Madeleine Hunter, PhD
@huntressleine.bsky.social
Kids media researcher and critic. Vice-Chancellor's postdoctoral research fellow at RMIT University; RA with DEFI Cambridge; media reviews editor for Adaptation at OUP
Pinned
Life update! I haven't framed my doctorate yet but apparently I also get a certificate for my post-doc? #academia
Good of Annika Wells to clarify that the government is acting explicitly "on behalf of Australian parents" and not, you know, Australian children. Just nice to have clarity
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Australia social media ban: Get rid of harmful content instead of us, say teens - BBC News
From 10 December, social media firms must ensure Australians aged under 16 cannot have accounts.
www.bbc.com
November 28, 2025 at 5:53 AM
Good of Annika Wells to clarify that the government is acting explicitly "on behalf of Australian parents" and not, you know, Australian children. Just nice to have clarity
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Reposted by Madeleine Hunter, PhD
I see some book piracy discourse, and, to make a positive argument in favor of buying books, your marginal ability to influence what books get published and support the careers of writers you like is massive compared to most other forms of media.
November 24, 2025 at 5:54 PM
I see some book piracy discourse, and, to make a positive argument in favor of buying books, your marginal ability to influence what books get published and support the careers of writers you like is massive compared to most other forms of media.
Reposted by Madeleine Hunter, PhD
It’s blowing my mind that schools, universities, public services would run headlong into this. We spent 15 years documenting black boxes. This is a black box in a black hole!
I don't understand how anyone can watch how blatantly Grok is manipulated to answer the way ownership desires it to and then act like the other LLM chatbots couldn't possibly be similarly but less obviously compromised to produce responses in whatever way corporate interests and priorities dictate.
November 23, 2025 at 11:16 PM
It’s blowing my mind that schools, universities, public services would run headlong into this. We spent 15 years documenting black boxes. This is a black box in a black hole!
Reposted by Madeleine Hunter, PhD
I spoke to @australia.theguardian.com about the unworkability of Australia’s #SocialMediaBan for children and young people:
Labor has brushed aside concerns over the social media ban. But what if it doesn’t work as promised?
If Meta, the world’s biggest social media company, expects problems after a year of preparation, then what should the rest of us be expecting?
www.theguardian.com
November 23, 2025 at 10:21 PM
I spoke to @australia.theguardian.com about the unworkability of Australia’s #SocialMediaBan for children and young people:
Reposted by Madeleine Hunter, PhD
On the same day CSIRO announced it was cutting 350 jobs, the Australian newspaper ranked the country's top 250 researchers and institutes by field.
Don't mean to yuck yums but... Citations and metric ranking feels like a bad idea folks!!!!! 🧪
nobreakthroughs.substack.com/p/are-you-in...
Don't mean to yuck yums but... Citations and metric ranking feels like a bad idea folks!!!!! 🧪
nobreakthroughs.substack.com/p/are-you-in...
Are You in Australia's Top 250 Researchers? Who Cares!
(Yet) An(other) argument for science journalism in the newsroom.
nobreakthroughs.substack.com
November 23, 2025 at 10:38 PM
On the same day CSIRO announced it was cutting 350 jobs, the Australian newspaper ranked the country's top 250 researchers and institutes by field.
Don't mean to yuck yums but... Citations and metric ranking feels like a bad idea folks!!!!! 🧪
nobreakthroughs.substack.com/p/are-you-in...
Don't mean to yuck yums but... Citations and metric ranking feels like a bad idea folks!!!!! 🧪
nobreakthroughs.substack.com/p/are-you-in...
Reposted by Madeleine Hunter, PhD
Resurrecting this old post to inform you that they're planning to use ConnectID for the Age Assurance Technology now, I've posted some links (Though feel free to make your own posts of course)
November 24, 2025 at 4:01 AM
Resurrecting this old post to inform you that they're planning to use ConnectID for the Age Assurance Technology now, I've posted some links (Though feel free to make your own posts of course)
Reposted by Madeleine Hunter, PhD
ConnectID should not be involved with Banking, NDIS, Rental applications and Age Assurance all at once especially given its history of illegally tracking their clients
Hmmm... No, absolutely not, no thanks
This totally wont be used to abuse queers and sex workers :I
www.commbank.com.au/digital-bank...
connectid.com.au
This totally wont be used to abuse queers and sex workers :I
www.commbank.com.au/digital-bank...
connectid.com.au
ConnectID - Digital identity verification
ConnectID is an identity exchange offering a secure way for your customers to prove who they are, using participating organisations they already trust.
connectid.com.au
November 24, 2025 at 4:20 AM
ConnectID should not be involved with Banking, NDIS, Rental applications and Age Assurance all at once especially given its history of illegally tracking their clients
Reposted by Madeleine Hunter, PhD
oh whoa the models aren't just getting better and better consistently huh
November 23, 2025 at 10:35 AM
oh whoa the models aren't just getting better and better consistently huh
Reposted by Madeleine Hunter, PhD
Journalist challenge: Use “Machine Learning” when you mean machine learning and “LLM” when you mean LLM. Ditch “AI” as a catch-all term, it’s not useful for readers and it helps companies trying to confuse the public by obscuring the roles played by different technologies. 🧪
November 22, 2025 at 4:50 PM
Journalist challenge: Use “Machine Learning” when you mean machine learning and “LLM” when you mean LLM. Ditch “AI” as a catch-all term, it’s not useful for readers and it helps companies trying to confuse the public by obscuring the roles played by different technologies. 🧪
Reposted by Madeleine Hunter, PhD
You might not think you needed to see Kate Bush dressed as a bat today, but you were wrong.
November 22, 2025 at 6:46 PM
You might not think you needed to see Kate Bush dressed as a bat today, but you were wrong.
Reposted by Madeleine Hunter, PhD
Reposted by Madeleine Hunter, PhD
Gaza Government Media Office says Israel fully responsible for humanitarian, security repercussions from its violations.
Israel has violated Gaza truce nearly 500 times in 44 days, killed hundreds
Gaza Government Media Office says Israel fully responsible for humanitarian, security repercussions from its violations.
bit.ly
November 23, 2025 at 9:30 AM
Gaza Government Media Office says Israel fully responsible for humanitarian, security repercussions from its violations.
Every academic I know who studies kids media, gaming, social media - or any combination thereof - also bans Roblox.
Every parent whose career has to do with online safety also bans Roblox.
Every game designer parent I know bans Roblox for their kids
November 23, 2025 at 10:23 AM
Every academic I know who studies kids media, gaming, social media - or any combination thereof - also bans Roblox.
Reposted by Madeleine Hunter, PhD
“The debt of gratitude Australians owe CSIRO for Aeroguard alone can never be repaid. Which is why it’s so alarming to watch its funding – and its people – bleed away,” writes Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director at The Australia Institute.
Read the full op-ed: australiainstitute.org.au/post/who-nee...
Read the full op-ed: australiainstitute.org.au/post/who-nee...
November 21, 2025 at 5:01 AM
“The debt of gratitude Australians owe CSIRO for Aeroguard alone can never be repaid. Which is why it’s so alarming to watch its funding – and its people – bleed away,” writes Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director at The Australia Institute.
Read the full op-ed: australiainstitute.org.au/post/who-nee...
Read the full op-ed: australiainstitute.org.au/post/who-nee...
Reposted by Madeleine Hunter, PhD
Screen Australia is doing a massive research project on the current state of the screen and games industries in Australia. Local devs, please consider taking the time to complete their survey survey.alchemer.com/s3/8573365/S...
Screen Currency 2025 — Screen and Games Industry Survey
survey.alchemer.com
November 14, 2025 at 12:45 AM
Screen Australia is doing a massive research project on the current state of the screen and games industries in Australia. Local devs, please consider taking the time to complete their survey survey.alchemer.com/s3/8573365/S...
Reposted by Madeleine Hunter, PhD
Zagreb Film's YouTube channel is a goldmine of restored classics from the '50s onward
November 4, 2025 at 11:27 PM
Zagreb Film's YouTube channel is a goldmine of restored classics from the '50s onward
People's Republic of Hookturnistan never disappoints
www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...
www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...
Coles says 71% of all retail crime in their stores occurs in Victoria - ABC listen
Coles calls on state government to "step up", says level of retail crime in Victoria at "unacceptable" levels
www.abc.net.au
November 1, 2025 at 12:41 AM
People's Republic of Hookturnistan never disappoints
www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...
www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...
Reposted by Madeleine Hunter, PhD
Yet again, we can't afford to let LLMs become a source of epistemic grounding for society.
Largest study of its kind shows AI assistants misrepresent news content 45% of the time – regardless of language or territory
An intensive international study was coordinated by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and led by the BBC
www.bbc.co.uk
October 24, 2025 at 5:21 AM
Yet again, we can't afford to let LLMs become a source of epistemic grounding for society.
Reposted by Madeleine Hunter, PhD
I checked, it is real, it is thousands of words long, and the only mention of trans people is two times when they mention that some cis women take dosage levels comparable to what trans men do
There's sections about dysphoria cis women may feel from side effects of testosterone. I am LOSING MY MIND
There's sections about dysphoria cis women may feel from side effects of testosterone. I am LOSING MY MIND
when trans people take HRT to feel normal: “look at these depraved sex freaks performing their sick fetish in public, we should bully them out of existence”
when cis ppl take HRT so they can fuck real good:
when cis ppl take HRT so they can fuck real good:
October 22, 2025 at 6:34 PM
I checked, it is real, it is thousands of words long, and the only mention of trans people is two times when they mention that some cis women take dosage levels comparable to what trans men do
There's sections about dysphoria cis women may feel from side effects of testosterone. I am LOSING MY MIND
There's sections about dysphoria cis women may feel from side effects of testosterone. I am LOSING MY MIND
Reposted by Madeleine Hunter, PhD
UN says aid entering Gaza still falling short of requirements as Israel continues to block aid, close border crossings.
Gaza residents say ‘no change’ despite ceasefire as Israel blocks aid
UN says aid entering Gaza still falling short of requirements as Israel continues to block aid, close border crossings.
bit.ly
October 22, 2025 at 6:30 AM
UN says aid entering Gaza still falling short of requirements as Israel continues to block aid, close border crossings.
Reposted by Madeleine Hunter, PhD
Reminder to Australian devs that @sifterhq.bsky.social does the lord's work every year by compiling every single Australian-made videogame they can find. You can submit your 2025 releases here: www.sifter.com.au/add-my-game-...
Add my game to SIFTER's Australian Made Games List
Have you released a game made in Australia this year? Use this form to let us know
www.sifter.com.au
October 20, 2025 at 7:05 AM
Reminder to Australian devs that @sifterhq.bsky.social does the lord's work every year by compiling every single Australian-made videogame they can find. You can submit your 2025 releases here: www.sifter.com.au/add-my-game-...
Reposted by Madeleine Hunter, PhD
Oh hey look it’s exactly what I’ve been saying - Microsoft doesn’t believe it’s physically possible for them or for anyone to build the data centers OpenAI wants.
The Era of Smiles approaches
The Era of Smiles approaches
October 19, 2025 at 2:30 AM
Oh hey look it’s exactly what I’ve been saying - Microsoft doesn’t believe it’s physically possible for them or for anyone to build the data centers OpenAI wants.
The Era of Smiles approaches
The Era of Smiles approaches
The dream of academic life in Australia, or at least my version of it. Special feature from @annakornbluh.bsky.social's book, which has proved a sight of keen investigation by my colleague here, even if her research aims are as yet undetermined...
October 15, 2025 at 2:39 AM
The dream of academic life in Australia, or at least my version of it. Special feature from @annakornbluh.bsky.social's book, which has proved a sight of keen investigation by my colleague here, even if her research aims are as yet undetermined...
I do, unfortunately, believe Knightley is capable of insulating herself to the point that she could be unaware of these calls; but her comments upon being faced with it, my god...
www.theguardian.com/film/2025/oc...
www.theguardian.com/film/2025/oc...
Keira Knightley says she was ‘not aware’ of JK Rowling boycott calls before joining Harry Potter audiobooks
Actor, who voices Dolores Umbridge in the new full-cast recordings, says she hopes ‘we can all find respect’ amid renewed controversy over Rowling’s views on trans rights
www.theguardian.com
October 13, 2025 at 11:33 PM
I do, unfortunately, believe Knightley is capable of insulating herself to the point that she could be unaware of these calls; but her comments upon being faced with it, my god...
www.theguardian.com/film/2025/oc...
www.theguardian.com/film/2025/oc...