Sean Maynard

The social web is dying. Is that a good thing? It would be hard to argue that social networks are empty, and yet it often seems as though no one is there any more, or at least no one we recognize and/or want to spend time around.

The social web is dying. Is that a good thing? mathewingram.com/work/2025/12...

Number's up: Calculators hold out against AI The humble pocket calculator may not be able to keep up with the mathematical capabilities of new technology, but it will never hallucinate.Those attempts have accelerated with AI. - Scoring gold - In...

Calculators hold out against AI uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/numbers...

Has social media finally peaked? The rise of AI and decline of screen time As platforms degrade into outrage and slop, users are turning away

Has social media finally peaked? The rise of AI and decline of screen time www.irishtimes.com/business/202...

channelnews : Aussies Hit Telcos for Compensation Amid Growing Mobile Frustration Australians are increasingly seeking compensation from their telcos following service disruptions, according to the latest Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) report. The TIO received 13,547 c...

Aussies hit telcos for compensation amid growing mobile frustration www.channelnews.com.au/aussies-hit-...

channelnews : Australia Moves to Make Tech Giants Pay for News As Google Faces New Scrutiny In Europe Global technology companies are facing mounting regulatory pressure, with the Albanese government moving ahead on new laws that would force platforms like Facebook, Google and TikTok to pay for Austra...

Australia moves to make tech giants pay for news www.channelnews.com.au/australia-mo...

Its Forces Worn Down, Ukraine Moves to Revamp Military Service

Its Forces Worn Down, Ukraine Moves to Revamp Military Service www.nytimes.com/2025/11/04/w...

Bold Assassinations Are ‘Reality Check’ in Mexico’s Cartel Fight

Bold Assassinations Are ‘Reality Check’ in Mexico’s Cartel Fight www.nytimes.com/2025/11/04/w...

How long can the Russian economy continue to fund the frontline? The Russian economy is balancing on the edge of recession, yet the war could go on for years. Its financing appears to have no immediate major obstacles, according to experts.

The Russian economy is balancing on the edge of recession, yet the war could go on for years. Its financing appears to have no immediate major obstacles, according to experts.

Our new report on news influencers and creators is out.

It contains:

- 5 key findings (see link)
- Top 15 most mentioned news influencers and creators by survey respondents in 24 countries
- A typology of different content types (and examples of individuals that primarily produce each)

AI can’t care for you | The Observer I won’t be looked after by a robot anytime soon

AI can’t care for you observer.co.uk/news/science...

After 14 years of war, Syrians see the sea for the first ... Ten months after the Assad regime fell, families from devastated cities such as Idlib and Raqqa have been able to visit beaches on the west coast. But th...

After 14 years of war, Syrians see the sea for the first time observer.co.uk/news/interna...

Florida attorney general issues subpoenas to Roblox over child safety www.reuters.com/business/med...

Assad-era plot to hide dead bodies turned Syria desert into mass grave For two years, Syria’s Assad government secretly trucked thousands of bodies from an exposed mass grave to the desert, trying to hide evidence of atrocities.

Assad-era conspiracy to hide thousands of dead turned Syria’s remote desert into a mass grave www.reuters.com/investigates...

Everything Is Television A theory of culture and attention

A spooky convergence is happening in media. Everything that is not already television is turning into television. www.derekthompson.org/p/why-everyt...

Opinion | We Don’t Have to Give In to the Smartphones

We Don’t Have to Give In to the Smartphones www.nytimes.com/2025/06/18/o...

Opinion | The Rise of the Smartphone and the Fall of Western Democracy

The Rise of the Smartphone and the Fall of Western Democracy
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/14/o...

A.I. Video Generators Are Now So Good You Can No Longer Trust Your Eyes

A.I. Video Generators Are Now So Good You Can No Longer Trust Your Eyes (and making social media a "complete dumpster" www.nytimes.com/2025/10/09/t...

China Clamps Down Even Harder on Rare Earths

China Clamps Down Even Harder on Rare Earths www.nytimes.com/2025/10/09/b...

Europe unveils 'drone wall' plans to defend against Russia The European Commission unveils plans for its so-called "drone wall", which is part of a range of initiatives to get the continent ready to defend itself by 2030.

Europe unveils plans for 'drone wall' to shield continent from Russian threats www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10...

US dangled threat of Tomahawks for Ukraine, then Russia called to negotiate US President Donald Trump threatened to send Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine if Russia did not return to peace talks, but analysts say the long-range weapons are not the game-changer they are made out to...

US dangled threat of Tomahawks for Ukraine, then Russia called to negotiate www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10...

France is not alone in its political crisis – belief in a democratic world is vanishing | Simon Tisdall The populist right offers a solution in the form of turning back the clock. Macron and his counterparts need to find a different answer fast, says Guardian foreign affairs commentator Simon Tisdall

France is not alone in its crisis of political faith – belief in a democratic world is vanishing www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

‘Our job is to maximise their losses’: how Ukraine’s forces attempt to claw back against Russian advances Along Donetsk’s frontline, a small counteroffensive by Ukrainian troops aims to help change perceptions about the war among Kyiv’s western allies

Along Donetsk’s frontline, a small counteroffensive by Ukrainian troops aims to help change perceptions about the war among Kyiv’s western allies www.theguardian.com/world/2025/o...

The internet has a few things to learn from TV link.vox.com/view/62b3af1...

AI’s Sameness Problem When almost all AI generated content looks alike, the novelty wears off fast.

AI’s Sameness Problem - for AI-generated content to achieve its potential, it’s going to have to increase its variety open.substack.com/pub/bigtechn...

To Inflict Pain on Russians, Ukraine’s Drones Zero In on Oil Refineries

Ukraine’s Drones Zero In on Oil Refineries www.nytimes.com/2025/10/13/w...

Madagascar Military Seizes Power, Then Nation Explodes in Joy

Madagascar Military Seizes Power, Then Nation Explodes in Joy www.nytimes.com/2025/10/14/w...

Inside the moment Israelis watched the hostages leave Gaza after 738 days Israelis gather to watch a historic day unfold as hostages held for two years are finally set free.

After 738 days, Israelis share mixed emotions as hostages are released from Gaza www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10...

How sexual predators and far-right extremists are using Roblox to target children Experts warn Roblox has a predator problem, amid reports Australian children are being exposed to a range of disturbing experiences on the platform.

Roblox hosts all kinds of predators, but the platform believes it should be exempt from Australia's social media ban www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10...

Generative AI and news report 2025: How people think about AI’s role in journalism and society Our survey explores how people use generative AI in their everyday lives, what they think its impact will be on different areas of society, and what they think about its use in news and journalism spe...

How people think about AI’s role in journalism and society reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/generative-a...

Write a bad review of Taylor Swift and get death threats: Inside the fan backlash facing critics in the digital age Five music journalists explain how they do their job in an environment where criticising a superstar might get them doxxed, bullied or harassed.

Write a bad review of Taylor Swift and get death threats: Inside the fan backlash facing critics in the digital age reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/news/write-b...