Category: Tech

Wed 17 June 2026: Switching off can be surprisingly expensive. Much like the smoking cessation boom of the 1990s, the digital detox business – spanning hardware, apps, telecoms, workplace wellness providers, digital “wellbeing suites” and tourism – is now a global industry in its own right. People are increasingly willing to pay to escape the technology they […]

Tue 16 June 2026: Recent studies suggest that widespread smartphone use may be a key driver behind declining birth rates in the United States and other countries. Governments have largely overlooked this factor in their efforts to address falling fertility and demographic shifts. The first study, published by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), […]

Sat 13 June 2026: For years, big tech companies have placed the burden of managing screen time squarely on individuals and parents, operating on the assumption that capturing human attention is fair game. But the social media sands may slowly be shifting. A test-case jury trial in Los Angeles is accusing big tech companies of creating “addiction machines”. […]

Fri 12 June 2026: Canada has introduced legislation that would ban children under 16 from social media platforms and establish a new independent regulator to oversee online safety, an official statement said Wednesday. The bill, known as the Safe Social Media Act, “aims to change that by ensuring that social media services and artificial intelligence […]

Thu 11 June 2026: When I talk to my son, an engineering student, and we have a question or disagreement, he immediately turns to ChatGPT as his primary source of information and confirmation. He is not alone in this. The use of generative AI tools has exploded across different demographic groups. For many people, these tools can […]

Wed 10 June 2026: From personal health portals to AI assistants that draft emails, the digital age has simplified endless everyday tasks. But for many older New Zealanders, the rapid march of technology has helped build a wall rather than open doors. Navigating online forms, changing apps, disappearing face-to-face services and the constant threat of scams can […]