3,096 tacks
Why You Can’t Read Anymore (And How to Start)
Do you wish you could read more books? You’re not alone. These days, fewer people are reading for pleasure, and even those who do tend to struggle with distractions. Is this a literacy crisis, or has our attention just been warped? And what can we do? In this episode of “Galaxy Brain,” John Paul Brammer joins Charlie Warzel to talk about how he managed to ditch the allure of his screens and social media and rewild his attention. This is a conversation about how to reignite your curiosity, what deep reading does to your mind, and how anyone can learn to love to read again.
The New Yorker: What Backrooms and Obsession mean for the future of movies
Many of horror’s most striking films have come from first timers working on shoestring budgets, from “Night of the Living Dead” to “The Blair Witch Project.” These days, new talent can be found, increasingly, on YouTube. Alex Barasch, a culture editor at The New Yorker who's reported on this fresh cohort of filmmakers, talks about the record-breaking success of “Backrooms” and “Obsession” and what it means for Hollywood as a whole.
ABC News bringing more regional stories to audiences using AI with journalist oversight
The ABC is introducing an AI-assisted workflow that converts local radio bulletins into digital briefings. The AI tool helps journalists reformat existing stories, freeing up time for more original reporting. The AI-generated content is fact-checked, edited, and approved by editorial leaders before publication.
ACCC sues Amazon over introduction of ads on Prime
The article describes the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's (ACCC) lawsuit against Amazon Australia for allegedly introducing advertisements to its streaming service, Prime Video. The ACCC alleges that Amazon included unfair terms in its contracts with Australian annual subscribers, allowing the company to introduce ads without providing a pro rata refund or other meaningful redress.
Serial harassers given '19 strikes' on Meta, eSafety boss says
The Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion heard testimony from eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant, who stated that social media companies are increasingly reluctant to remove violent content. She highlighted a specific case where Elon Musk’s X Corp argued that footage of the Bondi massacre was no worse than a gore movie. Inman Grant also expressed concern about Meta’s relaxed policies on online hate and fact-checking, which have led to a decrease in trust and safety personnel.
Frequent AI chatbot users more likely to believe anti-vaccine myths, poll finds
Poll finds use of AI tools for health advice is correlated with belief in vaccine falsehoods, such as shots causing autism Adults in the US who frequently seek out health advice from artificial intelligence chatbots are more likely to believe myths about vaccines, according to a poll released on Tuesday by health research firm KFF. The survey, which was conducted in May and polled a representative sample of 2,480 US adults, found that use of AI tools and chatbots correlated with belief in falsehoods such as vaccines causing autism or that the measles vaccine poses more danger than the correspo...
The Movie Music Trick You Never Noticed
Mickey-mousing is the practice of matching music precisely to on-screen action — every footstep paired with a musical note, every punch synced to a drum hit. The name comes from early Disney animation, but this film music technique goes far beyond cartoons. Timothy Corrigan and Patricia White define it as 'overillustrating the action through the musical score, drawn from the conventions of composing for cartoons.'
‘Don’t kill music’: Anthony Albanese’s favourite bands beg PM to stop AI companies from stealing their work
A potential deal with the government would allow international tech companies to mine the creative work of Australian musicians. Some of the prime minister’s favourite artists told the Guardian how they feel about it Creatives sound alarm on copyright as Pocock calls $50bn datacentre proposal ‘ultimate dirty deal’ Big tech companies are asking for Australian copyright laws to be watered down, to allow them to scrape Australian output – including journalism, music and books – in order to improve their AI models. Guardian Australia this week reported on an industry proposal under which companies...
The Dystopian Reality of Online Advertising
Venus Theory—who usually makes great videos about music on YouTube—investigates the industrialization of authenticity, exploring how influencer marketing agencies leverage algorithmic sentiment analysis and synthetic content to commodify human connection. This deep dive into the creator economy examines the rise of user-generated content, AI-driven personas, and the psychological mechanisms brands use to turn viewers into consumers.
Australian musicians fight against AI | 7.30
A renewed push by big tech to weaken Australia's copyright laws has caused consternation among Australia's songwriters and musicians. Today some of the nation's leading creatives went to Canberra to stiffen the government's resolve.
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