Not iPad – iPod. Apple's mythological music player, which first launched 24 years ago and whose sale was officially discontinued in 2022. Ultimately, these are still relatively small numbers, but behind them stands an entire industry: add-ons and upgrades that expand storage capacity, enable USB-C connections, and transform the iPod's appearance into something aesthetic and modern. Instructional videos on the subject have reached millions of views on YouTube.

But in a world where a subscription to a streaming service places all music within reach, in a universe where YouTube exists, and in an era when every person carries a technological marvel in their pocket that plays music at the highest quality available why would anyone want to walk around with an ancient, limited MP3 player in their pocket? The convenient explanation is that this is a vintage fashion trend. Gen Z, born into a world where nothing is needed except credit to listen to whatever music they want, enjoys playing in a reality where a dedicated device and computer files are required to reach their favorite song.

Except there's an alternative, more complex explanation. The major streaming services, led by Spotify, don't actually allow us to listen to all the music we might want. Periodically, albums or songs disappear due to conflicts or disputes with studios or artists, for political or geographical considerations. Just recently, we "earned" a reminder of this, with the artist boycott that removed entire catalogs from playability in Israel. Additionally, the algorithms of streaming services aren't really programmed to present us with new music that fits our taste, but rather to direct us toward what increases their bottom line.

The inconsistency in song availability and suspicion toward the algorithm add to the periodic tendency of streaming services to raise subscription prices. The last element is perhaps the most interesting: the only advantage of a player who can do just one thing is disconnection from the world. No notifications, no pushes, no feed, no social anxiety, no FOMO. It's just us and the music we chose for ourselves, cataloged and uploaded to the device. In other words, the iPod's technological disadvantage turned it into a kind of therapy.

This exact phenomenon occurred a quarter-century earlier, for the previous generation. Napster, the mother of all pirate file-sharing software, solved a particularly frustrating market failure: in the 1990s, greedy music studios reached record profits at the expense of artists and consumers, who were required to pay an average of $17 for a disc where not all the songs were worth the investment. Music collecting has become an expensive business for teenagers, unlike for their parents' generation.

Napster offered a revolution: all the music in the world in one pirate place, in friendly and convenient search - but with a big question mark regarding its legality and morality. At its peak, about 80 million users were registered, sharing about 1.5 billion music files among themselves. The pirates changed the face of the industry and led to the birth of iTunes, and after it, Spotify and its like. And what the music companies understood first came to the television industry very quickly as well.

The fate of "Gozelan" and "Sdarot"

"The word 'piracy' doesn't exist in copyright laws, even though creators use it," says Dr. Carmel Weissman, a digital culture researcher from Tel Aviv University. "It's a word created by corporations to establish the criminalization of copyright infringement in popular culture. The thing is, the metaphor is murky. Piracy isn't good or bad in an absolute sense, it's a matter of perspective. And therefore the image the corporations chose itself became a debate."

Until just over a decade ago, the battle between the pirates and the establishment was waged with intensity across platforms like Kazaa, eMule, and others. At the center stood a market failure: the television industry's business model relied on cable companies, which offered giant packages of countless channels, too little quality content, and prices that never stopped rising. Those who wanted to watch other high-quality content, assuming it was even available in their area, were required to pay premium prices for HBO, Showtime, and other premium networks responsible for the golden age of television in the early millennium.

The inflated content budgets and rise of multiplex cinema complexes turned going to a movie into an experience whose price can reach hundreds of shekels for a family. This is how it happened that viewers chose the freedom and convenience of pirate viewing at home, despite the legal and moral problematic nature.

In Israel, the struggle focused on sites for pirate viewing. The largest and most famous of them was the "Sdarot" site, established in 2011, which offered a wide variety of movies and series for direct viewing (streaming) with built-in Hebrew translation. About 975,000 users were registered on the site, and of them about 10,000 paid a subscription fee of about 50 shekels ($14) per month for access to fast servers that enabled continuous viewing. It was considered at the time one of the most popular sites in Israel, with millions of visits per average month. ZIRA (the umbrella organization representing major media bodies in Israel on copyright issues), led the lawsuit that brought about its final closure in January 2024 (and subsequently required its founder to pay compensation of 5 million shekels, or $1.4 million).

Another prominent case was the "Gozelan" site, which offered pirate content for direct viewing and was closed in 2016 after half a year of activity, during which it climbed into the list of 100 most popular sites in Israel. The court ordered internet service providers to block access to the site, after it accepted ZIRA's claim about copyright infringement that took place on it. Both the "Gozelan" people and the "Sdarot" people, for their part, claimed that their activity was "a necessity of reality against media companies, which exploit the public and the creators."

Israel's copyright law is based on similar laws from other countries, which are anchored in international conventions. According to Attorney Yaakov Lashchinsky, a copyright expert, the law grants only the rights holders the authority to authorize copying and/or make them available to the public for the public's benefit, and any action that takes this authority away from them constitutes a violation of their rights. The initial maximum compensation for copyright infringement, even before proving damages, stands at 100,000 shekels ($28,000) and can grow significantly if it reaches trial.

Although much of the preoccupation with piracy in recent years focuses on the television worlds, the situation in the cinema field was no different. The inflated content budgets and rise of large multiplex cinema complexes turned going to a movie into an experience whose price can reach hundreds of shekels for a family. This is how it happened that viewers chose the freedom and convenience of pirate viewing at home, despite the legal and moral problematic nature, while the corporations conducted a battle to close one pirate platform – only to discover that a host of alternatives arose the day after.

And then Netflix arrived. "In its first years, Netflix was the place to find everything," explains Ido Yeshayahu, a television critic and founder of the "Coffee+Television" blog. "It purchased everything from everyone, and offered this selection in one place for a few dollars. In parallel, it released its series not in weekly broadcast, but all at once, and that was significant. Within a few years, a whole generation grew up for whom this was their way of consuming television, devouring entire seasons within a few days. Suddenly, piracy became irrelevant."

Attorney Yaakov Lashchinsky: "There will always be those who choose to consume pirate content and clean their conscience by tying crowns of 'freedom fighters' and 'heroes.' At the end of the day, the technological revolution happening around us does good for everyone: content prices are laughable compared to the past."

This model was good for Netflix and consumers – but the large entertainment corporations, the third side of the triangle, didn't benefit. Suddenly, Netflix became the place where their series gained popularity. The decision to fight the new queen by building competing services will lead us to the chaos we're immersed in today.

Not ready even for free

The annual report of MUSO, the company specializing in monitoring and measuring pirate downloads, reveals the ongoing tension between consumers and large entertainment corporations. At the beginning of the current decade, a moment before the inflation in streaming services, piracy data reached a low. From a situation where almost a quarter of world internet traffic was used for file sharing, with the rise of Spotify and Netflix there was a decline to single-digit percentages. While piracy didn't become extinct, the trend was consistent: in North America, Western Europe, and the Nordic countries there was a significant decline in pirate content consumption.

Data collection regarding the phenomenon in Israel is very sparse, but the trend is clear: many consume illegal content to one degree or another, even though it's a questionable activity. "The shaming campaign for downloaders is an American cultural thing, which succeeded in creating the symmetry between downloading and theft - and even there it didn't catch on for long," explains Dr. Weissman. "In the rest of the world, piracy is a non-issue, also because very many contents aren't available in them, and in the East it's almost a state enterprise. The story with Netflix and Spotify was a precise, specific answer to changing consumption patterns. If everything is convenient, in one place, and at a sane price – then the problem stops being a problem. People were willing to pay the 'Sdarot' site despite it offering pirate content, because it simply offered a solution."

The great streaming war that broke out at the beginning of the decade led to enormous inflation of competing services: Disney Plus, Apple TV Plus, Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max, Peacock, and more. All produce original content available exclusively to the platform, all charge monthly subscription fees that keep growing – and in the middle are the consumers. A subscription to three-four streaming services reaches the peak prices paid in the past to cable companies. All this, at a time when works disappear and appear on another service on a regular basis, some aren't available in some regions, and in other cases they're perceived as not justifying the money charged for them - exactly like at the beginning of the 2000s with the music industry, and at the beginning of the previous decade with the television and cinema industry.

The "solution" came in the form of a new and improved wave of pirate services. No longer complicated software requiring basic technological understanding and dealing with downloading subtitles and matching them. Services like Stremio look and feel like Netflix's feed: organized lists of series and movies by category, with official posters, a quick and convenient search, and, especially, the availability of all content in one place.

"It's clear there's weight also to the insane cost of living in Israel," explains Yeshayahu, "but I get the impression that many people choose piracy because they don't want to search for where what they want to watch is broadcast. We're also a piracy-loving nation from always, so when a convenient app arrives – it conquers the Israeli audience."

ZIRA, which represents major media bodies in Israel on copyright issues: "We see a sharp transition to decentralized piracy, the kind that isn't through public internet sites, but rather through illegal converters and additional services 'under the radar' of the public internet."

MUSO data reinforces the feeling that the piracy rate worldwide has jumped to an all-time high in recent years. 230 billion visits were recorded on pirate sites in 2023 - almost double the number recorded just three years earlier. In the US, Europe (especially in the East), Asia, Latin America, and even in the Middle East, the piracy rate jumped significantly. In 2024 a slight moderation was recorded, but not because of a return to good behavior: the researchers claim the reason is a decline in content that justifies pirate consumption. In other words, viewers aren't interested in the new content, even when it comes free.

The striking difference is that the current wave of piracy is led by a new generation of young people, Gen Z, which champions values and worldviews different from those of the previous generation. So how is it that they, too, chose the same method?

A process of "enshittification"

One of the recurring concepts in recent years when it comes to services of large technology companies is "enshittification" – from "shit" – which author and blogger Cory Doctorow coined. The concept describes the pattern of operation of platforms competing for our attention: initially they place user experience at the center, to attract more and more subscribers; then they exploit the huge user base to adapt the platform to attracting advertisers and business clients, with the goal of increasing their profit balance; and finally, they trap users and subscribers in a situation where they're dependent on the platform, which serves only them, without motivation to preserve the quality standard. This, in a nutshell, is one of the main reasons for the growing buds of the new rebellion.

"In the days of the British Empire, in many cases the empire would hire pirates to attack the Spanish enemy for it and disrupt its trade – without having to bear responsibility," explains Dr. Weissman. "In this analogy we're the Spanish. Not infrequently, the large companies use piracy to expose products to the public and create buzz around them, and in parallel they try to make the action criminal. But if we're sailing in a sea of enshittification, then the pirates are floating too. So we've made a full circle and returned to the nineties."

Attorney Lashchinsky opposes this determination: "What we're seeing here is Israeli greed. There will always be those who choose to consume pirate content and clean their conscience by tying crowns of 'freedom fighters' and 'heroes.' At the end of the day, the technological revolution happening around us does good for everyone: content prices are laughable compared to what was customary in the past." However, Lashchinsky clarifies that the key lesson from past battles against piracy is to fight the platforms and bodies that enable it, not consumers themselves.

If, in the past, piracy was practical despite its inherent problems, now it's already wearing an ideological cloak. In Sweden, for example, piracy has become "Kopimism" – an official religion protected by law, based on belief in freedom of information and file sharing as a way of life. This is one of the reasons why Pirate Bay, the world's largest torrent site (a method where files are broken into many "puzzle pieces," and thus it's possible to download them from a large number of users), remained active against repeated attempts to close it - because it operates from within the country. The struggle against media companies has become activism in which piracy is not only not shameful but also a utopian fight against corporations and a defense of fairness.

Ido Yeshayahu, television critic: "It's clear there's weight also to the insane cost of living in Israel, but many people choose piracy because of the convenience issue. We're also a piracy-loving nation, so when a convenient app arrives - it conquers the Israeli audience"

"The story of buying iPods by itself is currently a marginal phenomenon, but there's a broad message in it," claims Weissman. "The message is that streaming companies exploit the artists, and also the users. So we, as users, will take it upon ourselves to balance. It's a fairness problem, not a price problem, and this connects very much to the ethos of this generation. There's recognition that piracy can sometimes be perceived as a moral action, a 'Robin Hood' ethos."

The current status quo is problematic for both sides. The intriguing question arising from it is: is there a chance to return to the balance that Netflix and Spotify brought with them at their beginning? "In recent years there's been talk about bundles (combining several services into one subscription, which allows lowering costs; I.K.), but something that will concentrate everything in one place isn't exactly on the horizon," explains Yeshayahu. "A lot of ego of the various companies is involved in this, and it's likely the regulator won't rush to approve such moves either. What is certain is that we'll see acquisitions and mergers. It's not implausible to assume that by the end of the decade we'll see much fewer streaming services, which also means much fewer opportunities for niche works, like in the good days of Netflix."

Dr. Weissman actually believes the coming storm will lead to better results in the future. "Piracy is a tool that challenges power structures that don't serve consumer expectations. The enshittification brought this feeling to a new peak." According to her, the niche phenomena at this stage, of young people completely disconnecting from social networks or choosing to purchase a "dumb phone," may reach the level of a real counter-movement to the current technological reality.

"It's interesting to look at the hypocrisy of defining piracy from the AI direction. After all, what is that if not piracy? An attempt to use copyrights to train technology that serves the corporation. AI is not our liberator - it's the pirate serving the Queen of England. It could be that we'll need to reach some extremism, for example, a significant decline in consumer demand, to lead to change. At the end of the day, these phenomena occur in waves, and those who survive will be those who adapt the products to our need."

Piracy on steroids

ZIRA responded: "Piracy hasn't disappeared, it simply changed form. After years when pirate viewing was conducted on large streaming sites, like 'Sdarot,' today we see a sharp transition to decentralized piracy, the kind that isn't through public internet sites, but rather through illegal converters and additional services 'under the radar' of the public internet. All of these are aggressively marketed on social networks and other communication channels. This formula creates 'digital piracy on steroids': piracy that's faster, more accessible, and at the same time less visible to the eye. The additional disturbing change is the involvement of content giants in providing a stage for enabling and marketing the new digital piracy.

"Piracy constitutes a direct threat to the existence of a diverse and competitive communications market in Israel, and the damage that pirate viewing causes to the content industry in Israel reaches enormous dimensions, estimated at hundreds of millions of shekels per year. This damage cascades through the entire 'food chain' of the industry. Rights holders, broadcast and content bodies, workers in the industry, directors, screenwriters, actors, lighting technicians, editors, musicians, production people, designers, makeup artists, casting directors, graphic designers, and holders of additional roles in this valuable and important industry.

"ZIRA continues in a constant war to eradicate the pirate viewing phenomenon against the entire distribution chain, from the sites and platforms that enable publication or that make the content itself accessible."

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Two years later, according to JTA, Field brings this perspective to Netflix's second season, which premiered Tuesday, having been selected as one of 456 contestants from around the world competing for a $4.56 million prize. While Jewish contestants have appeared on numerous reality shows, JTA notes, ordained rabbis remain rare. Field told JTA she carried significant responsibility: "I never expected to be the very best of the challenges. I've always said, I have a heart of gold, but I'm not very dexterous, and so for me, it was about trying my best and giving it my all, and also trying to be true to myself and bringing my values and wisdom and sense of community and representing the rabbinate as best I could into the show."

JTA reports that Field grew up in Los Angeles, where her family attended Temple Ahavat Shalom, a Reform congregation in the San Fernando Valley. After graduating from Boston University in 2017, she worked for the Washington Hebrew Congregation in Washington, DC, before enrolling at HUC in 2019, where she spent her first year in Jerusalem. Following her 2024 ordination, Field became director of education at Beth El Temple Center, a Reform synagogue in Belmont, Massachusetts.

Just four months into that position, JTA notes, she received a callback from "Squid Game: The Challenge" and soon traveled to London for filming. A year later, Field posted on Instagram announcing her appearance, writing that "I often share that the Torah is a sacred story of people being people — of being hurt, of making mistakes, of building connections, of adventure, and of finding the divine in it all. I felt this so deeply during my experience on Squid Game."

JTA reports that among Field's fellow competitors were an NFL cheerleader, a former bomb technician, and an Anglican priest. Field told JTA she had "a really good conversation about religion and what it means to sort of be a faith leader on the show with the priest." Field told JTA, "I actually found that I had conversations about faith with almost everyone I talked to because, you know, people bring things up when you tell them you're a rabbi."

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Approximately 60 years ago, on May 18, 1965, Syria executed the operative, "our man in Damascus," who ranked among the most accomplished spies the Mossad deployed in Syria. He had achieved legendary status through his extraordinary infiltration of Syrian leadership circles, becoming an advisor to senior decision-makers. Following his capture, authorities conducted a show trial, and despite Israeli attempts to negotiate an agreement with the Syrians to spare his life, he received a death sentence and was executed by hanging at midnight in Damascus's central square.

Video: Eli Cohen's personal items retrieved / Credit: PMO

The passing years transformed Cohen, a hero and legend both in life and death, into a recognizable figure in every Israeli household, including a Netflix series exploring his life. Nevertheless, all efforts to establish him as a legend did not diminish his family and friends' pain, nor did they provide answers to the questions surrounding his death.

In May, precisely 60 years following his execution, through a covert Mossad operation, Syrian archives concerning the late Eli Cohen were retrieved alongside thousands of additional materials held by the enemy army. The archives contain approximately 2,500 documents, raising fresh hope for locating his burial site after his execution in Syria.

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The Wall Street Journal reported that Netflix's revenue climbed 16% to reach $11.08 billion during the second quarter, while net profits surged 46% to $3.1 billion. The company's financial momentum reflects its ability to capitalize on popular content and global expansion strategies.

Operating margins expanded significantly to 34.1% in the second quarter, compared to 27.2% during the same period last year, surpassing the company's own projection of 33.3%, The Wall Street Journal noted. Free cash flow nearly doubled to $2.3 billion from $1.2 billion year-over-year.

The entertainment giant, which hosts successful series including "Squid Game," "KPop Demon Hunters," and "Ginny & Georgia," has solidified its position as the leading global streaming platform while traditional entertainment companies continue facing difficulties with declining cable operations. Netflix shares have nearly doubled over the past year.

Netflix anticipates that returning popular programming such as "Wednesday" and the concluding season of "Stranger Things" will maintain viewership momentum during the year's second half.

The streaming service now projects generating $44.8 billion to $45.2 billion in annual revenue, representing an increase from previous guidance of $43.5 billion to $44.5 billion. Netflix also raised its operating margin expectations to 29.5% from 29%.

Netflix implemented price increases across existing US subscription plans in January. The company has redesigned its user interface and expanded investment in diverse programming, including international content, to attract and retain subscribers.

With domestic streaming subscriber growth experiencing deceleration, Netflix has focused on broadening its international content portfolio. The company announced a partnership with French broadcaster TF1 in June, enabling Netflix subscribers in France to access selected TF1 channels and on-demand programming.

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The Wall Street Journal reported that the streaming service has engaged in discussions with Spotify regarding collaborative ventures on multiple entertainment projects, including a potential music awards ceremony or ongoing live concert programming. Industry sources familiar with these negotiations told The Wall Street Journal that the company has also explored producing high-profile celebrity interview content and rapid-production documentaries designed to capture current events and trending topics.

The entertainment giant is simultaneously reviving the legendary talent competition "Star Search" while maintaining a strong emphasis on musical content, The Wall Street Journal noted. The company plans to launch "Building the Band" next week, with another music-focused competition series currently in development that executives hope to release within the coming months, according to sources cited by The Wall Street Journal.

Households that eliminated cable subscriptions or never subscribed to traditional cable packages increasingly depend on the streaming service as their primary entertainment destination. The platform is strategically working to provide diverse content offerings spanning scripted programming and films to reality television, comedy content, and live broadcasting.

Identifying family-appropriate programming with global appeal remains crucial for the company's development of its advertising-supported subscription option, The Wall Street Journal reported. The service achieved significant success with "Love is Blind," which offered an innovative approach to dating shows, and "Million Dollar Secret," its interpretation of "Survivor," explained Brandon Riegg, vice president of nonfiction series and sports.

Jeff Gaspin, the executive who approved "The Voice" during his tenure at NBCUniversal, is leading the streaming platform's initiative to discover outstanding music competition programming and broaden unscripted content offerings. The self-described pop-culture enthusiast joined the organization in the previous year.

"Building the Band," featuring Backstreet Boys member AJ McLean as host, will showcase musicians competing for band positions. The innovative element involves contestants remaining unseen by each other until rehearsals commence, according to individuals with knowledge of the production. The concept combines elements of "Love Is Blind" with "The Voice."

The streaming service recently revealed plans for a trivia-focused game show featuring Neil Patrick Harris as host, titled "What's in the Box."

Although company executives have contemplated major celebrity interview programming, internal debates have focused on whether audiences would engage with full-length content when highlights would circulate on social media platforms almost immediately, according to people familiar with internal discussions cited by The Wall Street Journal.

The organization is developing a pilot program with Daily Beast, concentrating on rapid-turnaround coverage of trending non-political news stories. Semafor previously reported on the Daily Beast collaboration project.

Gaspin stated he doesn't anticipate the streaming service becoming a comprehensive news programming provider, which the company internally refers to as "information." "You can't cover news and be a news organization occasionally," he explained.

Leadership must also determine appropriate circumstances for producing unscripted programming as live broadcasts. The streaming platform has witnessed certain live events, including its Mike Tyson-Jake Paul boxing match last fall, generate massive viewership. However, that event experienced technical difficulties, as did a "Love is Blind" reunion special from previous years. The company successfully livestreamed two NFL games during Christmas without encountering problems.

Although "Building the Band" will be available on-demand, the streaming service might broadcast the finale live if a second season is produced, Riegg stated. The "Star Search" revival will enable audience members to participate in live voting.

"We don't want to do live for live's sake," Gaspin said. "If we are going to do live, we should have a reason."

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When browsing Netflix, subscribers across seven countries – Israel, Italy, South Africa, Greece, Turkey, Germany, and Switzerland – will discover that "Friends" is slated for removal from the service by December 31, potentially marking the end of the show's run on the streaming platform in these regions.

This mirrors a similar situation from December 2021, when the beloved comedy was saved from departure following widespread fan protests on social media. At that time, the show was scheduled to exit alongside numerous Warner and Fox studio productions but maintained its place in Netflix's library.

Currently, there's no confirmation regarding contract renewal negotiations or the show's future availability on the platform. Netflix representatives have not responded to requests for comment.

Given the show's consistent ranking among Netflix's most-streamed content globally, there's reasonable speculation that the platform might once again extend its licensing agreement. Time will tell if "Friends" will remain accessible to Netflix subscribers in these territories.

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A forthcoming Netflix biblical drama has become the center of controversy following the release of its trailer, with social media users calling for boycotts over its cast of Israeli actors while displaying fundamental misunderstandings about biblical history.

The release of the trailer for "Mary," featuring Israeli performers Noa Cohen, Ori Pfeffer, and Ido Tako, has sparked intense online criticism. The controversy centers particularly on Cohen's portrayal of the Virgin Mary, despite historical records establishing Mary's Jewish identity.

Against the backdrop of the Iron Swords War, the reaction to the casting has revealed deeper undercurrents of antisemitism. The production has drawn unprecedented hostile responses across social media platforms, extending beyond film into broader cultural discussions.

Critics of the film have made historically inaccurate claims about the religious identity of biblical figures, with some asserting that Mary and Jesus were Palestinians. Historians note that Palestinian is not a religious identity, and the historical figures depicted were Jewish.

"Jesus is a Palestinian man" pic.twitter.com/QpwKZFYYIU

— Kosher (@koshercockney) November 13, 2024

Some responses have escalated to threats of violence, with one user suggesting that casting an Israeli as Mary warranted death threats. Other comments called for boycotts and included explicit antisemitic language. One user wrote, "Half the cast is Israeli, including Cohen who plays Mary. Looks like s*** anyway, but needless to say avoid this like the plague."

The film chronicles Mary's journey as an unwed mother facing societal rejection. Academy Award winner Anthony Hopkins portrays King Herod of Judea, who leads a deadly pursuit of Mary and her child, forcing them into hiding alongside Joseph.

"Jesus is a Palestinian man" pic.twitter.com/QpwKZFYYIU

— Kosher (@koshercockney) November 13, 2024

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Netflix's true crime anthology series "Monsters" is continuing with "Monsters: The Lyle & Erik Menendez Story," focusing on the infamous case of the Menendez brothers who were convicted of killing their parents in 1996.

The Menendez brothers were convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole.

The miniseries explores the conflicting narratives surrounding the case, with the brothers claiming they acted out of fear due to years of abuse, while prosecutors argued they killed for inheritance.

The series is created by Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan, with a star-studded cast including Javier Bardem, Chloë Sevigny, Nicholas Alexander Chavez, and Nathan Lane.

Directors include Brennan, Max Winkler, and Carl Franklin. Ryan Murphy, and David McMillan are the writers.

The Menendez case was previously depicted in "The Menendez Murders."

The previous series by Murphy, "Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story," was criticized for being exploitative, with families of Dahmer's victims speaking out against it.

Sources: Independent, Economic Times, Telegraaf, Terra, Daily Star, Pinkvilla, Bleeding Cool, Sportskeeda, Indiatimes, Coming Soon, Manchester Evening News, Times Now, Rural Radio, Hypebeast, HotNews, Tribune, TV Tonight.

This article was written in collaboration with Generative AI news company Alchemiq.

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Season 4 of "Emily in Paris" showcases stunning fashion, and valuable personal branding lessons.

Emily and her team partner with a beauty brand whose product is revealed to be sexual lubricant, and Emily's half-truth about the product may have consequences.

Season 4 also introduces a #MeToo arc, with Sylvie accusing Louis de Leon of sexual harassment, though some critics felt it could have been explored deeper.

Gabriel hopes to receive a Michelin star for his successful new restaurant, while Camille goes through personal struggles and discoveries in Part 1.

Brand placements within the show, like Vestiaire Collective and Rimowa, have boosted their visibility and popularity.

The popular Netflix series catapulted Lily Collins to stardom, with its light-hearted, glamorous elements and Parisian backdrop contributing to its success.

Emily's wardrobe has been adapted for each season, with Collins involved in the process, as the wardrobe shows her character's evolution.

Costume design pays tribute to Audrey Hepburn's iconic fashion, as it did in previous seasons.

Emily's success in "Emily in Paris" offers lessons in personal branding, such as showcasing one's thinking and experiences, taking risks, and maintaining a positive and resilient attitude.

The show was briefly dethroned on Netflix's Top 10 list by the True Crime documentary "American Murder: Laci Peterson," but its popularity continues to grow.

Ashley Park, who plays Mindy, revealed her near-death experience due to septic shock before the season 4 premiere, after having battled leukemia from a young age.

Park and Lucas Bravo (who plays Gabriel) have been posting goofy TikTok videos on Park's page to show their off-screen romance, attending red carpet events together.

Sources: Forbes, Independent, USA Today, Estadao, Repubblica, Yahoo, Tecmundo, Economic Times, Nosotras, Zocalo, Terra, El Comercio, Times of India, ETV Bharat, Corriere, La Vanguardia.

This article was written in collaboration with Generative AI news company Alchemiq.

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Netflix documentary "Inside the Mind of a Dog" reveals the complexity of a dog's mind through interviews with researchers, and trainers.

It is currently on the top 10 of Netflix top viewership charts worldwide.

It explores the mental and emotional world of dogs through scientific research, behavioral studies, and expert perspectives in ethology and neuroscience.

The documentary delves into the history of dogs, their training, communication, and the evolution of the human-dog relationship, addressing questions about what dogs think, how they perceive the world, and how they express emotions.

The documentary showcases dogs' powerful sense of smell, their ability to understand human commands, and experience of emotions like jealousy, love, and anxiety.

Dogs and humans share a mutual connection through eye contact, which triggers the release of oxytocin, the "love hormone," creating a bond similar to the one between parents and children.

Dogs can manipulate humans by engaging in sustained eye contact, causing an increase in oxytocin levels for both parties.

Sources: Playtech, NewsMonkey, Salon, IndiaTimes

This article was written in collaboration with Generative AI news company Alchemiq.

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