Under-16s Social Media Ban: No Need for Personal ID, Assures Minister

social mediagovernmentprivacyAustraliatechnology

Share:

The Australian communications minister, Michelle Rowland, has pledged that users won't be required to hand over personal identification like a driver's license or passport for the under-16s social media ban. The bill, which is set to be rammed through parliament, has raised concerns about privacy implications. However, the opposition leader, Peter Dutton, has negotiated an amendment to ensure no compulsion for people to hand over any form of government ID. Despite these changes, some Coalition members may still vote against the bill.

social media
government
privacy
Australia
technology

Related articles:

The Dramatic Win of House Speaker Mike Johnson: An Inside Look

governmentpoliticsMike JohnsonHouse Speaker

Mike Johnson Wins House Speaker Race
Louisiana's Mike Johnson secured a win for House Speaker with the help of Reps. Keith Self and Ralph Norman. In a surprising turn of events, Self and Norman switched their votes at the last minute, giving Johnson the majority he needed to win.

Norman's Role in Johnson's Victory
South Carolina Rep. Ralph Norman, one of the lawmakers who switched votes, spoke to President-elect Donald Trump about his priorities. Norman's decision to switch his vote played a crucial role in Johnson's victory.

A Dramatic Turn of Events
The race for House Speaker was filled with drama and uncertainty. But in the end, Mike Johnson emerged as the winner, thanks to the last-minute support of two key lawmakers.

Apple Settles Siri Privacy Lawsuit for $95 Million: What You Need to Know

privacyapplelawsuitsettlementsiri

Apple has agreed to pay $95 million to settle a lawsuit that accused the company of using Siri to eavesdrop on customers. The lawsuit claimed that Apple activated Siri on iPhones and other devices to record conversations without the users' knowledge or consent. The proposed settlement also covers consumers who owned Siri-equipped devices from September 2014 through the end of last year. If approved, eligible consumers can file claims for up to $20 per device, but the payment could be reduced or increased depending on the volume of claims. Attorneys who filed the lawsuit may seek up to $29.6 million from the settlement fund to cover their fees and expenses.

Read full original articles:

SourceLink
CBShttps://www.cbsnews.com/video/010225-cbs-news-247-episode-2/

DHS Prepares for Possible Government Shutdown as Funding Deadline Looms

governmentpoliticsfundingshutdownDHS

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas warns of serious consequences for the department if Congress fails to pass legislation funding federal agencies before the funding deadline. TSA employees, FEMA workers, and Border Patrol agents could be impacted, and a shutdown could delay disaster relief for states hit by extreme weather events.

Albania TikTok Ban: A Year-Long Hiatus from Social Media

social mediaeducationregulationyouth violenceAlbaniaTikTok

Albania has decided to ban TikTok for a year, following a fatal stabbing at a school. The ban is part of the government's plan to make schools safer and promote healthier social media use among children. The decision comes after several European countries and Australia imposed restrictions on social media use for minors.

Prime Minister Edi Rama blamed TikTok for fuelling violence among youths in and outside schools. The ban is expected to come into effect early next year and will also include measures to help parents monitor their children's online activities.

Avoiding a Government Shutdown: Latest Updates

governmentpoliticsfundingcongressshutdown

Congressional Action to Avert a Government Shutdown
Congress has introduced a stopgap bill to fund the government until spring, as lawmakers work to reach an agreement before the midnight shutdown deadline.

Key Considerations in the Bill

  • Temporary Funding: The bill provides temporary funding to keep the government running.
  • Spring Deadline: The new deadline for a long-term funding solution is set for spring.

Stay informed with the latest updates on the government shutdown and congressional efforts to prevent it. Be the first to know with browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.

House Speaker Mike Johnson Gives Update on Spending Bill Negotiations: Avoiding a Government Shutdown

governmentHouse of Representativesdisaster reliefspending billagriculture

House Speaker Mike Johnson has given an update on the spending bill negotiations to avoid a government shutdown. The bill, set to be voted on by the House on Friday, includes a continuing resolution through mid-March, as well as just over $100 billion in disaster relief aid for victims of storms Helene and Milton, and assistance for the agriculture industry. The aim is to bypass regular House procedures and get the legislation straight to a chamber-wide vote, but this requires the support of at least two-thirds of the House chamber, making Democratic support critical. The bill will then head to the Senate for approval.

Supreme Court to Decide Fate of TikTok in the US

social mediasupreme courttiktoknational securityban

Supreme Court to Decide Fate of TikTok in the US
The US Supreme Court has agreed to hear arguments on January 10 over TikTok's effort to block a federal ban on the platform if it's not sold by Jan. 19.

Why is TikTok at Risk?

  • The Biden administration and lawmakers say the Chinese government's ability to collect data from TikTok poses a significant national security risk
  • TikTok and its Chinese parent company ByteDance argue that the law is unconstitutional

What Happens Next?

  • The Supreme Court will hear arguments in January and decide the fate of TikTok in the US.

Is TikTok getting banned in the US?*

Major Changes at Sydney's Museum of Contemporary Art and Australia's Parliamentary Services Department

PoliticsAustraliaMuseumFunding

The Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney will start charging an entry fee in 2025 due to stagnant government funding, while Rob Stefanic's appointment as head of Australia's parliamentary services department has ended after a period of sudden leave. Stefanic faced scrutiny over his role in the retirement of his deputy secretary and a $315,126 incentive payment she received.

Melbourne Synagogue Fire: Likely Terror Attack

AustraliaterrorismMelbournefiresynagogue

Three suspects are being hunted in Melbourne, Australia, after a fire at the Adass Israel synagogue was treated as a likely terror act.

  • The fire caused extensive damage and left one man with a minor burn.
  • Witnesses saw masked figures spreading an accelerant before setting it alight.
  • Police say there's no evidence of further antisemitic attacks, but patrols are increased for community reassurance.
  • Jewish leaders believe it's an escalation of recent antisemitism and heightened fears of violence.

ROMANIA'S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION SHAKEUP: Can TikTok Decide the Outcome?

social mediapoliticspresidential electiontiktokromania

Romania's presidential election has been shaken up** after the top court annulled the results due to security concerns over a pro-Russia campaign on TikTok and Telegram. The first round saw an outsider, Calin Georgescu, emerge as the frontrunner, despite having no declared campaign spending. The court has ordered a rerun of the election, causing uncertainty in the Eastern European nation. With TikTok being a major platform for political campaigns, the question remains: Can social media decide the outcome of elections?

Gambling Reforms Delayed, Affecting Those with Addiction

governmentgamblingaddictionreform

Communications minister Michelle Rowland's office has apologized for delaying gambling advertising reforms, causing ongoing toll on people harmed by the industry.

  • The delay is due to the need for support from the Prime Minister and Cabinet.
  • The Alliance for Gambling Reform group has been campaigning for wagering changes, including removing all gambling advertising from Australian TV and banning targeted promotion material.
  • The proposed gambling ad cap is not ready to go due to sports codes' financial viability.

Read more: Article 1

Tech Companies Accused of Dodging Questions on AI Data Use, Protesters Demand Climate Action

protestsclimate changetechnologyartificial intelligencemigration

Tech giants Amazon, Google, and Meta faced criticism from a Senate committee for being vague about their use of Australian data to train AI products. Protesters from Rising Tide also staged a rally in Canberra, urging the government to cancel new fossil fuel projects, end coal exports from Newcastle by 2030, and introduce a 78% tax on coal export profits to fund the transition to renewable energy. The government is also pushing for three migration bills, including paying third countries to take people who can't be deported and creating powers to confiscate mobile phones in detention.

Heatwave to Trigger Thunderstorms, Risking Blackouts and Flash Floods in Eastern Australia

Australiaweatherthunderstormsheatwave

A heatwave is set to give way to thunderstorms in eastern Australia, posing risks of heavy rainfall and blackouts. The heat may strain power supplies in New South Wales and Queensland, with 6 gigawatts of coal-fired power plant capacity offline for maintenance. A cut-off low pressure system over South Australia will combine with a trough over eastern NSW to create 'perfect ingredients' for volatile thunderstorms as the heatwave ebbs. Areas could well pick up more than 100mm of rainfall in the coming days.

Trump's New Education Secretary, Migrant Mayhem, and More!

immigrationgovernmentpoliticseducation

Good morning! Here's what you need to know to start your day. Trump has tapped the former WWE CEO for education secretary, while a migrant mayhem ensues in a liberal hub. A Republican governor sees light ahead after clashing with the Biden admin, and a Dem mayor throws down a dare to the incoming Trump admin. Plus, JD Vance's Capitol Hill field trip and more!

Reddit Outage: What You Need to Know

social mediatechnologyredditoutageinternetproblems

Reddit Outage: What You Need to Know
Reddit, the social media platform, is having some serious technical difficulties today. As of this writing, over 51,000 users have reported problems on Downdetector.com, with many unable to access the website or app.

  • The outage appears to be due to an HTTP Error.
  • Reddit confirmed the issue and is currently investigating.
  • Users are seeing a black screen with the message: 'Upstream connect error or disconnect/reset before headers. Reset reason: connection failure.'
  • The issue has been ongoing since at least 7 a.m. PT.

This is the second outage in as many days, with the first one happening yesterday afternoon. TechCrunch has reached out to the company for comment.

Read full original articles:

SourceLink
Techcrunchhttps://techcrunch.com/2024/11/21/reddit-is-down-again/

Suspected Sabotage in Baltic Sea: Two Undersea Fibre-Optic Communications Cables Damaged

newsRussiatechnologycommunicationssabotage

Two undersea fibre-optic communications cables have been damaged in the Baltic Sea**. The incident has been described as sabotage by Germany's Defence Minister, Boris Pistorius, although the perpetrator remains unclear. The damaged cables are a 745-mile (1,200km) cable connecting Helsinki to the German port of Rostock and a 135-mile internet link between Lithuania and Sweden’s Gotland island. The timing of the incidents has led to suspicions of Russian involvement, but Moscow has denied any involvement.

Key Points:

  • **Two undersea fibre-optic communications cables damaged
  • Described as sabotage by Germany's Defence Minister
  • Incidents recall other potentially malicious incidents in the same waterway
  • Suspicions of Russian involvement but Moscow denies involvement

Trump and Musk's Friendship on Full Display at SpaceX Starship Launch

politicsTrumpspacetechnologySpaceXMusk

Donald Trump and Elon Musk recently attended the sixth flight test of SpaceX's Super Heavy-Starship in Texas. This burgeoning friendship played a key role in Trump's reelection, with Musk now set to run a government efficiency agency in the coming months. The Super Heavy-Starship is designed to be reusable, and its first stage super heavy booster was successfully captured last month. Trump and Musk are co-leading a new Department of Government Efficiency, aiming to dismantle government bureaucracy and cut wasteful expenditures. The Super Heavy-Starship is the centerpiece of Musk's drive to make humanity 'multi-planetary' and potentially advance SpaceX's plans for the Artemis moon program.

Bluesky vs X: The Social Media Showdown

social mediaXBlueskyThreadsMastodon

Bluesky is blazing a trail in the social media world.** The Twitter-like service has surpassed 16 million users, with many flocking from X over its right-wing leanings and controversial changes. Meanwhile, X is still the top dog in monthly active users, but Threads is hot on its heels. And let's not forget about Bluesky's indie rival, Mastodon. But what sets Bluesky apart? It's all about putting users in control with its decentralized approach and federation. **Here's the lowdown on the social media showdown:

Trump's Bold Move: Musk and Ramaswamy to Lead Government Efficiency Department

governmentpoliticsTrumpElon MuskVivek Ramaswamy

In a surprising announcement, President-elect Donald Trump has tapped SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and former presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy to lead the new "Department of Governmental Efficiency". The pair will be tasked with advising the administration on how to cut $2 trillion from government spending and dismantle bureaucracy. This decision is part of Trump's plan to shake up the government and make it more efficient. Meanwhile, French farmers are planning to push back on EU plans to strike a free trade deal with South America. Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story. (600 characters.)

Australian Housing Market: Renters Giving Up Home Ownership Dreams

AustraliaHousing MarketRentersHomeownership

Australia is heading towards a nation of renters, not homeowners.
Three in five Australian renters now expect to never own their own home. This shift in attitude is supported by new research from the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI).

The AHURI research shows four out of five renters (78%) aspire to be homeowners. However, 51% of tenants rent because they don’t have enough money for a home deposit, with 41% saying they can’t afford to buy anything appropriate.

Between 2011 and 2021, the proportion of people renting increased in all age brackets. Over the next 20 years, rental rates are expected to keep growing with outright home ownership forecast to fall from 67% to 63%.

#Australia #HousingMarket #Renters #Homeownership #AHURI