3,081 tacks
Trump administration labels Australia’s media bargaining laws ‘foreign extortion’
The Trump administration criticised Australia’s news bargaining incentive plan, calling it “foreign extortion” and a potential violation of trade agreements. The plan, which aims to make Meta, Google, and TikTok pay for news content, has also faced opposition from the tech industry and some political parties. Despite this, the plan is likely to pass with support from the Coalition and Greens.
Why Spotify has no button to filter out AI music
Spotify has no AI-music filter because labelling is technically, ethically and commercially difficult. AI use exists on a spectrum, detection risks false positives, and industry standards remain unsettled. Critics argue Spotify is avoiding transparency to protect growth and recommendation systems. Deezer already labels and limits AI tracks, while Apple and Spotify are testing disclosure features. Listeners increasingly want clearer labels, especially as AI-generated music floods streaming platforms.
Tech giants face new levy to pay for Australian news as Meta calls position ‘simply wrong’
The Albanese government proposes a 2.25% levy on local revenues for Google, Meta, and TikTok to compensate Australian media outlets. Google and Meta oppose the levy, arguing it’s unnecessary and unfairly targets them.
Tech giants face a new levy to pay for Australian news. What is the proposed model and how will it work?
The Albanese government has proposed the News Bargaining Incentive (NBI) to replace the News Media Bargaining Code (NMBC). The NBI will require large digital platforms like Google, Meta, and TikTok to make commercial deals with Australian media outlets or face a 2.25% levy on local revenues. The revenue collected will be distributed to media outlets based on the number of full-time journalists they employ, with additional weighting for rural, regional, small, and marginalised community outlets.
‘They’re supposed to be handmade’: zine creators fight to resist AI influence
Zine creators are concerned about the increasing use of artificial intelligence in their traditionally handmade art form. While some see AI as a tool to enhance creativity and accessibility, others argue that it undermines the essence of zines, which is their scrappy, handmade nature. The debate centres around whether AI can coexist with the grassroots, DIY ethos of zine culture.
Why Cuarón Plans Everything (And Still Feels Spontaneous)
Alfonso Cuarón operates on a paradox: the more prepared he is, the freer he becomes. For three decades, across wildly different genres — intimate family dramas, dystopian thrillers, space epics — his work is governed by a single philosophical tension. Preparation isn’t the goal. It’s the safety net that lets him fall toward the unexpected. This video breaks down that philosophy through Cuarón’s own words, drawn from interviews spanning his career. You’ll hear how Roma came to exist as a screenplay he wrote in three weeks and never read again, how Y Tu Mamá También was structured enough to allow real improvisation, and how the blood-spattered lens in Children of Men — a complete accident — became the shot that defined a generation.
The one change that worked: I swapped doomscrolling for reading comic books
Joel Harley swapped doomscrolling for reading comic books after realising the negative impact of phone use. Rediscovering his childhood love for comics improved sleep, creativity, and overall well-being. This change provided a healthier form of escapism and a sense of accomplishment, boosting their mood and outlook on life.
You’re Not Watching the Show. You’re Watching the Clips.
In this episode of “Galaxy Brain,” Charlie Warzel talks with business writer Ed Elson about the rise of the “clip economy”—the idea that short video clips pulled from podcasts, livestreams, and other long-form content have become the dominant unit of online media, not just a promotional tool. Elson explains how figures like Andrew Tate pioneered armies of paid clippers to flood social platforms with content and how the viewership numbers on clips often perform better than the original shows. Warzel and Elson discuss what this means for legacy media organizations, as well as the broader societal costs of phone-driven attention erosion.
To be human is to live with friction. That’s something AI boosters will never understand | Alexander Hurst
AI’s pursuit of frictionlessness impoverishes the human experience, collapsing the space between what we say and what we know. This pursuit, driven by Silicon Valley’s vision of a seamless world, leads to a spiritual crisis and a devaluation of human labour. The author finds optimism in the growing backlash against AI’s dominance, believing it will lead to a resurgence of humanism
Iran's meme factory is using 'the weapons of their enemy' to embarrass Trump
Iran is using AI-generated memes and videos, particularly in the style of the Lego Movie, to criticise the US and Israel in the ongoing conflict. These videos, often mocking Donald Trump, are quickly produced and widely shared, influencing public opinion and setting the narrative of Iran as the underdog. While the US also engages in propaganda, its approach is criticised for lacking coherence and trivialising the war.
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