February
Antisemitic video leads to charges for nurse, Sydney school protest
A Sydney nurse has been charged with threatening to kill, while a related protest by schoolboys on Wednesday morning was condemned as antisemitic.
Sanjeev Gupta’s largest creditor leads an Insta-rich life
NRW Holdings has been revealed as Whyalla’s biggest creditor. The company’s CEO has been globetrotting while the Gupta debts hit home.
US Target hit by consumer anger at retreat from diversity policies
A decline in foot traffic has coincided with consumer boycotts aimed at the retailer, even as other brands that made similar reversals have faced little outcry.
YouTube’s social media ban exemption under fire as rivals seethe
The Department of Communications met with Meta, Snap and TikTok to discuss how they’re supposed to age-restrict their platforms, while their rival remains exempt.
How you’re paying for Facebook ads promoting Labor policies
Labor has ratcheted up taxpayer-funded advertising since the start of the year, including $100,000 on Facebook and Instagram ads in the past week.
The hottest VC ticket in Sydney is an invite to this founder’s brunch
No plus ones, no alcohol, and no hard sales pitches. There is a 230-person waiting list for Frank and Jacques Greeff’s invite-only founders’ table.
How a prankster exposed views that shocked the world
Israeli influencer Max Veifer used an obscure online platform to capture the video of two NSW nurses making outrageous antisemitic claims about patients.
‘Incoherent’ impartiality rule used to oust ABC host
Legal counsel for Antoinette Lattouf said the broadcaster’s claims that an Instagram post by her breached impartiality guidelines had no foundation in any policy, procedure or legislation.
Accenture to end DEI policies to comply with Trump
Accenture CEO Julie Sweet advises staff of a global evolution as the consulting giant abandons DEI programs in response to President Donald Trump’s orders.
Social media giants face massive fines under proposed safety laws
If adopted by the Albanese government, the new penalties would likely affect platforms owned by Meta as well as TikTok, SnapChat, and Elon Musk’s X.
January
We have enough stuff. No-buy 2025 offers other ways to fill the void
No-buy doesn’t mean abstaining from all purchases, but rather picking specific categories to avoid.
‘I’ve decided to move out low performers’: Meta cuts 5pc of staff
Affected workers in the US are expected to be notified on February 10, while those based in other countries will be informed at a later date.
Silicon Valley’s lurch to the right catches the eye of local VCs
Some 15,000 kilometres away from Washington DC, where tech is cosying up to Donald Trump, local start-ups are pondering whether to ride the anti-DEI wave.
Meta’s ‘free speech’ overhaul sparks advertisers’ concern
Ad bosses say the move to end fact-checking and weaken hate speech policies could cost the platform, where marketing makes up most of its $220b in annual sales.
‘Cognitively diverse’: Meta’s new workforce mantra
Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has axed all policies aimed at creating an equitable workforce as he laments the rise of “culturally neutered” companies.
Meta exempted top advertisers from standard content moderation
According to internal documents from 2023 seen by the FT, the Facebook and Instagram owner introduced a series of “guardrails” that “protect high spenders”.
How TikTok, YouTube and X police their platforms
Meta will replace its professional fact-checkers with a “community notes” system. How do other social media companies moderate content?
Federal election warning after Meta scraps fact-checking
The Facebook and Instagram change will begin in the US but is expected to go global – including in Australia, where Labor is cracking down on online safety.
Meta to stop checking facts as Trump returns to White House
The reversal of a years-old policy means that there will be more “bad stuff” on Facebook, Instagram and Threads, admitted Mark Zuckerberg.
Blundy’s former right-hand man takes on Lovisa jewellery empire
Shane Fallscheer spent more than a decade growing the billionaire’s accessories retailer into a giant. Can he do it again – for himself – with Harli + Harpa?