This Month
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.
- Ronald Mizen
December 2024
ABC to get $126m post-election funding injection
Communications Minister Michelle Rowland will also seek to make law the five-year funding agreements Labor committed to at the 2022 election.
- Ronald Mizen
November 2024
- Analysis
- Explainers
Worried about the social media ban for kids? Read this
The pioneering age-limit laws are set to be approved by the Senate on Thursday. Here’s what we know (and just as importantly what we don’t know) about how they will work.
- Paul Smith
Labor vowed to ban sports gambling ads (18 months ago)
Nothing has happened. The prime minister has gone from blasting gambling advertising around sport as “reprehensible” to admitting he hasn’t been able to see it through.
- Sam Buckingham-Jones
Coalition MPs to cross the floor on social media ban
Communications Minister Michelle Rowland was forced to confirm that platforms would not be able to compel users to hand over sensitive identification documents.
- Tom McIlroy
Kim Williams’ protege in the lead for ACMA role
Widely expected to eventually replace Creina Chapman is authority member Adam Suckling.
- Myriam Robin
Labor leaves YouTube out of under-16s social media ban
The government initially said YouTube would be caught under new laws banning people under 16 from using social media. Its view has since changed.
- Sam Buckingham-Jones
Principals back social media ban but won’t give up YouTube
Two veteran educators say YouTube will likely still be used by teachers in the classroom, even if students are banned from using it.
- Sam Buckingham-Jones
Canberra takes on big tech – and Gen Alpha – with social media bans
All Australians could be forced to register official identity documents with social media giants to prove they are over the age of 16.
- Paul Smith
‘Harming our kids’: PM announces social media ban for under-16s
In a potential early flashpoint with Trump ally Elon Musk, the government will bring in big fines for social media companies that break the proposed laws.
- Paul Smith
October 2024
Social media penalties ‘must include big fines’
Tech companies should face multimillion-dollar fines for failing to enforce laws restricting social media access for children, the South Australian premier says.
- Tess Bennett
Labor defector Payman’s political party launch days away
Sources familiar with Senator Payman’s thinking said Anthony Albanese’s threat of a double dissolution election meant she needed to move swiftly.
- Ronald Mizen
- Explainer
- Social media
Everything you need to know about Labor’s misinformation crackdown
More than 75 per cent of people believe addressing the deliberate spread of misinformation online is extremely important or quite important. On how you achieve that goal, the country is far more divided.
- Ronald Mizen
September 2024
- Exclusive
- Federal election
Misinformation laws could stymie public health debates: Coatsworth
The nation’s deputy chief medical officer during the COVID-19 pandemic says Labor’s proposed crackdown on misinformation and disinformation goes too far.
- Ronald Mizen
- Opinion
- Social media
A cure for disinformation that’s as bad as the disease
Well-meaning legislation to protect Australians from online lies could end up silencing legitimate public health questions as well.
- Nick Coatsworth
‘Show some courage’: Pressure on Albanese over gambling ad ban
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says gambling, not advertising, is the biggest issue to be dealt with, and reiterated his opposition to a total ad ban.
- Ronald Mizen
Sportsbet loss promoter’s immortal one line
When did it become footy culture to have a losing three-leg multi rammed down your throat on a Friday night?
- Mark Di Stefano
- Exclusive
- Online gambling
Gambling advertising ban on jerseys and stadium signs back in play
The government had planned a separate process, but discussions have restarted after bookies supported the idea.
- Ronald Mizen, Zoe Samios and Sam Buckingham-Jones
August 2024
Inside the billion-dollar battle to ban gambling ads
This week on The Fin podcast, Ronald Mizen and Sam Buckingham-Jones on what the government is likely to do and whether it will be enough.
Coalition holds trump card in gambling debate
If the government wants to limit sports betting ads, the Coalition is the only realistic source of support.
- Phillip Coorey