Global tech Archives

When researchers tried to analyse if Facebook was causing harm, the data was manipulated in a move straight from the tobacco playbook

Timothy Graham - October 7, 2024 3 MIN READ

For almost a decade, researchers have been gathering evidence that the social media platform Facebook disproportionately amplifies low-quality content and misinformation. So it was something of a surprise when in 2023 the journal Science published a study that found Facebook’s algorithms were not major drivers of misinformation during the 2020 United States election. This study… Read more »

Cryptocurrency

Caroline Ellison, who ran the FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried’s trading firm, handed 2-year sentence over the crypto fraud

Denham Sadler, Information Age - October 1, 2024 3 MIN READ

Caroline Ellison, the ex-girlfriend of crypto fraudster Sam Bankman-Fried who turned star witness against him, has been sentenced to two years in prison over her role in the $16 billion FTX cryptocurrency scam. Ellison was the CEO of Alameda Research, the trading branch of Bankman-Fried’s cryptocurrency exchange FTX. Alameda was found to have taken funds… Read more »

Gadgets

Australians won’t get Apple Watch sleep apnoea alerts because they’ve not yet had the nod from regulators

Tom Williams - September 25, 2024 4 MIN READ

Apple customers in Australia are going without some key software features in their iPhones and Apple Watches after the company released its major operating system updates last week. Unlike in the United States and more than 150 other countries, Australian users who have updated their Apple Watch software are unable to use their devices’ sleep… Read more »

Business

Australian investors spent $24 billion backing Asian startups over the past decade

Simon Thomsen - September 12, 2024 4 MIN READ

The fight for venture capital in Australia isn’t just between local startups – they’re also increasingly competing with international founders for investor attention according to a new report from Asialink Business and the Tech Council of Australia (TCA). The Building the Australia-Asia Tech Corridor report explores the vital connections between Australia’s and Asia’s tech ecosystems… Read more »

Global tech

France has arrested Telegram’s founder and that has the potential to change the future of big tech

Timothy Koskie - August 27, 2024 4 MIN READ

When Pavel Durov arrived in France on his private jet last Saturday, he was greeted by police who promptly arrested him. As the founder of the direct messaging platform Telegram, he was accused of facilitating the widespread crimes committed on it. The following day, a French judge extended Durov’s initial period of detention, allowing police… Read more »

Global tech

The $105 million Uber Carshare dream, inspired by Australian startup Car Next Door, is over

Simon Thomsen - August 22, 2024 2 MIN READ

Shared mobility giant Uber is killing off Uber Carshare, its global experiment in hiring neighbour vehicles, after less than three years. The service will shut down in Australia in three weeks on September 12, while the US and Canada will close on 9/11. The experiment began in January 2022, when Uber paid $105 million to… Read more »

WiseTech Global founder and CEO Richard White

ASX

WiseTech Global’s FY24 results just made founder Richard White a billionaire all over again, and again

Simon Thomsen - August 22, 2024 3 MIN READ

Shares in logistics software company WiseTech Global are on a fresh tear today, setting new records following the company’s FY2024 annual results on Wednesday. Founder and CEO Richard White is already a billionaire thanks to the success of Sydney-based WiseTech, which the former AC/DC guitar technician launched in 1994 by writing code for Australian freight… Read more »

Global tech

‘Who, moi?’ Australian Google exec denies the tech giant dominates search at a Senate hearing

Tom Williams - August 20, 2024 3 MIN READ

Google has claimed it does not dominate search engine services in Australia after a judge earlier this month found the tech giant operated an illegal search monopoly in the United States. Representatives from Google responded to questions from Australian senators during a meeting of the Select Committee on Adopting Artificial Intelligence on Friday, which also… Read more »

Data

A national survey of Australians found they’re into facial recognition for ID, but surveillance is a no go

Mark Andrejevic - August 7, 2024 3 MIN READ

Automated facial recognition is becoming widespread in Australia. The technology has already been used by retail outlets, sport stadiums and casinos around the country. And in November, the Australian government’s digital identification system will be expanded, after new laws passed parliament earlier in the year. As the technology becomes less expensive and more powerful, it… Read more »

Global tech

US judge rules Google’s search engine is a monopoly

Tom Williams - August 6, 2024 3 MIN READ

Google has created an illegal monopoly in the search engine industry by violating US antitrust law and spending billions on contracts to be the default search provider on most devices in the US, a judge has ruled. The case, which could have major implications for Google’s parent company Alphabet and other tech giants, also marks… Read more »

Global tech

Cookie plan crumbles: Google breaks privacy promise to end third-party tracking

Denham Sadler, Information Age - July 27, 2024 3 MIN READ

Google has ditched its long-running plan to get rid of third-party tracking cookies on Chrome, after more than four years of promising to do so to improve online privacy. The tech giant revealed that it would no longer be banning third-party cookies from next year as previously planned in a Privacy Sandbox blog post, and will… Read more »

Global tech

Uber cuts driver pay in fare drop plan

Simon Thomsen - July 8, 2024 2 MIN READ

Ridesharing giant Uber will cut the pay of its contract drivers next month as it discounts fares. Despite having the lion’s share of the market, Uber emailed drivers late last week flagging the cuts, arguing that it will lead to more demand. But the change will squeeze margins for drivers already struggling with rising fuel… Read more »

Global tech

AWS signs $2 billion ‘top secret’ cloud deal for defence with the Australian government

Denham Sadler, Information Age - July 5, 2024 2 MIN READ

Amazon Web Services will build a bespoke cloud environment to handle top secret Defence and intelligence data as part of a $2 billion deal with the federal government. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Defence Minister Richard Marles announced the partnership between the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) and Amazon Web Services (AWS) on Thursday morning. The… Read more »

Global tech

Sydney slides as Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide rise in global startup cities rankings

Tom Williams - June 13, 2024 3 MIN READ

Melbourne and Brisbane have continued their rise through the ranks of the best global startup ecosystems, but Sydney remains the most favourable location for burgeoning companies in Oceania, according to a new report. Innovation development organisation Startup Genome’s annual Global Startup Ecosystem Report uses research and analysis of data from 4.5 million startups to paint… Read more »

AI/Machine Learning

Apple put AI into its series 15 phones and M1 chip Macs, but please don’t call it artificial intelligence

Tom Williams - June 11, 2024 3 MIN READ

Apple has announced how it will integrate generative artificial intelligence into its iPhones, iPads and Macs, following months of speculation. The company’s AI system, dubbed Apple Intelligence – the company has resisted using the words artificial intelligence – was announced at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in Cupertino, California on Tuesday. Already lagging behind… Read more »