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Tama Leaver

Associate Professor in Internet Studies, Curtin University

Tama Leaver is an Associate Professor in the Department of Internet Studies at Curtin University, and a researcher working in Curtin’s Centre for Culture and Technology and the Curtin Institute for Computation.

His research interests include social media, online identity, digital death, infancy online and media distribution.

He has published in a number of journals including Social Media + Society, Communication Research and Practice, Information Communication and Society, Popular Communication, Media International Australia, Comparative Literature Studies and the Fibreculture journal.

He is the author of Artificial Culture: Identity, Technology and Bodies (Routledge, 2012), co-editor (with Mike Kent) of An Education in Facebook? Higher Education and the World's Largest Social Network (Routledge, 2014) and co-editor (with Michele Willson) of Social, Casual and Mobile Games: The Changing Gaming Landscape (Bloomsbury Academic, 2016). He is currently researching the way birth, early life and death are changing in the era of networked digital communications.

AI Revolution Series

'Virtual influencers' are here, but should Meta really be setting the ethical ground rules?

Feb 02, 2022 09:29 am UTC| Technology

Earlier this month, Meta announced it is working on a set of ethical guidelines for virtual influencers animated, typically computer-generated, characters designed to attract attention on social media. When Facebook...

AI Revolution Series

Instagram can make teens feel bad about their body, but parents can help. Here's how

Sep 24, 2021 01:17 am UTC| Insights & Views Technology

Last week Facebooks internal research revealed Instagrams toxic effects on some young peoples body image particularly girls. One study by Facebook of teen Instagram users in the US and UK found more than 40% of those...

Facebook is merging Messenger and Instagram chat features. It's for Zuckerberg's benefit, not yours

Oct 05, 2020 13:23 pm UTC| Technology

Facebook Messenger and Instragrams direct messaging services will be integrated into one system, Facebook has announced. The merge will allow shared messaging across both platforms, as well as video calls and the use of...

AI Revolution Series

Facebook's accidental 'death' of users reminds us to plan for digital death

Nov 23, 2016 23:23 pm UTC| Technology

The accidental death of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and millions of other Facebook users is a timely reminder of what happens to our online content once we do pass away. Earlier this month, Zuckerbergs Facebook...

Economy

IMF Maintains 2027 Global Growth Forecast at 3.4% Amid Rising Risks

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) maintained its 2027 global economic growth forecast at 3.4%, warning that escalating Middle East tensions, rising government debt and persistent inflation could threaten the global...

Philippines Current Account Deficit Seen at $19.1 Billion in 2026

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) expects the Philippines current account deficit to reach $19.1 billion in 2026, equivalent to 3.8% of the countrys gross domestic product (GDP), according to projections announced by...

RBA Signals More Rate Hikes as Inflation Risks Rise

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has indicated that further interest rate hikes remain possible as policymakers confront persistent inflation pressures and rising global costs, according to minutes from its September...

Gold Prices Rebound as Dollar Weakens Ahead of US Inflation Data

Gold prices rose on Tuesday as a softer U.S. dollar supported precious metals, although escalating Middle East tensions and expectations of further Federal Reserve interest-rate hikes continued to limit gains. Spot gold...

Asian Currencies Steady as Dollar Nears 18-Month High Ahead of US CPI

Asian currencies traded in narrow ranges on Tuesday as investors remained cautious ahead of crucial U.S. inflation data, while the U.S. dollar stayed near an 18-month high amid geopolitical tensions and sustained demand...

Politics

Trump Warns Houthis Over Attacks, Considers Erdogan Intervention

US President Donald Trump criticized Yemens Houthi militants on Tuesday, accusing the Iran-backed group of escalating regional tensions as the ongoing US-Iran war continues to destabilize the Middle East. Speaking to...

US Condemns China Sanctions on Taiwan Allies Belize and Paraguay

The Trump administration has criticized China for imposing sanctions on government ministers from Belize and Paraguay over their diplomatic relations with Taiwan, accusing Beijing of using coercion to undermine the...

Kim Jong Un Showcases ICBM Ahead of Possible Trump Meeting

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited a newly opened military museum showcasing advanced weapons, including an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of striking the United States, according to state media...

Trump Denies Russia and China Are Helping Iran in U.S. Conflict

U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday evening that he does not believe Russia or China is providing significant assistance to Iran in its ongoing conflict with the United States, despite reports suggesting both countries...

Most Americans Oppose Election Betting on Prediction Markets, Poll Finds

A majority of Americans oppose betting on US elections, military operations and government decisions through prediction markets, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll, highlighting public concerns as regulators consider new...

Science

Blue Origin New Glenn Explosion Could Delay Launch Operations Until 2028

Blue Origin is facing a significant setback after a dramatic explosion involving its New Glenn rocket severely damaged a launch pad at Cape Canaveral, Florida. According to NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, repairs to the...

Blue Origin New Glenn Rocket Explodes During Launch Pad Test, Delaying Space Ambitions

Blue Origin suffered a major setback after its uncrewed New Glenn rocket exploded during a launch pad test in Florida on Thursday, raising new challenges for Jeff Bezos space company as it competes with Elon Musks SpaceX...

SpaceX Delays Starship V3 Launch Ahead of Potential Record IPO

SpaceX on Thursday postponed the highly anticipated launch of its 12th Starship rocket test from Texas after technical issues interrupted the final countdown. The company now plans to attempt the Starship V3 launch again...

Trump Administration Releases New UFO Files and Apollo Mission Records

The U.S. Defense Department has released dozens of previously classified UFO-related files following an order from President Donald Trump, sparking renewed debate over unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) and government...

China vs. NASA: The New Moon Race and What's at Stake by 2030

The space race is back and this time, its a direct competition between the United States and China for dominance on the lunar surface. NASAs Artemis II mission recently made history when four astronauts flew farther into...

Technology

Citi Upgrades Galaxy Digital Stock, Raises Price Target to $28

Citigroup has upgraded Galaxy Digital (GLXY) stock from Neutral to Buy, raising its price target from $26 to $28 as confidence grows in the companys artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure business. The revised target...

Trezor Cuts Reseller Network After Ledger Security Breach

Hardware wallet manufacturer Trezor is reducing its authorized reseller network following a major supply-chain security incident involving rival Ledger, introducing stricter distribution controls to protect cryptocurrency...

NEAR Protocol Leads AI Crypto Rally Amid Fed Rate Hike Fears

NEAR Protocol (NEAR) has emerged as a leading performer in the artificial intelligence (AI) cryptocurrency sector as hawkish signals from the US Federal Reserve triggered widespread selling across digital asset markets,...

MNX Crypto Exchange Launches Futures for OpenAI, Anthropic Valuations

MNX, a new cryptocurrency exchange, has launched futures contracts allowing traders to speculate on the valuations of major private artificial intelligence companies, including OpenAI, Anthropic, DeepSeek and Moonshot,...

Nvidia’s China AI Chip Market Share Falls to 34% as Huawei Gains Ground

Nvidias share of Chinas artificial intelligence chip market declined sharply during the first half of 2026 as U.S. export restrictions and growing competition from domestic semiconductor manufacturers reshaped the...