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Chris Stokel-Walker

Chris Stokel-Walker

Chris Stokel-Walker is a UK-based journalist and the author of 'TikTok Boom: China's Dynamite App and the Superpower Race for Social Media.'

Stories by Chris Stokel-Walker

  • Mark Zuckerberg's metaverse avatar. Image: Meta

    After $177 Billion in Investment, Why Do Metaverse Graphics Still Suck?

    It’s approaching 20 years since the release of Second Life, an early stab at an immersive multiplayer universe from Linden Labs, in which people began living and working—as well as making plenty of cash along the way. Two decades on, the promise first hinted at in Second Life is nearing reality, as the persistent digital world of the metaverse starts to make inroads into the mainstream. The breathless coverage and endless hype of the metaverse would have the average person convinced that they’ll...

    Deep DivesLong Reads
    7 min read
    Chris Stokel-Walker
  • NFTs. Image: Shutterstock

    How DeviantArt Aims to Clean Up the World of NFTs

    With more than 70 million registered users, and half a billion pieces of art uploaded every month, DeviantArt is the internet’s front door to artwork. “Literally every second on DeviantArt, there is more than one piece of art being submitted,” says Moti Levy, the site’s CEO. “For the last 20 years, we’ve been serving the creator community, and evolving together with the creator community,” Moti adds. “We’ve created the publishing capabilities, the monetization capabilities, curation and collect...

    Deep DivesLong Reads
    6 min read
    Chris Stokel-Walker
  • Plagiarism. Image: Shutterstock

    NFTs Have a Problem With Copyright Theft

    People considering forking out for an NFT have to ask themselves a number of questions. Do they like the art they’re buying? Does the project’s purpose align with their beliefs? Do they believe that the investment is a sound one, likely to generate a return for them in the long run? Another question that prospective investors may not have thought they need to ask, but increasingly have to, is more fundamental: Does the person selling this NFT have the rights to the image? Copyright and intellect...

  • NFTs. Image: Shutterstock

    Going Legit: The Battle to Save NFTs’ Reputation

    In just a few short years, NFTs have gone from a dry technical standard for non-fungible tokens to a $23 billion market. But as fast as interest in NFTs expands, so it seems that the volume of negative headlines around the space grows. A crypto gold rush has cheapened the reputation of NFTs in the mainstream media. Once a transformative technology that could revitalize the worlds of art and business, they’re now painted as something to be avoided for fear of falling foul of authorities—or scamme...

    Deep DivesLong Reads
    5 min read
    Chris Stokel-Walker