As countries around the world look to follow Australia’s lead and implement a social media ban for kids, many are also considering fines as an enforcement mechanism. This is part of the playbook when it comes to regulating big tech. For example, last month the United Kingdom’s data watchdog fined Reddit £14 million (A$26 million) for unlawfully using children’s […] … learn more→
Fines alone won’t stop big tech behaving badly. Here’s what might work
6 Reasons why it’s not too late to get your Bachelor’s Degree
Life has a way of getting in the way. Maybe you started college and had to stop. Maybe you went straight into the workforce and never looked back. Or maybe you always meant to go but never quite got there. Whatever your story, one thing is clear: it’s not too late. Earning a bachelor’s degree […] … learn more→
What an ancient Chinese philosopher can teach us about Americans’ obsession with college rankings
Each March, many of the country’s most selective colleges and universities release their admissions decisions, reviving debates over the roles of race, wealth and privilege – and putting Americans’ cultural obsession with rankings back in the spotlight. Meanwhile, a more personal set of questions will emerge in many homes and schools. Who got into a “better” school, and why? And […] … learn more→
More and more teachers and students are using AI – even though it might do more harm than good
K-12 teachers and students across the country are increasingly using AI in and out of classrooms, whether it is teachers turning to AI to refine lesson plans or students asking AI to help them research a particular topic. An estimated 85% of K-12 public school teachers recently reported that they used AI during the 2024-2025 school year – often […] … learn more→
Can’t stop endlessly scrolling? Tips to help you take back control
It’s called the infinite scroll – a design feature on social media, shopping, video and many other apps that continuously loads content as you reach the bottom of the page. Handy? Yes. Clever? Also yes. Devious? Very much so. The infinite scroll is likely the main reason you find it so hard to stop scrolling once you […] … learn more→
With AI finishing your sentences, what will happen to your unique voice on the page?
It’s a familiar feeling: You start a text message, and your phone’s auto-complete function suggests several choices for the next word, ranging from banal to hilarious. “I love…” you, or coffee? Or you’re finishing an email, and merely typing the word “Let” prompts your app to suggest “Let me know if you have any questions” […] … learn more→
What’s Habermas got to do with academic writing?
Jürgen Habermas died on Saturday 14 March, 2026 in Starnberg, near Munich. He was 96. The news has been moving through academic social media in the way these things do, with people sharing half-remembered seminars and dog-eared copies of books that changed how they thought. Let me situate Habermas for those of you who havent […] … learn more→
Almost 80% of Australian uni students now use AI. This is creating an ‘illusion of competence’
In Australia, artificial intelligence is becoming a near-universal feature of education. As of 2025, nearly 80% of university students reported using AI in their studies. Overseas, reports are even higher. This year, a UK survey of undergraduates found 94% were using it to help with assessed work. This has ushered in widespread concerns about students using AI to cheat on their […] … learn more→
Does medicinal cannabis work for depression, anxiety or PTSD? Our study says there’s no evidence
The number of Australians using medicinal cannabis has surged over the past five years. Around 700,000 Australians have used cannabis for their health in the past year. And since 2022, medicinal cannabis sales have increased four-fold. But the majority of products prescribed in the Australian market are not registered with the Therapeutic Goods Administration. This means they have not been […] … learn more→
A PhD is an apprenticeship in research – we can’t let AI take that away
When OpenAI launched ChatGPT-5 in August of last year, many academics scoffed at the tech company’s claims its new artificial intelligence (AI) model possessed “PhD-level” intelligence. After all, how could systems so prone to hallucination, flawed reasoning, and sycophancy compete with the world’s brightest young minds? Yet academics are now routinely using tools such as ChatGPT to assist them in their research in much […] … learn more→