Meira Gebel
Meira Gebel is a freelance reporter based in Portland. She writes about tech, social media, and internet culture for Digital Trends. Her work has been featured in Business Insider, USA Today, Willamette Week, Detroit Free Press, San Francisco Business Times, and more. Got a tip? Or just want to chat about the Kardashians? Twitter DMs are always open.
Why crypto’s eco-friendly pivot is perpetually delayed
Why crypto’s eco-friendly pivot is perpetually delayed
Switching cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum to a proof of stake system could cut their energy use by 99 percent, but doing so is easier said than done.
The UX Pioneer: Louisa Heinrich’s quest to humanize tech
The UX Pioneer: Louisa Heinrich’s quest to humanize tech
Louisa Heinrich was thinking about user experience long before UX was part of the popular vernacular -- and she has some big ideas on how we can do it better.
The NFL wants to predict injuries before they happen. Here’s how
The NFL doesn't just want to treat injuries after they happen. Instead, it now uses technology to help predict and prevent injuries before they occur.
Cracks in the crypto utopia: How a surge of scams is exposing DeFi’s dark side
Cracks in the crypto utopia: How a surge of scams is exposing DeFi’s dark side
Crypto evangelists often tout decentralized finance as being a superior alternative to traditional banking, but ditching the middleman does have some downsides.
Under the radar: How a 117-year old technology gives Olympic throwers an edge
Under the radar: How a 117-year old technology gives Olympic throwers an edge
It takes more than sheer strength to be an elite thrower, so today's top athletes often use a unique kind of radar technology to optimize their performance.
Wind breakers: The epic quest to eliminate aerodynamic drag
Wind breakers: The epic quest to eliminate aerodynamic drag
The faster an athlete travels, the more resistance they meet from the forces of aerodynamic drag. Here's how engineers are helping minimize that problem.
How a well-timed hashtag made Juneteenth an official holiday for millions
How a well-timed hashtag made Juneteenth an official holiday for millions
The movement to make Juneteenth a federally recognized holiday in the U.S. is gaining steam -- and it's mostly thanks to a well-timed social media campaign.
Astropsychology: How to stay sane on Mars
Astropsychology: How to stay sane on Mars
The first humans who visit Mars will face countless challenges, but perhaps the most difficult of all will be maintaining their mental health.
An interview with Zach King, the internet’s favorite illusionist
An interview with Zach King, the internet’s favorite illusionist
Zach King has been the internet's favorite illusionist for over a decade, but despite his continued success, he says he's just getting started.
Meet Gen Z’s fierce female founders aiming to radically reshape the tech world
Meet Gen Z’s fierce female founders aiming to radically reshape the tech world
Gen Z startup founders are on the rise, and many of them have plans to radically overhaul industries and institutions that haven’t budged for decades.
On the mend: Inside the rapid recovery tech that keeps NFL players game-ready
On the mend: Inside the rapid recovery tech that keeps NFL players game-ready
In the past, an NFL player's recovery routine was just stretching and rest. Now they use things like cryotherapy, electrostimulation pads, and infrared saunas
TikTok users are exposing realities of gig work, and Big Tech can’t stop them
TikTok users are exposing realities of gig work, and Big Tech can’t stop them
Gig economy platforms like Uber, Instacart, and Postmates spend millions of dollars every year circumventing bad press. But they can't stop TikTok users.
Remote work isn’t the future. And that may be for the best
Remote work isn’t the future. And that may be for the best
Don't let our current pandemic-driven remote work situation fool you: Working exclusively from home probably won't be the norm in the future.
Conspiracy theories already spreading ahead of Trump-Biden presidential debate
Conspiracy theories already spreading ahead of Trump-Biden presidential debate
Right-wing conspiracy theory accounts connected to the group QAnon have been spreading misinformation on Facebook ahead of the first presidential debate.
How to talk to your friends and family about misinformation and conspiracy theories
How to talk to your friends and family about misinformation and conspiracy theories
When confronting a family member who shared a post about a conspiracy theory, exercising empathy is first and foremost, experts say.
TikTok vows to challenge Trump’s ‘unjust’ ban
TikTok vows to challenge Trump’s ‘unjust’ ban
TikTok said it is prepared to challenge President Donald Trump's ban of the app, calling the president's order to remove the app from app stores unjust.
TikTok users mourn, mobilize after Trump moves forward with ban
TikTok users mourn, mobilize after Trump moves forward with ban
Creators and users took to TikTok to say their goodbyes — but also voice their dissent — after the Trump administration moved forward with a ban.
How Twitter cut activity on QAnon content by half
How Twitter cut activity on QAnon content by half
Twitter said in the two months since it banned thousands of QAnon-related accounts, activity on QAnon content has been cut in half.
Ray-Ban is teaming with Facebook on next generation of smartglasses
Ray-Ban is teaming with Facebook on next generation of smartglasses
Facebook is teaming up with Ray-ban to create the next generation of smartglasses, the company announced at its annual AR/VR conference.
Dozens of celebrities call for one-day boycott of Facebook, Instagram
Dozens of celebrities call for one-day boycott of Facebook, Instagram
Dozens of celebrities have joined in a one-day boycott of Facebook led by the Stop Hate for Profit campaign against hate speech on the social media platform.
Bill Gates doesn’t expect a coronavirus vaccine by the end of the year
Bill Gates doesn’t expect a coronavirus vaccine by the end of the year
Microsoft co-founder and philanthropic billionaire Bill Gates said he doesn't anticipate a coronavirus vaccine to be ready by next month.
Black Lives Matter and MAGA hats: Activism and politics are flooding dating apps
Black Lives Matter and MAGA hats: Activism and politics are flooding dating apps
More and more singles are using their dating app bios to showcase their stance on politics and social justice. But is it performative activism?
Mark Zuckerberg: Facebook made ‘operational mistake’ before Kenosha shooting
Mark Zuckerberg: Facebook made ‘operational mistake’ before Kenosha shooting
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg addressed his company's response to the Kenosha, Wisconsin, shooting that left two dead.
TikTok stars Blake Gray and Bryce Hall charged for partying during pandemic
TikTok stars Blake Gray and Bryce Hall charged for partying during pandemic
TikTok megastars Bryce Hall and Blake Gray have been charged for throwing parties during the pandemic, according to Los Angeles authorities.
Walmart joins Microsoft in TikTok acquisition bid, Oracle offers $20 billion
Walmart joins Microsoft in TikTok acquisition bid, Oracle offers $20 billion
Walmart has reportedly joined forces with Microsoft in a bid to purchase the popular social media app TikTok. But they aren't the only parties interested.
Facebook calls Kenosha shooting mass murder after event promoted call to arms
Facebook calls Kenosha shooting mass murder after event promoted call to arms
In a statement on Wednesday, Facebook denounced the shooting in Kenosha, Wisconsin, as a "mass murder" after an event on its platform promoted the use of violence.
WordPress claims Apple wants 30% of App Store profits even though its free
WordPress claims Apple wants 30% of App Store profits even though its free
A founding developer for WordPress, an app that lets users create websites for free, said Apple is preventing the app from being updated in the App Store.
What is QAnon and where did it come from?
What is QAnon and where did it come from?
QAnon is a far-right conspiracy theory that has gained mainstream attention thanks to coordinated behavior on social media.
Can TikTok creators inspire Gen Z to vote in November? Some are betting on it.
Can TikTok creators inspire Gen Z to vote in November? Some are betting on it.
Political campaigns are looking at TikTok as the premier place to court Gen Z and first-time voters, while creators rally viewers to get out to the polls.
Facebook removes nearly 800 QAnon-related groups, pages, hashtags, and ads
Facebook removes nearly 800 QAnon-related groups, pages, hashtags, and ads
The social media platform said it will continue to restrict and remove content and accounts that "support violent acts" in a statement on Wednesday.
Lyft also threatens to shut down California operations over worker law
Lyft also threatens to shut down California operations over worker law
Lyft executives said in an earnings call Wednesday night that it is likely it will suspend California operations over a new law for contractors.
Facebook, Google, Microsoft, and Twitter team up to fight election interference
Facebook, Google, Microsoft, and Twitter team up to fight election interference
Google, Facebook, Twitter, and Microsoft are teaming up to form a new coalition against election interference ahead of the 2020 presidential election.
TikTok creators say they’re not switching to Instagram Reels, survey finds
TikTok creators say they’re not switching to Instagram Reels, survey finds
Don't expect TikTok creators to make the jump to Instagram Reels anytime soon. Many are sticking with TikTok because of its preferable algorithms.