Online Safety stories
Users risk mistaking agreeable chatbot replies for understanding, as Smudge says commercial AI rewards flattery over accuracy.
CurricuLLM rolls out a school AI monitoring tool in Australia and New Zealand, flagging 21 harm types from academic offloading to personal revelations.
Families risk losing access to online wealth and memories, as experts say only a small minority of UK adults have planned for digital inheritance.
Security teams gain wider visibility as Infoblox folds Axur into a new service that scans 40 million URLs a day for phishing and impersonation.
Adults using ChatGPT can now name a trusted contact, giving OpenAI a new way to alert someone in serious self-harm cases.
Brands facing counterfeit listings can now automate removals on marketplaces, where fraud is rising and average losses reach USD $10.2 million a year.
Concerns over misinformation and manipulation are creating an opening for eYou, which is now available worldwide on iOS and Android.
Shared UK crime data has helped Google disable nearly 50,000 fraudulent accounts and expose more than 5,000 fake bank websites.
Security teams can now trace AI-led attacks before phishing begins, as Outtake targets lookalike domains, bot networks and fake accounts.
A misconfigured database left 86,859 images and private chats from a prominent European celebrity’s device open to anyone online.
Thousands of motorists and households face fake toll and fine texts that can steal card details and personal data if they click the links.
Rising breaches and weak credential habits are forcing businesses to adopt passkeys, multi-factor authentication and tighter access controls.
Travellers face fake payment requests tied to genuine hotel bookings, with exposed reservation data making the messages harder to spot.
Australian and New Zealand students borrowed 4.8 million digital books in 2025 as ebooks led and audiobooks gained popularity across schools.
Businesses are being urged to replace password-only logins as stolen credentials still feature in 22% of confirmed breaches.
Researchers found young Scots want simpler digital banking, stronger scam protection and advice that fits milestones such as jobs and rent.
Only 9% of complainants were satisfied as Australia’s privacy regulator said poor resolution is eroding public trust in data handlers.
Most firms lack formal bias controls, leaving 2SLGBTQI+ users less well served by AI systems than the wider public.
Fewer Australian scam reports still cost victims more in 2025, with total losses climbing to AUD $295.4 million and phishing damage surging.
Growing use of age-check tools and AI is forcing Australian regulators to coordinate more closely on child safety and personal data.
