March 20, 2026 – for immediate release 

The National NewsMedia Council considered and dismissed one part of a complaint and found that corrective action was taken to address another part of a complaint about language use in an opinion column published by the Globe and Mail.

The article, which was a review of a live performance by the K-pop band Stray Kids, included commentary that was critical of their Toronto show.

Ellyse Collins filed a complaint stating concern that the piece contained cultural stereotypes and xenophobic statements. The complainant said the review lacked editorial oversight and violated the news organization’s standards to avoid stereotyping based on geography, language, and ethnicity.

In particular, the complainant pointed to a statement that suggested the band’s stage banter was a standard part of English language lessons in Korea, which appeared in the original version of the article.

The complainant also stated the review contained sexist and ableist language, pointing to the piece’s reference to fans as “ … [listeners with] short attention spans…” as part of the “Adderall generation,” and having “dopamine addictions.” The complainant argued that these statements were not appropriate given that the band’s audience was predominantly women, as indicated in the piece, and requested the news organization provide a formal apology.

Prior to the formal complaint being submitted to the NNC, the news organization responded to the complainant noting that the review had been updated with multiple changes. For example, the news organization said it updated the article to correct an error about a specific song the band performed. While this was not an issue raised directly in the formal complaint, the correction reflects a commitment by the news organization to ensure the journalistic standard of accuracy.

In response to the concern about stereotypes in the statement identified by the complainant, the news organization stated, “The statement about English-language classes that originally appeared in the article did not meet The Globe and Mail’s editorial standards, and the article has also been corrected, with an explanatory note at the bottom, to address this.”

The news organization also noted, “The article should have been labelled “REVIEW” to indicate clearly that it is a work of opinion writing, and not a reported news article. This has also been corrected.”

The news organization explained, “Reviewers and all opinion writers have broad latitude to express their opinions. While reported news articles require balance and objectivity, opinion articles and reviews specifically allow for the writer’s personal take. In this case, the reviewer did, in fact, include many positive comments about the Stray Kids performance.”

The complainant was not satisfied with the news organization’s response, and emphasized the concerns about sexist and ableist language.

In response to the NNC complaint, the news organization stated, “This was a concert review and, as does any opinion writer, the reviewer has a broad ability to share their opinion. Some reviews are snarky, and it is understandable that a fan of the band would not appreciate that type of review. Reviewers have a long history of expressing unflattering opinions.”

The news organization pointed to examples of “scathing” and even particularly favourable reviews to show a range of perspectives and styles that a review piece might include.

In response to the concern about the piece’s references to the “Adderall generation” and “dopamine addictions,” the news organization noted that the phrases may be attributed to artistic license, while also being supported by available evidence. To that end, the news organization provided links to articles reporting on an increase in dopamine addiction among younger generations.

The complainant emphasized the view that the statements in question depict “the concert attendees as vapid and brainless,” and questioned the extent to which the statements were based on evidence of clinical studies on dopamine addictions. The complainant reiterated an initial request for a public apology.

In considering the issues raised, Council considered the materials submitted, the original and updated pieces, and the news organization’s standards along with widely-accepted practices related to opinion writing.

The NNC consistently supports the widely-accepted journalistic practice giving columnists and opinion writers wide latitude to express unpopular views and use strong language.

The news organization’s code of conduct states that journalists and assigning editors “Avoid stereotyping by race, gender, age, religion, ethnicity, geography, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance or social status.”

With respect to the complainant’s first concern about cultural stereotypes, the NNC recognized that the news organization updated the piece to remove the specific statement referencing English language lessons and included a note to readers about the update. In this way, readers are alerted to the change while the news organization avoids repeating the statement at issue.

Council supported this step to update the piece on the basis of avoiding language use that perpetuates harmful stereotypes. Council, therefore, considered this aspect of the complaint about language resolved due to corrective action.

With respect to the complainant’s concerns about the statements referring to “dopamine additions,” “the Adderall generation,” and listeners with “short attention spans,” Council considered the need to balance care in language with the wide latitude afforded to opinion writers to use strong language in presenting their views.

In this case, Council recognized that the complainant considered these statements derogatory towards specific groups of people. As a matter of information, the NNC has previously emphasized the importance of language when reporting on people with disabilities.

In reviewing the piece in question, however, it appears that the column is commenting on the quick-changing, fast-paced, and genre-spanning style of the music, rather than targeting the ability, age, or gender of any particular group.

The column states, for example, that the set featured “overstimulating songs with multiple melodies, mid-tune genre switches and more tempo changes than you could shake a metronome at.” The column also states, “The eight singer/rappers didn’t stay still for a second onstage, and neither did the music.”

The NNC urges care around language use to avoid causing undue harm to individuals. Additionally, Council understands that some readers may object to the language used in the piece, and disagree with the column’s general commentary and conclusions about the artistic performance being critiqued.

That said, a columnist’s ability to employ artistic license in their descriptions or arguments generally falls within the wide latitude that opinion writers have to use strong language. Council agreed that upholding a complaint on the basis of language in an opinion article must meet a high bar of harm, reflecting a rare and egregious example of inappropriate language use. It is worth noting that the NNC does not compel news organizations to issue formal apologies.

For these reasons, Council dismissed this portion of the complaint on the basis that it falls within the wide latitude afforded to opinion writers to use strong language.