• Draining the swamp

    Lisa Given     |      February 5, 2025

    Delia Rickard’s report on social media regulation calls for tougher action by government, regulators and tech platforms, but the reluctance of government and companies to address the issue may be the largest hurdle to overcome.

  • The fact of the meta

    Mark Andrejevic     |      January 21, 2025

    A new Australian survey finds that people who rely on social media for news tend to have less regard for traditional civic values than those who rely on newspapers and non-commercial broadcasters such as the ABC.

  • Making Meta pay

    Rob Nicholls     |      December 15, 2024

    Big tech companies would have to either do deals with news organisations to help fund journalism or pay a charge to the Australian government, under a new plan announced by the Albanese government.

  • Dissecting Australia’s youth social media ban

    Open Forum     |      December 7, 2024

    The Government wants to safeguard young Australians from the perceived mental health harms of social media but its approach remains vague and misguided.

  • Who elected social media?

    Cory Alpert     |      November 22, 2024

    AI algorithms have completely altered the way we consume information so what does this mean for our decision-making come election time?

  • Will misinformation rules curb freedom of speech?

    Anne Twomey     |      November 14, 2024

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

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Politics for the people

    Phoebe Quinn     |      October 15, 2024

    Social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter have been accused of fracturing and distracting society, but a new approach aims to use a similar approach to bring people together to explore consensus solutions.

  • 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.

  • 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?