New laws that mandate companies notify individuals about data breaches add to Privacy Commissioner's already-stacked caseload, but do not come with new funding.

Industry heads cite global factors for surge; see the currency reaching $US2000 by the end of the year.

Australians now have some comfort they will at least be notified if there's a massive leak of online personal data and many companies are expected to ramp up cyber security after federal parliament passed mandatory breach reporting laws.

Alphabet's self-driving car business, Waymo, sued Uber Technologies Inc. for stealing trade secrets in the development of autonomous cars, accelerating an already-heated rivalry over the nascent technology.

Pay TV bundling refuses to die, but the pressure is on to offer bite-sized pricing in the Netflix age.