Google reveals plans to add AI to Aussie search results
Google's generative AI tool will explain search results in Australia as part of a technology trial but experts warn to watch for serious or funny mistakes.
online
X doesn’t mark the spot when it comes to Twitter fine
X Corp should not be responsible for fines issued to Twitter by the Australian eSafety Commissioner, its lawyers argued, as they are different companies.
Social media ban poses barrier to mental health support
Mental health services and youth advocacy groups say they will find it harder to connect with young people if the government goes ahead with a social media ban.
Children promised a say on social media age ban plans
Some young people will get around an age limit on social media but a ban is still needed to protect children, the prime minister says.
Privacy law calls as Meta admits farming Aussie photos
Experts are calling for changes to privacy laws after Meta revealed Australian photos from Facebook and Instagram were being used to train AI tools.
Crackdown on doxxing but hate speech law under fire
As the federal government comes under pressure on weakened hate speech laws, fresh penalties will apply for disclosing private information online.
Social media misinformation to be policed by watchdog
The communications watchdog will be given new powers to crack down on misinformation on digital platforms under proposed federal laws.
Social media giants face big fines in plan to ban kids
South Australia's planned laws banning children under 14 from social media should be overseen by a federal regulator and implemented nationally, a report says.
Meta’s latest news ban an error but maybe not next time
Facebook parent company Meta has told an inquiry it did not intend to block news stories from its platforms in August, but it is keeping its options open.
Many Brazilians feel disconnected without X
Elon Musk's social media platform X has been shut down in Brazil making it largely inaccessible to millions of users on both the web and through mobile apps.
‘Let me out’: Aussies need help with subscription traps
Most Australians have struggled to cancel a subscription and some have given up entirely, a report has warned amid calls for legal reforms.
Next-level scammers move into the AI realm
Scams are becoming increasingly complex as criminals turn to artificial intelligence to create elaborate scams aimed at catching even the most experienced out.
Snapchat rejects Aussie calls to raise social media age
Lifting the age limit for children on social media platforms would leave existing users adrift, Snapchat's safety head says, and should be a family decision.
Aussies want AI restrictions, though most don’t use it
Generative AI tools are a concern for a growing number of Australians, a report has found, even though only two in five have tried the technology.
Amazon tests AI for audiobooks but new rules are coming
Amazon is testing AI-generated voices for audiobooks in the absence of guidance, its executives say, as government officials reveal AI rules are in the works.
Broadband speed boosts slow NBN Co’s path to profit
More copper connections have been replaced with faster fibre over the past year, NBN Co has revealed, but the broadband boost proved expensive.
AI curiosity soars, but not everyone’s comfortable
More Australians are turning to artificial intelligence technology to learn new skills, a Google report shows, but others want to identify when it's being used.
Millions of Australians hit by prescription cyber hack
One of Australia's largest cyber hacks resulted in the theft of personal details and health information belonging to almost 13 million people.
Two in three Australian workers ‘using AI to save time’
Survey results showing rapid AI uptake in Australian workplaces come with a warning that the time-saving trend could be putting sensitive business data at risk.
Why Australian news could be banned from Facebook again
Banishing Australian news content from Facebook could devastate media outlets and disadvantage audiences, an inquiry into social media has heard.
Nine to cull 200 jobs in latest mass media lay-offs
The publisher of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age plans to trim its staff by about four per cent after Meta declined to renew a lucrative content deal.
computing and information technology
inquiry
internet
media
online
people - social issue
social issue
social issues (general)
social problems
technology (general)
Child abuse and online safety risks probed at inquiry
Lawmakers and experts in child protection policies are expected to appear at a federal social media inquiry following controversial claims by Meta.
computing and information technology
inquiry
internet
media
online
people - social issue
social issue
social issues (general)
social problems
technology (general)
Would you show Facebook your ID? The govt wants to know
A $6.5 million age-assurance technology trial will test whether it can prevent teens accessing social networks and whether adults are willing to use it.
breaking_news
business (general)
business enterprises
consumers
internet
it/computer sciences
mass media
media
online
technology (general)
Telstra, Optus end Google deals after watchdog warning
Internet behemoth Google paid Australia's top two telcos to be the default search engine on Android phones for seven years, the competition watchdog has found.
Watchdog warning ends Google deal with Telstra, Optus
Telstra and Optus have agreed to stop accepting payments from Google under deals to pre-install the tech giant's search software as default on their phones.
children
computing and information technology
online
parent and child
politics (general)
safety of citizens
science and technology
social issue
social issues (general)
social problems
technology (general)
Photos of Aussie kids scraped, used by popular AI tool
Child safety advocates have called for greater online privacy protections after Human Rights Watch identified photos of young Australians in an AI dataset.
adult education
business (general)
employment
further education
internet
online
professional - women general
safety of citizens
Women wanted for cybersecurity course, no men allowed
One of Australia's largest cybersecurity organisations is launching a training course just for women as research shows they make up only one in five workers.
Considering how to ‘force’ Meta to pay for news
Laws that would force Facebook to show and pay for Australian news, as well as tax changes, are being considered by the government, an inquiry has revealed.
Publisher warns of Meta ‘blackmail’ on news media code
Major news outlets accuse Facebook's parent company of daring the government to take action against it, and warn newspapers could close if it fails to act.
computing and information technology
consumers
internet
online
politics (general)
science and technology
social issue
social issues (general)
social problems
technology (general)
Lies, bad ads, no rules – social media under scrutiny
Academics at six universities are teaming up to create a national body to investigate online misinformation, social media risks and missing regulations.
Why all smartphones are adding artificial intelligence
Apple has revealed plans to put ChatGPT in iPhones and, with Google and Samsung embracing AI tools, experts say they will soon be ubiquitous.