speak Archives - usatoday24

Researchers removed Instagram and TikTok from 300 young people to see if their anxiety decreased. The results speak for themselves

December 8, 2025 by usatoday24

The debate about whether social networks are the new tobacco for the mental health of the generation Z It’s been on for years. There are many young people who They can’t go without watching TikTok completing the streak with their friends, uploading stories of what they eat to Instagram or simply away from the cell phone. And this is something that can be tremendously harmful. What we knew. Until now we could make one of them, and parents undoubtedly remember this message when they spend many hours in front of the phone. Even companies offer the tools to be able to limit the amount of time that we spend in an app and it even applies limits to us. With numbers. But now science has shed light on this problem with a published study in JAMA Network Open that provides concrete data. The premise was simple: ask a group of young adults (ages 18 to 24) to reduce their consumption of social networks this week. Once done, we wanted to see if the symptoms of anxiety, depression or insomnia were reduced. And it is precisely the excessive use of social networks is related to depressionsince it generates social isolation, low self-esteem, cyberbullying or even physical disorders due to the effects of blue light from the screen. So… Does giving up the cell phone also improve the quality of life of young people? The study. To do so, they not only focused on what users said they did with their mobile phones, since lying can be very easy in this case. What they did was passively record what was done with the phone through the ‘digital phenotyping‘. In total, there were 373 participants in this study, of which only 295 were able to complete the intervention, which was completely voluntary. They only had to reduce consumption for one week of the main social networks: Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and X. The results. Simply put, the results showed significant clinical improvement across key areas after just seven days. The data indicated that depression symptoms were reduced by 24.8%, anxiety by 16.1% and sleep problems fell by 14.5%. Interestingly, the study found that the effects were much more pronounced in those participants who already had symptoms of moderate or severe depression at the start of the experiment. Don’t let go of your cell phone. A priori, one might think that when a young person automatically leaves social networks aside, their cell phone will be of absolutely no use to them. But nothing could be further from the truth. He digital phenotyping revealed that although social media use fell from about 2 hours a day to just 30 minutes, total screen time increased slightly by 4.5% and participants spent 6.3% more time at home. In this way, users replaced the infinite scrolling of TikTok with other digital activities such as messaging, browsing the internet or even playing games. However, despite still being glued to the screen, mental health improved. This reinforces a theory that is gaining weight among experts: the problem is not the screen itself, but how we use it. The study points out that objective use time has a weak association with mental health, since what is really harmful is “problematic use”, such as negative social comparison or emotional addiction to platforms. Easier apps to leave. We can all have more ‘affection’ for a specific social network, which is surely more difficult to stop using. In this case, it was seen that it was easier for users to reduce the time they spent on TikTok or X. But Instagram or Snapchat were the “hard bones” to beat. Specifically, 67.8% of Instagram users and 48.8% of Snapchat users failed to comply with the reduction and continued to use them significantly during the detox process. It is not a treatment. Although the percentages sound like a victory, it is necessary to maintain the usual scientific skepticism. Dr. John Torous, co-author of the study, warns in statements collected for him New York Times that reducing networks “would certainly not be your first or only form of treatment (for mental health problems),” although it is worth experimenting with. This focuses on the fact that the study has some limitations such as the lack of a reference control group and it was not seen how long the detoxification process from social networks lasted. But what did not improve was loneliness, since eliminating these social networks in people can have the opposite effect by also cutting the connection link that unites them with other people. Images | Panos Sakalakis Vitaly Gariev In Xataka | Social networks were once a place to tell our lives. Now the trend is different: “zero posts”

More and more young people speak Mandarin and venerate to China

July 5, 2025 by usatoday24

Sometimes, two apparently opposite worlds are irremediably attracted. Last year, commercial tensions between Beijing and the EU opened a new scenario for the Russian farmers and “your” pig. Shortly after, the Hype was in crescendo with the proliferation of Russian product stores In cities throughout China. And now, as communicating vessels, the Russians are folding the “Made in China” as their parents did in 1991 With the United States. They are even talking in Mandarin. China as a lighthouse. I told it The New York Times. In the Russia after the invasion of Ukraine, where Western sanctions They have broken decades of economic and cultural ties, China has begun to occupy the symbolic and material space that previously belonged to the Anglo -Saxon and European world. As? From thematic parks with traditional Chinese architecture, to university classrooms from Moscow where to learn Mandarin (I know They have returned), or in the decoration of the city to celebrate the New Year Lunar and in the Metro wagons decorated with proverbs XI Jinping, Chinese culture It has broken In Russian daily life with an intensity that, until recently, would have seemed unimaginable. A mirror. In that scenario the media had cases of young people such as ALYONA IYEVSKAYAfirst year student at the University of Moscow, who no longer dream of London or Paris, but with Shanghai and Beijing. China is not only admired for its accelerated development and its educational and labor opportunities, but also for its Diplomatic closeness with the Kremlin and its role as an economic support of an increasingly isolated Russia from the western world. The eastern turn. The transformation is not superficial. From public schools overflowing with the demand for Mandarin classeseven technical universities that incorporate it as Second mandatory languageChinese learning has become a progress tool for a generation that associates the future with the East. In fact, the medium underlined some incontestable data: Employment offers that require Chinese knowledge They have shotwhile Chinese Nannies They are hired by the Russian elite for their children to grow bilingual from the cradle. In bookstores, books about Chinese Confucius and Philosophy abound, theaters host montages Based on novels contemporaries of the country, and museum exhibitions They actively seek collaborations With cultural institutions of Beijing. Putin and Xi Jinping There is much more. Yes, because he Commerce also reflects This change: more than 900,000 Chinese cars were sold in Russia in 2024, multiplying for eight The 2021 figure. Although brands like Porsche and Mercedes continue to symbolize status, models like li xiang or haval They begin to fill the Moscow streets. Of course, this mass adoption is not free of internal tensions. A latent resistance. Despite state and media enthusiasm for Sinization From Russian tastes, resistances and contradictions persist. The preference for Western products Keep aliveas shown by luxury residential buildings that look like names such as Knightsbridge or Belgravia. He described the Times More clues of that resistance, such as jokes on Chinese cars in networks, the reluctance of some consumers and the failure in the box office of Sino-Ruses as Red Silksituations that reflect a gap between the enthusiasm promoted from above and habits rooted in society sectors. Even among the new generations, Asia enthusiasm It is not uniform: older adolescents still identify with the West, while the smallest, growing in a saturated environment of “Made in China” products, barely know European or American referents. Strategic affinity, non -cultural. It is another of the possibilities that are pointed out. For some Russian analysts, such as Sinologist Yulia Kuznetsovathis turn to China is not so much a structural transition as a transient alliance. Although economic exchange and geopolitical approach between Moscow and Beijing They have intensified (With Xi Jinping visiting Putin and Bilateral Commerce Beating records), the cultural barrier remains. China, with its centralized political system and its millenary history, is still seen by many Russians as A foreign civilization. Kuznetsova even argues that Arab culture, today visible in popular destinations such as Dubai, is closer for the middle Russian citizen than China. For her, Europe (despite fractures) remains the only cultural sphere with which Russia shares deep roots. Pragmatism without enthusiasm. Thus, the vision of families such as Aleksandr Grek’smagazine editor and father of five children, perfectly synthesizes this duality. While their teenage children still consume Western culture, the little ones grow surrounded by toys, technology and visual content from China. For him, sending his 14 -year -old daughter to spend the summer with a Chinese family is not an ideological act, but a strategic investment: “China is our only friend now.” Its reasoning is based on an economic diagnosis: China leads key sectors such as Artificial intelligence wave solar energyand Russia needs to align with that engine if you want to stay competitive. That logic has become a Dominant argument Among parents, businessmen and officials: it is no longer about cultural affinity, but systemic survival. China present. What seems more or less clear is that what is happening in Russia is not only a change of tastes or languages, but a deep displacement of the axis of cultural, commercial and symbolic influence. In absence of the West (blocked by sanctions, closed to tourism and stigmatized by the official discourse), China offers not only access to consumer goods and technological cooperation, but also A new story of greatness, resilience and development without liberal ties. Seen, it is, in many ways, an alternative version of what Russia would like to be: powerful, pragmatic, respected and authoritarian. And although, as we see, that model does not go equally in the collective imaginary, nor will nostalgia delete for the western past, Everything points To, at least for now, Russia orbit more and more firmly in the sphere of Chinese attraction (and vice versa). Image | Hippox, SvklimkinPresidential Executive Office of Russia In Xataka | China is filling with Russia products. The problem is that many of these products come from China itself In Xataka | Some Chinese cities are drowned … Read more

Take it to the car to speak with you and act like a real co -pilot

May 13, 2025 by usatoday24

Google wants to change how we communicate with the car (And also with the clock and TV). Until now, talk to Google Assistant In Android Auto or Android Automotive It was useful, yes, but also required concrete commands, well -formulated phrases. That is about to change. In ‘The Android Show: I/O’ edition, Google has confirmed that Gemini, its assistant with generative, will reach vehicles. And it will not be a simple evolution of the assistant. The goal is to make the voice experience in the car as natural as a real conversation. It will no longer need to think about how to ask for something. It will be enough to say “Hey Google, let’s talk” to start a fluid talk with Gemini, without hands and without menus. And this is where the interesting thing comes in: the new mode looks a lot like Chatgpt voice mode. That is, you can maintain a continuous conversation, correct yourself on the march and replace. A co -pilot with AI who does not need translation. In the center of this experience is Gemini Livethe conversational mode that Google. It is not just to ask for a song or a route. The idea is that you can raise things like “I need to talk to my boss about a promotion, how do I focus?” and receive useful, natural and context suggestions. In addition, many frictions are eliminated that previously complicated the interaction: now you can issue a message, edit it before sending it, start from scratch or even translate it into more than 40 languages without touching the screen only once. Everything is done by voice, everything flows in natural language. And if that were not enough, the new graphic interface has been redesigned to accompany this approach, with visual elements that adapt to Gemini. These are some of the actions that Gemini will allow from the car: Find routes with Google Maps. Send and edit voice messages, with real -time corrections. Play music on YouTube Music or Spotify. Translate messages automatically to more than 40 languages. It will also be possible to interact with other Google apps, such as Gmail or Maps, to solve more complex requests. If you need to find that field where your son plays football and just remember that someone mentioned it by email, Gemini can rescue the location directly from your entrance tray and take you there. The deployment begins soon (although without a specific date). According to Google, Gemini will begin to reach cars compatible with Android Auto in the coming months, and later will also do it in vehicles that make up the Google operating system directly. There is no exact date, but the plan is underway. The important thing here is not only the arrival of a more powerful AI, but the change of paradigm. Voice assistance ceases to be a list of commands to become a natural conversation, with context, memory and free language. We will have to wait to know if what the company promises us will be fulfilled. Images | Google In Xataka | Google has been trying to create your WhatsApp. With RCS it is achieving it without it seems In Xataka | How to access the Android Auto faster with this little trick

Openai’s new voice models already speak as customer service agents. His next destination: the call centers

March 21, 2025 by usatoday24

Since the beginning of the year, the objective of great technological ones has been clear: that we talk to artificial intelligence (ia). Openai, Microsoft, Google and Meta have added voice functions to their assistants. But this seems to be just the beginning. The industry advances at a frantic pace and the way we interact with these tools continues to evolve. Tell the voice agents ‘hello’. Sam Altman’s company has been betting on text agents with tools such as Operator either Computer-Useing agents. However, Openai already has it ready if next great movement to continue highlighting in the race for the development of AI: to promote a new and powerful generation of voice agents. New models on stage. OpenAI has announced The launch of new audio models to turn voice into text and vice versa. They are not in chatgpt, but in the APIwhere developers can use them to create voice agents. The important thing? They aim to be much more precise and to bring customization to the next level. The new OpenAI models, built on GPT-4O and GPT-4O-minipromise to improve Whisper Already its previous text to voice tools, which will also remain active through the API. But it is not just a matter of performance: now they can also modulate their tone to sound, for example, “as an empathic customer service agent.” Destination: the call centers. Openai makes it clear where they point with this launch. He assures that “for the first time, developers can tell the model not only to say, but also how to say it, which allows more personalized experiences for use cases ranging from customer service to creative narrative.” According to Openai, this technology will allow creating much richer “conversational experiences.” If we take into account that Chatgptpowered by GPT-3.5arrived in November 2022, it is evident that the progress has been vertiginous. And everything indicates that these models will end up arriving at the call centers. We might think that at first the interactions will be somewhat limited, but well above the current voice systems. They will move away from traditional automated assistants and will be much more natural. Over time, the line between a conversation with a person and an AI could become almost imperceptible. Images | Charanjeet Dhiman | OpenAI In Xataka | We have tried Sesame’s conversational. It is the experience closest to a “human voice” that we have seen In Xataka | China has found an unusual strategy to avoid US mosquadillas with AI: bet on the Open Source

In 1759 pirates bought a US island. Since then they speak such an English version of English that nobody understands them

March 14, 2025 by usatoday24

Languages (and their dialects) are possibly one of The great wonders of our civilization. There are, for example, those Latinos in southern Florida who have been mixing English and Spanish for years creating a new language. Not far from there, but some centuries earlier, some pirates arrived to establish what was never seen in the United States: the Isabelino English. Centuries later they still do not understand them. Ocracoke’s language. The story told Recently the BBC. In the remote Ocracoke IslandNorth Carolina, survives a unique dialect in the United States: the Hoi Toidera mixture of Isabelino EnglishIrish and Scottish accents of the 18th century, and the slang of the pirates who invaded the island several centuries ago. This is the only variant of English in the United States that is not identified as American, a linguistic relic that has remained thanks to the geographical isolation of the island and its singular history. The pirates. Ocracoke, an island of 24.9 km square, was for centuries A pirate shelterEnglish and native sailors American Wocconwho interacted and created a community with their own cultural and linguistic collection. One of the most emblematic characters was William Howardex-pirata and old crew of the Barbanegra shipwho, after receiving a real pardon, bought the island in 1759 and helped establish a society that, in almost total isolation, preserved his own dialect. The isolation of the island not only influenced language, but also in the way of life. Until 1938, the enclave It had no electricityand the Ferry service did not begin until 1957. This allowed the community to remain largely oblivious to changes in the outside world, preserving its traditional way of life, its culture and its dialect. A language in danger. The story remembers In the case of Erromintxela In Spain. The Ocracoke dialect, the Hoi Toider, is easily recognizable for its characteristic phonetics. For example, the sound “I” is pronounced as “OI”, which transforms “High Tide” in “Hoi Toide”, origin of the name of the dialect. In addition, the vocabulary includes words and phrases inherited from the first British and Irish settlers, such as “Mommuck” (disturbing), “quamish” (dizzy) and “Pizer” (Porche). Plus: Many terms were brought from Europe, but others emerged inside the island, Like “Meehonkey”a hiding game inspired by the sound of the geese when flying. There is also “dingbatter”, a term that locals use to refer to strangers. The problem? That the arrival of television, internet and tourism accelerated that possible disappearance of the hoi toider. According to The linguist Dr. Walt Wolframless than half of the 676 current inhabitants of the island speak with the traditional accent, and within one or two generations could disappear completely. Live on your back to everything. Beyond the language, the Ocracoke community continues to keep a way of life Unique and self -sufficient. On the island there are no large supermarkets or commercial chains, so residents depend on small local stores, artisanal markets and fishing. Instead of cinemas, there are Outdoor theater groupsand many islanders still work as fishermen, carpenters and owners of small breweries. The scenario is so picturesque that one of the most emblematic culinary traditions It’s Fig Cakecreated in 1964 when an inhabitant replaced the dates of a cake with canned figs. Today, the cake is part of the local identity, and every August the Festival of the figwith pastry competitions, dances and traditional games such as Meehonkey. The Quid: Change or not. Of course, Ocracoke continues to attract new residents and touristswhich has generated a debate about the future of its cultural identity. Some fear that the arrival of outsiders dilute local customs, while others see growth as a natural evolution, similar to the diversity that the first settlers led to the island. Be that as it may, what seems clear is that the Ocracoke community remains an increasingly rare example of solidarity and tradition. Finally, people help each other and, although the dialect can disappear, the spirit of the island It remains intact. “Words can change, but the meaning behind them will remain the same”, The islanders assure. Meanwhile (and last), they will continue talking so English that the rest of the country does not understand them. Image | Nicolaas Baur, bobistraveling In Xataka | The Latinos of the south of Florida have been mixing English for years. And they have created a new dialect In Xataka | The most unknown language in Spain is in danger. The 500 gypsies who speak it just want them to leave them alone

The most unknown language in Spain is in danger. The 500 gypsies who speak it just want them to leave them alone

March 8, 2025 by usatoday24

Next to Spanish, officially and According to the Ministry of Educationthe co -official languages of the CCAA in Spain are four. Namely: Catalan, Valencian, Basque and Galician. What happens is that behind these four officially through the different statutes of autonomy, they arise hundreds of languages that They attest to wealth and culture from all over the country. And of all of them, a serious danger. That is known, only a few hundred people distributed between Spain and France use it, and just want to go unnoticed. A heritage in danger of extinction. While languages such as Basque, Catalan or Galician have managed to consolidate and protect themselves within the Spanish regional framework, there is one that, despite its deep cultural value, is on the verge of disappearing: The erromintxela. Spoken for just under 500 people in Spain And a similar amount in France, this pogadolelect is a Mix between Basque and Romaníreflex of a historical coexistence between Basques and gypsies that dates back more than 600 years. However, his future is uncertain, since he does not have any institutional protection and his speakers, mostly elderly, are losing him in favor of Basque and Spanish. Origins: Gypsies and Basques. Erromintxela arose from of contact between gypsieswho emigrated from northern India 1,500 years ago, and the Basquesthat already inhabited the territory where the former settled in the fifteenth century. In search of refuge, the gypsies found in the geography of the Basque Country a safe place to hide from the constant persecution to which they were subjected in Europe. However, the prolonged contact between the two peoples generated A cultural and linguistic exchange that gave rise to this particular way of speaking. In this regard, Oscar Vizarraga, spokesman for the gypsy association Kale Dor Kayikothat both Sanskrit and Basque Declinations system and certain suffixes. In other words: this language is not simply a fusion of vocabulary, but a tangible proof of a deep miscegenation between two communities that, at first glance, seemed to have nothing in common. A miscegenation that altered the gypsy structure. Beyond the language, coexistence with Basque culture caused Changes in social structures of the gypsies of the region. For example, while most Romanis groups have maintained a patriarchal system, in the Basque Country more matriarchal models have been developed, where maternal lineage has a predominant weight, something unusual in any other gypsy community. In addition, many Basque gypsy families have Basque surnames and have adopted local cultural traditions, such as THE FOUND OF BALDEREROS In San Sebastián, where gypsy iconography has a leading role. Threat of extinction and institutional disinterest. The problem of this language is that despite its uniqueness, Erromintxela has been historically ignored by institutions. In the 90s, The Kale Dor Kayiko Associationtogether with the University of the Basque Country and Euskaltzaindia, made The first formal investigation on the same in Bizkaia, Álava and Gipuzkoa. Although the study confirmed its existence, the funds were never given to expand it, leaving many unresolved unknowns. They want them to leave them alone. Not just that. One of the greatest obstacles to documentation and conservation is The reluctance of their own speakers to be studied, analyzed or even interviewed. For the gypsy community that uses it, the erromyntxela is A simple means of communication Or everyday tool, not a valuable linguistic heritage worth preservation. Many prefer to stay away from public care, either by distrust of institutions or simply because they have never seen their language as something worthy of being protected, which complicates efforts for revitalization. This attitude, added to the Lack of conservation policiesit has accelerated its disappearance. The imposition of Basque in education and the growing influence of Spanish have displaced the Erromintxela, leaving new generations without interest in learning it. In fact, Vizaraga warned that, if not taking measures soon, this language “as Basque as gypsy” It will lose irremediably. A call to action. Thus, today the erromyntxela does not have any type of Official recognition. His disappearance would mean not only of a language, but of a unique historical testimony about the interaction between gypsies and Basques. Vizarga insists on the urgency of continuing research and exploring other regions, such as Navarra and Iparralde, where speakers could still be found. The Philological Community and Cultural Heritage Experts also warn that, if no measures are now taken, Erromintxela could be extinguished in a matter of yearstaking centuries of shared history. From Kale Dor Kayiko, financing has been requested to develop educational programs and conservation initiatives, but so far, institutions have shown disinterest, although A recent documentary About its history it seems to have given some air to the fight to maintain it. The possible disappearance. He Erromintxela It is not just an in danger of extinction. If you want also, it is the living footprint of that cultural miscegenation that has survived for centuries. His disappearance, no doubt, would be an irreparable loss for the linguistic diversity of Spain and for the historical memory of the gypsy and Basque peoples. As experts indicate, if immediate actions are not taken for their protection, it will be relegated to oblivion, disappearing in the silence of those who, due to ignorance or indifference, did not know how to assess its importance. Image | Jorge Fraganillo In Xataka | From Aragonese to the Asturian: what is it like to learn a language in danger of extinction in the 21st century In Xataka | In his desire to formalize Catalan, Basque and Galician in the EU, Spain has found an obstacle: Slovakia

Log In

Sign In

Forgot password?

Your password reset link appears to be invalid or expired.

Log in

Privacy Policy

Add to Collection

No Collections