🍾 Bachelor(ette) madness

Plus: Facebook encryption | Friday, August 12, 2022

Open in app View in browser   Presented By Aventiv Technologies   Axios What's Next By Jennifer A. Kingson, Joann Muller and Alex Fitzpatrick · Aug 12, 2022 Pop the champagne! Pre-wedding bashes are back in a big way, Jennifer reports in her story today. Today's Smart Brevity count: 1,069 words ... 4 minutes.     1 big thing: Bachelor(ette) party mania Illustration: Shoshana Gordon/Axios   There's an escalating arms race in bachelor and bachelorette parties, with brides and grooms throwing ever-more-elaborate blowouts — and guests shelling out more money, Jennifer A. Kingson reports. Why it matters: Inflation, higher airfares and the pressure to stage Instagram-worthy celebrations are driving up the cost of pre-nuptial revelry, putting social and financial pressure on young adults who already face all kinds of sticker shock. Details: 52% of respondents to a Savings.com poll said they took on credit card debt to attend a bachelor or bachelorette party — and 15% felt uncomfortable about it. LendingTree, which surveyed 2,100 consumers, found similar results: 56% of bridal party members felt pressure to spend more than they could afford, and 50% incurred debt as a result. "Everything 'wedding' in our society is getting bigger and better and crazier," says Corie Wagner, an industry analyst at Savings.com. What's happening: The Savings.com survey — conducted in June among 504 people who had attended at least one bach party in the previous 18 months — pegged the median price of attending at $1,500, up from $1,400 in 2021. Two-thirds of the guests flew somewhere to participate, with international travelers spending even more: $2,000 on average. 20% had attended a bash that lasted four days or more. 55% were resentful, saying that hosts should ask guests in advance how much they're comfortable spending. The gender divide: While blowout bachelorette parties (with themes like "Bridgerton," "Mean Girls" and "Disney princesses") get lots of ink, men spend more dough: People attending bachelor parties spent 70% more than those celebrating the bride, Savings.com found. Where it's happening: Nashville, the top destination city for bachelorettes, will see 30,000 party bookings this year from The BACH app alone — up from 13,000 last year, the New York Times reports. Scottsdale, the #2 hotspot, will see at least 11,600 BACH parties this year, vs. 3,600 last year. Post-pandemic wanderlust also has celebrants jetting off to yoga retreats in Jamaica, pool parties in Tulum, and raunchy fun in tried-and-true Las Vegas. "Celebration travel" suggestions from Condé Nast Traveler include "a vineyard hop in Portugal," a hike across Scotland's Isle of Skye, and mountain biking through Mayan villages in Guatemala. Brides magazine's list of "Instagram-worthy bashes" includes a "Last Sail Before the Veil" in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, and a stay in a "retro-glam" hotel in Miami that serves "boozy Popsicles" poolside. The other side: Post-pandemic wedding fever has translated into a summer of burnout for many guests. Some couples are opting for modest hybrid weddings, with some people attending by Zoom. The bottom line: There are signs of backlash against bachelor/ette Bacchanalia. "Especially with the economy right now, people might be ready for a turn back to simpler affairs — toning down what we've taken to be a very normal part of celebrations," says Savings.com's Wagner. Share this story.     2. Facebook tests encryption-by-default Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios   Facebook is testing a tweak that would encrypt Messenger chats by default, a company rep said in a blog post yesterday, Alex Fitzpatrick reports. Why it matters: Enabling end-to-end encryption by default would instantly make it harder for the platform to see the contents of its billion-plus users' messages — or share them with law enforcement or governments. Of note: The news comes just days after tech site Motherboard revealed that Facebook complied with a police search warrant requesting the direct messages of a 17-year-old girl suspected of receiving an abortion that was illegal under Nebraska law. Facebook and other social media platforms have a legal responsibility to comply with such warrants, but they generally can't access or share encrypted data. WhatsApp, a chat app Facebook acquired in 2014, has long offered end-to-end encryption by default, and Facebook has previously teased plans to do the same for Messenger. The other side: Some in the anti-encryption crowd argue that such tech makes it harder for law enforcement to monitor or investigate suspected terrorists, murderers and other criminals. Apple famously went head-to-head with the FBI back in 2016 over the encrypted contents of a mass shooter's phone.     3. Travel spending booms Illustration: Maura Losch/Axios   Travel-related spending is on its way up, per new data from payments platform Square, Alex reports. Why it matters: The pandemic isn't over, but many people are clearly more comfortable traveling now than they have been over the last couple years. By the numbers: Travel agencies and tour operators using Square saw a 17% boost in gross payment volume during May-July of this year compared to the same period last year. Food tours are up 51%, and boat tours rose 37%. Be smart: Camping is still popular, but campsite rental prices have fallen 38% — once again making the great outdoors a wise choice for budget-conscious travelers. But RV campsite prices are up 25%, so maybe invest in a nice big tent instead.     A message from Aventiv Technologies Technology can empower rehabilitative justice and reduce recidivism     Aventiv Technologies is ending technology deserts in correctional facilities and helping those incarcerated stay connected and build new lives. Here's how: Aventiv is on pace to distribute 600,000 free tablets with educational content. It reduced call rates by more than 25%. Find out more.     4. Amazon's retail robot proving ground The former Seattle Macy's building on 3rd and Pine. Photo: Melissa Santos/Axios   Amazon wants to turn the basement of a former downtown Seattle Macy's building into a testing site for retail robots, per the Puget Sound Business Journal, Axios' Melissa Santos writes. Why it matters: The report hints at Amazon's plans to expand further into brick-and-mortar retail, potentially with robotic help. Details: As part of the test, autonomous robots would grab storage pods containing shoes and clothing and bring them to employees, who would select the items a customer wants. The robots would then return the pods to their place. What's next: It's unclear whether or where Amazon would actually deploy the robots — the company did not return Axios' request for comment — but they could play a role in the retail giant's expansion of physical clothing stores. Share this story.     5. One fun thing: Look up! A time lapse of meteors streaking through the sky. Photo: NASA/JPL   The Perseid meteor shower — typically one of the best of the year — is about to peak, Axios' Miriam Kramer reports. The big picture: This meteor shower comes around each year as the Earth passes through the trail of debris left by Comet Swift-Tuttle. State of play: In a typical year, observers in dark parts of the world can see 50–100 meteors per hour at peak times. Yes, but: A bright Moon could wash out all but the brightest shooting stars for this year's show. People watching in dark conditions in North America will likely only be able to see 10–20 meteors per hour at most, according to NASA astronomer Bill Cooke. If you still want to check out the Perseids, head out to a dark area with clear skies far from city lights. The peak is set to occur in the predawn hours Saturday.     A message from Aventiv Technologies Creating connections for those who need it most     Many correctional facilities are digital deserts. Incarcerated individuals need more ways to connect with family and build new lives. The solution: Aventiv is delivering 600,000 free tablets with educational content and cut call rates by over 25%. See all the progress.   A hearty thanks to What's Next copy editor Amy Stern. Was this email forwarded to you? Get your daily dose of What's Next magic by signing up here for our free newsletter. Are you a fan of this email format? 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