technology abuse

Students Find ‘Workarounds’ for School Phone Bans

A Department of Education review of smartphone policies around the world has found that students manage to find "workarounds" when devices are banned at school - yet the NSW government has prohibited phones in primary schools. The Department's review of the evidence on phones in classrooms notes that schools across Australia and around the world [...]

‘Everybody is a Potential Target’: Fake-Porn Videos Weaponised to Harass Women

The video showed the woman in a pink off-the-shoulder top, sitting on a bed, smiling a convincing smile. It was her face. But it had been seamlessly grafted, without her knowledge or consent, onto someone else's body: a young pornography actress, just beginning to disrobe for the start of a graphic sex scene. A crowd [...]

By |2021-02-24T16:07:00+11:00January 7th, 2019|Categories: Cybersafety, Technology|Tags: , , , |0 Comments

Tim Cook Blasts ‘Weaponisation’ of Personal Data and Praises GDPR

Apple chief executive Tim Cook has demanded a tough new US data protection law, in an unusual speech in Europe. Referring to the misuse of "deeply personal" data, he said it was being "weaponised against us with military efficiency". "We shouldn't sugar-coat the consequences," he added. "This is surveillance." The strongly-worded speech presented a striking [...]

By |2021-02-22T18:14:27+11:00October 29th, 2018|Categories: Technology|Tags: , , , |0 Comments

An Open Letter on the Dangers of Normalising Sex Dolls & Sex Robots

We are a coalition of humanists, parents, women’s groups, survivors, academics, and activists campaigning against commercial objectification of human beings who are concerned with the normalisation of “sex robots”. These technologies are developed and backed by academic and business robotics and Artificial Intelligence (AI) communities who have to date, the loudest voices shaping the policy [...]

‘I Was Having Panic Attacks’: Online Gaming Addiction is Real

Like most teenage boys, Cam Adair played computer games. He would play the games – Starcraft: Brood War, World of Warcraft –with his cousin, or to unwind after school or hockey practice. "Then I started to experience a lot of bullying," the Canadian recalls. "And that bullying meant the gaming went from something that I [...]

An Online Decency Moderator’s Advice: Blur Your Eyes

"When I left, I didn't shake anyone's hand for three years. I'd seen what people do and how disgusting they are. I didn't want to touch anyone. I was disgusted by humanity." Roz Bowden is talking about her time as a content moderator at MySpace, viewing the very worst the internet could throw at her [...]

By |2021-03-02T19:03:57+11:00October 15th, 2018|Categories: Cybersafety, Mental Illness|Tags: , , , |0 Comments

Twitter Asks Users for Help to Crack Down on Hate Speech

Twitter on Tuesday reached out to users for help crafting a ban on comments that dehumanize people and set the stage for real-world violence. A policy change that Twitter has been working on for several months is intended to broaden hateful content restrictions at the service to include barring tweets dehumanizing people based on race, [...]

By |2021-02-22T18:08:18+11:00September 28th, 2018|Categories: Cybersafety, Technology|Tags: , , , |0 Comments

Should You Be Worried about Gaming Supplements?

Just when you thought that the Fortnite video game was worrying enough, think again. Supplement companies are now making caffeine-loaded gaming stimulants and drinks. The most worrying thing? These companies are using popular Instagrammers to target young people. Using hashtags such as #gamersupplements #reactiontime #insomnia and #fortnite, Instagrammers are promoting the products, which claim to [...]

What You Can Do If Your Child Is Glued To Their Device

Can you answer this question? Which of the following four activities is most popular with children - watching TV, going online, playing sport or reading books? According to Ofcom research carried out last year, ‘going online’ is the correct answer. But perhaps this comes as no surprise at all for many parents coming out of [...]

Do Media Violence Impacts On Aggression Vary Across Different Cultures?

Australian researchers have contributed to a 7 nation study of the impacts of media violence on youth. The study, just published online in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, used the same research methodology in each of Australia, China, Croatia, Germany, Japan, Romania, and the US.  It found that: violent media use was positively and [...]

By |2021-02-22T16:33:21+11:00April 24th, 2017|Categories: Technology|Tags: , , , , , |0 Comments
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