A botched Mastercard update left Australian shoppers unable to pay
Apple Pay and cash withdrawals were also affected during the outage
An AI agent was asked to book a gym class, whe none was available, it decided to hack the system and jump the queue
The agent found a weak API while doing a simple chore, and took actions the user never requested
Indie Gaming's Next Big Wave Is Coming From Outside the West
The next great game could come from anywhere. Developers across Asia, Eastern Europe, and Oceania are turning local stories and fresh ideas into global hits that are reshaping the industry.
Australia's teen social media ban stumbles as platforms skip age checks
Who knew kids would lie about their age?
Amazon sued in Australia after Prime subscribers were made to pay more to remove ads
The ACCC says more than 850,000 annual Prime subscribers had already paid upfront when Amazon introduced ads
Australia raises social media ban penalties to $99 million as children keep accessing platforms
Regulator says tech companies are doing the bare minimum
Australia gives Google, Meta, and TikTok a choice: pay news outlets or pay a 2.25% tax
Australia says tech giants must support the news content they benefit from
Australia's social media ban for kids mostly isn't working, research suggests
Most under-16 users reportedly still access restricted platforms
Scientists build first working quantum battery prototype, uses lasers to charge in femtoseconds
The prototype stores energy far longer than it takes to charge
Meet the 102-year-old teaching seniors how to use smartphones and Windows
Computer Pals president Dean Simes teaches everything from WhatsApp notifications to avoiding malicious links online
VPN downloads surge in Australia after age checks hit porn sites, online games, and social media
The new rules affect everything from GTA Online to Pornhub
GTA Online players in Australia will soon face age checks under new R18+ gaming rules
New rules could require Aussie players to verify their age before logging in
This $35,000 computer made of living human neurons can run Doom
Biotech startup is now selling rack-mounted computers powered by brain cells
Fake faces generated by AI are now "too good to be true," researchers warn
Also: People tend to overestimate their face recognition ability
The takeaway: The ability of AI models to produce convincing, human-like images has gone too far. A new study suggests that detecting AI-generated faces is now too difficult for most people. Even more concerning, so-called "super recognizers" perform only marginally better. The visual clues that once exposed AI-generated images are becoming increasingly difficult to spot, though they have not disappeared entirely.
Meta shuts down over 500,000 accounts under Australia's under-16 ban, urges the government to end it
Meta complies with the law but questions whether blanket bans make children safer
Reddit challenges Australia's age-verification law, says it's not social media
Reddit says it is a "collection of public fora"
Australia's under-16 social media ban triggers confusion, workarounds, and privacy fears
In brief: Australia's world-first social media ban on users under the age of 16 has come into effect, with mixed results and varied reactions. As other countries observe the rollout, the new law continues to draw criticism due to concerns about privacy and effectiveness.
Microsoft apologizes for upselling Copilot bundles, offers refunds to millions of users
Microsoft 365 subscribers can keep their current plan or switch to a Copilot-free option
What just happened? Just days after facing a potentially costly complaint from Australian regulators, Microsoft is now seeking to resolve the issue amicably. The company has expressed regret over its failure to properly communicate information about cheaper subscription options, though authorities in Canberra could still pursue a harsh penalty.
Australia will offer households three hours of free solar power a day, no panels needed
Residents don't need solar panels, but must have a smart meter to benefit
Australia sues Microsoft for hiding cheaper Microsoft 365 plans without Copilot
Regulator says millions of customers were pushed into a higher-priced AI bundle they didn't actually need
US and Australia sign $8.5 billion critical minerals deal, including a gallium refinery in the Outback
The move aims to loosen China's stranglehold on rare earth
Deloitte admits AI hallucinated quotes in government report, offers partial refund
Refunding only part of the $440,000 fee
Epic scores international win as Australia orders Apple, Google to open ecosystems
Epic is dismantling the mobile duopoly brick by brick
Australia's Great Barrier Reef suffers record coral loss after fifth mass bleaching event
The largest annual decline in healthy coral covers over 39 years
Meta, YouTube, TikTok fight back as Australia's social media restrictions for teens draw closer
Platforms launch ad campaigns and legal threats to avoid inclusion