936 tacks
Trump administration to confront Australia over Labor’s social media algorithm plan
White House warns trading partners against ‘imposing digital services taxes, fines, and other forms of extortion’ on US tech sector . The Trump administration will confront Australia over its plan to force digital platforms to take down harmful content and let users opt out of algorithm-generated “for you” feeds. Big tech companies would be fined more than $100m for breaching the proposed laws and the Australian government is under pressure to raise those fines even further.
Meta to pay $23 billion to settle teen social media addiction cases
Meta has settled a landmark court battle over teen social media addiction by agreeing to pay $23.6 billion and adding further child-safety measures to its Facebook and Instagram apps.
Tech giants are trying to obliterate privacy. Australia has a rare chance to take back part of their power | Lizzie O'Shea
The article describes the need for privacy reform in Australia. The author highlights the importance of strong legal protections over personal information and the need for enforcement mechanisms to ensure compliance. The article also emphasizes the need for specific rules for facial recognition technology and other emerging technologies.
The law won’t save us from Meta’s ‘pervert glasses’. The only solution is mockery
The article describes the author's concerns about the potential impact of Meta's smart glasses on privacy and society. The author argues that the glasses, which can be used to film people without their consent, are a form of exploitation and a threat to privacy. The author also criticizes the tech industry's tendency to prioritize profit over privacy and to ignore the potential negative consequences of their products.
Government has no plans to ban smart glasses imports, attorney-general says
The Australian government has unveiled draft privacy laws, including a “right to erasure” from large social media platforms and search engines. While the government is not currently considering an import ban on smart glasses, it acknowledges concerns about their potential misuse and has signalled that local councils could restrict their use. The draft legislation also addresses issues like meaningful consent, data trading, and introduces a new service called IDLock to give individuals more control over their identity documents.
‘Scary’: how misinformation and AI hallucinations are infiltrating Australia’s parliament
Guardian analysis reveals that dozens of policy submissions from across the political spectrum incorrectly summarise real research and invent or wrongly cite sources.
AI-generated songs banned from Australian music charts
The article describes the Australian Recording Industry Association's (ARIA) decision to ban AI-generated music from its charts. The ban applies to tracks that are wholly AI-generated, while recordings using AI in a supporting role will remain eligible. The decision comes after a song produced with AI became the most-played track on Australian radio and reached number four on two ARIA charts in July.
Should tech giants pay for news?
A new scheme to ensure social media companies pay for the journalism published on their platforms is being proposed by the government.
The new Halloween video game has been banned in Australia – and not because of the violence
The article describes the Australian Classification Board's decision to ban the video game Halloween: The Game due to its depiction of drug use. The article also highlights the inconsistencies in the classification system, particularly regarding the treatment of interactivity and the potential for harm.
Why we're so sure our phones are listening to us
It has, almost certainly, happened to you. You have a conversation in person, you mention something specific, and minutes later, there’s an ad for it on your phone. For the past decade, most of us have come to the same conclusion: Our phones must be listening. But are they, really? I wanted to dig into the “phone listening” theory — where it came from, what the official research says, and what’s actually happening every time you load an ad on the internet. What I learned is that creepy ads are just the tip of the iceberg, powered by a system auctioning off our location, identity, and behaviors to countless companies vying for our attention… and others looking for something else.
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