Top News:
Bloomberg:
Australia's under-16 social media ban excludes Discord, GitHub, LEGO Play, Roblox, Steam, Google Classroom, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, and YouTube Kids — Young teenagers in Australia have been barred from social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and TikTok in one of the toughest crackdowns …
Discussion:
@davezatz and Forbes, more at Techmeme »
RELATED:
Josh Taylor / The Guardian:
Australia's ban on under-16 social media users takes effect, as Meta, YouTube, and others remove users; platforms that don't comply risk up to AU$49.5M in fines — Accounts held by users under 16 must be removed on apps that include TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, Snapchat, Reddit, Kick, Twitch and Threads under ban
Discussion:
Wall Street Journal, New Scientist, Fortune, Silicon UK, ABC, Time, Sydney Morning Herald, Mirror, CGTN, KDFX-TV, NDTV Profit, Nicola Trotman on LinkedIn, Digit, People, Associated Press, Information Age, CNN, Forbes Australia, @amirattaran.bsky.social, @lizhighleyman.bsky.social, @publictorsten@mastodon.social, PC Gamer, Wansoo Im on LinkedIn, The Hill, UPI, Talal Shamoon on LinkedIn, Al Jazeera, The Cyber Express, ABC, @kate@aus.social, @claesdevreese.bsky.social, CNET, The Verge, @rlstollar.bsky.social, Android Headlines, @hammancheez.bsky.social, @jan6risingvoice.bsky.social, Semafor, today.rtl.lu, Kyodo News, Breitbart, Silicon Republic, Le Monde, Tom's Guide, Moneycontrol, Los Angeles Times, BBC, Firstpost, Mashable, Tech in Asia, Reuters and SmartCompany, more at Techmeme »
Nic Fildes / Financial Times:
As Australia enacts the world's first under-16 social media ban, a look at the implications, reaction from parents and teens, and more — Under-16s will no longer be able to subscribe to popular apps under groundbreaking Australian law — Kirstin Hunter was picking up her daughter …
Discussion:
Engadget, France 24, Wall Street Journal, CNBC, Associated Press, BBC, RTÉ, The Cyber Express, The Guardian, USA Today, Mirror, The Free Press, SBS News, The Register, The Conversation, Tom's Guide, IJR, Fox News, CBS News, NDTV Profit, Forbes, NBC News, YouTube, Fortune, CNET and Mediaweek
The Guardian:
Australia's eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant says under-16s slipping through the cracks of the social media ban will be “booted off” the platforms in time — Albanese says commencement of ban a ‘proud day’ for him as prime minister, while eSafety commissioner unconcerned by reports of children bypassing restrictions
Discussion:
Australian Financial Review, Sydney Morning Herald, ABC and Telegraph, more at Techmeme »
Rohan Goswami / Semafor:
Sources: some WBD investors warm to David Ellison and his top team, after they were reassured that Paramount's Middle Eastern financing is secure — THE SCENE — Paramount CEO David Ellison spent Tuesday morning and afternoon meeting with major shareholders in Warner Bros. Discovery …
RELATED:
Washington Post:
Right-wing influencers such as Benny Johnson, Laura Loomer, and Jack Posobiec campaign against Netflix's bid for WBD, casting Netflix as a Democratic stronghold
Tim Wu / New York Times:
WBD merging with either Netflix or Paramount should be challenged by US antitrust authorities and would be bad for US streaming market competition
WBD merging with either Netflix or Paramount should be challenged by US antitrust authorities and would be bad for US streaming market competition
Discussion:
American Prospect, Financial Times, New York Times, Barrett Media, @cmthiede@social.vivaldi.net, Variety, Washington Examiner, Plain Dealer, The Entertainment Strategy Guy, JD Supra, Benzinga, Daring Fireball, AzerNews, @ppopiel.bsky.social, Benzinga, Courthouse News Service, Cord Cutters News, Hard Reset, The Wrap, Financial Times, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren …, Time, Stratechery and Media Play News
Nick Vivarelli / Variety:
The UK's Channel 4 names Priya Dogra as CEO, starting March 2026, replacing Alex Mahon, who stepped down after eight years; Dogra currently works for Sky — Priya Dogra has been appointed as the next chief executive of U.K. public service broadcaster Channel 4, replacing Alex Mahon who stepped …
Wall Street Journal:
Chernin Group agrees to take a minority stake in Entangled Publishing, a publisher of romance-fantasy books; sources say the deal values Entangled at ~$400M — Deal values publisher of popular ‘Fourth Wing’ books at $400 million — Media executive Peter Chernin's private-equity firm …
New York Times:
A look at Alan's Universe, a YouTube channel for Gen Alpha with 98.3M subscribers that releases long-form, episodic videos as viewers shift to watching on TV — As Gen Alpha's attention drifts from TV and movies, video creators like Alan Chikin Chow are eager to fill the void.
Discussion:
Business Standard and TVNewsCheck
Francesca Stevens / Bloomberg:
Vietnam's parliament passes amendments to its press law that tighten restrictions over information gathering and sharing, weakening confidentiality protections — Vietnam's parliament passed amendments to the press law that tighten restrictions over information gathering and sharing …
Discussion:
Reuters
Alex Weprin / The Hollywood Reporter:
Disney nominates former Apple COO Jeff Williams to its board; he retired from Apple in November after overseeing the design team, supply chain work, and more — Williams retired from the tech giant earlier this year. — The board of directors of The Walt Disney Co. is getting a veteran tech executive.
Discussion:
TVNewsCheck, The Wrap, Reuters, 9to5Mac, MacRumors, Business Wire, Deadline, Variety, Bloomberg and AppleInsider
Katie Robertson / New York Times:
Email: USA Today EIC Caren Bohan has abruptly left the company, the second editor in chief to do so in less than two years; she became EIC in September 2024 — Caren Bohan, who was named editor in chief in September 2024, will no longer continue in her role “effective immediately,” the company told employees.
Discussion:
TVNewsCheck, @katie_robertson, Fox News and The Wrap
Luke Bouma / Cord Cutters News:
Crunchyroll announces it is shutting down its free ad-supported streaming option on December 31; Crunchyroll subscriptions start at $7.99/month or $79.99/year — Crunchyroll will eliminate its ad-supported free tier on December 31, 2025, ending the last remaining way to legally watch anime …
Discussion:
Broadband TV News, CNET, Screen Rant, Anime Mojo, Screen Rant, PCMag, Mashable and Android Authority, more at Techmeme »
