NSO Group co-founder emerges as new majority owner
Omri Lavie appears to have gained control of blacklisted spyware company’s shares
Queensland human rights commissioner says police must watch for vigilante activity
Police have repeatedly warned against vigilantism but there are growing concerns that recent heightened debate might increase risk
Facebook ads opposing a ban on vaping in Australia failed to disclose tobacco company backing
Meta says it removed ads for failing to state they were sponsored by an initiative of British American Tobacco Australia
‘Everybody has had a gutful’: online anti-crime groups propel Queensland to a political reckoning
People with pitchforks on social media pages are raising fears of vigilantism but others say they want real solutions, not just more kids in jail
How two supreme court battles could reshape the rules of the internet
Lawsuits brought by families of terrorist attack victims will consider whether companies are responsible for users’ content
Child abuse image offences in UK have soared, NSPCC report shows
Charity says police recording has improved but online grooming has risen and tech firms are failing to act
Does paid-for Facebook and Instagram signal end of free-access orthodoxy?
Creators and influencers on Meta’s platforms are an obvious market for verified users’ monthly fees
Facebook and Instagram to get paid verification as Twitter charges for two-factor SMS authentication
Mark Zuckerberg follows Elon Musk’s lead in introducing fee for blue ticks, while Twitter to restrict 2FA via SMS to paid users
Social media campaign linked to Chinese government spreading disinformation about Australian politics, thinktank says
Posts amplify content about sexual assault and misconduct allegations in Parliament House to undermine trust in political system, researchers say
High-profile lawsuit against Meta can be heard in Kenya, Nairobi court rules
Decision on case of ex-Facebook moderator, who claims the work left him with PTSD, hailed as win for accountability of big tech in Africa
TikTok: how the west has turned on gen Z’s favourite app
US and European fears about China exploiting TikTok’s data harvest and promoting Beijing’s worldview look set to inspire an urgent overhaul in data privacy laws
Meta earnings drop by less than expected with boost from Reels
Parent company of Facebook and Instagram reports $32bn in revenue for fourth quarter, prompting rise in stock price
‘Storm the house’: Queensland care home receives threats after being wrongly identified as halfway house
Online posts urge violence against residents after premises described as a place for ‘youth offenders’
TechScape: Why Donald Trump’s return to Facebook could mark a rocky new age for online discourse
The former president was banned from Instagram and Facebook following the Jan 6 attacks, but Meta argues that new ‘guardrails’ will keep his behaviour in check. Plus: is a chatbot coming for your job?
Social media companies in the US brace to battle onslaught of legal challenges
State and federal lawsuits and bills with far-reaching regulatory implications for TikTok, Meta and others come to a head this year