Four of the biggest online platforms will be appearing before a parliamentary inquiry into social media and its role in Australia. For its second public hearing on Friday, the probe will continue to explore the “influence and impacts of social media on Australian society” by inviting representatives from Meta, SnapContinue Reading
Tech and social media companies could be hit with strict taxation measures as a way to boost compliance with the News Media Bargaining Code, a senior government bureaucrat has revealed. Speaking at a wide-ranging parliamentary committee on social media and its impact on Australian society, Treasury assistant secretary overseeing competitionContinue Reading
The head of News Corp has urged federal parliamentarians to force social media giant Meta to renew funding news, saying the social media giant was “preparing to blackmail” Australia. Meta – the parent company of Facebook – announced in March it would not renew commercial deals with Australian media companiesContinue Reading
Lowering the voting age to 16 could “politicise” schools and divide teachers and students, a leading constitutional law expert has warned. University of Sydney professor Anne Twomey, appearing before a House of Representatives inquiry into civics education in Australia, said a push to lower the democratic franchise from 18 toContinue Reading
The alarming rise in alpha male culture continues across the country, with one expert seeing Australian boys as young as 11 becoming heavily influenced by the content being promoted on social media. The “alpha male” is defined by its followers as someone who takes charge, is hyper masculine, with everyoneContinue Reading
News Corp Australia’s executive chairman Michael Miller has used his National Press Club address to call on the government to enact stronger laws to control social media giants, with punishments that would block them from operating in Australia if they don’t comply. Speaking in Canberra on Wednesday, he said companiesContinue Reading
Enraged mental health advocates have taken aim at the NSW government for gutting a program helping some of the healthcare system’s most-vulnerable patients. A $111.8m pre-budget funding announcement on Tuesday contained a four-year funding commitment of $40m for the Pathways to Community Living Initiative (PCLI). But that was significantly lessContinue Reading
Australia’s domestic spy agency wants to give up its right to request warrants to question children as young as 14 after it reported only a handful of minors had been charged with terror offences since 9/11. ASIO told a parliamentary inquiry that the federal government should scrap laws that enableContinue Reading
Australians have been alerted to a rise in a new scam that offers fake bonus Centrelink payments in a bid to drive up web traffic and steal vulnerable users’ personal information. Services Australia said millions of customers are being targeted by fake social media posts and websites promising a newContinue Reading
Barnaby Joyce has warned demeaning, violent pornography is “rewiring boys’ brains” backing tougher age limits for teenagers to access social media and porn online. The former Nationals leader has backed a rethink of how old children and teenagers should be before they access harmful material, comparing the rise of uncontrolledContinue Reading