AGP Executive Report

Social Media Regulation: France has become the first European country to ban under-15s from social media, with a phased rollout from September and age-verification expectations for platforms. Local Online Safety: Australia’s under-16 social media ban is already pushing age checks and an Online Safety Code, and a new global roundup shows more than 20 countries moving toward similar rules. Consumer Law & Marketing: Guardian Australia reports NannyLane Australia removed placeholder “fake” testimonials and images after a customer flagged them—another reminder that Australian Consumer Law blocks misleading reviews. Political Transparency: Rex Patrick’s AUKUS documents fight escalates as the government seeks up to $150,000 in legal costs if he loses. Media & Sports Rights: Prime Video and Rogers sign a 12-year NHL sublicensing deal for Canada, adding exclusive national games and select playoff series. Energy Security: Australia plans its first new oil refinery in 60 years after petrol shortages, backed by a feasibility study. Cybercrime & Fraud: UN warns criminal gangs are increasingly running online scam centres, exploiting hundreds of thousands worldwide.

Victorian Politics: Ben Carroll has taken over as Victoria’s premier, promising a different approach and vowing to establish a royal commission into the construction sector, while ICAC fallout continues to swirl around Liberal figures. Regulation & Advertising: ASIC has hit Harvey Norman and Latitude Financial with a record combined $55m penalty over “interest-free” ads that allegedly masked credit-card requirements and extra fees—another big warning to marketers about clarity. Media Bargaining: Microsoft is pushing to exclude Bing and LinkedIn from Australia’s news bargaining levy framework, arguing it would disadvantage smaller search services. AI Infrastructure Supply Chains: Blue Yonder warns AI data-centre rollouts are increasingly constrained by global supply-chain complexity, not just chips and power. Energy Transition Sentiment: A new Clean Energy Solutions Index shows rooftop solar and EV support rising, but overall energy-transition support still needs deeper community trust. Travel & Safety: UAE-bound travellers face extended aviation safety advisories amid ongoing Gulf security uncertainty. Corporate Tech: Quantcast appoints ex-The Trade Desk leader Tom Weaving to drive Southeast Asia growth. Tourism/Branding: Estée Lauder launches Glimmer Eau de Parfum, leaning into the gourmand fragrance trend.

Workplace Justice: The federal government will consult on a planned new Fair Work Court aimed at making disputes fairer, faster, simpler and more accessible for employers and employees. Media & Regulation: France’s sweeping social media ban for under-15s keeps spreading across the policy debate, with questions about enforcement and whether bans actually improve child safety. Sports & Streaming: U-Next expands its soccer push with European rights including Germany’s DFB-Pokal and more preseason matches, signalling how broadcasters are chasing global audiences. MarCom & Partnerships: Air India and India’s tourism ministry sign an MoU to co-market India via digital, social and inflight branding—another example of airline-led destination promotion. Legal & Public Sentiment: Australia’s court backs a racial discrimination finding against One Nation leader Pauline Hanson over a 2022 X post targeting Mehreen Faruqi, keeping free-speech vs harm front and centre. Tech & Trust: Karbon’s new research argues AI in accounting must be paired with trust and human judgment, not just automation.

Emergency Comms Rollout: AusAlert’s first nationwide test is underway, with phones expected to sound a 10-second siren and show a test message, but reports say some users didn’t receive it—raising questions about reliability and domestic-violence “safe phone” risks. Media & Politics: Pauline Hanson’s appeal over a “seriously offensive” racist X post targeting Mehreen Faruqi has been rejected, with Hanson hinting at a High Court fight. Adland Leadership: Hello appoints David Griffiths as managing director to lead its integrated creative offering, signalling continued investment in social, influencer, events and measurement. Agency/Tech Marketing: Propelrr adopts EOS and an AI-first operating model to scale digital marketing outcomes, while Runnit launches an AI marketing operations platform. Consumer Protection: New Zealand’s Consumer NZ urges stronger rules against unfair trading, hidden fees and dark patterns—mirroring Australia’s push on unfair practices. Brand/OOH Culture: Pacific Place and CJ Hendry unveil “juju world,” a large-scale Hong Kong retail experience built for engagement and merch.

Kids & Social Media Regulation: Philippines police chief says the country may copy or improve Australia’s under-16 social media ban to curb online radicalisation and prevent school shootings, with lawmakers also considering a similar restriction after ASEANAPOL talks. EU Online Safety Push: An EU expert panel backs an EU-wide minimum age for social media use, urging tech firms to protect minors via safety design and limiting access to under-13s until safeguards land. Big Tech & Compliance Pressure: The same regulatory wave is showing up globally, with Vietnam proposing rules that would require platforms to stop under-16s from posting and use parent-linked registration plus stronger privacy and harmful-content controls. Media & Trust: A University of Canberra media literacy course for Australians 55+ reportedly lifts misinformation detection and verification skills, with gains lasting months—aimed at helping older users navigate a polarised online feed. Adland Watch: AdNews Agency of the Year 2026 entries are open, adding new categories for music use, holdco brands and specialist agencies. Celebrity/TV Moment: Meghan Markle’s MasterChef Australia guest spot included a surprise FaceTime call from Prince Harry, turning a studio tasting into a viral media beat.

Social Media & Regulation: Meta is set to appear as a witness in Australia’s racism inquiry, with hearings focused on online racism, reporting and how incidents are handled. AI Policy: The Greens are pushing a one-year pause on consenting new AI data centres, arguing councils are approving behind closed doors while energy and water impacts hit communities. Health & Consumer Protection: NSW is commissioning research to crack down on the “weaponisation” of therapy records in sexual assault trials, aiming to reduce trauma from forced disclosure. Immigration & Fees: Australia has hiked international student visa fees by 25%—but exempted ASEAN students from the full increase, positioning it as a regional engagement move. MarCom & Media Industry: oOh!media and Cricket Australia extend their OOH collaboration, keeping sport sponsorship and out-of-home advertising in the spotlight. Digital Safety Campaigning: Crime Stoppers launches a campaign targeting money mule recruitment, warning people off social media and messaging scams. Public Debate: ACT and the Greens are both using policy messaging to pressure governments on medicines funding gaps and data-centre consent rules. Sports Marketing: The Errol Spence Jr vs Tim Tszyu fight is driving heavy streaming and broadcast promotion in Australia and globally.

Social Media Regulation Push: Philippine police say an ASEANAPOL proposal could see Australia-style bans on minors’ social media use, citing the Tacloban school shooting and pointing to Australia’s under-16 restrictions and penalties for platforms. AI in Education Privacy: A new warning argues AI tools in K-12 are outpacing safeguards, leaving children’s data exposed and creating “privacy nightmares” for schools and families. Platform Reliability Shock: OpenAI confirmed a global ChatGPT outage affecting users in Australia and worldwide, with people unable to log in, send prompts, or load chat history. Ad Tech Compliance: Amazon has started requiring Australian third-party sellers to label listing images/videos that include photorealistic AI-generated people, with shopper-facing indicators planned. Sports & Media Moments: Commonwealth Games coverage included a dramatic netball opener for England and a frightening gymnastics fall involving Gabriel Langton, while the wider week also featured high-profile sports and entertainment chatter.

Media accountability: The Australian Press Council marks 50 years, arguing journalism’s job is still standards and accountability even as news now flows through feeds, search and AI. Political comms: Labor’s national conference ends with PM Anthony Albanese praising unity, while factional debate on Middle East policy is shut down—highlighting how party platforms get shaped. International marcom & risk: US lawmakers push the GUARD Act to block Chinese-made humanoid/robot tech from critical infrastructure, framing it as a security and espionage play. Global tariffs ripple: Trump rolls out new double-digit tariffs tied to forced-labour claims, with trade partners warning of broader fallout. Australia-linked tech disruption: NASA evacuates a deep-space comms site in Spain due to wildfires, while mission support shifts to Canberra—an example of how comms resilience matters. Cyber & trust: A new advisory warns of “beehive” malware targeting Zimbra email systems, urging patching and monitoring. Sports sponsorship angle: Commonwealth Games “Commy G Lite” is positioned as a smaller-brand opportunity, but sponsorship expert Sarah Niblock asks whether it’s worth it.

Media & AI: Reuters editor-in-chief Alessandra Galloni warns generative AI is an “existential” threat to journalism unless publishers are fairly paid for the reporting that trains models. Cyber & Privacy: The EU says TikTok breached rules by letting adults view minors’ accounts, raising the risk of cyberbullying and unwanted contact. Platform Accountability: A US judge dismissed a WhatsApp privacy lawsuit alleging Meta could access encrypted messages, but plaintiffs can refile. Digital Safety (Kids Online): Vietnam is considering tighter limits on under-16s posting or interacting on social media, while the broader global trend keeps pushing age-based restrictions. Scams (Australia): Westpac flags an AI-fuelled “arms race” in scams, with losses still climbing and criminals tailoring attacks around victims’ emotions and circumstances. Energy Security: Origin Energy confirms a widening data breach affecting up to 5 million customers. MarCom/OOH: Qantas Project Sunrise and other brand/agency moves keep spotlighting how marketing and media partnerships are evolving.

Social Media & Kids: UK ex–Meta exec Sir Nick Clegg says a ban on under-16s won’t “solve” the problem, warning kids will just move to other apps that are “much less safe,” as governments push stricter age rules. Gambling Harm Reduction: Labor’s national conference backs stronger gambling regulation, including tougher powers for regulators and exploring ways to stop online gambling inducements aimed at young people via games and social platforms. Health & Safety: Australia’s TGA warns GLP-1 drugs (Ozempic/Wegovy/Mounjaro) may be linked to a rare but severe eye disorder, urging urgent care for sudden vision loss. Media & Regulation: Victoria Police told an anti-Semitism royal commission it scans social media 24/7 via a centralised command centre to spot ideological threats and violence. MarCom/Branding: Qantas’ Project Sunrise hits a major milestone with a modified A350 test flight landing in Melbourne after ~17,000km. Business/PR: Blackmores and Kirin launch cognition supplements in Australia and NZ, using Kirin’s Cognizin® citicoline. Energy/Planning: A Queensland council granted a lifespan extension for a wind project meteorological mast, keeping Vestas’ Captains Mountain wind farm on track.

Indo-Pacific Security: Australia and the US have completed Exercise Death Strike: Trident Fury, testing around-the-clock JASSM and conventional munitions generation to keep long-range precision strike capability ready under pressure. Uncrewed Arms Race: Boeing used Farnborough to push the flight-tested MQ-28 Ghost Bat as demand for collaborative combat aircraft accelerates, with Australia’s MQ-28A programme positioned as a mature answer to growing CCA needs. Gambling Advertising Reckoning: Australia’s sports betting ads are back in the spotlight as regulators and commentators debate whether creative campaigns are outpacing responsibility and harm controls. Child Online Safety Policy: France’s under-15 social media ban keeps spreading the policy debate, while Australia’s own age-safety push raises the question of how age checks and enforcement will actually work. Media & Marketing Lessons: FIFA’s World Cup rule and ticket changes are being dissected for what they signal about modern sports marketing, including the rise of creator-led ecosystems. Crypto Scams: A Bali case claims a crypto scammer was robbed after allegedly exploiting kids with cancer, highlighting how fast scam networks move.

Media & AI Fight: Reuters’ boss Alessandra Galloni urges publishers to hold the line on AI training as Anthropic denies talks with the ABC, while Australia’s debate over an AI bargaining code and tighter ad rules for sports betting ramps up. Agency & Marketing Moves: VMO appoints Sam Staples as Queensland sales director; Dairy Australia switches media to Nunn Media after Hatched; and M+C Saatchi ANZ is being handed to local management via a management buyout. Policy & Regulation: France clears the way for a landmark under-15 social media ban, adding pressure on Australia’s own screen-time rules and enforcement debate. Public Interest & Wellbeing: Australia’s emergency alert system faces ongoing concerns; a new report flags women’s health slipping, with fewer cancer screenings and rising stress. Tech & Platforms: EU clears the Paramount-Warner mega-merger with conditions, while Samsung pre-orders in Australia kick off for new foldables. Community & Culture: Jewish leaders tell an anti-Semitism inquiry kids are being isolated and identities hidden; Indian visa services resume across Australia.

Media Industry Shake-Up: Channel 10 is reportedly considering outsourcing news services as newsroom costs rise and ad revenue softens, while Channel 9 continues digital-first restructuring and redundancies across its mastheads. AI & IP Policy: Australia’s AI rules are drawing global attention, with OpenAI and Anthropic publicly backing regulation in Australia as they seek clearer content and data protections. Social Media Regulation Spillover: France has passed an EU-first ban on social media for under-15s, starting with new accounts from September and age checks for existing users from January 2027—mirroring Australia’s earlier under-16 approach. Space Resilience: Australia’s emergency services are being trained to operate without satellites, GPS and remote sensing if space infrastructure is disrupted. Streaming Expansion: Tubi is ramping up in the UK with 900+ new episodes and movies via multiple content deals, reinforcing AVOD growth. Creative Industry: Fox Entertainment joins ARIAM to push for AI guardrails that protect human creativity and rights.

AI & Media Rights: Anthropic denied any deal with the ABC to license its archive, as media chiefs push for stronger IP protection for training. Cybersecurity: Origin Energy is investigating an alleged breach after a hacker claimed access to data of ~2 million customers, with Origin saying no card/bank details are believed affected. Agency & Marketing Appointments: Hello poached WPP Production ANZ CFOO Caroline Berdayes as a newly created CFOO role; The Digital Picnic won digital agency of record for No. 1 Fertility. Sports Sponsorship & Streaming: Seven locked in major brand partners for Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, aiming for 12m+ reach across TV and 7plus Sport. Regulation & Kids Online: France voted to ban social media for under-15s, echoing Australia’s earlier moves and reigniting the debate over age checks and safety-by-design. Energy & Infrastructure: Australia’s off-grid gold town Menzies will run on solar plus battery for 80% of power needs. Business/Comms Industry: Stuff Digital confirmed consultations that could cut up to eight journalism roles as it reshapes its editorial structure.

Media Oversight: ABC and SBS push back on calls for a new external complaints body, arguing the existing ombudsman and ACMA escalation already cover the job. AI & Design Tools: Canva makes “Code 2.0” broadly available, positioning it as a more editable, design-second layer for everyday creators. Youth Safety Regulation: France moves closer to banning social media access for kids under 15, with age checks and staged rollouts—another pressure point after Australia’s under-16s ban. Scams & Crime Tech: UNODC warns Asia-Pacific scam losses hit $88.3–$114.1bn in 2025 as criminal networks professionalise, use AI, and recruit globally. Gambling Harm: New research estimates 3.3m Australians experience gambling harm, with financial stress the most common impact. Sports Tech & Grassroots: Preciser partners with Glory League to turn game footage into on-demand AI basketball stats for players and coaches. Education Partnerships: Australia backs the Philippines’ AUD40m EQUIP program to make senior high grads more job-ready. MarCom/Comms Industry: Omnicom Media merges Mediahub and Hearts & Science into a new global agency structure.

Media & Jobs: Nine has started a new round of publishing cuts, with about 30 roles expected to go across The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, nine.com.au and print operations as it pushes a digital-first future. Agency Wins: EssenceMediacom has retained Uber’s APAC media account after a competitive pitch, continuing its regional lead across Australia/NZ and key Asian markets. MarCom Appointments: Bastion has appointed Carolyn Tesoriero as Group Client Director – Head of Qualitative, strengthening its insights capability. Out-of-Home Growth: The Outdoor Media Association welcomed Adonix, Convenience Advertising and Sovereign Valuations, signalling continued expansion in Australia’s OOH sector. Social Media Regulation (France): France is set to approve a ban on social media access for under-15s, with age-check enforcement still a live puzzle. Emergency Comms Tech: Australia’s AusAlert test will send the same message to phones nationwide on Monday, with officials hoping to iron out “teething problems.” Health Tech: Optiscan’s head and neck cancer imaging study has advanced to Stage 2 ahead of schedule at St John of God Murdoch Hospital. Security/Policy: Victoria is moving toward “demasking” powers to identify anonymous social media accounts accused of vilification.