Government Phones vs. TikTok
Breaking news: Our Prime Minister can no longer enjoy TikToks of sultry frogs from the privacy of his government phone. Well, there’s actually no evidence that Anthony Albanese would like such content in the first place, but we’re now getting ahead of ourselves.
Smash cut: September of 2022. The Department of Home Affairs has begun investigating the potential risks of downloading TikTok onto a government phone. This is because ByteDance, the owner of TikTok, is a Chinese company that has a close relationship with the Chinese Government. There are concerns that ByteDance might be sending the Chinese Government their users’ sensitive data.
Eight months later, and the Department of Home Affairs has completed its review. They believe that having TikTok on government phones and other government devices is a security risk. So, with that being the case, Albanese is expected to limit how some Aussies can access TikTok on April 4 or 5.
Now, if this ban takes place, then TikTok will be the opposite of ecstatic. Their General Manager for Australia and New Zealand, Lee Hunter, has already stated as much.
As Hunter said, “If confirmed, we are extremely disappointed by this decision, which, in our view, is driven by politics, not by fact.”
“Again, we stress that there is no evidence to suggest that TikTok is in any way a security risk to Australians and we should not be treated differently to other social media platforms. Our millions of Australian users deserve a government which makes decisions based upon facts and which treats all businesses fairly, regardless of country of origin.”
NASA’s Sending Diversity Around the Moon
In 2024, NASA is doing a massive collab with the Canadian Space Agency. How massive? Well, these orgs are sending four astronauts around Earth’s one and only Moon. This is a part of Artemis II, a mission that will test the capabilities of a new Space Launch System rocket.
The folks who are doing this buckwild mission are as follows:
- Commander, Reid Wiseman
- Pilot, Victor Glover
- Mission Specialist One, Christina Hammock
- Mission Specialist Two, Jeremy Hansen
It’s also worth noting that these people are more diverse than a bag of white bread. Both NASA and the Canadian Space Agency have thought very carefully about who’s going on this mission.
“For the first time in more than 50 years, these individuals, the Artemis II crew, will be the first humans to fly to the vicinity of the Moon,” said Vanessa Wyche, the Director of the NASA Johnson Space Center. “Among the crew are the first woman, first person of colour, and first Canadian on a lunar mission, and all four astronauts will represent the best of humanity as they explore for the benefit of all.”
Related: NASA’s Moon Astronauts Are Getting Glow Ups
Related: NASA Smashed a Spaceship Into an Asteroid — Here’s Why
The Movie ‘AIR’ Drops Tomorrow
Warning: This section discusses sexual assault and may cause distress for some readers.
One of the most anticipated movies of 2023, AIR, is slamming into Aussie cinemas soon. And by soon, I mean April 5.
AIR was directed by Ben Affleck, has a 98% score on Rotten Tomatoes, and has a rather rad plot. It’s all about the partnership between a young Michael Jordan and Nike as they develop the now-iconic Air Jordan sneakers. It’ll also follow Jordan from a rookie to a basketball gremlin.
However, before you head to this film, it’s worth remembering that Affleck has allegedly made his profession unsafe in the past. During the height of the #MeToo movement, Affleck apologised for acting inappropriately towards the actor Hilarie Burton. This is because Burton stated that Affleck nonconsensually touched one of her breasts.
Yet, on the other hand, I’m not here to judge you if you’re hungry for a lit basketball flick. Some people have accepted Affleck’s apology. Others can separate the artists from the art. Both of these responses are more than fine.
If you want to learn more about the film AIR, follow the link here.
If this section brings up any issues for you or anyone you know, or if you just feel like you need to speak to someone, please contact 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) — the National Sexual Assault, domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service.
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