February
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.
December 2024
Media groups to push Meta for payment after Labor announces TikTok tax
Apple and Microsoft could also be caught by the policy with their Apple News and LinkedIn products if they meet the $250 million Australian turnover threshold.
Tech giants to be punished if they don’t pay for news
The big stick approach set to be announced on Thursday would force recalcitrant platforms to the negotiating table or risk being hit with penalties.
November 2024
Social media ban: screen time fix, magic wand or a waste of time?
This week on The Fin podcast, Paul Smith and Sam Buckingham-Jones on what the ban means for children and parents, and whether it could cause a rift with the new US president.
Elon Musk slams Albanese’s social media ban
The owner of X had a swing at the Australian government’s prohibition for children under 16 as he prepares to take a role in the Trump administration.
Government to pursue tech giants for social harm
Communications Minister Michelle Rowland says Canberra will introduce a “digital duty of care” that could punish platforms for causing systemic trauma.
Social media ban doesn’t trust parents to raise their kids
If Canberra truly wanted to support families, it would invest in digital literacy rather than wielding a sledgehammer.
October 2024
First, kidnapping the Wallabies; now tackling online bullying
The debate about stopping cyberbullying has so far centred around bans and age limits. This former spy has a different solution.
September 2024
You can now control your teenager’s Instagram use
Users aged under 16 will soon find themselves in restricted “Teen Accounts”, giving guardians authority over the content they see on the social media app.
Social media bosses face jail if they fail to stop revenge porn
Britain is introducing tough new online safety laws that could see social media bosses punished for allowing deep fakes and revenge porn to be shared.
Tech giants in firing line to pay for swath of new online laws
The Albanese government is introducing new laws to curb the harms caused by social media giants, and is also looking at how to make them pay for it.
July 2024
I gave up my phone as an example to my teenagers – it was disastrous
Before you ban your kids from using smartphones, ask yourself why.
‘I feel helpless’: techies are banning their kids from social media
The professionals who understand most how social media and other tech platforms work are keeping their own children away from them for as long as possible.
June 2024
Social media ban on kids faces big technical hurdles: experts
Australia has bipartisan support for a 16-year-old limit for using social media, as Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton argued about who was first to demand it.
April 2024
Corporate directors warned over Musk behaviour
AFP boss Reece Kershaw says better corporate standards are needed to enable co-operation between social media giants and law enforcement.
February 2024
X faces ‘big trouble’, fines if it does not change, warns Rowland
“There is going to be someone who turns around and says ‘how did governments allow this to happen?’ We’re not going to be that government”
April 2023
What does it mean to be a boy online in 2023
What lessons are young men learning from YouTube, TikTok and influencers like Andrew Tate?
October 2022
Musk to face ad boycott if he brings back Trump
Elon Musk’s efforts to loosen Twitter’s moderation rules could risk the wrath of advertisers who provide most of Twitter’s $US5 billion revenue.
Bark worse than bite in libel case
A dog groomer’s defamation claim over comments on social media has been thrown out due to there being no “serious harm” to her reputation.
July 2022
How to use Facebook’s Ray-Ban Stories sunglasses without getting arrested
Even Meta has acknowledged that its creepy Ray-Ban Stories glasses have human rights problems. We’ve figured out a way to eliminate at least one of those.