Эксперт: медиа десятилетиями продают страх, что особенно опасно для детей

Bad news is everywhere. On social media, television, newspapers and online. You don't need to go looking for it - bad news will find you in "push notifications" and in your social feeds. Subscribe now for unlimited access. or signup to continue reading All articles from our website The digital version of Today's Paper All other in your area Tim Ayliffe has already written the second book in the series. Picture by Mike Bowers For decades, the business of media and technology companies has been to grab attention by selling fear. Trust me, I know. I was a journalist and media executive for 25 years. The bombardment of pessimism can be daunting for adults. But just imagine the impact on young developing minds? There are a lot of scary things happening in the world right now - wars in Iran and Ukraine, the rise in dictatorial regimes, and an American president who is determined to rewrite the rulebook for the way the world operates. And there are other major challenges too - rising inequality and the determined recklessness of tech giants to "move fast and break things", as Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg likes to say. Meta has just agreed to pay $23.6 billion in damages in a landmark US court case where it was accused of purposely creating addictive algorithms harmful for kids. But Meta is not alone. Other tech companies like TikTok and Google are also accused of creating addictive algorithms and flooding the world with misinformation and other sometimes harmful content. The recklessness of tech companies combined with the "bad news" fixation of the media has painted the world as a scary place to be. But the reality is that for most of us the world has never been safer. This is especially true in a democracy like Australia, where we have great hospitals, schools, roads and infrastructure; where average incomes are higher than most developed nations and we have a culture that leads people to care for each other. But there are problems and challenges too. S.I.G.M.A. 1: Web of Spies by Tim Ayliffe. Through my adult novels, I have always tried to explore some of the biggest challenges of our time through fast-paced thrillers. Terrorism, misogynistic violence, far-right nationalism, racism and the global power games at play in the 21st century - to name a few. I have often said everything in my books either "has happened, will happen or could happen". I have taken a similar approach in trying to make sense of the world for younger readers with the S.I.G.M.A spy series. Because like adults, kids can't escape the news. Web of Spies is a real-world spy thriller involving Australia, the United States and Russia. A few years ago, Mike Burgess, the head of Australia's Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO), announced that a "hive" of Russian spies posing as diplomats had been uncovered in Canberra. The ASIO operation that led to these spies being exposed and expelled from the country was an inspiration for the book. I have been careful not to talk down to younger readers with this series. In fact, the plot of Web of Spies could just as easily have been the plot of one of my John Bailey adult thrillers. The key difference is that rather than a journalist or a cop being the key protagonist, the characters leading the charge in Web of Spies are three 14-year-old kids. The story begins with Ollie Speed stumbling across a dead body in Sydney's Centennial Park while on a training run for the school cross country. Ollie recognises the dead man - but doesn't know how, or why. MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS: Ollie's father, Henry, is a diplomat who disappeared in Germany 10 months earlier. When the dead man is identified as a CIA operative who was also a friend of Henry's, Ollie believes that if he can solve the American's murder, he might also find out what happened to his father. Ollie is helped on his mission by his two best friends, Ella, who wants to be a journalist, and George, who is obsessed with gadgets. Their adversaries are all adults with serious jobs in government and law enforcement. And while the bad people are armed with guns, Ollie, Ella and George must outwit them with electric bikes and a drone. The thing that surprised me most about writing Web of Spies was how much fun I had doing it. I've already written the second book in the series, and the third story is now taking shape in my mind. I loved reading as a kid. Books offered me a window into a grown-up world and faraway places that instilled in me a sense of adventure. Authors like Stephen King, John Marsden, Wilbur Smith, Jeffrey Archer, C.S. Lewis and Bryce Courtenay transported me to real and imagined places. Their stories made me question and wonder. They made me understand the complexities of the world and its people in safe and entertaining ways. I hope Web of Spies and the S.I.G.M.A series does the same for younger readers and the big kids who want to explore these pages too. About the author Tim Ayliffe is the author of thrillers for adults, and Web of Spies is his first book of suspense and intrigue for younger readers. After a 25-year career as a journalist in Australia and overseas, including senior roles at ABC News, Tim turned his love of mystery and high-stakes storytelling into fiction. He is the author of recent release Dark Desert Road and the popular John Bailey thriller series which is being adapted for a television series that starts filming in Sydney in October. S.I.G.M.A. 1: Web of Spies by Tim Ayliffe (Affirm Kids, $16.99) is out now. Love books? Us too! For more reads and recommendations, browse our Arts & Entertainment page and bookmark the page so you can find our latest book reviews and articles with ease. More from Books As it happens Breaking news alert Be the first to know when news breaks. 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