Online Communities stories

Australia’s new social media ban tests tech, parents and business to protect teens, demanding deeper digital literacy and safer algorithms.

Media.com touts a fully verified social network as Australia and other nations tighten age limits and safety rules on big platforms.

Australia’s youth social media ban forces brands and cyber experts to rethink risk, digital literacy and how they reach young audiences.

Gen Z is turning away from polished ads and backing creators, forcing brands to pivot towards social commerce and community-led influence.

YouTube has launched its first personalised Recap in New Zealand, giving signed-in viewers sharable year-end summaries of their watching habits.

Stack Overflow launches AI Assist, blending community-verified answers with AI to enhance developer support and ensure accuracy in technical guidance.

K-pop and gaming dominated YouTube trends in Canada for 2025, with hit songs and creators shaping a diverse digital cultural landscape.

Msg1 introduces multilingual messaging to help creators monetise meaningful, direct conversations with global audiences beyond language barriers.

Gen Z expects a digital economy that moves as fast and fluidly as their online lives, demanding real-time, seamless monetary interactions and value exchange.

‘Parasocial’ named Cambridge Dictionary Word of the Year 2025, reflecting growing ties with celebrities, influencers and AI chatbots in unseen one-sided bonds.

Australians spend 41 hours weekly online, with digital ad spend surging to USD $20.7 billion, driven by social media and influencer marketing growth.

A dNOVO survey reveals Canadians trust AI search tools least of all sectors, with a score of 1.91, even below lawmakers at 2.08.

A fellowship in Malaysia empowers 35 content creators and youth leaders to combat AI-driven scams, reaching over five million online users with digital safety messages.

Ecommpay won the Special Judges Award at the Financial Services Forum 2025 for its innovative Payouts via Hosted Payment Page solution enhancing secure payments globally.

Cantarus acquires London-based CRM specialist FlexRM to enhance digital services for sectors including non-profits, public sector, and membership organisations.

Bitdefender has launched Scamio on Discord, a free tool designed to protect users from rising scams on the platform, which has over 200 million monthly users.

Barracuda reveals cybercriminals exploiting content platforms for phishing, targeting educational institutions and businesses worldwide with deceitful emails.

HubSpot's study reveals 9 out of 10 Singaporean social media marketers predict a rise in direct-to-consumer sales on social media platforms in 2024, highlighting the shift towards social media as a primary retail channel.

Live streaming heightens online engagement, outpacing TV shows in views, with its raw, unfiltered content and real-time audience interaction, becoming a prime avenue for growing virtual communities.

SocialFi, a blend of decentralised finance and social media, is gathering momentum, with platforms like KangaMoon and xNinja.Tech attracting thousands of users, and set to challenge traditional social media platforms.