Canberra’s secrecy obsession feeds on security fears

Australia remains the only democratic nation without strong national protection for freedom of speech and of the press and journalists are calling for reform in the face of Canberra’s assault on press freedom.

Who owns your content on social media?

Hardly anyone reads the contract terms when joining social media platforms, and so few users realise they are giving away their rights to their own material in the small print.

Political ‘doxxing’ – A Hong Kong case study

Western social media companies must remain alert to the evolving tactics of those who use their platforms as a weapon against the Hong Kong pro-democracy movement.

Snarky tweets and national security

The most common form of interference in democratic elections isn’t direct tampering with results but disinformation campaigns to undermine candidates, increase polarisation and reduce public trust in institutions.

Victoria moves to curb online abuse

Proposed laws in Victoria to curb online trolling, hateful tweets and death threats could be a step in the right direction to protect people from abuse while maintaining freedom of speech.

In praise of democracy’s detectives

The news for journalism in the past decade has been decidedly glum but investigative journalism – the highest form of the craft – is actually in a healthy state.

Twitter and Facebook counter China’s information onslaught

The bans on Chinese propaganda accounts by Twitter and Facebook highlights how the Chinese government uses media power to shape the narrative and project its own interests.

Friends, Romans, fake news

In a world of ‘alternative facts’ and spin, Shakespeare’s plays can help teach us how to grasp complexity and expose manipulation.

Journalism is in crisis but public funding could help

The recent ACCC report argues that journalism is a public good in crisis, and so there is ample justification for government action.

There’s no saving traditional news

Understanding the forces that drive the online economy is crucial for Australia’s policy makers and citizens.  Economic reality means that while we can put a leash on Google and Facebook, there’s no saving the traditional news model.

ACCC turns its guns on the digital platforms

While there are no quick fixes, the ACCC’s final report into digital platforms in Australia finds that powerful tech giants like Google and Facebook warrant close competition scrutiny.

Fixing Facebook

If Facebook was an experiment in creating a true “marketplace of ideas,” the results are disappointing, naively utopian and sometimes dangerous. Yet the platform has no easy solution for the daunting problem of moderating its two billion subscribers.