• Will a children’s social media ban work?

    Lisa Given     |      November 8, 2024

    The Federal government is moving ahead with plans to ban children under 16 from using social media platforms but many questions remain about the practicality and effectiveness of the proposed policy.

  • Does social media really harm mental health?

    Open Forum     |      November 7, 2024

    A new Curtin University study has challenged the perception heavy social media use has a significant impact on mental health, finding little to no relationship between the two.

  • Will AI memes sway US voters?

    Timothy Koskie     |      November 5, 2024

    Fake images and social media posts created by bots could erode and undermine trust in democratic systems and communities, as the US is finding out.

  • Amplifying the echo chamber

    Open Forum     |      October 22, 2024

    Elon Musk’s changes to the way Twitter works has increased its vulnerability to manipulation by individuals and groups pushing extreme political ideologies.

  • Slippery slope

    Samuel Cornell     |      October 11, 2024

    Social media posts of risky escapades at spectacular locations are still encouraging a stampede of copycats with sometimes disastrous results.

  • Every trick in the book

    Chris Zomer     |      September 30, 2024

    Games, apps and social media platforms are intentionally designed to demand your attention, waste your time and extract your money, so how can you protect your kids?

  • Reclaiming the internet

    Wonsun Shin     |      September 20, 2024

    Once a brave new frontier of individual expression, the internet is now dominated by a handful of massive tech oligopolies, scammers, intrusive advertising and AI generated spam, so is there any hope for its redemption?

  • What the experts say on…social media restrictions

    Open Forum     |      September 16, 2024

    The Australian government has committed itself to imposing an age limit on social media before the next election, but is this a desirable or workable solution?

  • Tech bros and media barons

    Andrew Dodd     |      September 16, 2024

    Is the world better off with “tech bros” like Elon Musk who demand unlimited freedom to brazenly assert their influence, or old-style media moguls who spin fine-sounding rhetoric about freedom of the press but exert influence under the cover of journalism?

  • Is there a future for commercial TV?

    Amanda Lotz     |      September 15, 2024

    Australian commercial broadcasting once made its owners rich but a plethora of other viewing and advertising options means that its future is in doubt.

  • Is print kaput?

    Andrea Carson     |      September 14, 2024

    While the future of printed Australian newspapers is uncertain, it doesn’t spell the end of newspapers – or of a Murdoch’s influence on the news.

  • Talkin’ bout my generation

    Open Forum     |      September 13, 2024

    Social media is negatively impacting the life satisfaction of Australian high school students, according to the latest findings from Australia’s largest survey of young people.