choice to extend the maximum video length to 10 minutes will exacerbate the already rampant spread of misinformation on the video-sharing app.
Alexandra Cohen, Deputy Opinion Editor March 2, 2022

I love quickness and efficiency; therefore, I love TikTok. I can watch 15-second videos for hours on end. The digestible clips fill periods of procrastination, times of sadness,...

“The Joe Rogan Experience” is a podcast that debuted in December 2009, hosted by Joe Rogan, comedian and UFC color commentator. (Staff Illustration by Camila Ceballos)

Opinion: Is Joe Rogan really worth it, Spotify?

Following Joe Rogan’s controversial episode about the COVID-19 vaccination, Spotify should remove his podcast from its platform.
Valentina Plevisani, Contributing Writer February 17, 2022

Let's imagine you are the cofounder and CEO of one of the largest music and podcast streaming platforms in the world. You sign a more than $100 million deal with a podcaster. By...

The new Merck COVID-19 treatment pill is currently awaiting FDA approval. Though the pill is effective at treating early-stage COVID patients, vaccines are still our best chance at ending the pandemic. (Staff Illustration by Manasa Gudavalli)

Opinion: The COVID-19 vaccines remain the best weapons against the pandemic

A new antiviral medication developed by Merck is awaiting FDA approval. The potential approval and widespread use of this new medication could help save thousands of lives, but the vaccine remains the best deterrent to the pandemic. 
Srishti Bungle, Deputy Opinion Editor October 19, 2021

On October 11th, the pharmaceutical company Merck requested that U.S. regulators approve their pill for use in treating COVID-19. Merck’s antiviral pill, named molnupiravir,...

Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen lifted the veil on the company’s harmful practices. The social media powerhouse must adopt new practices to regulate harmful content immediately. (Photo by Jorene He)

Opinion: Social media companies should hire more moderators

In light of Frances Haugen’s congressional testimony, Facebook and similar companies should hire more content moderators to filter out harmful content.
Caroline Thoms, Staff Writer October 18, 2021

Earlier this month, Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen spoke to Congress about the harms of Facebook, including the spread of misinformation and the damage to young adults'...

Google Must Offer Financial Support to Media Outlets

Google Must Offer Financial Support to Media Outlets

In light of COVID-19, Google must compensate publishers for online content that shows up in search results.
Helen Wajda, Deputy Opinion Editor April 30, 2020

Before COVID-19 wreaked havoc on the global economy, news media outlets — especially local publications — were struggling to survive. As approximately 26.5 million Americans...