Hello and welcome to Thursday. We’ve got some tech news for you to start your day with.
1. More changes to Australia’s Privacy Act on the cards
The Guardian is reporting that Attorney General Mark Dreyfus is considering a European GDPR-like clause for Australia – the right to be forgotten – as well as the right to sue for privacy breaches. Dreyfus reportedly made the comments earlier this week, promising to consider European-style privacy reforms following the passage of his Bill last year that increased penalties for companies that fail to protect customer data. While Dreyfus said there would be a number of “modernisations of the Privacy Act”, on the right to be forgotten, Dreyfus said it was “among the matters that will need to be considered”.
2. A boomier new Apple HomePod
Apple announced the second-generation HomePod, six years after introducing the original. This one is a little smarter than its predecessor, making it worth considering for an upgrade. It costs $479, supports Spatial Audio, and includes extra smarts to help you control your smart home in the walled garden. Inside, the speaker is a little boomier than the last-gen. It has a custom subwoofer, a 20mm diaphragm, and five tweeters to help direct audio. Read all about it over here.
The next generation of HomePod delivers rich, deep bass, natural mid-range, and clear, detailed highs — all while using Siri to help with everyday tasks. Music lovers — this one is for you. 🎶 https://t.co/0z2FrZONdZ
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) January 18, 2023
3. Microsoft confirms job cuts
After yesterday calling the reports rumours, Microsoft has confirmed it will be axing thousands of jobs this week. In a blog post, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said the company will slash 10,000 jobs through its third fiscal quarter, which ends in March. “This represents less than 5 per cent of our total employee base, with some notifications happening today,” the blog reads, noting too that, “while we are eliminating roles in some areas, we will continue to hire in key strategic areas”.
4. New robot vid just dropped
Over the years, Boston Dynamics has shared several videos demonstrating the continually improved capabilities of its ATLAS humanoid robot. We know the robot can do everything from hauling heavy goods to performing parkour-calibre backflips, and today, Boston Dynamics shared a couple of new videos of its humanoid robot in action on Twitter and YouTube. The company’s latest ATLAS video gives us a good look at how the robot could work alongside humans in a real-world setting like a construction site.
5. Child safety regulator urged to reject industry code
Over to a report from InnovationAus and it’s understood Australia’s eSafety Commissioner is currently considering registering industry safety codes developed by the likes of Meta and TikTok, but child welfare groups are asking the office to reject them, with a warning that the industry-written rules do little to improve safety and trail international efforts. The codes (Social Media and Relevant Electronic Services Codes) form part of the Online Safety Act and would set rules for how platforms like Facebook, Twitter and TikTok deal with harmful content and protect young users.
BONUS ITEM: A woman was photographed on the toilet by her vacuum cleaner. The photo was shared on social media. The robots are coming.
“It’s not down to whether you trust A.I., it’s about whether you trust the people behind it.” https://t.co/jOdcOjpjDb
— FORTUNE (@FortuneMagazine) January 18, 2023
Have a great day.