941 tacks
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.
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.
‘An element of exploitation’: the world of TikTok child skincare influencers
A Guardian investigation found hundreds of TikTok videos featuring children under 13, including toddlers, showcasing skincare routines. This trend raises concerns about the beauty industry’s reach and the lack of safeguards for child influencers, as many videos resemble advertising and promote unnecessary skincare products for young skin. Dermatologists warn that children don’t need complex skincare routines and that this trend fuels anxiety about appearance.
Teacher v chatbot: my journey into the classroom in the age of AI – podcast
I was a newcomer, negotiating all of the usual classroom difficulties for the first time. Throwing AI into the mix felt like downing a coffee in the middle of a panic attack
Desperate for social media ban to work, but parents say it’s 'impossible'
Australian parents are frustrated with the effectiveness of the social media ban for under-16s, as their children continue to access platforms like Snapchat and Instagram. The eSafety Commission is investigating potential noncompliance by social media companies and will move from monitoring to enforcement. While some parents report success with the ban, others find it difficult to enforce without adequate support.
Your brain explained: Why it’s getting harder to pay attention
Attention is a complex brain function involving three networks: alerting, orienting, and executive control. Constant distractions, particularly from digital devices, impair our ability to focus and multitask, leaving us vulnerable to misinformation. The monetisation of attention by tech companies, coupled with the rise of AI-generated content, further complicates our ability to discern truth from fiction.
Inside The Rage Machine
Whistleblowers from the social media giants reveal how their companies deliberately built a business model powered by outrage and division, paving the way for radicalisation, real-world violence and fractured societies.
‘Enshittification’: how we got the internet no one asked for – podcast
Do you ever get the feeling that the internet isn’t what it used to be? Well, tech critic Cory Doctorow thinks you’re right – and he has a term to describe it too: ‘enshittification’. He lays out his three-step theory to Nosheen Iqbal, explaining why sites from Amazon to Google to Instagram seem to offer a worsening experience … and what can be done to stop it.
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