Plus: It’s very easy to see what famous people listen to on Spotify ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

July 31, 2025 | Read online
# Aussie tech industry's wish list, internet age-gating and Qantas hack mistake Plus: It’s very easy to see what famous people listen to on Spotify
{{OPEN_TRACKING_PIXEL}}
Edition 2386
(Flickr: SUSschoolofEd)
# The News
### Australia’s tech industry wants to build data centres, train AI on copyright material and get Albo using AI
Let AI train on copyrighted material, cut red tape for building data centres and make government use AI — those are some of the items on the Australian wish list of Atlassian co-founder and voice of the local tech industry Scott Farquhar (ABC News). The Tech Council of Australia chair laid out his plans to ensure that Australia doesn’t miss “a chance to lead the next industrial revolution” (Tech Council’s full press release here).
The Sizzle: Not great timing that Farquhar’s company also laid off 150 staff yesterday in a move that some linked to the company’s embrace of AI (CyberDaily). On Farquhar’s specific demands: I’d really like to know more about why there’s such a push for Australia to be a data centre mecca. It’s been attributed to Australia’s location, our laws, and our cheap energy. On that last point — proponents are eager to promote clean green energy as the source, but I can’t help but worry that it’s our wealth of non-renewables that might appeal to these companies…
Discuss in the Sizzle Slack or forum.
### Like it or not, the future of the internet is age-gated
Amid all the excitement yesterday about YouTube, I forgot to include that Google is rolling out its age checking technology in the US, too (The Verge). Meanwhile, tech companies continue to ratchet up enforcement of their age restrictions with Spotify the latest to require facial scans or ID to access explicit content in the UK (Engadget).
The Sizzle: Reason nailed it: the age-gated internet is here. Earlier this week, I said that UK’s rollout completely closes the door to any idea that the teen social media ban’s age check requirements would ever be overturned. Now I expect they’ll all just default to doing it globally even if there’s not a local law. We’ll look back the last 25~ years of essentially no age restrictions on the internet as an odd blip in our history — the big question is how we’ll feel about it once it’s gone?
Discuss in the Sizzle Slack or forum.
### The group that was linked to the Qantas hacking didn’t do the Qantas hack
It wasn’t Scattered Spider behind the Qantas hack, says leading cybersecurity outlet Bleeping Computer, but another group called ShinyHunters (albeit one with some crossover in membership). It cites a Google threat intelligence group report saying that hackers were targeting employees with phishing efforts, telling them they were IT support staff, and guided to install a “malicious version of Salesforce’s Data Loader OAuth App” (Google).
The Sizzle: This probably mostly annoys me but a lot of Australian media reported that the Qantas hack was essentially confirmed to be Scattered Spider. It’s not really a massive deal to me that it wasn’t, nor will it annoy most people, but it shits me!!!!
Discuss in the Sizzle Slack or forum.
#### Leftovers
Govt launches public sector AI tool amid productivity push (InnovationAus, $) Data centres could deliver ‘megabucks’ for Australia, says Scott Farquhar (The Australian, $) ADHA puts My Health Record, API Gateway support out to tender (ITNews) Australian government joins a number of others to put out a new alert about Scattered Spider (Cyber dot gov dot au) Federal government’s R&D review has published its submissions (Industry Department) BYD launches Australia-wide roadside assistance program with motoring groups (The Driven) Bluey – The Video Game reviewed: the show is better (Pickr Australia) Apple is probably stuck with iPhone manufacture in India (Apple Insider) This city is dumping Microsoft Office and Windows for OnlyOffice and Linux - here's why (ZDNet) St. Paul, MN was hacked so badly that the National Guard has been deployed (Ars Technica) Substack accidentally sent push alerts promoting a Nazi publication (Engadget) Judge sends ChatGPT-using lawyer to AI school with $5,500 fine after he's caught creating imaginary caselaw (PCGamer) AI Bunnies on Trampoline Causing Crisis of Confidence on TikTok (404 Media, $) Scammers Unleash Flood of Slick Online Gaming Sites (Brian Krebs) Big Tech Killed the Golden Age of Programming (Taylor’s blog)
Discuss these links in the Sizzle Slack or forum.
# Oh, Also
### It’s very easy to see what famous people listen to on Spotify
What’s Sam Altman been listening to? Which Backstreet Boys song does JD Vance listen to while making dinner? Thankfully, these questions and more are answered by Panama Playlists, a website made by an anonymous individual who exploited Spotify’s fairly weak privacy guardrails to find out how famous people are using their accounts. Now, if that sounds familiar to some of the true Cam fans out there, you might remember I did something similar (but not as systematic) for then-Prime Minister Scott Morrison in 2021 (Crikey, $).
Discuss in the Sizzle Slack or forum.
# Bargains
Electrical & electronics
LISEN USB C to C Cable 240W 2-Pack 2m Grey - $8.66 at LISEN Space via Amazon AU Afloia Q10 2-in-1 Air Purifier & Dehumidifier 1000ml, True Hepa - $59 at Vinnies Victoria Sharge Pouch 10000mAh 40W PowerBank+40W Charger (w/ overseas adapters)+PD100W 0.75m cable - $59.99 at Khermit via Amazon AU Soundcore Space One Headphones - $127 at Kiwi Teck eBay Sony WH-1000XM6 Premium Noise-Cancelling Headphones Black - $605 at MyDeal
### Mobile
Google Pixel 9 Pro & 9 Pro Fold at JB Hi-Fi Google Pixel 9 Pro 128GB for $1247 Google Pixel 9 Pro 256GB for $1397 Google Pixel 9 Pro 512GB for $1597 9 Pro Fold 256GB for $2097 9 Pro Fold 512GB for $2297
# The End
😎 The Sizzle is written by Cam Wilson and emailed every weekday. It was created by Anthony “decryption” Agius.
🤖 We love robots at the Sizzle but this newsletter has always been and will always be written by humans for humans.
🗣️ Have any feedback, a tip or just want to chat? Send me an email or Signal message. I promise to reply!
💬 Want to hang out with other Sizzlers? There’s a subscriber-only Slack server and forum if you want to procrastinate and chat about tech-related news.
🌐 The Sizzle is on Bluesky, Mastodon and LinkedIn if you’re feeling social.
💳 Paid subscriber looking to manage your billing info, change email address or cancel your subscription? Visit the Beehiiv customer portal.
🎁 Make someone's day and gift them a 12 month gift subscription to The Sizzle.
💔 Don’t want this any more? I won’t take it personally. There’s a unsubscribe button at the bottom of this email or here’s a guide.
🦺 The Sizzle has been tested to meet and exceed ISO 3533 standards.
## Always Was, Always Will Be Aboriginal Land
The Sizzle is created on Gadigal land and acknowledges the traditional owners of country throughout Australia, recognising their continuing connection to land, water and community. I pay my respect to them and their cultures and to elders both past and present.
Update your email preferences or unsubscribe here © 2026 The Sizzle PO Box 351 Bacchus Marsh, VIC 3340, Australia
Powered by beehiiv
Terms of Service