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Rachael Bolton

January

What does ‘cute winter boots’ mean on TikTok?

Since the Trump inauguration, conversation about “cute winter boots” has been trending on TikTok. What are they really talking about?

DeepSeek GIF

We asked DeepSeek, ChatGPT about the AFL. Here’s what they said

How does China’s artificial intelligence competitor compare with its big Silicon Valley rivals? We asked them questions, and compared the answers.

December 2024

Dustin Milligan as Jack Snowman in Hot Frosty.

Five streaming Christmas movies that are so bad, they’re good

“Brain rot” was the Oxford English Dictionary’s word of the year. Here’s some holiday drivel to help you join the trend.

Why is my teen talking about ‘ocean aliens’?

A rumour has been circulating online that recent US congressional hearings uncovered the existence of aliens living in our oceans. Could it be true?

October 2024

Chappell Roan: “I encourage people to use their critical thinking skills.”

Why this Gen Z TikTok megastar won’t endorse Kamala Harris

The songwriter’s ambivalence is the perfect avatar for the Harris campaign’s problem with the Gen Z electorate – and it’s a problem that could cost her the election.

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A crypto ticker scrolls blank in Decentraland. The virtual world was once popular. Now it is hard to find another user.

Once the future of the internet, the metaverse is largely empty

Two years ago, the world’s biggest brands couldn’t get enough of virtual worlds. Now, only the most hardcore users are left.

Taylor Swift is supporting Kamala Harris for president.

Why next month’s US vote is the TikTok election

While Trump’s Twitter persona loomed large over 2016, and 2020 was dominated by the pandemic, Facebook and lockdown, 2024 is the TikTok election.

September 2024

LinkedIn quietly uploaded a new privacy policy to use user data in AI training.

LinkedIn has (quietly) announced it scrapes your posts for AI

LinkedIn has quietly launched new policies outlining how it scrapes posts and personal data to train AI models. What you need to know (and how to turn it off).

Donald Trump during this week’s debate.

Why Trump says immigrants are eating cats and dogs

In the US presidential debate, Donald Trump repeated a bizarre and false claim circulating in right-wing circles on social media.

August 2024

ANU vice chancellor Genevieve Bell at the AFR Higher Education Summit on Tuesday.

How to use AI in unis – and spot ‘very bland’ cheats

Banning AI was an understandable knee-jerk response, says ANU vice chancellor and tech expert Genevieve Bell. But it won’t work.

June 2024

Do view this at home: How the video art market works

Gone are the days when you needed a gallery-sized space to view digital art.

May 2024

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December 2023

Knowing how long you’ve slept may not help poor sleepers.

Is a $3745 app-controlled mattress topper a sound sleeping investment?

The Eight Sleep Pod Cover is great at collecting data but is missing a trick on helping you make sense of it all.

My partner Jason Toh says he’s really cold in this bath, but I found it relatively comfortable.

The chilling truth of a $12,500 ice bath in your home

Our dubious tester immersed herself in this health trend – and immediately started saving to buy her own ice bath.

September 2023

Men think about the Roman Empire more often than you’d think.

Are men obsessed with the Roman Empire? This viral trend suggests so

On TikTok, there’s a phenomenon of females asking males how often they think about the historic period. Try popping the question yourself, go on …

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August 2023

P J Vogt

Is it OK to enjoy a podcast by people involved in a workplace scandal?

A new offering from hosts who lost their jobs on a top rating show present their potential audience with a moral dilemma.

April 2023

Young members of the Twelve Tribes community.

This podcast puts a bizarre Blue Mountains cult in the spotlight

“Inside the Tribe” concerns a contemporary group in the process of trying to divest itself of assets and under investigation by police.

Alba has 31 pools in total, each of which has been configured to match its surrounds, such as this more secluded one. However, they can get busy on a crowded summer’s day.

In search of serenity on Victoria’s luxury spa circuit

This recently opened spa is an architectural marvel with much to offer, but you have to be prepared to share your bliss moments.

December 2016

ASIC seeks AI solution as sharemarkets rattled by Facebook fake news fears

ASIC chair says new artificial intelligence software will target fake news on social media amid fears it is already being used to manipulate share prices.

October 2014

Disposable app to assess your ‘health age’

There are apps that are designed to be kept on your phone all the time – your note-taking apps, video streaming apps, and productivity tools, for example.

Original URL: https://www.afr.com/by/rachael-bolton-j67sf