This Month
- Opinion
- Technology & democracy
Break up big tech to save competition, democracy and the climate
To save the European Green Deal and restore economic competitiveness, the EU’s new antitrust push must rein in these companies’ enormous power.
- Cori Crider
November
Meta gains steam to push age verification upon app store giants
As Australia investigates age verification methods, the social media company wants the responsibility to fall upon the likes of Apple and Google rather than individual providers.
- Cristiano Lima-Strong, Cat Zakrzewski and Andrea Jiménez
US regulators seek to break up Google, force Chrome sale
The US government wants to break up the tech behemoth and make it sell its industry-leading Chrome web browser, to stop an abusive monopoly.
- Michael Liedtke
- Opinion
- Company tax
An OECD global tax deal is close. Australia should jump on board
It wasn’t a good look for Australia to be on the world stage at last month’s IMF meetings as a noted holdout on a crucial international agreement.
- Richard Holden
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
October
Rock stars and Wiggles: Google takes on big tech rules
The search giant is bankrolling parties and events that are an unsubtle reminder to the government of its huge power.
- Paul Smith and Sam Buckingham-Jones
- Opinion
- Opinion
Big tech ad levy can’t be a sugar hit
The proposal to pull financial contributions from digital advertising and direct them towards public interest journalism mustn’t let the platforms buy their way out of accountability for their questionable business as usual.
- Alice Dawkins
‘Barbarians at the gates’: How a Google break-up could upend tech
The US Department of Justice’s proposal to shake up the company is a seminal moment for the industry. If it prevails in court, AI start-ups could benefit.
- Richard Waters and Stephen Morris
September
- Analysis
- Analysis
‘Daylight robbery:’ Canberra needs EU muscle to land big tech blow
The government wants to work cooperatively with tech moguls such as Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg, but that seems like wishful thinking, and tougher laws are coming.
- Paul Smith
August
Telegram’s Durov built a haven for free speech – and child predators
The Russian-born billionaire’s indictment in France has drawn outrage from supporters. But his platform hosts some of the vilest stuff on the internet.
- Pranshu Verma, Will Oremus and Gerrit De Vynck
April
Apple exec’s secret to success: don’t take notes
In his first day of cross-examination, Apple Fellow Phil Schiller lays out its casual but obviously effective approach to decision-making.
- John Davidson
Fortnite billionaire admits he loved, deceived Apple
When you get one of the world’s richest and most popular computer nerds into the witness stand for sworn testimony, what’s the first question you want to ask them?
- John Davidson
March
Epic battle with Apple and Google heads into the wilds
In a light-hearted exchange, a Federal Court judge says a willingness to be shot at in a game may help you with installing the game in the first place.
- John Davidson
iPhone will be ‘degraded’ if Epic wins court case, Apple warns
New laws in Europe mean iPhone users there are already facing all manner of new threats to their safety.
- John Davidson
What peanut butter has to do with what’s available in the App Store
Epic Games’ landmark lawsuit against Apple has heard that it’s impossible to tell how profitable the App Store is because of something named after the spread.
- John Davidson
- Opinion
- Tech Observed
How the US suing Apple could change Australians’ digital world
The US Department of Justice has taken Apple to task over the very things it’s being tried for in a Melbourne courtroom. Does one case affect the other?
- John Davidson
Epic Games opens case against Apple, Google
iPhones would have cheaper apps released more quickly, and even better security and privacy if only Apple were forced to open its phones up to competition, a Melbourne court has heard.
- John Davidson
Monster court case could speed the end of Apple’s walled garden
After more than three years of delays, the Federal Court will finally decide if big tech groups have to loosen their grasp on downloads to mobile phones.
- John Davidson
November 2023
The Russian agent who smuggled computer chips from France
Maxim Ermakov was part of an operation that obtained the sophisticated microchips for the Russian military.
- Chris Cook and Max Seddon
- Analysis
- The Breakdown
Google is paying someone else $40b to make sure you keep using it
The US government has made its case to prove Google is a monopolist. The Breakdown explains why some of the tech giant’s excuses are tortured.
- Nick Bonyhady