TOPIC

Internet

Internet

The latest news, analysis and opinion on Internet. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.

Yuen Long cafe’s meat patties skyrockets to fame after viral online copypasta trend

Video | How a block of online text led to a cafe’s viral stardom

Tai Bo Cafe in Yuen Long has gone viral online thanks to a copypasta trend on Threads recommending their meat patties, and have seen customers from as far as Macau.

13 Dec 2025 - 9:03AM

Scams and swindles

How the global grey market in SIM cards powers fraud and influence

12 Dec 2025 - 2:39PM

Opinion | Australia’s social media ban offers a path between excess and inaction

11 Dec 2025 - 5:30AMvideocam

South Korea mandates labels on AI-generated adverts to curb deepfakes

Platforms like YouTube and Facebook must ensure compliance with AI labels, or face punitive fines for non-compliance and label tampering.

10 Dec 2025 - 6:12PM

Examples of artificial intelligence-generated ads featuring fake medical experts. Photo: Handout

‘#seeyouwhenim16’: Australia’s social media ban for children takes effect

PM Albanese called the ban, which is being closely watched by other nations considering similar measures, ‘a proud day’ for families.

10 Dec 2025 - 3:58PMvideocam

‘A lot of fear’: Australia’s under-16s anxious ahead of social media ban

As blocks begin on TikTok, YouTube and Instagram before the summer holiday, teens worry they will be ‘basically isolated’ from their friends.

9 Dec 2025 - 5:15PM

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Video | Australia’s under-16 social media ban due to take effect

Platforms have started notifying users under 16 that their access will soon be blocked.

9 Dec 2025 - 4:24PM

dsfewd

Can Singapore’s cyber laws keep pace with speed of borderless online threats?

Long-term resilience will hinge on complementary measures such as deeper regional cooperation and improved digital literacy, analysts say.

9 Dec 2025 - 10:30AM

Asian Angle | Vietnam’s anti-drug police are speaking Gen Z, and it’s working

Ho Chi Minh City’s police have found a way to wrap dry state messaging in viral humour, mirroring China’s digital playbook.

7 Dec 2025 - 10:30AM

Jakarta vs the internet: Indonesia’s gamble with digital freedom

As the government demands global tech firms like Cloudflare bend to its will, critics say it’s ‘burning the rice barn to kill the rats’.

8 Dec 2025 - 10:17AM

Young men play online games and surf the internet at a cyber cafe in Jakarta last month. Photo: AFP

Fame and celebrity

US actress Tara Reid seen downing wine in footage from night of alleged drugging

The ‘American Pie’ star accused a YouTuber of spiking her drink, but he denies it and authorities say the video is clear.

6 Dec 2025 - 3:16PM

Tara Reid attends a benefit gala in Los Angeles in 2023. Photo: Getty Images/TNS

TikTok will block under-16s in Australia to comply with ‘upsetting’ new law

Australia’s world-first legislation banning under-16s from social media platforms and websites comes into effect on December 10.

9 Dec 2025 - 4:22PMvideocam

‘Better late than never’: Singapore parents laud curbs on phone use in schools

The city state is among countries that have stepped up measures to curb screen time and tighten social media restrictions for adolescents.

5 Dec 2025 - 5:47PM

India scraps mandatory cybersecurity app on new phones after backlash

The Indian government confidentially ordered companies like Apple, Samsung, and Xiaomi to install the Sanchar Saathi app on their new phones.

3 Dec 2025 - 7:03PM

Fight’s over: YouTube becomes last major platform to accept Australia’s age rule

Despite agreeing to comply, YouTube maintains that it is still ‘fundamentally different’ from other social media services.

3 Dec 2025 - 10:52AM

Six-year-old Enrique Navarro watches a show on YouTube at his home in western Sydney on October 30. Photo: AFP

Hong Kong’s Tai Po fire tragedy

HK$60,000 fire subsidy only for Wang Fuk Court residents: Hong Kong minister

Home affairs minister Alice Mak issues clarification amid rumours of abuse, says no formal reports made so far.

29 Nov 2025 - 10:04PM

Singapore ‘sharenting’: where does openness end and overexposure begin?

While sharing children’s exam results may serve to document life’s journey, it may also expose them to danger, counsellors say.

28 Nov 2025 - 4:57PMvideocam

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Wealth: Alternative Investments

Could investing in China’s AI industry prove more lucrative than the US’?

Amid US fears of an AI bubble, experts argue that China’s home-grown innovation offers robust growth opportunities for investors.

Supported by

BNP Paribas Wealth Management

Visitors watch robots fight at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai, in July. Photo: EPA

Hong Kong’s Tai Po fire tragedy

‘Feeling powerless’: Hong Kong internet users grieve over Tai Po blaze

As death toll rises, residents offer condolences to victims and call for support and blood donations.

27 Nov 2025 - 5:08PM

Meet the quokka, the ‘world’s happiest animal’. Just don’t touch them, please

Famed for their perpetual smiles, quokkas are found on Australia’s Rottnest Island. But if you’re going there for a selfie, follow the rules.

27 Nov 2025 - 7:15AM

Trending in Hong Kong

Video | Watsons executive saves woman from sea

Ed van de Weerd, CEO for Health & Beauty Continental Europe of AS Watson, was in Hong Kong for a visit when he jumped into Victoria Harbour to rescue a woman.

24 Nov 2025 - 3:13PM

Watsons executive saves woman from sea

Snapchat makes Australian teens verify age as social media ban looms

From December 10, social media platforms in Australia must remove users aged below 16 or face fines, in one of the strictest bans globally.

24 Nov 2025 - 5:27PM

Bianca Navarro, 10, looks at a screenshot of herself using a Snapchat filter at her home in Sydney on October 30. Photo: AFP

China’s Baidu posts 50% rise in AI revenue despite third-quarter slump

In spite of sluggish advertising, AI operations provide ‘a solid foundation for sustainable long-term growth’, Baidu CFO He Haijian says.

19 Nov 2025 - 3:36AM

ChatGPT and X among sites disrupted in worldwide Cloudflare outage

The company, whose network handles around a fifth of web traffic, says a fix has been deployed and services restored.

19 Nov 2025 - 1:57AM

US-Asean relations

What US anti-scam ‘strike force’ means for Southeast Asia’s cybercrime fight

Analysts say the US initiative can serve as a coordination blueprint to push back against transnational criminal enterprises.

17 Nov 2025 - 5:42PMvideocam

US Attorney Jeanine Pirro points to a text message sent by a scammer as she announces the Scam Centre Strike Force in Washington on Wednesday. Photo: AP

China’s internet censorship

Are China’s stars leading fans to be more nationalist – or the other way round?

Study out of the US and Britain looks at how nationalism flows and influences others on Chinese social media.

15 Nov 2025 - 8:52PMvideocam

Researchers from universities in the US and Britain used “vector autoregression” to assess how Chinese celebrities and fans influence each other through their social media posts, specifically on Weibo, over time. Photo: AFP

Artificial intelligence

Alibaba’s wholesale platform empowers merchants with AI tool to source products

Alibaba.com, which serves more than 200,000 merchants worldwide, will make its new AI Mode search tool available next month.

14 Nov 2025 - 9:00AM

Forget apps and consoles, video game players are returning to websites

Web games are surging in popularity as players experiencing app fatigue seek quick, free access to fun without the high console costs.

12 Nov 2025 - 7:15PM

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Help preserve 120 years of quality journalism.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement