February
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.
January
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?
‘No terrorist to me’: Relatives, friends saw few signs before attack
Little in his outward persona suggested Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar could be responsible for such a brutal attack along one of the most famous US streets.
Suspect in New Orleans terror attack that killed 15 was an army veteran
US President Joe Biden condemned the “despicable” ISIS-inspired attack that 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar carried out on New Year’s Day.
December 2024
How Dungeons & Dragons became cool
The role-playing game, celebrating its 50th birthday, was once a nerdy niche. It’s championing by Hollywood creators has won it unprecedented popularity.
Richard White’s mystery $1b exposure
The former WiseTech CEO did a deal to buy the shares of co-founder Maree Isaacs. It leaves more questions than answers.
November 2024
Murdoch’s Fox News, ‘bro’ podcasts the big winners from Trump victory
Liberal audiences are tuning out while the media baron’s channel attracts record numbers in the United States.
Australia bans social media for under 16s. What do other countries do?
Australia has approved a social media ban for children aged under 16, one of the world’s toughest regulations targeting Big Tech.
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.
ABC chairman cops ‘watch out’ messages after Joe Rogan criticism
Asked what the ABC could learn from Joe Rogan, the most popular podcast presenter on Spotify, ABC chairman Kim Williams didn’t hold back.
An AI granny is phone scammers’ worst nightmare
Daisy Harris, an AI-generated grandmother, has been stymying fraudsters with meandering, time-wasting conversations. But can she actually make a dent in scams?
‘Nanny state’: Top techies slate rushed social media laws
Australia’s tech sector was stunned at being given only 24 hours to respond to new social media laws, and warns they are ill-defined and risk unintended consequences.
Why banning kids from social media might do more harm than good
It could be futile trying to ban teenagers from platforms that are their chief means of communicating. Far better to make them more aware and resilient through education.
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.
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.
‘Anti-woke’ companies set to boom under Trump
Some in the president’s inner circle invest in the “parallel economy” of companies financing gun sales and a right-wing alternative to YouTube.
Why this former TikTok executive wants a strict social media ban
TikTok hired Felicity McVay to convince Disney, Universal and the AFL to use the platform more. Now she’s campaigning to get children off it.
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.
$85k a year wasn’t worth this influencer’s childhood
PR maven Roxy Jacenko says she regrets letting her daughter Pixie Curtis have a public social media account, despite the income it generated.