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Online Safety Stories - Page 12

Kiwi Stories

Online Safety stories

Neighbourly data breach: Stuff files High Court injunction
Data Protection

Neighbourly data breach: Stuff files High Court injunction

Neighbourly has been taken offline while Stuff and external experts probe claims of a data breach affecting the community website's users.

By Mark Tarre • 4 min read • Mon, 5th Jan 2026
'GhostPairing' scam turns WhatsApp linking into spy tool
Data Protection

'GhostPairing' scam turns WhatsApp linking into spy tool

Researchers warn a new 'GhostPairing' WhatsApp scam turns device linking into a stealth spy tool, hijacking chats via trusted contacts.

By Melania Watson • 6 min read • Thu, 18th Dec 2025
AI deepfake scams surge as New Zealand losses mount
Multi-factor authentication

AI deepfake scams surge as New Zealand losses mount

AI-fuelled deepfake scams are surging in New Zealand, with losses topping NZD $5 million a quarter as fraudsters weaponise new tech.

By Sean Mitchell • 6 min read • Tue, 16th Dec 2025

Global Stories

Online Safety stories

Australians turn Boxing Day focus to essentials, safety
Phishing

Australians turn Boxing Day focus to essentials, safety

Australians are reshaping Boxing Day, prioritising essentials, thrift and online safety over impulse spending amid cost-of-living strain.

By Sean Mitchell • 4 min read • Fri, 26th Dec 2025
Digital wallets & AI threats to reshape ID security
Digital Transformation

Digital wallets & AI threats to reshape ID security

Digital wallets and decentralised IDs are set to surge by 2026 as AI-driven threats push firms to monitor human and machine identities nonstop.

By Shannon Williams • 3 min read • Fri, 19th Dec 2025
MITRE flags deepfake KYC threat using face-swap tools
Firewalls

MITRE flags deepfake KYC threat using face-swap tools

MITRE warns that cheap face-swap deepfakes can defeat banks' remote KYC checks, bypassing liveness tools to open fraudulent accounts.

By Sean Mitchell • 4 min read • Thu, 18th Dec 2025
Parked web domains now pose major malware threat
Malware

Parked web domains now pose major malware threat

Once harmless web clutter, parked domains now funnel over 90% of visitors to scams, malware and illegal content, Infoblox researchers warn.

By Melania Watson • 4 min read • Thu, 18th Dec 2025
Temu expands Brand Guardian program to fight counterfeits
Marketing Technologies

Temu expands Brand Guardian program to fight counterfeits

Temu signs over 1,500 brands to its expanded Brand Guardian scheme, stepping up IP enforcement and counterfeit crackdowns worldwide.

By Jake MacAndrew • 3 min read • Thu, 18th Dec 2025
Australia under-16 social media ban sparks backlash
Data Protection

Australia under-16 social media ban sparks backlash

Australia's under-16 social media ban faces mounting criticism amid doubts over age checks, privacy risks and the impact on advertisers.

By Shannon Williams • 4 min read • Fri, 12th Dec 2025

Stories from Other Regions

Online Safety stories

Experts urge security checks on new Christmas gadgets
Wearables

Experts urge security checks on new Christmas gadgets

Security experts warn new Christmas smart gadgets could expose personal data, urging buyers to change defaults and tighten app permissions.

By Shannon Williams • 5 min read • Fri, 19th Dec 2025
World App adds encrypted chat & human ID in Malaysia
Surveillance

World App adds encrypted chat & human ID in Malaysia

World rolls out an updated World App in Malaysia, merging encrypted chat with proof-of-humanness checks to tackle bots and deepfakes online.

By Catherine Knowles • 4 min read • Thu, 18th Dec 2025
UK founders demand clearer AI rules & digital trust
Digital Transformation

UK founders demand clearer AI rules & digital trust

UK founders warn unclear AI rules and weak digital trust threaten competitiveness, as many eye EU markets despite backing Britain to start up.

By Shannon Williams • 5 min read • Wed, 17th Dec 2025
AI identity fraud fears surging among UK homebuyers
Data Protection

AI identity fraud fears surging among UK homebuyers

UK homebuyers fear AI-fuelled ID fraud as two-thirds worry about fake documents yet still share sensitive data via email and messaging apps.

By Shannon Williams • 4 min read • Wed, 17th Dec 2025
What holiday trading strength means for modern retail cyber readiness
Data Protection

What holiday trading strength means for modern retail cyber readiness

Cyber Weekend spending of AUD $6.8 billion shows retail's strength, but AI-powered scams mean cyber readiness is now a peak-season necessity.

By Brad Perriott • 4 min read • Mon, 15th Dec 2025
Exclusive: Media.com helps verify users amidst Australia's U16 social media ban
Data Protection

Exclusive: Media.com helps verify users amidst Australia's U16 social media ban

As Australia clamps down on under-16s online, Media.com bets its fully verified social network can profit from the global safety push.

By Melania Watson • 4 min read • Fri, 12th Dec 2025
Most UK parents back plans to cap kids' social media use
Gaming

Most UK parents back plans to cap kids' social media use

Two thirds of UK parents back government plans to cap children's social media at two hours a day, new Uswitch research suggests.

By Shannon Williams • 5 min read • Fri, 12th Dec 2025
To usher in a new online era, the industry must step up for Australia's families too
Data Protection

To usher in a new online era, the industry must step up for Australia's families too

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

By Alex Coates • 3 min read • Thu, 11th Dec 2025