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Australian Stories

Big Tech stories

Google Photos adds AI editing tools for Australians
Surveillance

Google Photos adds AI editing tools for Australians

Google Photos is rolling out AI-powered editing in Australia, letting Android users transform images simply by typing or speaking prompts.

By Mark Tarre • 3 min read • Wed, 28th Jan 2026
Digital rights group urges Australians to fight privacy trap
Data Protection

Digital rights group urges Australians to fight privacy trap

Digital rights group warns Australians to resist 'privacy paradox', urging tougher laws and everyday steps to curb online data tracking.

By Shannon Williams • 4 min read • Fri, 23rd Jan 2026

Global Stories

Big Tech stories

Apple opens 2026 Swift Student Challenge to global coders
Software Development

Apple opens 2026 Swift Student Challenge to global coders

Apple has opened submissions for the 2026 Swift Student Challenge, inviting student developers worldwide to submit Swift app playgrounds by 28 February.

By Mark Tarre • 4 min read • Mon, 16th Feb 2026
Study finds 28,000 fake domains mimic top websites
Malware

Study finds 28,000 fake domains mimic top websites

Study finds over 28,000 fake domains mimicking top global sites, exposing users to rising phishing, malware and industrial-scale squatting.

By Shannon Williams • 4 min read • Wed, 11th Feb 2026
myFirst expands kid-safe tech ecosystem with Circle app
Storage

myFirst expands kid-safe tech ecosystem with Circle app

myFirst expands its kid-focused tech range and Circle app, offering smartphone-style features with tighter safety controls for families.

By Mark Tarre • 4 min read • Tue, 10th Feb 2026
Australians doubt under-16 social media ban boosts safety
Data Protection

Australians doubt under-16 social media ban boosts safety

Most Australians doubt the under-16 social media ban has made the internet safer, with many expecting teens to bypass the new rules.

By Joseph Gabriel Lagonsin • 3 min read • Mon, 9th Feb 2026
Ireland unveils strict new rules for data centre power use
Hyperscale

Ireland unveils strict new rules for data centre power use

Ireland ends its data centre freeze with strict rules tying new projects to onsite power, renewables and a shift beyond Dublin's grid limits.

By Sofiah Nichole Salivio • 5 min read • Sat, 31st Jan 2026
Snap launches Specs unit to drive smart glasses push
Gaming

Snap launches Specs unit to drive smart glasses push

Snap forms Specs unit to spearhead next-gen smart glasses, promising AI-driven, low-friction eyewear that blends digital and real worlds.

By Catherine Knowles • 3 min read • Fri, 30th Jan 2026
Big banks back AI while keeping core software in place
Software-as-a-Service

Big banks back AI while keeping core software in place

Big banks and AI leaders signal they will layer new AI tools on top of, not instead of, core enterprise software systems.

By Karen Joy Bacudo • 5 min read • Wed, 28th Jan 2026
YouTube sets 2026 agenda on creators, kids & AI tools
Marketing Technologies

YouTube sets 2026 agenda on creators, kids & AI tools

YouTube sets 2026 agenda with tougher child safety tools, bigger creator payouts and expanded AI across production and viewing.

By Sofiah Nichole Salivio • 5 min read • Thu, 22nd Jan 2026
Prism Power plans USD $40m push into booming US data
Hyperscale

Prism Power plans USD $40m push into booming US data

Prism Power plans a USD $40m US acquisition and UK expansion to tackle critical power kit shortages amid a fast-growing data centre boom.

By Joseph Gabriel Lagonsin • 4 min read • Wed, 21st Jan 2026
Governments tighten social media age checks for children
Data Protection

Governments tighten social media age checks for children

Governments worldwide tighten social media age checks for children, fuelling demand for privacy-friendly facial age estimation tools.

By Mark Tarre • 4 min read • Mon, 19th Jan 2026

Stories from Other Regions

Big Tech stories

Southern hospital IT outage caused by third-party hardware failure, Health NZ says
Data Protection

Southern hospital IT outage caused by third-party hardware failure, Health NZ says

Health NZ says a third-party hardware failure caused a 36-hour South Island hospital IT outage that forced staff back to pen and paper.

By Phil Pennington • 2 min read • Thu, 12th Feb 2026
Tech giants plan USD $650 billion AI investment surge
Robotics

Tech giants plan USD $650 billion AI investment surge

Amazon, Microsoft, Meta and Alphabet eye USD $650 billion AI splurge for 2026, stirring investor unease over margins and cloud growth.

By Karen Joy Bacudo • 5 min read • Wed, 11th Feb 2026
Meta pushes parental control over NZ teen social media bans
Data Protection

Meta pushes parental control over NZ teen social media bans

Meta promotes parental controls over teen social media bans at NZ Instagram safety camp as debate grows on under-16s' online access.

By Mark Tarre • 4 min read • Wed, 4th Feb 2026
Walmart shopping to launch directly inside Google Gemini
Digital Transformation

Walmart shopping to launch directly inside Google Gemini

Walmart to embed shopping in Google's Gemini app, letting users browse and buy Walmart and Sam's Club items directly via AI chats.

By Sofiah Nichole Salivio • 4 min read • Wed, 21st Jan 2026
Stop renting intelligence: Why Canada needs to build its own AI stack
Software-as-a-Service

Stop renting intelligence: Why Canada needs to build its own AI stack

Canada's GBP £925.6 million AI pledge backs chips and servers, but critics say true sovereignty needs home-grown models, not US black boxes.

By Daniel Escott • 5 min read • Sat, 17th Jan 2026