☕️ Social media ban passes Senate

After approximately 256 days of advertising, Black Friday is finally here – and Australians are expected to spend $6.7 billion through Cyber Monday, according to Roy Morgan.

But what if we could redirect some of that spending toward something that makes a real difference every day (although, we do admit that second computer monitor is going to make a real difference too). While Black Friday deals come and go, TDA is here to stay, bringing you clear and accessible coverage of the stories that matter.

This Black Friday, instead of adding to billions spent on items we might not need, consider supporting the news you love reading, watching and listening to. Your contribution helps us stay independent and keep delivering quality news to young people and readers like you, exactly the way you need it.

“As is the nature of this business [some people] will be delighted to see the back of me. To them I am also sorry – sorry that I’m giving you this joy. But staying just to spite my opponents or to prove them wrong is no good reason to stay.”
Liberal Senator Simon Birmingham announcing he will retire at the next election.

26 centimetres
How much snow fell on parts of Seoul, South Korea. This is the most since records began in 1907.

1963
U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson set up a commission to investigate the assassination of President John F. Kennedy one week earlier.

The Victorian Government has introduced a new bill to Parliament that would impose spending limits on pokies.

It’s a revival of reforms first proposed in 2023.

The bill would also reduce the number of games people can play per minute on newly-bought pokies, and mandate shutdown periods for gambling at pubs and clubs.

The Labor Government has a majority in the Lower House but not the Upper House, so will need the support of the Opposition or independents to pass the bill.

Under the bill, Victoria would trial “carded play” across some venues next year.

Patrons would be required to use a card to operate pokies at these venues.

The cards would keep track of players’ gambling history and allow them to set limits on how much they can lose in a session before they begin to play.

The amount of money players could load onto a machine at any one time would also be capped at $100, down from the current limit of $1,000.

Any new pokies put in venues in the state would need to be 40% slower than current pokies, with a minimum spin rate of three seconds per game. This would reduce the number of games people can play per minute.

Gaming areas in pubs and clubs would be shut between 4am and 10am. This would not apply to casinos.

The Government said almost 30% of Victorians who use gaming machines have reported experiencing gambling harm — an estimated 330,000 people.

Victorian Gaming Minister Melissa Horne said the reforms are aimed at protecting gamblers and “everyone around them”.

“These laws will save lives and livelihoods by giving control back to patrons,” Horne said.

The Victorian Opposition said it is open to supporting efforts to address problem gambling in the state.

Shadow Gaming Minister Danny O’Brien said that new revisions to the bill would require “due consideration before coming to a position.”

“There is no doubt that gambling harm is a problem in our community… The Government announced these reforms nearly 18 months ago and has been very slow to actually bring this legislation forward,” he said.

Gambling Helpline: 1800 858 858

Reporting by Achol Arok.

The Government’s social media ban for children under 16 passed the Senate last night with the support of the Coalition. It means Australia is the first country to ban children under 16 from using social media.

The bill includes fines of $50 million for platforms, like Instagram and Snapchat, if they don’t block children under 16.

The ban will come into effect within 12 months.

The crossbench and two Coalition senators voted against the legislation.

Campaign group 36 Months has been calling for a social media ban for children under 16, citing concerns about young people’s mental health.

Since May, more than 127,000 people have signed the group’s online petition to lift the age of social media access.

Earlier this year, South Australia became the first jurisdiction in the country to move towards restricting teens under 16 from social media.

The Government’s ban will make it illegal for children under 16 to access certain social media platforms.

Under the new measure, Snapchat, Reddit, Instagram, TikTok, X, and Facebook must stop children under 16 from creating an account.

Under 16s will still be able to watch YouTube videos because the site does not require an account to watch most of the videos.

Messaging apps and online gaming platforms will be exempt from the ban.

Young people will also be able to create accounts to access educational platforms.

The responsibility will fall on social media companies to enforce the ban. Failure to comply will result in a $50 million fine.

The Government is trialling “age assurance” technology to find the best way to verify users’ age.

When the bill was introduced, Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said: “Social media has a social responsibility for the safety and mental health of young Australians.”

The Opposition also supported the bill. In June, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said he’d introduce a ban within 100 days of coming to power if the Coalition wins the next election.

The crossbench voted against the measure, and was joined by two Coalition Senators who also opposed the bill.

Greens communications spokesperson Sarah Hanson-Young said: “You don’t make platforms safer by just locking young people out.”

She pointed to a parliamentary committee report earlier this month which did not recommend a ban.

“Whether you're a 14-year-old or a 64-year-old — these companies have a responsibility to provide a safe product,” Hanson-Young said.

Be the hostess with the mostest!

Meet Koala’s award-winning Cushy Sofa Bed - designed to bring you the best of both worlds. Transform any space from a chic living room to a tranquil sleeping area. Right now, you can get 20% off with Koala’s Black Friday/Cyber Monday sale.

Plus, for a limited time, you can also get up to 30% off everything sitewide - from bed bases to pillows to outdoor furniture.

Get an extra $100 off* with code 'blackfriday'

^{* Available on 29 November 2024 (AEDT). Minimum spend $1,100. T&Cs and exclusions apply. For full T&Cs, see au.koala.com/pages/promotion-terms.}

🍊 Pep Guardiola apologised on X. Here's what he said.
🍊 The art of soccer on a slope. More details here.
🍊 The Aus Open (golf) teed off yesterday. Two Aussies lead the pack.
🗞️ Also in the Sport Newsletter: basketball, cricket, and more…

Sam Benastick was reported missing in late October after he didn’t return on time from a planned trip in a national park in northeastern British Columbia. Temperatures during the time he was missing dropped to as low as minus 20 degrees celsius. Benastick is believed to have survived by building a shelter in a dry creek and wearing his sleeping bag for warmth. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said finding Benastick alive “is the absolute best outcome”, and thanked local authorities for “the time, effort and resources put in to locate Sam”.

Want more good news? Sign up to our weekly Good Newsletter here - we promise it’ll make your week better!

Reporting by Achol Arok.

Remember the NASA astronauts who’ve been stuck at the International Space Station?

They’ve now celebrated the U.S. holiday of Thanksgiving in space, tucking into a freeze-dried meal and telling each other what they’re thankful for.

One of the stranded astronauts, Butch Wilmore, said he was thankful for zero gravity.

Reporting by Lucy Tassell.

Earlier this week, Independent Senator Fatima Payman accused One Nation Senator Pauline Hanson of racism. The videos of Payman and Hanson went viral online, and have since resulted in another senator, Lidia Thorpe, being suspended from the Senate. It came after Hanson tried to refer Payman to a committee on the basis of her holding dual citizenship and thus being ineligible to sit in Parliament. In today's deep dive, we'll explain the origin of this story, what dual citizenship means for parliamentarians and what's happened since.