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Boston-based Markforged 3D printer manufacturer to open European headquarters in Dublin

With this phrase the witty store started its Christmas campaign for the year 2015, launching on the European markets the M3D micro 3D Printer.

The idea that power can be exercised not only through coercion, but also through the construction of cultural consent, is one of the best-known contributions of Antonio Gramsci’s thought.[1] In the Prison Notebooks,[2] the philosopher describes “cultural hegemony”[3] as the ability of a dominant group to make its worldview appear natural and universally shared through education, the media and institutions. Almost a century later, this interpretative framework is sometimes invoked to make sense of the transformations taking place within today’s digital ecosystem.

Today, a significant proportion of public communication online in Europe takes place on privately owned platforms headquartered elsewhere, including Facebook, WhatsApp, LinkedIn, YouTube, X, TikTok, Instagram, Telegram, Signal, Snapchat, Reddit and Discord.

In recent years, the boundary between physical presence and digital presence has become increasingly blurred. The recent financial operation involving Khaby Lame fits squarely within this context. The former factory worker from Chivasso, who became one of the most recognisable faces on social media thanks to his wordless videos, signed a historic $975 million agreement on 9 January 2026 with the Hong Kong holding company Rich Sparkle. According to several reports, the deal may also include the development of a digital version of his image based on artificial intelligence tools.