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“Enough is enough”: Albanese to introduce social media ban for children

Australian children could soon be banned from accessing social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok amid growing concerns around its impacts on young minds. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed on Tuesday that his government would introduce landmark legislation to enforce a minimum age limit for access to social media, with the minimum age yet to be determined. This follows similar announcements made from Victoria and South Australia, with SA proposing an outright ban for kids under 13 and parental consent between the ages of 14 and 15, an option that is being considered to be implemented across the country. “We are taking this action because enough is enough,” Albanese said in a statement provided before the announcement. “Parents are worried sick about this. “The safety and mental and physical health of our young people is paramount.” The legislation will be introduced before the end of this year, after an age verification trial, although the age limits and start date have yet to be finalised. The government said the legislation would be worked on in national cabinet and draw on a report by former High Court Chief Justice Robert French commissioned by the SA government and released on Sunday. The report includes a draft bill to ban children under 14 from social media and making mandatory for companies to gain parental consent for 14 and 15-year-olds to use their platforms. On Tuesday morning, Albanese told Sunrise host Natalie Barr that he wanted to see kids “off their devices and on to the footy fields or the netball courts to get them interacting with real people having real experiences." “And we know that social media is doing social harm. “We want to make sure we get it right, but we want to make sure as well that we act which is why we have said we will introduce legislation before the end of this year." When the Sunrise host pointed out that "no country in the world has successfully been able to do this," with young teens finding alternative ways to access adult sites including using a VPN, Albanese replied: “that is why we are doing the trial to get it right”. “If it was easy it would have been done around the world. But just because something is hard doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t try. “We want to work with parents to work with companies, to work with state and territory governments to make sure that we act in this area.” Albanese also said that allowing children unfettered access to smartphones and social media have had devastating impacts for some families, including through online bullying and access to material which causes social harm. “The safety and mental and physical health of our young people is paramount,’’ he said. “We are taking this action because enough is enough.” Investigations, trials and negotiations with social media companies are currently ongoing, with Albanese saying the social media giants also needed to take responsibility. “They’re not above everyone else. They can’t just say, ‘We’re a big multinational company. We can do whatever we like’, regardless of the harm that’s being caused,” he said. SA Premier Peter Malinauskas, who led the change to introduce the bans, said his state’s bill would require platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and TikTok to ensure they took all reasonable steps to prevent children from getting access. “This is a problem that demands swift and decisive leadership, and I thank the Prime Minister for demonstrating it,’’ the SA Premier said. “The evidence shows early access to addictive social media is causing our kids harm. “This is no different to cigarettes or alcohol. When a product or service hurts children, governments must act.” The National Cabinet discussed the issue formally and informally last week, with all jurisdictions committed to tackling the issue. Image: Viktollio / Shutterstock.com

Legal

Network Seven claps back after Robert Ovadia's claims of "evil" conduct

Channel Seven has clapped back at claims from former 7News presenter Robert Ovadia that they are engaging in "evil" conduct, claiming they have found more inappropriate emails from the veteran journalist. Robert Ovadia, who worked with Seven for 23 years, was fired in June and has taken the matter to court claiming he was unfairly dismissed, while also claiming the network is hellbent on destroying his reputation. However, the network has finally spoke out about the claims, saying they have recent complaints from more female staffers about inappropriate behaviour. “Mr Ovadia commenced Federal Court proceedings against Seven over his dismissal for serious misconduct following the sending of inappropriate emails to a 23-year-old news producer and other employees of Seven," a Seven spokesman said. “In doing so, Seven is discharging its obligations to prevent sexual harassment at work, including as more recently expanded under recent legislation. Mr Ovadia was trained about these new legislative obligations by Seven and failed to comply with them.” The statement from the network went on to suggest there are further revelations to come, as more women have come forward with allegations of inappropriate conduct. “At the first hearing of those proceedings on Thursday, 29 August 2024 about Orders for the filing of evidence and timetable steps, Justice Raper asked Seven whether any other conduct would be relied upon by Seven other than set out in the termination letter," the spokesman said. “In that context, Seven confirmed it has had complaints or allegations about Mr Ovadia from 13 other employees. Although Seven was not required to provide examples of the other conduct it intends to rely on at this stage, Seven has provided Mr Ovadia and his lawyers examples of some of the inappropriate emails by Mr Ovadia, which will be further detailed in Seven’s defence required to be filed on 12 September 2024." “Out of respect for their privacy, Seven has not chosen to make further even more inappropriate emails public at this stage. In response to this, Mr Ovadia has made outlandish complaints about Seven being an ‘evil company’ with a ‘propaganda unit’ that is setting out to destroy his reputation. Seven is confident its position on this matter will be upheld by the Courts." In response to the statement, Ovadia took to Instagram to take another swing at his former employer while also maintaining his innocence. “I can be crass, I can be blunt, I can be obnoxious, my humour is dark – 20 years surrounded by trauma and danger will do all of that to you – but I do NOT mistreat women,” Mr Ovadia said in a lengthy Instagram post. “I’ll expect more smear over the coming months as this evil company (in whose service I risked my life and safety many times) now seeks to destroy my reputation further,” Mr Ovadia said. “When this kicked off, the day Seven first leaked this story, my teenage daughter asked if people will think her dad is a rapist. At least Four Corners’ laboured hatchet job got one thing right – the Seven Network is diabolical.” The journalist went on to share screenshots of conversations he had with female staffers who shared their words of support for Ovadia, saying they believe the allegations are false. Image credits: Instagram

Legal

Veteran Seven journalist faces fresh allegations of inappropriate behaviour

Veteran journalist Robert Ovadia is facing allegations from another 13 women of inappropriate conduct after claiming he was unlawfully <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/veteran-seven-reporter-sacked-over-misconduct-allegations" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sacked</a> from Network Seven. Ovadia was let go from Seven on June 21st after working with the network for 23 years, when he was fired with immediate effect after it was revealed he was part of an investigation by the ABC’s Four Corners program into the alleged <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/bombshell-allegations-of-toxic-channel-seven-workplace-aired" target="_blank" rel="noopener">toxic</a> culture at the Seven Network. After he was let go, the 7News Sydney journalist launched civil legal action against his former employer saying he was fired unlawfully. On Thursday, Network Seven’s lawyer Vanja Bulut told the Federal Court that the Network terminated Ovadia’s employment because of a “number of images sent to a former colleague”, who was a graduate news producer. Ms Bulut said the termination was also due to the “sending (an image) of a man’s genital to a colleague”. The Network is defending the decision to “summarily terminate” Mr Ovadia without notice, with Ms Bulut noting further allegations had arisen supporting that decision. “Subsequent to (Mr Ovadia’s) dismissal, 13 more females have come forward with complaints in regard to his conduct and they are subject to that investigation,” Ms Bulut told the court. “He has been written to setting out the additional allegations that have come out subsequent to the dismissal, and to the extent that those allegations are reported in documents. Even if they (Seven) didn’t have a basis to primarily terminate the applicant’s employment at that time, the conduct that has come to light subsequently does provide a basis,” she said. In a statement made after court, Mr Ovadia denied the claims against him, saying, “The claims are baseless and Seven has never provided evidence despite repeated requests.” “Even today, no evidence to support any of this - just a dirty tactic to try to bully me away from defending myself.” Image credits: Seven

Legal

Another Channel Seven presenter announces shock resignation

Veteran Channel Seven weather presenter Liz Cantor has announced her resignation on Wednesday after 17 years with the network. The TV host shared the shock news in a statement and revealed she has accepted a new position at Network Ten. "I was a seven, now I'm a ten. I feel honoured to be part of the return of local news to Queensland. I'm really excited to take weather out into our community," she said. She paid tribute to her former colleagues and shared her excitement at starting the new role alongside a gallery of photos from her time at Seven. "I just want to use this space to take a moment and jump in to say thank you to my 7News colleagues," she shared. "I cherish the friendships, experiences, lessons and growth I've experienced while running alongside you all, over the past 17 years. "You're the most incredible, hard working bunch of inspirational people. I count my lucky stars I got to share such an influential part of my life with you all." <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/C_NSXdcTySW/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C_NSXdcTySW/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by LIZ CANTOR (@lizcantor)</a> </div> </blockquote> Cantor will start her new role on Monday. She joins Sharyn Ghidella, who was axed from Seven last month, but will soon join Network 10 to anchor the 5pm Queensland news bulletin. Her move to Network 10 will also bring the 10 News First show back to the Brisbane studio after years of it being read from Sydney. In an <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C_OWPdxTOgF/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">update</a> shared on Wednesday morning, Cantor shared a photo alongside Ghidella in front of the Network 10 desk, sharing her excitement to be working with her again. "Also, @sharynghidella people know you as a calm, composed, intelligent news anchor - and you are all of these things - but I also know you as someone witty (YES!) and always encouraging and supportive of the people around you," she wrote. "I am beyond thrilled, to call you my colleague again. See you all Monday." Images: Instagram

"Sexy Santas" cause outrage at Seven staff meeting

Channel 7 has come under fire after footage of a routine staff meeting featured scantily clad dancers dressed as Santa. The meeting of Seven Network parent company Seven West Media in Perth was held on Friday to introduce a series of new hires and appointments, while deputy news director Ray Kuka also discussed upcoming programming for the rest of the year. As part of the announcement, Kuka spoke of Perth’s annual Christmas Pageant on December 7th, when Mariah Carey’s All I Want for Christmas started playing and a group of female dancers wearing Santa hats and short red dresses appeared and started dancing. Female staff who watched on were said to have been "dumbstruck and horrified" by the bizarre scene, with <a href="https://www.afr.com/rear-window/stokes-woke-regime-comes-with-sexy-surprise-20240825-p5k54h" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Australian Financial Review</a> claiming many likened the dancers to "sl*tty elves". A photo of the event was shared online and drew heavy criticism, as one worker shared that the performance prompted a mass walk out of outraged staffers. “OMG – if they thought that was even slightly appropriate given everything we’ve found out about them, the cultural makeup of that organisation is badly broken,” one person wrote online. “That will help fix the culture issues which have been uncovered.” A spokesman for Seven West Media defended the dancers, explaining that they were part of the Christmas Pageant, which is a “Perth institution”. The footage of the meeting comes as Seven faces a series of internal challenges as they fight allegations of being a "toxic" workplace. Ryan Stokes, the managing director of Seven Group Holdings Ltd, recently called inappropriate behaviour in media an "industry-wide problem". Stokes said it was "disappointing that there is a perception [that] inappropriate behaviour" was tolerated at Seven because "we don't tolerate any inappropriate behaviour". Image credits: Seven West Media

Legal

Channel Seven loses veteran reporter to rival network

A Channel Seven reporter has announced he is leaving the network to join a rival station. Journalist Steve Hart from the 7News room in Brisbane shared that he is leaving the network after two years to join the WIN News, owned by Nine, in Wollongong. Hart, who first joined the Seven Network in 2022 after leaving Network 10, will have his last day on September 11th. The news was revealed in an internal email to staff on Tuesday, which cited “family reasons” as the driving force behind Hart’s decision. According to <a id="U841326290785qZ" href="https://www.couriermail.com.au/entertainment/veteran-journalist-steve-hart-leaves-channel-7-for-rival-network/news-story/8311df15d77a4e4aa251bc64a709f16c" data-tgev="event119" data-tgev-container="bodylink" data-tgev-order="8311df15d77a4e4aa251bc64a709f16c" data-tgev-label="entertainment" data-tgev-metric="ev">Courier Mail</a>, Hart’s wife has been living in Sydney, and his regular weekend commutes to be with her have played a significant role in his choice to relocate closer to his family. The news of Hart's departure comes after the 7News room in Brisbane has faces a series of controversies, with many high profile presenters fleeing the network. Hart's departure comes just one week after sports presenter Shane Webcke announced his decision to step back from the news desk, following discussions with management to reduce his work hours and focus on his family’s agricultural business. The departure of both Hart and Webcke is understood to be unrelated to the recent wave of redundancies at Seven, and comes after the ABC Four Corners investigation into <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/bombshell-allegations-of-toxic-channel-seven-workplace-aired" target="_blank" rel="noopener">toxic</a> workplace culture in the Brisbane newsroom. Image credits: 7News

Larry Emdur's crazy pledge ahead of Logies

Channel Seven presenter Larry Emdur is up for his first Gold Logie and he's so sure he won't win that he's made a wild pledge if he does end up being crowned. “I’m so confident I won’t win, I’ll happily get all the nominees name initials tattooed on my arse on the Morning Show live on Monday [if I do],” he told news.com.au. Despite the presenter hosting popular TV shows for over 30 years, including The Price Is Right, Wheel of Fortune, Hey Hey It’s Saturday, this is his first Logie nomination ever. Before his hosting hobs on TV, Emdur was a cadet journalist at Seven, where he earned the title of ‘Australia’s youngest ever national newsreader’ when he presented the overnight news at just 19. While the title sounds pretty cool, the host revealed the truth behind how he got the role. “There’s a bit of a twist to that... it’s been slightly misrepresented over the years, but it was an overnight shift that no one wanted to do,” he said. “For me, I wanted to surf all day, so I was like, ‘OK, I’ll do the overnight shift’. And that gave me the title back then as the youngest national newsreader.” He landed his first job as a paperboy for Fairfax, and while it was "the crappiest early entry job", Emdur said he initially "wasn’t in there to be part of the media. I really just wanted to surf all day.” It wasn't until a journo gave him a tip-off suggesting he rewrite an existing article about crime in Bondi and offer it to a community newspaper when things started to kick off for his career. He wrote his very first article 'The Bondi Crime Plague by Larry Emdur’ on a typewriter and sent it to the Bondi Spectator’s office. “They were only doing bowling reports, commercials, adverts and stuff. So they weren’t big on news. And I just wrote a note saying, ‘I’m interested in getting into the media. Dear editor, could you let me know what you think of this?’,” he said. “That was a Monday, and Mum came into my room on a Thursday morning, woke me up and said, ‘Is this you?’ And [there it was] on page 3." “So, I was a reporter now. I was basically stealing stories, but I was a journalist. I thought, ‘This is unbelievable’.” He then interned for Seven during the Christmas period and got his early break producing a story that made it to air with the help of late New Zealand musician Ricky May. “I put that down to Ricky May. He just picked me out his crowd and went, ‘Follow me. I’ll make a story with you.’” This was a pivotal moment in his career before he was eventually promoted to national news reading, and is now a popular figure on Aussie TV. Despite this, the Morning Show co-host still stands by his Logie prediction. “I feel confident that I won’t be getting a tattoo on my arse on the Morning Show,” he said. Images: Instagram

Bombshell allegations of "toxic" Channel Seven workplace aired

Allegations of a "soul crushing" and "degrading" workplace at Channel Seven have been aired by ABC's Four Corners, with current and former staff members lifting the lid on the "toxic" and "sexist" culture. The ABC program spoke to more than 200 people from Channel Seven for the bombshell expose in which staff made allegations of a “boys club” where women were forced to work harder than men. One female journalist claims she was told to handover her hard-won stories to male journalists while another said she had to work late while her male colleagues went out and got drunk. As a result of the culture at Seven, one woman allegedly was left feeling suicidal over the work conditions and threw herself in front of a car outside the network’s Brisbane office after allegedly working extremely long hours for not much more than minimum wage. The woman had tried to resign from her job, but claims the network wouldn't accept her resignation and was kept on for another six months. “The only way I can describe it is I felt like I had a noose around my neck,” the young woman told Four Corners. One of the woman’s colleagues received a call from her in which she was “wailing, hysterical, incredibly emotional”, and in notes taken of the incident, they wrote, “Couldn’t understand what she was saying apart from ‘they won’t let me go’, ‘i’ve f**ked up my career’, ‘I want to be hit by a car’.” The woman attempted suicide and mercifully, the car didn't hit her. She was taken to the hospital in an ambulance and never returned to Channel Seven. Another woman, who is suing Channel Seven for sexual discrimination, said she was left feeling suicidal after working on the network’s Spotlight program. She claims she was forced to work 10-12 hour days, seven days a week and was once forced to use her own money to finish a story, leaving her with no money for rent while she waited for expenses to be reimbursed. “[It was] incredibly stressful,” she said. The woman then fell ill with a serious respiratory illness, and doctors told her she needed some time away from work to rest and recover. “I just started sobbing because the pressure of going home and not going back to the office and what the retribution would be if I did that was so great,” she says. “[The doctor] said, ‘If you don’t go home now, you’re going to be in bed with pneumonia for six weeks … I’ll call an ambulance to your office if I have to.’” The journalist claims that the network wanted her to keep working at home. “I got to the point where I was suicidal, and I remember in one particularly dark moment where I’d worked all weekend,” she says. “I rang Lifeline, and I made a doctor’s appointment because I knew I was so close to taking my own life. And I had a child that I couldn’t do that to because I was a single parent.” One Seven employee, Olivia Babb, told Four Corners of the unsustainable salaries within the network, revealing how many of her colleagues have been forced to take up second jobs to make ends meet. On top of her fears of becoming homeless due to the minimum wages, Olivia also claims she was “harassed and bullied” during her time at Seven. “It is one of the most degrading, soul-crushing places you can work,” the former reporter said. Solicitor Josh Bornstein, who has multiple clients taking legal action against Seven, said there was “enormous hostility to women”. In a statement after Four Corners aired, Seven West Media said it was “clearly concerned about allegations of poor behaviour and mistreatment of employees”. Need to talk to someone? Don't go it alone. Call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or <a href="https://www.lifeline.org.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">lifeline.org.au</a> Image credits: Four Corners

Legal

Sam Armytage's shock departure from Seven

Samantha Armytage has announced that she is leaving the Seven Network after 21 years. The beloved TV and media personality has confirmed the news on Sunday via social media, with a highlight reel of her time on the network. "21 is a coming-of-age," she began in the post. "And so, after that many years, I am departing Channel 7 with lots of happy memories, a full heart & huge thanks to the many fantastic colleagues along the journey." The Farmer Wants A Wife host will bid farewell to the television network in October when her contract expires. According to the Daily Telegraph, she was offered another contract with the network but declined the offer. “It’s a little sad and it’s bittersweet, but the time has come,” Armytage told the outlet. “I leave with lots of goodwill in my heart and excitement about the future. “I’m big on instinct. I listen to my instinct. I know when the time comes. I am proud of the fact that I back myself enough to say, ‘I’ve done what I can do here,’ and I move on. “This is not the end. It’s just the end of this chapter.” She said that the reason why she chose to leave the network was because she wanted to "feel fulfilled". “I had to sit with myself here and ask, ‘What does my next five to 10 years look like?” she told the Daily Telegraph. “I’m 47, so it was a bit of a stocktake. I’m still productive. I want to make good TV.” <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/C-O0gONTW11/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C-O0gONTW11/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Samantha Armytage (@sam_armytage)</a> </div> </blockquote> The beloved presented has been the host of Farmer Wants A Wife for the past two years, after moving from her role as a host on Sunrise, which she held of eight years. The Seven network have also released a statement confirming her departure. “After 21 years, Samantha Armytage has decided to leave the Seven Network in October this year. We fully understand and support her decision,” said Angus Ross, Group Managing Director of Seven Television. “Sam has made a remarkable contribution to Seven over more than two decades, from 7NEWS and Sunrise to, more recently, Farmer Wants A Wife. “Her genuine affection for the country lifestyle she’s grown up with and enjoys to this day has shone through her three seasons with the TV WEEK Logie Award-nominated series. It’s been a pleasure watching Sam share her pride of these communities with Australia as our incredible farmer love stories have unfolded. “We wish Sam – and her farmer – every happiness and success for the future.” The move comes after several high-profile staff exits at the network amid their restructure. Images: Instagram

Real reason why Paul Burt was sacked

A senior source from Channel Seven has revealed the real reason why Paul Burt was sacked, just days after he <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/tv/axed-weatherman-s-blunt-farewell-message-live-on-air" target="_blank" rel="noopener">unleashed</a> at his former employer live on-air. An insider at the network reportedly told the <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-13682975/Paul-Burt-Seven-sacked-reason.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Daily Mail</a> that Burt, who worked at Seven for more than a decade, was sacked because focus group research found he was unpopular with audiences. "Paul Burt was sacked after extensive audience research across the Queensland market that identified he was one of the least-liked presenters on-air, with the dreaded 'switch-off' factor," the source said. The research had been conducted in the first quarter of 2024. The source also told the Daily Mail that perceived audience appeal was an important consideration when deciding who would be let go from the program and "it's not like names were picked out of a hat." "Networks spend a fortune on polling and focus groups to identify emerging talent and test long-serving presenters," they said. "The audience decides who reads the news." Burt did not accept the research, telling the Daily Mail: "I mean, these people are going to try and cover their backs." "I think if they're looking at numbers like that, they might want to change the people who are giving them those numbers. "Because I'm on the ground, I hear what people say and I understand what they want. I've been doing it now for 28 years." Daily Mail also obtained a farewell email that Burt sent to his colleagues at the network on Monday afternoon. "Hey everyone, never thought I'd be writing this email anytime soon, but here we go," the email reportedly began. "First and foremost, I want to say thank you to everyone who I have worked directly with, you have all been incredibly awesome and do sensational jobs and deserve far more recognition than you get. "Secondly, those who reached out to me after the news over the weekend and today to 'check in' on me and pass on your kind words, wow, it's been very humbling so thank you." Burt also reportedly did not attend his farewell last Friday and had told management he would not be attending it. "I'm not that kind of guy," he told the Daily Mail. "I don't want there to be any hoo-ha. I don't need a cake. I'm not interested." He also said that he did not wanted to cut into his work schedule on a busy Friday evening when he did about 10 live crosses to the newsroom. "I don't want to give up my time to get back to the office when I'm on location," he said. "I didn't want to stand there and get, 'Here's a cake, congratulations, goodbye and thank you for your time'. I never asked for it." He also said: "Don't get me wrong, I really admire the network. I love the network. I truly do. "Unfortunately, I just think at this point in time, things could have been handled a bit differently in certain sectors of the newsroom. "If you have three of your best-selling items in a shop, do you get rid of those three and just deal with what's left over? As a business person, I don't think you do." Seven West Media, which also owns the West Australian, is slashing 150 editorial staff in a round of redundancies, which has affected other big names like newsreader Sharyn Ghidella. Images: Seven

Sacked Seven reporter launches legal action

Veteran journalist Robert Ovadia has launched legal action against Channel Seven and its news boss Anthony De Ceglie after claiming he was unlawfully <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/veteran-seven-reporter-sacked-over-misconduct-allegations" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sacked</a>. The well-known news reporter was let go from the network on June 21st, following allegations of "inappropriate behaviour", with the alleged conduct reportedly including the exchange of messages with a female colleague four years ago. Seven management only became aware of the allegedly inappropriate exchange when it was reportedly brought to their attention by the ABC’s Four Corners program, which was working on an investigation into allegations of a toxic culture at Seven. Now, reports from The Australian claim the journalist lodged paperwork with the Fair Work Commission last month just days after being axed. Ovadia's lawyer John Laxon has confirmed to <a href="https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/media/veteran-journalist-robert-ovadia-takes-legal-action-against-seven/news-story/4ef1a259b51f72e35381eb1571c56d09" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news.com.au</a> that a general protections application has been lodged seeking orders of compensation for his dismissal, reinstatement to his job and pecuniary penalties. The reporter, who worked at Seven for 23 years, has previously said any suggestion of inappropriate behaviour was “false, malicious and will be defended”. A Seven spokesperson told The Australian it took “very seriously any allegations in relation to sexual harassment, bullying and other behaviours deemed to be inappropriate within the workplace”. “We take complaints seriously, manage them confidentially and deal with any breaches decisively.” Image credits: Seven

Legal

"A true fighter": Tragic loss to Australian media

Trailblazing journalist and editor Judith Whelan has passed away at the age of 63. The ABC confirmed Whelan's death, saying she died on Wednesday after a long battle with cancer. ABC managing director David Anderson was among the first to pay tribute to the “loved and respected” Whelan, confirming her death. “We have lost a great friend and journalism has lost a true fighter,” <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/about/media-centre/statements-and-responses/judith-whelan-announcement/104027286?utm_content=link&utm_medium=content_shared" target="_blank" rel="noopener">he said in a statement</a> released by the public broadcaster. “Judith always had the instincts that made her such a formidable journalist. She carried with her a commitment to truth and accountability and instilled these values in those who worked with her." “A valued mentor to younger journalists, Judith nurtured while leading by example. Judith was tough but caring and wanted those around her to succeed. Young reporters knew Judith would champion their work if the story needed to be told.” Sydney Morning Herald editor Bevan Shields said Whelan will always remain a beloved part of their team. “Judith was a wonderful editor, colleague and friend. She was at the Herald for more than three decades and remains part of our DNA. We are heartbroken by her death,” he told the Herald. “She had a finely tuned news radar but also revelled in journalism that could entertain and inform readers. She was a natural leader and a beautiful person. Our thoughts are with Chris, Sophia and Patrick.” Whelan first joined the ABC in 2016, where she was first appointed Director of Regional and Local News before taking the role of ABC editorial director in 2022. Prior to her work at the public broadcaster, Whelan worked for several other publications, including Sydney Morning Herald, where she also served as news director and editor of its weekend edition. The talented media executive was one of just three female editors in the SMH’s history. Well respected in her field, Whelan’s career also saw her stationed in both the Pacific and Europe as a foreign correspondent, and she was also nominated for a Walkley Award for her news and feature writing. Image credits: ABC

Caring

Is social media making you unhappy? The answer is not so simple

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/melissa-humphries-584274">Melissa Humphries</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-adelaide-1119">University of Adelaide</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/lewis-mitchell-266859">Lewis Mitchell</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-adelaide-1119">University of Adelaide</a> You may have seen headlines that link social media to sadness and depression. Social media use goes up, happiness goes down. But recent studies suggest those findings might not be so straightforward. Although it is true that people’s feelings of envy and depression are linked to high social media use, there is evidence to suggest social media use may not be causing that relationship. Instead, your mindset may be the biggest thing affecting how social media connects to your wellbeing. People who feel they are able to use social media, rather than social media “using them”, tend to gain more benefits from their online interactions. <h2>Why do people use social media?</h2> Social media covers a broad range of platforms: social networking, discussion forums, bookmarking and sharing content, disseminating news, exchanging media like photos and videos, and microblogging. These appeal to a wide range of users, from individuals of all ages through to massive businesses. For some, social media is a way to connect with people we may not otherwise see. In the United States, 39% of people say they <a href="https://www.americansurveycenter.org/research/the-state-of-american-friendship-change-challenges-and-loss">are friends with people they only interact with online</a>. For older people, this is especially important for increasing feelings of connectedness and wellbeing. Interestingly though, for older people, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0747563223004545">social media contact with family does not increase happiness</a>. Meanwhile, younger adults report increased happiness when they have more social media contact with family members. Teens, in particular, find social media most useful for <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2022/11/16/connection-creativity-and-drama-teen-life-on-social-media-in-2022/">deepening connections and building their social networks</a>. With social media clearly playing such an important role in society, many researchers have tried to figure out: does it make us happier or not? <h2>Does social media make us happier?</h2> Studies have taken a variety of approaches, including asking people directly through surveys or looking at the content people post and seeing how positive or negative it is. One survey study from 2023 showed that as individuals’ social media use increased, <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/372582895_The_Relationship_Between_Social_Media_Addiction_Happiness_and_Life_Satisfaction_in_Adults_Analysis_with_Machine_Learning_Approach">life satisfaction and happiness decreased</a>. Another found that <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/0144929X.2023.2286529">less time on social media</a> was related to increases in work satisfaction, work engagement and positive mental health – so improved mental health and motivation at work. Comparing yourself to others on social media is connected to feelings of envy and depression. However, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9955439/">there is evidence</a> to suggest depression is the predictor, rather than the outcome, of both social comparison and envy. All this shows <a href="https://academic.oup.com/jcmc/article/29/1/zmad048/7612379?login=false">the way you feel about social media matters</a>. People who see themselves using social media rather than “being used” by it, tend to gain benefits from social media and not experience the harms. Interviews with young people (15–24 years) using social media suggest that positive mental health among that age group was influenced by <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8933808/">three features</a>: <ul> <li>connection with friends and their global community</li> <li>engagement with social media content</li> <li>the value of social media as an outlet for expression.</li> </ul> There are also studies that look at the emotions expressed by more frequent social media users. The so-called “<a href="https://epjdatascience.springeropen.com/articles/10.1140/epjds/s13688-017-0100-1">happiness paradox</a>” shows that most people think their friends on social media appear happier than themselves. This is a <a href="https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3110025.3110027">seeming impossibility</a> that arises because of <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/srep04603">the mathematical properties</a> of how friendship networks work on social media. In one of our studies, Twitter content with recorded locations showed residents of cities in the United States that <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/figure?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0064417.g007">tweeted more tended to express less happiness</a>. On the other hand, in Instagram direct messages, happiness has been found to be <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/20563051241229655">four times more prevalent than sadness</a>. <h2>How does internet use in general affect our wellbeing?</h2> Some of the factors associated with decreased mental health are not aligned with social media use alone. <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0963721419838244">One recent study</a> shows that the path to decreased wellbeing is, at least partially, connected to digital media use overall (rather than social media use specifically). This can be due to sleep disruption, reduced face-to-face social interaction or physical activity, social comparison, and cyberbullying. None of these exist for social media alone. However, social media platforms are known to be driven by recommendation algorithms that may send us down “rabbit holes” of the same type of (increasingly extreme) content. This can lead to a distorted view of the world and our place in it. The important point here is to maintain a diverse and balanced information diet online. Interestingly, interacting on social media is not the only thing affecting our mental state. <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0090315">Rainfall influnces</a> the emotional content of social media posts of both the user experiencing rain, and parts of their extended network (even if they don’t experience rain!). This suggests that how we feel is influenced by the emotions in the posts we see. The good news is that happy posts are the most influential, with each happy post encouraging close to two additional happy updates from a user’s friends. The secret to online happiness therefore may not be to “delete your account” entirely (which, <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-018-0510-5">as we have found</a>, may not even be effective), but to be mindful about what you consume online. And if you feel like social media is starting to use you, it might be time to change it up a bit.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/232490/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/melissa-humphries-584274">Melissa Humphries</a>, Senior Lecturer, School of Computer and Mathematical Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-adelaide-1119">University of Adelaide</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/lewis-mitchell-266859">Lewis Mitchell</a>, Professor of Data Science, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-adelaide-1119">University of Adelaide</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/is-social-media-making-you-unhappy-the-answer-is-not-so-simple-232490">original article</a>. </div>

Mind

Veteran Seven reporter sacked over misconduct allegations

A veteran reporter for Channel Seven has been sacked amid allegations of inappropriate behaviour. Robert Ovadia, a Sydney-based reporter who has been with the network for 23 years, announced that he has been fired in a statement to The Australian. “Yes I’ve been sacked and there will be more to say about that in the appropriate forum at the appropriate time,” Ovadia told the publication on Friday. Earlier this month, a spokesperson for the Seven Network told NCA Newswire that Ovadia was "on leave". “Seven is conducting an investigation into allegations of inappropriate behaviour by Robert Ovadia,” the spokeswoman confirmed. In his own statement at the time, Mr Ovadia said he would defend the “malicious” allegations. “Seven has told me no current or former colleague has made any complaint against me,” he said in a statement to <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-06-07/robert-ovadia-investigation-alleged-inappropiate-behaviour/103952758">the ABC</a>. “As far as I am aware, I have not been stood down by the company. Any suggestion I have behaved inappropriately at any time is false, malicious and will be defended.” Just days after being placed on leave, The Australian revealed that the allegations stem from emails exchanged four years ago between Ovadia and a former Seven female employee. <div> <div>Ovadia’s sacking comes amid an exit of numerous senior males at Seven in the past month and following the appointment of Anthony De Ceglie as Seven West Media’s new director of news and current affairs and editor-in-chief.</div> </div> Image credits: Seven <div style="caret-color: #000000; color: #000000; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; display: block; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"> </div>

Legal

Long-serving ABC star calls it quits

Paul Barry, the veteran host of Media Watch, who has made a career out of poking the media bear, has announced his departure from the ABC show in December. After an illustrious (and occasionally infamous) tenure that would make a soap opera look like a nap, Barry is hanging up his microphone at the ripe age of 72. “I’ve been in the hot seat for 11 years and it’s time to give someone else a go,” Barry remarked, possibly while the hot seat sighed in relief. Indeed, hosting Media Watch is no small feat – it's a bit like riding a roller coaster while simultaneously refereeing a brawl. But Barry has certainly done it with aplomb, panache and a fair amount of flair. His announcement has left viewers with mixed feelings – a blend of gratitude for his unyielding service and a tinge of sadness, akin to the bittersweet end of a beloved TV series. Barry promised to stay with us until December, giving us ample time to stock up on popcorn and enjoy the remaining episodes. "Lots of fun to be had before then," he teased, hinting at some final rounds of media mischief. For those who might be wondering what Barry plans to do next, well, that's still a mystery. Perhaps he'll take up knitting, but knowing him, it’ll likely be with barbed wire. Barry first commandeered Media Watch in 2000 before returning in 2013, making a grand comeback that rivalled any reality TV show. Over the years, he has ruffled enough feathers to fill a sizeable pillow factory. Commercial media outlets, politicians and even his own network – as Media Watch famously runs independently of the ABC – have all been on the receiving end of his sharp critiques. His fearless approach has made him a hero to many and a headache to some. One of Barry’s most memorable moments came in 2013 during a spat with columnist Andrew Bolt. When Bolt provocatively asked Barry to reveal his salary on air, Barry did just that – $191,259, to be precise. It was a jaw-dropping moment that left viewers stunned and Bolt, presumably, a bit flummoxed. In between his stints at Media Watch, Barry has donned many hats – investigative reporter for the Sydney Morning Herald, correspondent for 60 Minutes, and author of several books, including a controversial unauthorised biography of James Packer. His career has been a veritable smorgasbord of journalism, controversy and unflinching honesty. An ABC spokesperson paid tribute to Barry, highlighting his “track record of independent commentary, analysis, and robust discussion about the media industry and its ethics – or lack thereof.” Barry has indeed been the watchdog’s watchdog, never shying away from calling out malpractice, no matter where it reared its head. As the ABC gears up to announce a new host, the shoes left behind are large ones to fill. Barry’s departure marks the end of an era – one filled with wit, grit and an unwavering commitment to holding the media accountable. So, here’s to Paul Barry – the feather-ruffler, the truth-seeker, the man who made us laugh, gasp and, most importantly, think. As he steps down from Media Watch, we wish him the very best in his next adventure, whether that’s taking on new journalistic endeavours or finally perfecting that tricky scarf pattern. Bravo, Mr Barry. You will be missed. Image: Media Watch

Spending too much time on social media and doomscrolling? The problem might be FOMO

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kim-m-caudwell-1258935">Kim M Caudwell</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/charles-darwin-university-1066">Charles Darwin University</a> For as long as we have used the internet to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/mar/07/email-ray-tomlinson-history">communicate and connect with each other</a>, it has influenced how we think, feel and behave. During the COVID pandemic, many of us were <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277953622007985">“cut off” from our social worlds</a> through restrictions, lockdowns and mandates. Understandably, many of us tried to <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0258344">find ways to connect online</a>. Now, as pandemic restrictions have lifted, some of the ways we use the internet have become concerning. Part of what drives problematic internet use may be something most of us are familiar with – the fear of missing out, or FOMO. In <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12888-024-05834-9">our latest research</a>, my colleagues and I investigated the role FOMO plays in two kinds of internet use: problematic social media use and “doomscrolling”. <h2>What are FOMO, problematic social media use and doomscrolling?</h2> FOMO is the fear some of us experience when we get a sense of “missing out” on things happening in our social scene. Psychology researchers have been studying FOMO for <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2013.02.014">more than a decade</a>, and it has consistently been linked to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8283615/">mental health and wellbeing</a>, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0376871624001947">alcohol use</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2021.106839">problematic social media use</a>. Social media use becomes a problem for people when they have difficulty controlling urges to use social media, have difficulty cutting back on use, and where the use has a negative impact on their everyday life. Doomscrolling is characterised by a need to constantly look at and <a href="https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20210226-the-darkly-soothing-compulsion-of-doomscrolling">seek out “bad” news</a>. Doomscrollers may constantly refresh their news feeds or stay up late to read bad news. While problematic social media use has been around for a while, doomscrolling seems to be a more recent phenomenon – <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7735659/">attracting research attention</a> during and following the pandemic. <h2>What we tried to find out</h2> In our study, we wanted to test the idea that FOMO leads individuals to engage in problematic use behaviours due to their difficulty in managing the “fear” in FOMO. The key factor, we thought, was <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1023/b:joba.0000007455.08539.94">emotion regulation</a> – our ability to deal with our emotions. We know some people tend to be good at this, while others find it difficult. In fact, greater difficulties with emotion regulation was linked to experiencing <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S088761852100058X">greater acute stress related to COVID</a>. However, an idea that has been gaining attention recently is <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.636919/full">interpersonal emotion regulation</a>. This means looking to others to help us regulate our emotions. Interpersonal emotion regulation can be helpful (such as “<a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11031-016-9569-3">affective engagement</a>”, where someone might listen and talk about your feelings) or unhelpful (such as “<a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2F0012-1649.43.4.1019">co-rumination</a>” or rehashing problems together), depending on the context. In our analyses, we sought to uncover how both intrapersonal emotion regulation (ability to self-manage our own emotional states) and interpersonal emotion regulation (relying on others to help manage our emotions) accounted for the link between FOMO and problematic social media use, and FOMO and doomscrolling, respectively. <h2>What we found – and what it might mean for the future of internet use</h2> Our findings indicated that people who report stronger FOMO engage in problematic social media use because of difficulty regulating their emotions (intrapersonally), and they look to others for help (interpersonally). Similarly, people who report stronger FOMO are drawn to doomscrolling because of difficulty regulating their emotions intrapersonally (within themselves). However, we found no link between FOMO and doomscrolling through interpersonal emotion regulation. We suspect this difference may be due to doomscrolling being more of a solitary activity, occurring outside more social contexts that facilitate interpersonal regulation. For instance, there are probably fewer people with whom to share your emotions while staying up trawling through bad news. While links between FOMO and doomscrolling have been observed before, our study is among the first to try and account for this theoretically. We suspect the link between FOMO and doomscrolling may be more about having more of an online presence while things are happening. This would account for intrapersonal emotion regulation failing to help manage our reactions to “bad news” stories as they unfold, leading to doomscrolling. Problematic social media use, on the other hand, involves a more complex interpersonal context. If someone is feeling the fear of being “left out” and has difficulty managing that feeling, they may be drawn to social media platforms in part to try and elicit help from others in their network. <h2>Getting the balance right</h2> Our findings suggest the current discussions around <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/psychology-group-says-infinite-scrolling-social-media-features-are-par-rcna147876">restricting social media use for young people</a>, while controversial, are important. We need to balance our need for social connection – which is happening increasingly online – with the <a href="https://www.biomedcentral.com/collections/spia#tab-3">detrimental consequences </a> associated with problematic internet use behaviours. It is important to also consider the nature of social media platforms and how they have changed over time. For example, adolescent social media use patterns across various platforms are <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10964-019-01060-9">associated with</a> different mental health and socialisation outcomes. Public health policy experts and legislators have quite the challenge ahead of them here. Recent work has shown how loneliness is <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0190033">a contributing factor</a> to all-cause mortality (death from any cause). We have long known, too, that social connectedness is <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0190033">good for our mental health</a>. In fact, last year, the World Health Organization established a <a href="https://www.who.int/news/item/15-11-2023-who-launches-commission-to-foster-social-connection">Commission on Social Connection</a> to help promote the importance of socialisation to our lives. The recent controversy in the United States around the ownership of TikTok illustrates how central social media platforms are to our lives and ways of interacting with one another. We need to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/article/2024/may/27/dominic-andre-tiktok-ban">consider the rights of individuals</a> to use them as they please, but understand that governments carry the responsibility of <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/apr/04/what-does-tiktoks-ban-on-australian-government-devices-mean-for-its-future">protecting users from harm</a> and safeguarding their privacy. <hr /> If you feel concerned about problematic social media use or doomscrolling, you can speak to a healthcare or mental health professional. You can also call <a href="https://www.lifeline.org.au/">Lifeline</a> on 13 11 14, or <a href="https://www.13yarn.org.au/">13 YARN</a> (13 92 76) to yarn with Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander crisis supporters.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/230980/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kim-m-caudwell-1258935">Kim M Caudwell</a>, Senior Lecturer - Psychology | Chair, Researchers in Behavioural Addictions, Alcohol and Drugs (BAAD), <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/charles-darwin-university-1066">Charles Darwin University</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/spending-too-much-time-on-social-media-and-doomscrolling-the-problem-might-be-fomo-230980">original article</a>. </div>

Technology

"I love you all": Social media star announces her own death

Social media star Kimberley Nix has passed away at the age of 31 after a gruelling battle with cancer, and has announced the news of her own death to her dedicated followers. The TikTok star, who has amassed a following of 143,000 people as she documented her cancer journey, spoke candidly in a pre-filmed video that was posted to her page, letting her followers know that her "journey here is over". Kimberley, who was also a doctor in training, told her fans that if they were seeing the heartbreaking clip, that she had "passed", before sharing that they had made her "so happy". She captioned the viral video, which has so far amassed more than 5.1 million views, "My journey here is over and I can't thank each and every one of you enough. You have all made me so happy and your comments and support are more than enough to have gotten anyone through anything!" "If you wish, please donate through my link in bio to sarcoma cancer research and follow my husband [Michael MacIsaac] in his updates." At the beginning of the clip, Kimberley said, "Hello followers, if you're seeing this clip, I have passed away peacefully. " Holding back tears, she said that she had a "very beautiful life" that she was "so proud" of. "Those who know me, know I love my pets, my husband, and makeup. And though being a doctor is a big part of my identity, those are the things that matter," she said during the heartbreaking clip. Kim went on to note that in 2021 she got the "opportunity to start making TikTok videos", admitting that she "never thought anything would come of it". "I shared about love, joy, and gratitude because in this journey, I was grateful for the people and the little moments." "Those little parts of your day, like that warm first sip of tea in the morning or how it feels when snow is fresh on your face, those are the most beautiful [moments]." At the end of the clip, she thanked her followers for helping her and said that they meant the world to her. "I can't thank you enough, I will miss you TikTok. I love you all. Thank you for this amazing opportunity, I am in happy tears because I have found so much purpose in the end of my life," she said. "Thank you from the bottom of my heart, goodbye." Kimberley was diagnosed with metastatic sarcoma, which is known as cell cancer, at just 28 years old, and she was finishing up her final year of her internal medicine core residency when she got the diagnosis. She is survived by her husband Michael, who she married in February. Image credits: TikTok

Caring

"An insult to human dignity": Mother of Bondi stabbing victim hits out at the media

The mother of Bondi stabbing victim Jade Young has hit out at how social media and major news outlets reported on her daughter's death. Jade Young, 47, was one of six people fatally stabbed by Joel Cauchi during his violent rampage at Bondi Junction Westfield on April 13th. Following the tragedy, graphic videos and images of the attacks were circulated online. Now, Jade's mother Elizabeth Young, writing in the <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/my-daughter-was-killed-in-the-bondi-junction-attack-how-my-family-found-out-is-shameful-20240429-p5fnbw.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sydney Morning Herald</a> on Wednesday, said it was “shameful” how her family found out about Jade’s death. “Members of my family recognised Jade and her husband Noel in uncensored vision being played on a mainstream TV news feed, with vision of Jade lying on the ground at the shopping centre, receiving CPR,” she wrote. “The vision, shared on social media and picked up — and used by — multiple news media programs shared my daughter’s final moments with millions. Finding out that a loved one has been murdered is a horror that I do not wish on anyone. But seeing the vision of their last moments and knowing it has been broadcast to millions of people is an appalling breach of privacy and an insult to human dignity.” Ms Young went on to say how some of the major media organisations that shared violent images of the Bondi stabbing “approached our family within hours of the attack, offering their condolences … and the opportunity to share our family’s story”. “These same media organisations reported the failure of a certain popular social media platform to take down videos, without acknowledging their own complicity,” she said. “I am not surprised at their hypocrisy, but I am angry.” “Sharing violent images or personal material from the lives of victims of crime is not free speech — it is enormously profitable for some but it’s speech with a steep price for the victims,” she said. “Those who run social media platforms are remote from the pain inflicted by their uploads and the dystopia they have helped create. It is the victims who bear the cost.” Last week, hundreds of mourners attended a public memorial for Ms Young, an acclaimed architect and mother-of-two, where mourners were encouraged to wear colourful clothing “in memory of Jade”. Image credits: Getty Images / Facebook

Family & Pets

Student wrongly named as Bondi killer sues Seven Network

A 20-year-old university student who was wrongly named as the Bondi Junction killer has made moves to sue the Seven Network for defamation. As the terrifying rampage at the eastern suburbs Westfield unfolded on Saturday which resulted in the deaths of six people, Ben Cohen was named by the Seven Network as the knife-wielding man. Mr Cohen’s name was wrongly linked to the attack by Sunrise co-host Matt Shirvington shortly after 6am on Sunday and again by journalist Lucy McLeod just 10 minutes later. It wasn't until hours later that Seven identified the right man, Joel Cauchi, as the killer as journalist Sarah Jane Bell issued an on-air apology to Mr Cohen during the evening news bulletin. “Earlier this morning, reports of the incident incorrectly named the perpetrator as 40-year-old Benjamin Cohen,” she said on air. “It was later confirmed that the name of the 40-year-old is Joel Cauchi from Queensland. Seven apologises for any distress caused by our earlier reports.” Mr Cohen is still reeling from the incident, saying he has been targeted by online trolls on social media ever since he was wrongly named by the network. His name was one of the most trending topics on X in Australia the day of the mass stabbing, with many people quick to point out Mr Cohen's Jewish identity, claiming the stabbings were an act of violence in support of the war in Israel against Palestine. The university student has taken the first steps in launching legal action against the network, engaging with two of Australia’s foremost defamation lawyers in Patrick George of Giles George as his solicitor, and Sue Chrysanthou SC as barrister. Mr George confirmed he had sent a concerns notice to Seven, the first step in defamation proceedings. “We await a response from Seven,” Mr George told NCA NewsWire. Mr Cohen told <a href="https://www.news.com.au/national/nsw-act/courts-law/student-wrongly-named-as-westfield-bondi-junction-killer-moves-to-sue-seven/news-story/f4c67b123e19cbf3d5a6a6bf39708ea8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news.com.au</a> earlier this week that he had been inundated with friend requests and messages on social media after being named by Seven, with the unwanted attention taking a toll on his mental health. “It’s just gone crazy, it’s like ‘look, you’ve got the wrong guy’,” Mr Cohen, a first year computer science student, told news.com.au. “People don’t really think too hard about what they’re posting and how it might affect someone. It’s very dangerous how people could just make stuff up and destroy people’s lives.” Image credits: news.com.au

Legal

Selfies and social media: how tourists indulge their influencer fantasies

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/brendan-canavan-228682">Brendan Canavan</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-nottingham-1192">University of Nottingham</a> A town in the US state of Vermont <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/vermont-town-banning-influencers-tourists-visiting-fall-foliage-rcna117413">closed its roads to tourists</a> in September 2023 after a social media tag sparked a swarm of visitors that overwhelmed the rural destination. Videos on TikTok were seen by thousands and the hashtag #sleepyhollowfarm went viral, prompting a tourist rush to the pretty New England town of Pomfret, where visitors tried to take photos of themselves against the countryside backdrop. The town, famous for its fall foliage, criticised this as problematic and “influencer tourism”, part of <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160738320300426">a travel trend</a> where a social media phenomenon can spark an overwhelming and unexpected rise in visitor numbers. <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0002764292036002005?casa_token=gQo4-8jeYdIAAAAA:Oq3Nf5gTtAFK7N00D1NgPO7_zl9ONlOEnzFZnojX6fX1nKXQWJZ4ERn52MlV3abn4fDN4_C4hJjq">Traditionally</a>, we think of tourists as travelling to gain new experiences. They look at sites, take photographs and collect souvenirs. However, this relationship between the tourist and touring is changing. Driven by <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/how-instagram-changed-the-tourism-industry/a-65348690">24-hour access to social media</a>, some tourists now travel primarily to have an experience that <a href="https://www.americanexpress.com/en-us/travel/discover/get-inspired/Global-Travel-Trends">looks good online</a>. Around 75% of people in a recent American Express survey said they had been inspired to visit somewhere by social media. Some tourists may be prompted to choose a destination by seeing a <a href="https://www.elle.com/culture/travel-food/a27561982/best-instagram-spots/">backdrop that is popular on social media or on television</a>, in order to create a high-status photo. The expansion of social media and ubiquity of smartphone cameras has had a <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/13/7312">major impact on tourists’ behaviour</a>. This has also led to what’s been called a <a href="https://www.traveldailynews.com/column/articles/who-are-the-selfie-gaze-tourists/">selfie “tourist gaze”</a>, creating photos where the traveller is at the forefront of images rather than the destination. Indeed, according to my research, increasingly, some tourists go somewhere <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160738320300426">to be spotted</a> – to be observed by others both online and in person at these destinations. <h2>Looking for drama</h2> Studies have highlighted how tourists <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0261517715300388?casa_token=W51WkDKJSK8AAAAA:DG99dEWkyYKWIe6hNcLXR4KRApXV24QksHIzrRNcjVY3FngukDgIv9HLHG4o3NV4rqNJtdet">head for</a> particularly dramatic or luxurious destinations because of their social media links. Dubai, for example, with its bling culture and high-end shopping, has become a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/apr/17/in-this-world-social-media-is-everything-how-dubai-became-the-planets-influencer-capital">playground for influencers</a> looking for a luxury backdrop to add to their celebrity-style image. Some tourists aim to photograph themselves in prestigious locations, rather than taking shots of their <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/13567667221113079?casa_token=xbdUjWECQvMAAAAA:mc4rqleOqgjazW9DAYduW7LaPTu4KEw1DIfbPbWF0vl0efwNPC_GQ0U-HjltguwsIsCoO4ycXgyW7Q">travel surroundings</a>. Others choose to <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160738320300426">act like mini-celebrities</a> and perform for the camera, expecting and wanting to be looked at by those they encounter – or even narrating their participation in extreme events. One of these is the <a href="https://www.theadventurists.com/rickshaw-run/">Rickshaw Run</a>, a 2,000km race across India. This adventure tourism event encourages participants to dress up, act eccentrically and get noticed. Driving tuk-tuks around India, from Kerala to Darjeeling, vehicles are personalised with eye-catching designs. Many participants film themselves and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2p3wd0ii2oQ">upload the results</a> to social media, and the events tend to create a significant following. For instance, this YouTube video series created by Rickshaw Run participants drew 3.6m subscribers: <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2p3wd0ii2oQ?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption>Taking part in the Rickshaw Run.</figcaption></figure> However, some of these tourist “performances” can cause controversy. For instance, <a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/travel/mexico-tourist-beaten-with-stick-for-climbing-chichen-itza-pyramid/EL5KGLB4CNC5ZONNZCKAMX3LLE/">climbing over</a> fragile archaeological sites in search of social media content might damage them. <a href="https://www.unilad.com/news/russian-tourist-deported-nude-photo-bali-064402-20230330">Posing for laughs</a> in areas considered sacred can offend. The reducing of cultures to <a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/selfie-tourists-get-up-easter-islanders-noses-sgfxdtkj7">backdrops for social media content</a> can suggest a lack of interest in or respect for hosts by tourists. My research points to a growth in <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/09669582.2016.1263309">narcissism in society</a>, and connects this with what tourists desire from travel and how they act when travelling. This may be reflected in increased sense of entitlement and exhibitionism by tourists who aim to take photos in more difficult to reach locations or off-limit areas, for instance. Selfie culture arguably promotes <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/09528822.2015.1082339?casa_token=tbsXw1drBAEAAAAA:qfSfJBbHWi3x8MSVeoyHBIceP7W_8C55rVctylf-2zRBzx-aG_EeFwvTmHHsOdjQpMd8LVaUrjSo">self-involvement rather than social responsibility</a>. It is well established that tourists <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/1368350050408668198?casa_token=K4p5aZCN8t4AAAAA:96p7f3qNu2WndpE-C-D0rs5mJaOlnJ5F6P4iXQlWQopseMGWuJ_5TiaFmRggxFsEjrMCoAr14Kn4">can be selfish</a>, putting their own comfort and entertainment ahead of concerns about local issues. This is especially true of the super-rich. Private jet users <a href="https://www.transportenvironment.org/discover/private-jets-can-the-super-rich-supercharge-zero-emission-aviation/">are responsible for</a> half of global aviation emissions. However, the desire to promote the individual and their values could be <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/09669582.2016.1263309">harnessed to promote</a> more sustainable tourism. Those volunteering abroad might be motivated by the image enhancement opportunities of doing good, but they often offer something back to the social and natural environments of <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/09669580903395030?casa_token=NvJorz8d1F4AAAAA:AXXTdW7ePimqFkWNg1W5w8umGCBwXIjus0WICRIoNZH_gsdr1hHomvMAQV21PYA2HkLwBGsO_Qus8g">their host destinations</a> in the process. There are signs that there’s another tourism trend, with travellers looking for deep and meaningful experiences, and ecotourism could help provide those. The act of travelling in a <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09669582.2020.1825458">more environmentally friendly way</a> could also be seen as a way to show off, and still provide selfie material. The environmental pros and cons of tourist self-obsession might be <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/09669582.2016.1263309">debatable</a>. However, self-fixation is arguably not good for tourists themselves. For example, the desire to “perform” on camera could affect people’s mental health, according to one <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/10253866.2018.1467318?casa_token=wI7sETKEKJAAAAAA:ebds6fykbyHAGSXIk9iv6-tyziFSIvganp32S65hiX8KeWlaQDwhPxF_2tWEgkNqssqd-SCE-w_3Eg">study</a>. Research has shown that <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14616688.2012.762691?casa_token=Jb9SzAGXBD0AAAAA:L5Q-HhPs9jWtfm0Zq4nB0uFHrZ3W8N7o1Liq0KAIRqC4ivEhKyEexEZN-ACoz1qzm7CMqD96zXOm">unexpected encounters help tourists to gain self-insight</a>. In addition, getting out of your comfort zone can lead to <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213078020300074?casa_token=MkMbkdyr_cMAAAAA:LLu44kUbbsP5e-iW-kDdI7iSEo3WkLgH5IvKqb2txZA504q74J4OAhTuXIx8m90oDMSvuiq4Mg">rewarding personal growth</a>. <h2>A disconnect between self and place</h2> Taking yet more selfies could cut people off from their surroundings. In doing so, they could be <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S016073831730097X?casa_token=tOaqrhfVQ-wAAAAA:uxb7djQMWjifvjjgPMZzbq2IQqlgoaGHzWoJkkGbQYQqkbZoeuOqLD91zqwBuWs1SfY7dcK4">less present in the travel experience itself</a>. Indeed, the <a href="https://english.elpais.com/usa/2021-10-29/rise-of-selfie-deaths-leads-experts-to-talk-about-a-public-health-problem.html">growing number</a> of <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2019/11/15/asia/french-man-selfie-death-intl-scli/index.html">selfie-related tourist deaths</a> might attest to a disconnect between self and place. A <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6131996/#:%7E:text=selfie-related%20deaths.-,From%20October%202011%20to%20November%202017%2C%20there%20have%20been%20259,respectively%2C%20in%202016%20and%202017">2018 report</a> estimated 259 deaths to have occurred while taking selfies between 2011-2017. Other research suggests that individuals who are motivated by the desire to present a particular online image may be <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211973620301458?casa_token=-HkTUB7WC7cAAAAA:455BE0L2jP-CL1nD18__Ey3fj5GsLmYfKL_EB_P7IWa7lDddpJYIW3UIo5fUjg68e7Nvm7PUlTA#s0050">more likely to take risks</a> with their travel selfies, with potentially fatal consequences. Tourists have always been somewhat self-obsessed. The 18th-century <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0160738385900027">Grand Tour</a>, a leisurely trip around Europe, allowed the wealthy to <a href="https://www.historyhit.com/what-was-the-grand-tour/">indulge themselves</a> in <a href="https://www.salon.com/2002/05/31/sultry/">ways</a> that might not have been socially acceptable back home. And at the beginning of the 21st century, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160738301000305?casa_token=C5eb2NJQvGsAAAAA:YrdY-xjJwBrUE9RjwyOJ3kRBS4-o7e5Jni5sluTCuZOrgnCULybO8EgJtQqsuSL7B5nZJwiH3Q#BIB37">academics worried about</a> self-involved backpacker communities in southeast Asia having little interest in mixing with local people. What is different about smartphones and social media is that these allow some tourists to present such self-indulgent, and sometimes insensitive, tourism traits immediately. Wifi and mobile data mean that these tourists can travel with one eye on finding the perfect selfie backdrop – filtering and sharing their travel as it happens, responding to likes and comments. For better or worse, living this influencer fantasy may have become an integral part of tourism for some time.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/214681/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/brendan-canavan-228682">Brendan Canavan</a>, Senior Lecturer in Marketing, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-nottingham-1192">University of Nottingham</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/selfies-and-social-media-how-tourists-indulge-their-influencer-fantasies-214681">original article</a>.

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Selfies and social media: how tourists indulge their influencer fantasies

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