Rebi Houlihan
@rebihoulihan.bsky.social
She/Her | Cultural History of the Internet in Australia | PhD Student Monash University | Outdated Tech Enthusiast
Had friends coming to me for info on how telecommunications works so they can argue better against their ISP/phone company - does this count as 'research impact'?
November 25, 2025 at 11:31 PM
Had friends coming to me for info on how telecommunications works so they can argue better against their ISP/phone company - does this count as 'research impact'?
Oh so now my explanation that a bunch of early hacks were people trying password = password isn't looking so far fetched is it?
The Louvre's video security password was reportedly 'Louvre'
Oh dear. It may not have had anything to do with the jewel robbery, but audits of the Paris museum's security system have revealed glaring issues that go back years.
www.pcworld.com
November 7, 2025 at 1:39 AM
Oh so now my explanation that a bunch of early hacks were people trying password = password isn't looking so far fetched is it?
Interesting to see an uptake in reports like this. Obvs there are significant differences, but I've been pointing out similarities for ages.
Tech sold on FOMO, focus by companies having the tech as opposed to the usefulness of having it, extremely grand statements about world changing potential
Tech sold on FOMO, focus by companies having the tech as opposed to the usefulness of having it, extremely grand statements about world changing potential
Are we in another dot-com bubble with AI?
Follow the latest news headlines from Australia's most trusted source. Read in-depth expert analysis and watch live coverage on ABC News.
www.abc.net.au
November 5, 2025 at 1:24 AM
Interesting to see an uptake in reports like this. Obvs there are significant differences, but I've been pointing out similarities for ages.
Tech sold on FOMO, focus by companies having the tech as opposed to the usefulness of having it, extremely grand statements about world changing potential
Tech sold on FOMO, focus by companies having the tech as opposed to the usefulness of having it, extremely grand statements about world changing potential
They've all been asking me to talk about hackers for ages, so it was fun to throw something together for a somewhat impromptu (and very silly) Monash Semi-nah
October 26, 2025 at 4:51 AM
They've all been asking me to talk about hackers for ages, so it was fun to throw something together for a somewhat impromptu (and very silly) Monash Semi-nah
Once again forgot to get photos of myself presenting, but it was such a delight to talk about Australia's own cyberfeminist zine Geekgirl at #aoir2025 yesterday!
October 18, 2025 at 3:04 PM
Once again forgot to get photos of myself presenting, but it was such a delight to talk about Australia's own cyberfeminist zine Geekgirl at #aoir2025 yesterday!
Writing a One Nation lecture this week like "oops revise the end another thing happened. Revise it again there's another thing. Revise it..."
October 12, 2025 at 4:12 PM
Writing a One Nation lecture this week like "oops revise the end another thing happened. Revise it again there's another thing. Revise it..."
Secret challenge of this year's grand final: explaining to non-footy fans what the whole deal with the Lions is
September 27, 2025 at 3:01 AM
Secret challenge of this year's grand final: explaining to non-footy fans what the whole deal with the Lions is
Reposted by Rebi Houlihan
This protest isn’t scheduled to start for two hours yet and there are already TWO sets of TV reporters and camera crews here setting up their shots. Melbourne has protests every single weekend and few if any get this level of media attention.
No media setting up at the Gaza rally location.
No media setting up at the Gaza rally location.
August 30, 2025 at 11:09 PM
This protest isn’t scheduled to start for two hours yet and there are already TWO sets of TV reporters and camera crews here setting up their shots. Melbourne has protests every single weekend and few if any get this level of media attention.
No media setting up at the Gaza rally location.
No media setting up at the Gaza rally location.
Huge win: got my students talking in depth about railway gauges today
September 2, 2025 at 12:17 AM
Huge win: got my students talking in depth about railway gauges today
Peak productivity achieved by putting Blade on in the background while I mark
September 1, 2025 at 1:06 AM
Peak productivity achieved by putting Blade on in the background while I mark
Okay original series Star Trek is lit, wildly entertaining, incredibly silly
August 10, 2025 at 1:11 AM
Okay original series Star Trek is lit, wildly entertaining, incredibly silly
Me in the archives opening TV footage files: I will be prepared for the ear-splitting beep this time, I will be prepared for the....
August 8, 2025 at 2:52 AM
Me in the archives opening TV footage files: I will be prepared for the ear-splitting beep this time, I will be prepared for the....
Recently was made aware (by a student) that Whitlam brat edits exist?? Made my week
August 6, 2025 at 2:22 AM
Recently was made aware (by a student) that Whitlam brat edits exist?? Made my week
Uuuuuh Word, you doing okay there buddy?
July 31, 2025 at 3:46 AM
Uuuuuh Word, you doing okay there buddy?
Running our annual writing retreat really was a fantastic way to close out my year as Monash's History HDR rep ✌️
July 28, 2025 at 8:42 PM
Running our annual writing retreat really was a fantastic way to close out my year as Monash's History HDR rep ✌️
Reposted by Rebi Houlihan
In “The Age of Surveillance Capitalism,” the author describes “inevitablism” as a tactic companies use to stop conversation about the amount of our private lives they are commodifying and selling.
Whenever anyone tells you “A.i.” is inevitable or you better use it or get left behind, look at where their money comes from.
July 26, 2025 at 9:20 PM
In “The Age of Surveillance Capitalism,” the author describes “inevitablism” as a tactic companies use to stop conversation about the amount of our private lives they are commodifying and selling.
Reposted by Rebi Houlihan
It was incredible to watch this disaster unfold over several years: site owners increasingly competed for Google search traffic and placement in SERPs, abandoning every other avenue of reader engagement and retention, making their sites and the web worse. Then Google did this
Hey is it bad if google AI search results stop people from leaving google dot com 99% of the time? All our news and information creators can survive just fine with one percent of their previous search traffic right? I’m sure it’s fine. www.404media.co/googles-ai-i...
![Yesterday the Pew Research Center released a report based on the internet browsing activity of 900 U.S. adults which found that Google users who encounter an Al summary are less likely to click on links to other websites than use 's who don't encounter an Al summary. To be precise, only [my emphasis] 1 percent of users who encountered an Al summary clicked the link to the page Google is summarizing.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:rfoctmk4guq56gensuermj7q/bafkreihrwrukrvisav54a24jeuv7tlhfwe62yvui5d27gxhnopbdworowe@jpeg)
July 25, 2025 at 12:29 PM
It was incredible to watch this disaster unfold over several years: site owners increasingly competed for Google search traffic and placement in SERPs, abandoning every other avenue of reader engagement and retention, making their sites and the web worse. Then Google did this
Everyone involved in the process of publishing this article so was immensely supportive and encouraging (and the article itself resulted in my first citation on Wikipedia)
Postgraduate highly commended: Rebecca Houlihan, “ʻComplete Strangers Can Get through Your Front Door’: The Carly Ryan Murder, Teen Girls and the Internet in 2000s Australia”, Journal of Australian Studies, 48:4 (2024), 466-81.
@rebihoulihan.bsky.social
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
@rebihoulihan.bsky.social
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
July 23, 2025 at 12:53 AM
Everyone involved in the process of publishing this article so was immensely supportive and encouraging (and the article itself resulted in my first citation on Wikipedia)
Reposted by Rebi Houlihan
Check out the latest blog in the new environmental gender history series - a piece by Harrison Croft (@harrycroft.bsky.social) on women's roles in early climate science 🌿⚗️
www.auswhn.com.au/blog/the-gap...
www.auswhn.com.au/blog/the-gap...
The Gap in the Greenhouse Effect: Eunice Newton Foote and Climate Science in the 1850s | Australian Women's History Network
In this blog, Harrison Croft examines the life and legacies of Eunice Newton Foote, highlighting her groundbreaking contributions to early climate science and humanitarianism.
www.auswhn.com.au
July 20, 2025 at 10:55 PM
Check out the latest blog in the new environmental gender history series - a piece by Harrison Croft (@harrycroft.bsky.social) on women's roles in early climate science 🌿⚗️
www.auswhn.com.au/blog/the-gap...
www.auswhn.com.au/blog/the-gap...
Bought a new USB for the first time in years only to find out USB 3 interferes with my bluetooth keyboard 😑
July 18, 2025 at 8:04 AM
Bought a new USB for the first time in years only to find out USB 3 interferes with my bluetooth keyboard 😑
Finally, finally made it to the National Communication Museum and had the best time
July 12, 2025 at 7:17 AM
Finally, finally made it to the National Communication Museum and had the best time
You too can see CSIRAC (Aus first supercomputer) for free with a student card.
Subjecting your friends to an unskippable explanatory cutscene optional
Subjecting your friends to an unskippable explanatory cutscene optional
July 7, 2025 at 12:52 AM
You too can see CSIRAC (Aus first supercomputer) for free with a student card.
Subjecting your friends to an unskippable explanatory cutscene optional
Subjecting your friends to an unskippable explanatory cutscene optional
Reposted by Rebi Houlihan
There's been a heap of interest in Australia's teen social media ban, but a lot of confusion remains about how the law works, how it's being implemented and what we still don't know.
Here's my attempt to answer all your questions. (Did I miss something? Tell me!)
www.crikey.com.au/20...
Here's my attempt to answer all your questions. (Did I miss something? Tell me!)
www.crikey.com.au/20...
July 3, 2025 at 2:11 AM
There's been a heap of interest in Australia's teen social media ban, but a lot of confusion remains about how the law works, how it's being implemented and what we still don't know.
Here's my attempt to answer all your questions. (Did I miss something? Tell me!)
www.crikey.com.au/20...
Here's my attempt to answer all your questions. (Did I miss something? Tell me!)
www.crikey.com.au/20...
Honestly best parts of AHA every year are meeting new people, hearing about fascinating research, and leaving reinvigorated to launch back into my own research
July 4, 2025 at 11:43 PM
Honestly best parts of AHA every year are meeting new people, hearing about fascinating research, and leaving reinvigorated to launch back into my own research
Can't believe I once again forgot to get someone to take a photo of me giving my paper 😔
July 4, 2025 at 11:42 PM
Can't believe I once again forgot to get someone to take a photo of me giving my paper 😔