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A Zac Efron ad campaign has the internet up in arms over his unexpected new look. An image of the actor recently went viral for its heavy-handed spray tan and bee-stung lips. In the photo, Efron poses in a full white suit for what appears to be a Prada ad. The caption reads: Zac Efron x Prada drop their disco-inspired Saturday Night Fever line. At first glance, it looked like the real thingat least to less discerning Facebook users. Many rushed to the comments to express their horror. What in the Botox is going on around here… one person joked. Another wrote: Seriously? Zac Efron? You are ruining my High School Musical memories. A third pleaded: Please say its a prank? Say it with me: Its AI. Despite claims of a Prada collaboration, the fashion house has made no such announcement. The image originated on a Facebook page called The Celeb Talk Girl, whose bio reads: Pop culture chaos, celebrity tea, parodies, and just the right amount of satire. All content is for entertainment and fair use purposes only. Please dont take it too seriously. (Fast Company has reached out for comment). Still, the image spread across social media without context, where plenty of people fell for it. The lack of general discernment is SO concerning to me. Why would any of you look at this photo and think it was real? one TikTok user wrote. Please use your brains. oh my god we are COOKED. @rsjdesign #zacefron #prada#greenscreen Prokofiev: Romeo and Juliet, Op. 64, Act I: No. 13, Dance of the Knights – Mariinsky Orchestra & Valery Gergiev AI-generated celebrity images going viral is nothing new, and this certainly wont be the last. A recent study asked participants to identify images as AI or real; they only got it right 61% of the timefar below expectations. Online, users have already been duped by everything from AI bunnies on trampolines to fake rock star tributes for conservative pundit Charlie Kirk. But really, dont do Troy Bolton dirty like that.
Category:
E-Commerce
Since the beginning of the second Trump administration, companies across industries have been capitulating to the presidents authoritarian demands. Businesses like Target and Google have walked back their DEI efforts after a flurry of executive orders targeted such initiatives. Law firms have cut deals with the president rather than challenge his policies. Even media outlets have bent to Trump. Are we already in a constitutional crisis? Speaking at the Fast Company Innovation Festival in New York on Wednesday, Ben Wizner, director of the ACLUs Center for Democracy, said, “We’re in a constitutional crisis if we allow it and we’re not in one if we resist it.” Corporations canand shouldplay a major role in resisting it, and preserving democracy and civil rights, multiple members of the American Civil Liberties Unions legal team said at the event. They highlighted three things they’d like to see corporations do in this moment. Lobby against discriminatory bills As someone who works in state legislatures and lobbies against anti-LGBTQ bills across the country, the reality is that the single most powerful way to stop discriminatory legislation across the country is to have corporations lobby against those bills, said Chase Strangio, codirector of the ACLU’s LGBT & HIV Project. Take HB2, also called the Bathroom Bill, a 2016 North Carolina law that required people to use the bathroom that matched the sex on their birth certificatea way to restrict and harm transgender people. Companies including Nike, Apple, and American Airlines joined the fight against it, and ultimately that bill was repealed. Fast-forward to 2025 and multiple states are pushing bills that target healthcare for trans youthand many companies are silent. However, sanding up against such attacks actually benefits companies, according to Strangio. It is good for business to attract employees into states because those laws will protect their families, and will protect their children, he says. People should push their companies to continue those efforts.” He added, “I think there’s very good reason to believe that individuals are not going to come and you’re not going to retain talent if you are not pushing back against that type of legislation at every level. Question the Trump administration’s claims Corporations should also openly question factually inaccurate claims from the Trump administration, relying on their own data to back up their stance. For instance, Trump has attacked diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, but 83% of C-Suite leaders say DEI is key to retention. They also have evidence that such policies spur innovation, sharper decision making, productivity, and so on, said Yasmin Cader, deputy legal director at the ACLU and the director of the Trone Center for Justice and Equality. Corporate America has such a unique platform and opportunity to not have to punch back in a counterattack, but just say, What are you talking about? This works. We’ve seen it work, she said. Don’t give Trump power he doesn’t actually have And ultimately, companies shouldnt give Trump power that he doesn’t actually have, Wizner said. Trump is acting like hes in a system that gives him unlimited power, he said. That’s not actually true. To use the pressure on law firms as an example, Trump doesn’t actually have the power to say that this law firm can’t enter federal buildings, or can’t get contracts because [he] disagrees with some of the positions that they took. Courts back that up, too. But law firms are preemptively signing agreements with Trump to say they wont do those things. You’ve just handed him the power to do that, Wizner said. Wizner urged corporations to think about how their actions nowwhat they did and also did not dowill look in five, 10, or 15 years. He also emphasized the power of solidarity. More than 100 nonprofits, for example, have banded together to push back against an anticipated crackdown on their sector from the Trump administration, essentially saying that an attack on any one of them is an attack on all. Thats a lesson for other industries. If you allow them to pick organizations or issues off one by one, Wizner said, it’s almost impossible to resist.
Category:
E-Commerce
Gen Z has seen its credit scores drop more than any other generation over the past year, largely because of student loan debt, according to a new report out this week. The total national average credit score dropped two points this year to 715, according to the report from credit scoring company FICO. But Gen Z’s average score dropped three points to 676, the largest year-over-year decrease among any age group since 2020. A credit score is a mathematical formula that helps lenders determine how likely you are to pay back a loan. Credit scores are based on your credit history and range from 300 to 850. The report found that 34% of Gen Z consumers have open student loans, compared to 17% of the total population, and the decline in credit scores is primarily due to the resumption of student loan delinquency reporting. The U.S. Department of Education paused federal student loan payments in March 2020, offering borrowers relief during the economic chaos of the coronavirus pandemic. Though payments were set to resume in 2023, the Biden administration provided a one-year grace period that ended in October 2024. This summer, the Trump administration restarted the collection process for outstanding student loans, with plans to seize wages and tax refunds if the loans continue to go unpaid. Roughly 5.3 million borrowers who are in default could have their wages garnished by the federal government. Between student loans, a tough job market, and high inflation, young consumers are struggling to make payments on time, according to the report. A low credit score makes it more complicated or more expensive to obtain car loans, mortgages, credit cards, auto insurance, and other financial services. Theyve had so many different ongoing causes of economic instability that have really been with them as theyve been growing up; those factors make it a lot harder for this generation to stay financially stable, said Courtney Alev, consumer advocate at Credit Karma. However, younger consumers also have the advantage of having the most potential for score improvement, Tommy Lee, senior director at FICO. If your credit score has dropped recently, here are some experts recommendations: Dont avoid knowing your score Its common to be afraid of checking your credit score, but its best not to avoid it, Alev said. Knowing your current score, whether it’s good or not great, can help you make a plan for the future. You need to know where you stand to be able to take action, Alev said. Experian, FICO and Credit Karma are among the companies that let you check your credit score for free. While your credit score is essential to keep your financial life healthy, its important to remember that its just a number and it doesnt define you as a person, added Alev. Pay on time When it comes to the score calculation, one of the most critical factors is paying on time, whether that’s the minimum payment or the full balance. The one most important factor in the FICO score calculation is whether you make your payments on time. And thats about 35% of the score calculation, Lee said. If youre juggling several credit card payments and other debts, Alev recommends that you set automatic payments. Keep your credit balance low Keeping your credit utilization low and avoiding acquiring new debt can help you increase your credit score. Credit utilization is the percentage of the credit you’re currently using from across all your available credit. While a low percentage is good for your credit score, it’s not recommended to have your credit utilization at 0%. Instead experts recommend you keep it between 10% and 30%. If youre struggling to pay off the debt you currently have, its best if you dont acquire more debt if you can avoid it. Credit scores change as your financial behavior does, so Lee recommends that if youre not happy with your current credit score, you look to implement new habits in your financial life. The FICO score is dynamic. It changes based on how you make your payments. So your score, if you want to maintain it or improve it, you can do so by exhibiting good credit behavior, Lee said. ___ The Associated Press receives support from Charles Schwab Foundation for educational and explanatory reporting to improve financial literacy. The independent foundation is separate from Charles Schwab and Co. Inc. The AP is solely responsible for its journalism. Adriana Morga, Associated Press
Category:
E-Commerce
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