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Children below a certain age will be barred from social media platforms under new laws proposed by the federal government. The plan, released overnight, does not specify the age limit, but the government is currently trialling age-assurance mechanisms for children aged 13–16.
South Australia has pledged a similar ban for children younger than 14, but as Lisa M. Given explains, it might take strong court action to convince the platforms to comply.
Google, meanwhile, is no stranger to legal action and is back in court in the US this week, accused of creating a monopoly over online advertising. As Barbora Jedlickova writes, a win for prosecutors could reshape Google, and perhaps encourage other jurisdictions to pursue the formerly untouchable tech giants.
Also today, our special series on the future of the Australian media continues, as Kristy Hess takes a look at the crisis facing local newspapers. These outlets are vital for our democracy, and they have more of a stake in our local communities than tech giants ever will.
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Drew Rooke
Assistant Science + Technology Editor
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Michelle Grattan, University of Canberra
The Albanese government will legislate this term to enforce a minimum age for children to access social media.
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Lisa M. Given, RMIT University
Children under 14 would be banned from social media, while teens aged 14–15 would need parental consent. But this law will be challenging to implement.
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Barbora Jedlickova, The University of Queensland
One month after a US court ruled Google had an illegal monopoly on online search, the tech giant is back in court defending allegations it has also monopolised internet ads.
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Kristy Hess, Deakin University
With the news that more regional papers are cutting jobs, it’s time we took seriously the damaging effects of losing local papers in non-metropolitan areas.
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Ben Wadham, Flinders University; James Connor, UNSW Sydney
After years of hearings and almost 6,000 submissions, the final report has been tabled in parliament. It contains 122 recommendations for change in the Australian Defence Force.
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Paul Griffin, The University of Queensland
The TGA is considering an updated COVID vaccine, which would be better matched to current variants.
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Martin Loosemore, University of Technology Sydney; Suhair Alkilani
Australia is short of construction workers, yet qualified and experienced migrants are far more likely to be unemployed or underemployed than workers born in Australia.
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Darius von Guttner Sporzynski, Australian Catholic University
Yuval Noah Harari’s Nexus is ambitious, bold and unsettling. It challenges readers to think critically about the future.
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Treena Clark, University of Technology Sydney
FitzGerald’s was a short-lived but momentous fashion career. He even worked on the first feature film directed by an Aboriginal person.
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Amy Errmann, Auckland University of Technology
As tourism rebounds after the pandemic, governments, local communities and travellers are examining how to make the sector beneficial for everyone involved.
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Caitlyn Forster, University of Sydney
All of a sudden, dragonflies are everywhere – but they’ve been waiting a long time for their chance to take to the air.
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Damian Lettoof, CSIRO; Chris J Jolly, Macquarie University; Timothy N. W. Jackson, The University of Melbourne
Evidence suggests climate change could make snakes come out of hiding earlier. But it’s also likely to cause population declines or shifts in the long run, as snakes adjust to the new conditions.
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Politics + Society
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Shannon Brincat, University of the Sunshine Coast
The first papal visit to the young nation since its independence has generated widespread excitement. Behind the T-shirts and fervour, the visit is politically significant.
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Andrew Bennie, Western Sydney University; Emma Beckman, The University of Queensland; Robert Townsend, University of Waikato; Steven Rynne, The University of Queensland
Other nations have begun to invest more seriously in para sports, which may be a sign Australia needs to invest more in coaches of future Paralympians.
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Health + Medicine
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Evangeline Mantzioris, University of South Australia
Suspicion around monosodium glutamate persists. But there is no evidence MSG is harmful, and a sprinkle in your cooking may boost its flavour while reducing your sodium intake.
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Michael Todorovic, Bond University; Matthew Barton, Griffith University
A cardiac arrest and a heart attack are distinct, yet overlapping, concepts. Here’s how to tell them apart.
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Science + Technology
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Erica Mealy, University of the Sunshine Coast
The federal government is encouraging more people to use artificial intelligence. But this blind hype dismisses the harms caused by the new technology.
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Environment + Energy
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Asma Aziz, Edith Cowan University
Think of single-phase power as a single-lane road. It’s enough to handle regular household appliances. Three-phase power is more like a three-lane highway. It’s designed to handle much heavier loads.
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Education
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Paul Kidson, Australian Catholic University
The federal education minister has warned ‘stubborn’ states they could miss out on extra funds if they don’t agree to the current offer on school reform.
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Arts + Culture
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Jonathan W. Marshall, Edith Cowan University
More than 50 participants gathered in Melaka, Malaysia, for the Melaka Art & Performance Festival – an exploration of butoh, trance and postmodern dance.
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Books + Ideas
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Emily Grace Baulch, The University of Queensland
Liz Evans’ novel of fractured souls and tentative female trust is a natural evolution of the genre of #Metoo fiction.
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Business + Economy
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Denis Tolkach, James Cook University; Stephen Pratt, University of Central Florida
Controversially, some airlines have already experimented with weighing passengers. We found travellers are mostly guided by self-interest in whether they accept such policies.
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Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists
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