digital natives

Sydney Poggi of France Télévisions said the public broadcaster is on track to become the leading news provider on YouTube, a striking claim for a public service outlet built around channels like franceinfo. The remark comes as French broadcasters compete with digital-native media for online audiences and raises questions about how public money shapes global platform dominance.

A widely shared observation argues that young people raised on social media, AI, smartphones and other products of information capitalism — so-called digital natives — hold the most negative views of these technologies' social impact. The point being circulated is that their first-hand experience gives their concerns weight, and that society perhaps ought to listen more closely to what they are saying about the tools shaping their lives.

BlackRock is framing a 'machine-native economy' in which artificial intelligence and digital assets become core parts of the financial system, not fringe bets. The idea is that AI agents and tokenised assets will increasingly transact with each other, reshaping how money, payments and investment infrastructure work. The framing is driving debate about how quickly traditional finance should adapt to AI-driven and blockchain-based markets.

At the E-commerce Packaging and Label Expo, speakers from shaving brand Harry's and beauty company Glossier discussed how the two digitally native brands expanded from direct-to-consumer sales onto retail shelves. Their packaging and branding strategies had to adapt to win attention in physical stores, offering a case study for other e-commerce-first companies considering the same move.

Online fashion retailer Revolve has acquired a minority stake in 437, a Toronto-based activewear startup. The investment signals Revolve's continued push into the fast-growing athleisure and activewear market, adding a digitally native fitness brand to its portfolio. Details on the size of the stake and financial terms have not been disclosed.

Digital-first brands are expanding into physical retail, opening stores after building their businesses online. The shift reflects a broader trend in the retail sector, as e-commerce-native companies seek in-person customer experiences, brand visibility and new revenue channels. Commentators note that physical locations can complement rather than compete with online sales, though costs and real estate risks remain key challenges for these formerly online-only businesses.