Why tech platforms endanger democracy

By Misha Ketchell, Editor-in-chief, The Conversation

In September this year, the Nobel prize-winning journalist Maria Ressa gave a powerful speech to the National Press Club about the ways in which authoritarians manipulate social media. She called for the Australian government to bolster the regulation of technology platforms and issued a stark warning.

“The greatest threat we face today isn’t any individual leader or one government,” she said. “It’s the technology that’s amplifying authoritarian tactics worldwide, enabled by democratic governments that abdicated…

Read complete article

~	Andrew Pippos’ The Transformations: a touching story of love, loss and newspapers

~	K'gari’s unique ancient lakes once dried out. Could this happen again?

~	Women told they have dense breasts don’t know what to do next, new study shows

~	Why Tasmania’s politicians couldn’t say no to a once-in-a-century AFL opportunity

~	Why are some people extremely competitive while others are so chill?

~	UN sounds alarm as landmine deaths rise amid funding cuts

~	World News in Brief: Food insecurity triples, Mozambique aid boost, Uganda elections alert

~	Participatory monitoring breathes life into Cameroon’s Marine Protected Areas

~	Wicked: For Good – what lies beneath correcting the way people speak?

~	Spotify Wrapped ghosted NZ music again. Local artists and audiences deserve more