A Kiss-cam and a sex tape

Astronomers usually gaze outward from Earth. Earlier this month, however, two Astronomers found the world gazing at them. And now they’re no longer Astronomers.

I’m talking about the couple caught canoodling by the kiss-cam at a Coldplay gig. As the pair tried to dodge and weave, their shame was palpable. Not because they were caught at a Coldplay concert (there’s nothing wrong with that!) but because digital doxers quickly exposed their identities. Turned out they were the CEO and HR boss at a company called Astronomer, which describes itself as an ‘observability platform ... building reliable data products that unlock insights’. Spooky, right? And it turned out their canoodling was extra-marital. Late last week, the HR boss resigned, as the CEO already had.

Also late last week, professional wrestler Hulk Hogan died. He too had been publicly shamed after being caught on camera in a compromising position. In Hogan’s case, he was filmed having sex with his best friend’s wife. But Hogan didn’t lose his job. Rather, he pocketed $47 million.

Today’s newsletter explores fascinating and sometimes troubling developments in media and law. Heather Ford writes about landmark new research into climate change misinformation, which is growing more subtle and more insidious. Monica Attard asks whether fact checking is on its last legs after Google turned off its support and Meta readies to do the same. And Alena Radina explores the curious world of AI influencers, who may not be real, but who make real money, before I return to Hulk Hogan, our hapless Astronomers and the vexing issue of privacy.

Speaking of AI, next week CMT will release its second report on generative AI and journalism. This follows our landmark 2023 report, which surveyed editors in newsrooms across Australia on the ways they were preparing for how generative AI might impact their news output. This time, we widened the survey and found there is increased experimentation with AI, although Australia still lags behind other lands.

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