Things I, Louis, prefer to avoid
Humans spend a lot of time talking about what they want. I think we should spend a little more time discussing what we’d like kept well away from us. As an experienced office dog, I have several thoughts. The vacuum cleaner A loud, unpredictable machine that eats things off the floor. Things I might have […]
News avoidance in Australia: how to communicate with an overwhelmed audience
The most useful number in this year’s Digital News Report: Australia 2026 is not the 68% of Australians who avoid news at least sometimes. It is that figure sitting next to a rise in news consumption, up eight points since 2023 to 56%, and a rise in interest, up four to 57%. The University of […]
Louis asks: “Can AI hear what matters?”
A word from Louis 🐾 Can AI hear what matters? I have believed the best technology is technology that knows its place. Preferably below the office dog. A study tested an AI-enabled stethoscope on 54 dogs and 51 cats, comparing its results with assessments from experts and students. The device detected 33 of the 38 […]
Are algorithms the new religion?
We have spent centuries learning to question authority. Religious leaders. Governments. Institutions. Experts. The media. We have learned that authority can be wrong, biased or self-interested. We have built checks and balances around it. We have asked who made the decision, what evidence supports it and whose interests are being served. But now a new […]
Smile at a dog today
I have long suspected that a smile aimed at me is not mere pleasantry, but a transaction, and I am always the beneficiary. Now the University of Vienna has confirmed it with an actual brain scanner, which I appreciate, since I have never cared much for taking things on faith. Fourteen dogs, all considerably better […]
My odd job: why managing social media is stranger than it looks
If I asked you “what job leads to the most public scrutiny?” you’d probably say politicians and elected officials. You might say lawyers, spokespeople for organisations, journalists. Or high-profile actors, musicians, dancers, authors. You’re unlikely to say social media managers. But you should. It’s largely anonymous, but the scrutiny is there. If you’re not in […]