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NBC News
7 hours ago
- Politics
- NBC News
Kamala Harris announces a new memoir about her presidential campaign
Former Vice President Kamala Harris announced Thursday that she is releasing a memoir about her failed 2024 presidential campaign, which was launched just over one year ago. "It was intense, high stakes and deeply personal for me and for so many of you," she said in a video posted to X."Since leaving office, I've spent a lot of time reflecting on those days, talking with my team, my family, my friends, and pulling my thoughts together. In essence, writing a journal that is this book, '107 Days.'" The memoir will recount her brief campaign stretch after former President Joe Biden bowed out of the race with just months to go before the election, launching the Democratic Party into unprecedented territory. "With candor and reflection, I've written a behind the scenes account of that journey," she said. "I believe there's value in sharing what I saw, what I learned, and what I know it will take to move forward." The announcement comes as Democrats — out of power in the White House, House and Senate — look to regain support amid polling that indicates that public perception of the party remains largely negative. Just one day before announcing her memoir, Harris shared that she decided not to run for governor in California. NBC News reported that two sources close to Harris said she was looking to keep open an option to run for president again 2028. The former vice president did not address her political future in her announcement video, though she said she would continue "fighting." "Sometimes the fight takes a while, but I remain full of hope, and I remain clear-eyed," she said. "I will never stop fighting to make our country reflect the very best of its ideals, always on behalf of the people." The book, set to be published by Simon & Schuster, is scheduled for release in September. Harris had been "working on the manuscript for several months," Simon & Schuster said in a press release, noting that the former vice president would also narrate the audiobook.
SBS Australia
2 days ago
- Business
- SBS Australia
YouTube says it's 'not social media' as minister reveals 'Big Wiggle' lobbied against ban
YouTube has criticised the Australian government's decision to include the video platform in its looming social media ban for children, despite it being initially exempt when legislation was passed last year. The government has announced, after months of speculation, that it will include YouTube in its ban for under-16s, risking a potentially bitter legal battle with parent company Google. The online video service will be classified as an "age-restricted social media platform" under the legislation, alongside Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and X. The platforms will face penalties of up to $49.5 million if they fail to block sign-ups and active accounts belonging to users under 16 from 10 December. Online gaming platforms, messaging services like WhatsApp, health and education services will be spared. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said when announcing the policy change: "Social media is doing social harm to our children, and I want Australian parents to know that we have their backs." Communications Minister Anika Wells said: "There's a place for social media, but there's not a place for predatory algorithms targeting children." YouTube defends platform, says it will 'consider next steps' In a statement posted on Google's blog on Wednesday, a YouTube spokesperson said the company shares the government's goal of reducing online harm. "Our position remains clear: YouTube is a video sharing platform with a library of free, high-quality content, increasingly viewed on TV screens. It's not social media," they said, "The government's announcement today reverses a clear, public commitment to exclude YouTube from this ban. We will consider next steps and will continue to engage with the government." Communications minister says 'Big Wiggle' lobbied for exemption On Wednesday, Wells revealed Google sent the management team of Australian children's music group The Wiggles to try and "persuade" her into keeping the platform exempt. Communications Minister Anika Wells said the management team for children's entertainers, The Wiggles, had tried to "persuade" her to keep YouTube exempt from the ban. Source: AAP / Russell Freeman "That was Big Wiggle. This was Wiggles Inc, the management around the Wiggles," Wells said while appearing on the Today Show. "The Wiggles are a treasured Australian institution. But like I said to them, you're arguing that my four-year-old twins' right to have a YouTube login is more important than the fact that four out of 10 of their peers will experience online harm on YouTube." Why is YouTube being included in the social media ban? However, last month, eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant wrote to Wells, making a formal recommendation that YouTube be included among the banned platforms. Inman Grant said the recommendation was based on research conducted by eSafety, which found YouTube was the most prevalent social media platform young Australians were accessing, and also the most frequent place they were experiencing harm online. Speaking at the National Press Club last month, Inman Grant said she recommended that no single platform be granted a specific carve-out from the ban, because the relative risks and harms can change at any point. How will the ban on YouTube work? SBS News understands the restrictions placed on YouTube will allow the YouTube Kids platform to operate, and minors are also permitted to watch videos on the website in a logged-out state or under parental supervision. But under-16s will not be allowed to have active YouTube accounts or subscribe to YouTube channels. Unlike many of the other platforms included in the ban, YouTube doesn't require users to have an account or be logged in to access content. Google could consider legal options In the hours before the decision was made public on Tuesday evening, Google (YouTube's parent company) ramped up its lobbying efforts, with a YouTube creator event scheduled in the Great Hall at Parliament House on Wednesday. This week, Google wrote to Wells, asking her "to uphold the integrity of the legislative process and protect the age-appropriate experiences and safeguards we provide for young Australians". The company warned it would consider its legal options if included in the ban, warning the restrictions could impact the implied constitutional freedom of political communications. In June, Inman Grant rejected claims that the decision would impact educators and schools. "There is nothing in the legislation that prevents educators with their own accounts from continuing to incorporate school-approved educational content on YouTube or any other service just as they do now."
SBS Australia
2 days ago
- Business
- SBS Australia
Confirmed: YouTube included in Australia's social media ban despite legal threats
The government has announced after months of speculation, it will include YouTube in its looming social media ban for children, risking a potentially bitter legal battle with Google. The online video service will be classified as an "age-restricted social media platform" under the legislation, alongside Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Tiktok and X. The platforms will face penalties of up to $49.5 million if they fail to block sign-ups and active accounts belonging to users under-16 from December 10. SBS News understands the restrictions placed on YouTube will allow the YouTube Kids platform to operate, and minors are also permitted to watch videos on the website in a logged-out state or under parental supervision. But under-16s will not be allowed to have active YouTube accounts or subscribe to YouTube channels. "There's a place for social media, but there's not a place for predatory algorithms targeting children," Communications Minister Annika Wells said. "There is no one perfect solution when it comes to keeping young Australians safer online – but the social media minimum age will make a significantly positive difference to their wellbeing." The decision to add YouTube to the list of impacted services follows advice from eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant. Online gaming platforms, messaging services like WhatsApp, health and education services will be spared. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the decision was a signal "we stand on the side of families." "Social media has a social responsibility and there is no doubt that Australian kids are being negatively impacted by online platforms so I'm calling time on it," he said. In the hours before the decision was made public Google (YouTube's parent company) ramped up its lobbying efforts, with an elaborate event staged in Parliament House on Wednesday afternoon. This week Google wrote to the Communications Minister, asking her "to uphold the integrity of the legislative process and protect the age-appropriate experiences and safeguards we provide for young Australians." "YouTube is a video sharing platform, not a social media service, that offers benefit and value to younger Australians," a YouTube spokesperson said on Sunday. Inman Grant in June rejected claims the decision would impact educators and schools. "There is nothing in the legislation that prevents educators with their own accounts from continuing to incorporate school-approved educational content on YouTube or any other service just as they do now," she told the National Press Club.
CBC
2 days ago
- Sport
- CBC
As women's sports grows, so do the threats to racialized athletes
This past weekend, both the Women's Euros and the Women's African Cup of Nations crowned new champions, with England and Nigeria, respectively, emerging victorious. For the WEuros, hosted in Switzerland, 29 of 31 matches were sold out, setting a record for overall attendance with more than 650,000 tickets sold. The African finals, held in Rabat, Morocco, saw views and engagement online skyrocket from previous tournaments, largely because of partnerships with YouTube, TikTok and X. Prize money has increased and merchandise is flying off the shelves. On this side of the pond, as the new Northern Super League advances boldly into the second half of the season, we can feel the energy and the power of the movement that is global women's soccer. But not all is coming up roses. There were deplorable instances of racism and misogyny around the WEuros and it begs the question, with the growth of women's soccer, do we also see a burgeoning cloud of racism expanding overhead? With all the growth and attention, does it come with heightened forms of abuse in women's sport? This has been reported on with respect to the WNBA, and reporting shows that there is a " darker vibe shift" in women's sports spaces. Discussions of safety protocols and strategies should be top of mind. Jess Carter of England's Lionesses and NWSL's Gotham FC posted online that she was stepping away from social media because of the rampant racist and misogynistic abuse she received after England lost their first match against France. The national team rallied around her and there was a sweep of support online for Carter and other Black players. The issue isn't only singling out a particular player for their ill-perceived performance. It's that attacks on racialized women will often be layered with misogynoir, xenophobia, and a litany of other societal cancers. The English squad has only a few of Black women, one of which, Michelle Aygemang, was hailed as the "super sub" because in two playoff matches, she came off the bench and scored the game-winning goals. Despite those achievements, people noticed that King Charles's statement of support ahead of the final omitted Aygemang's face completely. I spoke with Liz Mary Ward, who works with UEFA and other football organizations on diversity and inclusion, about what can be done to eradicate racism in the women's soccer ecosystem. "If Black and Brown people are already undervalued by society, and this is compounded by the media, I think that creates a base-level of injustice that provides a fertile breeding ground for hate," Ward said. "When cultural commentators point out these very low-level micro aggressions, they are often met immediately with anger, defensiveness, or cries of reverse-racism, which tends to very quickly end in racist comments and threats." I can certainly add that racialized women columnists also get intense levels of abusive emails or messages if they speak out against racism or toxic cultures within sport. It almost feels unjust that as women's sport grows and continues to thrive, we see increased hatred hurled at women. Are the league and governing bodies prepared to manage this onslaught of abuses? FIFA recently decided to cancel anti-racism messaging at the men's Club World Cup venues in the U.S. just weeks before the women's tournaments. Would it set a precedent? Minky Warden of Human Rights Watch said, "Any cancellation of FIFA's well-established campaigns to eradicate hateful actions in sport is an inexplicable and inexcusable step backward." During the NSL pre-season, Montreal Roses player Latifah Abd posted to her Instagram story about receiving abuse steeped in misogynoir. The NSL responded immediately. I reached out to FIFA, UEFA, Canada Soccer and the NSL to ask whether they had a sense of accountability, and any policies and strategies to eradicate racism in women's sport. The NSL said it fosters a positive environment in the stadiums, and enforces codes of conduct for fans, employees and players, and a third-party reporting system of violations of policies. Canada Soccer said it needed more time to properly respond, but In the past it has offered anti-racism literacy and action learnings and workshops in the past. According to its website, Canada Soccer has an "ongoing commitment to amplify the stories of our Black athletes and leaders." UEFA responded with a long list of policies and practices consisting of awareness, engagement and actions — including their partnership with Fare's match observer program. In 2021, UEFA approved a human rights commitment and, almost ironically, UEFA said "a human rights declaration issued in March 2025, under which the Swiss federal government, host cities, the Swiss Football Association and UEFA made a joint declaration to respect, protect and promote human rights at this summer's UEFA Women's Euro 2025 tournament." FIFA said their policies and practices, including the FIFA Social Media Protection service which filters online abuse, protect players, teams and officials. UEFA has a similar program. I am not aware whether Carter or Abdu registered for these programs. Online abuse can often muddy the waters because it's difficult to track commenters down and penalize them or hold them accountable. There should be lifetime bans from soccer events and matches for racist abuse in stadiums and online. The reality is that despite all the well-intentioned programs in the world, racialized and misogynist hatred can fester. One can have a barrage of policies and practice but whether they are effective remains to be seen. Much of this boils down to the human aspect: action and reaction from us — whether we are on the pitch, in the press box or in the stands. "How we all learn from moments like this is key," Ward said. "And supporters taking time to learn about different communities' experiences within their environments is key to creating a culture that is more inclusive. Learn about racist dog whistles, learn about your own biases, and become absolutely dedicated to always calling out injustice."
SBS Australia
2 days ago
- Business
- SBS Australia
Confirmed: YouTube included in Australia's teen social media ban despite legal threats
The government has announced after months of speculation, it will include YouTube in its looming social media ban for children, risking a potentially bitter legal battle with Google. The online video service will be classified as an "age-restricted social media platform" under the legislation, alongside Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Tiktok and X. The platforms will face penalties of up to $49.5 million if they fail to block sign-ups and active accounts belonging to users under-16 from December 10. SBS News understands the restrictions placed on YouTube will allow the YouTube Kids platform to operate, and minors are also permitted to watch videos on the website in a logged-out state or under parental supervision. But under-16s will not be allowed to have active YouTube accounts or subscribe to YouTube channels. "There's a place for social media, but there's not a place for predatory algorithms targeting children," Communications Minister Annika Wells said. "There is no one perfect solution when it comes to keeping young Australians safer online – but the social media minimum age will make a significantly positive difference to their wellbeing." The decision to add YouTube to the list of impacted services follows advice from eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant. Online gaming platforms, messaging services like WhatsApp, health and education services will be spared. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the decision was a signal "we stand on the side of families." "Social media has a social responsibility and there is no doubt that Australian kids are being negatively impacted by online platforms so I'm calling time on it," he said. In the hours before the decision was made public Google (YouTube's parent company) ramped up its lobbying efforts, with an elaborate event staged in Parliament House on Wednesday afternoon. This week Google wrote to the Communications Minister, asking her "to uphold the integrity of the legislative process and protect the age-appropriate experiences and safeguards we provide for young Australians." "YouTube is a video sharing platform, not a social media service, that offers benefit and value to younger Australians," a YouTube spokesperson said on Sunday. Inman Grant in June rejected claims the decision would impact educators and schools. "There is nothing in the legislation that prevents educators with their own accounts from continuing to incorporate school-approved educational content on YouTube or any other service just as they do now," she told the National Press Club.
