Society

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Smugglers, money launderers and people facing sanctions can now use stablecoins, a cryptocurrency tied to the US dollar that exists largely beyond traditional financial oversight.

THE ECONOMIST: Despite fears of job losses, some aspects of the new technology require human skills.

YouTube’s chief executive Neal Mohan is the latest in a line of tech bosses who have admitted to limiting their children’s social media use, as harms of being online for young people have become more evident.

Australia’s medicine watchdog has found several tablets contain ‘extremely high levels’ of mercury, lead, arsenic and cadmium.

There is more hope than ever for the future of cancer treatment thanks to a game-changing approach.

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Silicon Valley is experiencing an AI boom that bears resemblance to the dot-com boom. But despite the similarities, there are many differences that could lead to a wildly different outcome.

Time magazine says 2025 was the year the potential of artificial intelligence ‘roared into view,’ as it revealed its person of the year.

PERIN DAVEY: The ban is unworkable in practice and risks fostering a culture of defiance rather than one built on digital literacy, responsibility and resilience. 

Doctors have confirmed that children have already died as a result of developing cancer.

Elon Musk has confirmed that SpaceX will start trading on Wall Street in 2026 amid speculation that the spacecraft company’s valuation could surpass all other members of the trillion-dollar tech club.

A clip of Jon Hamm with his eyes closed dancing in the club has gone completely viral, leaving many asking where is it actually from?

While millions of underage accounts across ten platforms were slated to be deactivated on Wednesday, younger users have flooded Anthony Albanese’s profiles to criticise the policy and saying it ‘didn’t work’. 

AARON PATRICK: Despite overwhelming public support for banning children from some sites, the rule could drive teenagers to dark parts of the internet.

THE NEW YORK TIMES: The top 10 video games of 2025 spotlight artistic indies, nostalgia and mysteries amid chaotic times in the real world.

Lemon8, a hugely popular new social media app which Australian teens were turning to as an alternative to Instagram, is now banned for under 16s.