‘A letter tells someone they still matter’: the sudden, surprising return of the pen pal

In the pandemic, many have rediscovered the sheer pleasure of writing to strangers, with new schemes spreading hope and connection around the world

The Guardian view on empty offices: goodbye to all that?

Editorial: The coronavirus pandemic is accelerating a digitally driven trend that was already in train. We need to plan for the downsides

‘People think I bathe in asses’ milk’: how Towie’s Gemma Collins became a podcast hit

She went from selling cars to starring on reality TV – and now fronts a smash-hit podcast. But 10 years in the tabloid line of fire hasn’t been easy

Confessions of an accidental influencer

When Bella Mackie began posting about her struggles with anxiety, she unexpectedly found herself becoming an influencer. But what did sharing her private fears teach her?

My journey into the dark, hypnotic world of a millennial guru

‘Spiritual influencers’ are flourishing online. Their model is built on recruiting eager followers – but what happens when they attract vulnerable people?

The Instagram decade: #hashtag holidays and other travel trends

Travelling by rail, staying at an Airbnb, trying a wellness retreat … whatever you did it was most likely captured on your phone. We look at how travel changed in the 2010s

Wakey wakey! The artists healing our sleep-deprived world

From experiments in light deprivation to ‘unfitness monitors’, works by Douglas Coupland and others in this urgent exhibition resist the 24/7 demands of late capitalism

One in three UK teenagers ‘ashamed of their body’

Findings prompt calls for weight loss ads to be vetted and social media firms to pay levy

We’re a nation of scrollers, not readers – but it’s tech billionaires’ fault

Stop feeling guilty about not reading books! Netflix and Twitter really are to blame, so stick it to the man by chomping on a chapter a day

From Distracted Boyfriend to Unhelpful Teacher, I love the twists of a meme’s journey

Memes bring out the best in people: their wit, their absurdist thinking, their quick turns of phrase