Australia increases penalties for social media companies to enforce under 16s ban

From the BMJ, 3 July 2026: Australia is stepping up its attempts to prevent children under 16 from accessing social media, a year on from becoming the first country in the world to enact a ban. In new moves, the Australian government is targeting social media companies with greater penalties for failing to enforce the … Continue reading Australia increases penalties for social media companies to enforce under 16s ban

Australia bans under-16s from social media “to protect their development”

From the BMJ, 5 December 2024: Children and young people aged under 16 will be banned from a range of social media platforms in Australia within a year, after the federal parliament passed a law to “deliver greater protections for young Australians during critical stages of their development.” The Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum … Continue reading Australia bans under-16s from social media “to protect their development”

Tweeting your research paper boosts engagement but not citations

From Nature, 27 March 2024: Posting about a research paper on social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter) doesn’t translate into a bump in citations, according to a study that looked at 550 papers. The finding comes as scientists are moving away from the platform in the wake of changes after its 2022 purchase … Continue reading Tweeting your research paper boosts engagement but not citations

Your Facebook status can reveal hidden signals about you

From BBC Future, 25 October 2016: “What’s on your mind?” This is how Facebook greets its 1.7 billion active users every day. It’s also a question that countless psychiatrists, psychologists and counsellors have asked their clients at the start of a session; a question we instinctively ask of a friend or family member looking troubled. … Continue reading Your Facebook status can reveal hidden signals about you