Technology
Canberra embraces AI data crunch for medicines to tax
13 May
Artificial intelligence will be deployed across the federal government for everything from evaluating medicines to identifying tax fraud in a bid to boost the nation’s productivity. A long list of AI trials were named in the federal budget on...[Read More]
AI chatbots might dob: Meta issues warning to teens
29 April
Teenagers who use artificially intelligent chatbots built into Instagram, Facebook and Messenger could be asked to explain themselves after Meta announced changes to parental controls. The US social media giant revealed it would prepare reports...[Read More]
Watchdog puts bite on ‘finfluencers’ deceiving Gen Z
29 April
Dodgy financial advice provided by social media influences is facing a crackdown, with Gen Z exposed to the misleading offers. The Australian Securities and Investments Commission has issued warning notices to four finance influencers, also known as...[Read More]
More young people like social media ban than oppose it
15 April
More young Australians support the government’s social media ban for under-16s than oppose it, a study has found, even though they remain concerned about missing out on information, news and social connections. But tweens and teens directly...[Read More]
Young Australians turning to AI for mental health help
15 April
More than a quarter of people aged under 24 are using artificial intelligence to bolster their mental health as the cost of professional help bites. A survey of more than 2300 young people in NSW found mental health and cost of living pressures are...[Read More]
Scam alert: Personal loan scams
2 April
What’s happening Scammers are setting up fraudulent websites offering personal loans. They are also posting online advertisements for their services on social media platforms. Once your application for a loan is approved, you’ll receive an...[Read More]
‘Unfair’ subscription traps to be banned in new rules
1 April
Unfair trading practices such as subscription traps and drip pricing will be banned under reforms designed to bolster protections for consumers. The Albanese government introduced laws to parliament on Wednesday to put an end to tactics used by...[Read More]
AI could devalue your degree, federal government warns
18 March
A university degree might become less valuable for securing a job in the age of artificial intelligence, posits an influential member of the government’s economics team, as financial workers worry that AI might steal their jobs. Rather than formal...[Read More]
Scientists make Parkinson’s drug from plastic bottles
18 March
Scientists have discovered a way of making a drug for Parkinson’s disease from used plastic bottles, saying it shows how waste materials can be “reimagined as valuable resources”. Developed by a team at the University of Edinburgh, the...[Read More]
Why AI’s beginning doesn’t mean the end of your career
12 March
Natalie MacDonald was six weeks back from maternity leave when a group email landed at 1am saying she’d been made redundant. After seven years at global tech company LinkedIn, the 36-year-old Sydney mum’s role as a senior news editor was one of...[Read More]
Limiting screen time not enough to protect kids: study
11 March
Any measure limiting the use of digital platforms by children, including a social media ban, is worth considering to protect mental health, a study has found. The review of global evidence from more than 360,000 young people found higher use of...[Read More]
Social media ban study to track thousands of families
4 March
The internet watchdog will track thousands of Australian families to assess the impact of the world-first social media ban on teenagers. The evaluation, led by the eSafety Commission’s research team, aims to understand how the law which kicked in...[Read More]
AI chatbots no substitute for human friends
25 February
Artificial intelligence companions might alleviate loneliness in aged care, but they can’t offer the vital physical touch or address social isolation, experts warn. Research from Monash University argues new AI ‘digital companions’, marketed...[Read More]
Breaking the social media addiction cycle as adults
25 February
Like children, many adults are also struggling with the urge to endlessly scroll and feel like they can’t escape the pull of Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat and other platforms. Some experts are comparing social media addiction to casinos, opioids and...[Read More]
Australian social media ban both a success and failure
11 February
When Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez revealed plans to ban children younger than 16 from social media, he did so based on a precedent set in Australia. His announcement at the World Governments Summit came two months after an Australian law...[Read More]