Detecting fake news with AI

Fake news detection systems can combine AI and insights from behavioural science to flag fake news content, but could also create problems of their own.

Musclebound

Adolescent boys and young men are increasingly resorting to the dangerous use of anabolic steroids to achieve the muscular build idealised on social media according to a new study by Flinders University reseachers.

Will misinformation rules curb freedom of speech?

The federal government’s proposed legislation on misinformation and disinformation has passed the House of Representatives but questions remain about its practicality and impact.

Finding a cure for “digital flu”

Misinformation spreads like a virus online, but this model also offers hope for countermeasures such as ‘prebunking’.

Will a children’s social media ban work?

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?

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?

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

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

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

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

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

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?