The social web is dying. Is that a good thing?

It would be hard to argue that social networks are empty, and yet it often seems as though no one is there any more, or at least no one we recognize and/or want to spend time around.

mathewingram.com

Number's up: Calculators hold out against AI

The humble pocket calculator may not be able to keep up with the mathematical capabilities of new technology, but it will never hallucinate.Those attempts have accelerated with AI. - Scoring gold - In...

uk.finance.yahoo.com

Has social media finally peaked? The rise of AI and decline of screen time

As platforms degrade into outrage and slop, users are turning away

irishtimes.com

channelnews : Aussies Hit Telcos for Compensation Amid Growing Mobile Frustration

Australians are increasingly seeking compensation from their telcos following service disruptions, according to the latest Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) report. The TIO received 13,547 c...

channelnews.com.au

channelnews : Australia Moves to Make Tech Giants Pay for News As Google Faces New Scrutiny In Europe

Global technology companies are facing mounting regulatory pressure, with the Albanese government moving ahead on new laws that would force platforms like Facebook, Google and TikTok to pay for Austra...

channelnews.com.au

Its Forces Worn Down, Ukraine Moves to Revamp Military Service

nytimes.com

Bold Assassinations Are ‘Reality Check’ in Mexico’s Cartel Fight

nytimes.com

How long can the Russian economy continue to fund the frontline?

The Russian economy is balancing on the edge of recession, yet the war could go on for years. Its financing appears to have no immediate major obstacles, according to experts.

l.euronews.com

AI can’t care for you | The Observer

I won’t be looked after by a robot anytime soon

observer.co.uk

After 14 years of war, Syrians see the sea for the first ...

Ten months after the Assad regime fell, families from devastated cities such as Idlib and Raqqa have been able to visit beaches on the west coast. But th...

observer.co.uk

reuters.com

Assad-era plot to hide dead bodies turned Syria desert into mass grave

For two years, Syria’s Assad government secretly trucked thousands of bodies from an exposed mass grave to the desert, trying to hide evidence of atrocities.

reuters.com

Everything Is Television

A theory of culture and attention

derekthompson.org

Opinion | We Don’t Have to Give In to the Smartphones

nytimes.com

Opinion | The Rise of the Smartphone and the Fall of Western Democracy

nytimes.com

A.I. Video Generators Are Now So Good You Can No Longer Trust Your Eyes

nytimes.com

China Clamps Down Even Harder on Rare Earths

nytimes.com

Europe unveils 'drone wall' plans to defend against Russia

The European Commission unveils plans for its so-called "drone wall", which is part of a range of initiatives to get the continent ready to defend itself by 2030.

abc.net.au

US dangled threat of Tomahawks for Ukraine, then Russia called to negotiate

US President Donald Trump threatened to send Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine if Russia did not return to peace talks, but analysts say the long-range weapons are not the game-changer they are made out to...

abc.net.au

France is not alone in its political crisis – belief in a democratic world is vanishing | Simon Tisdall

The populist right offers a solution in the form of turning back the clock. Macron and his counterparts need to find a different answer fast, says Guardian foreign affairs commentator Simon Tisdall

theguardian.com

‘Our job is to maximise their losses’: how Ukraine’s forces attempt to claw back against Russian advances

Along Donetsk’s frontline, a small counteroffensive by Ukrainian troops aims to help change perceptions about the war among Kyiv’s western allies

theguardian.com

link.vox.com

AI’s Sameness Problem

When almost all AI generated content looks alike, the novelty wears off fast.

open.substack.com

To Inflict Pain on Russians, Ukraine’s Drones Zero In on Oil Refineries

nytimes.com

Madagascar Military Seizes Power, Then Nation Explodes in Joy

nytimes.com

Inside the moment Israelis watched the hostages leave Gaza after 738 days

Israelis gather to watch a historic day unfold as hostages held for two years are finally set free.

abc.net.au

How sexual predators and far-right extremists are using Roblox to target children

Experts warn Roblox has a predator problem, amid reports Australian children are being exposed to a range of disturbing experiences on the platform.

abc.net.au

Generative AI and news report 2025: How people think about AI’s role in journalism and society

Our survey explores how people use generative AI in their everyday lives, what they think its impact will be on different areas of society, and what they think about its use in news and journalism spe...

reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk

Write a bad review of Taylor Swift and get death threats: Inside the fan backlash facing critics in the digital age

Five music journalists explain how they do their job in an environment where criticising a superstar might get them doxxed, bullied or harassed.

reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk