Digital Watch Observatory - Digital Governance in 50+ issues, 500+ actors, 5+ processes
The proposed agreement involves US companies managing TikTok's algorithm and Americans holding the majority of board seats.
An AI figure has stepped into the political spotlight with a ministerial role, stirring hopes of cleaner governance while igniting heated debate.
Experts say process failures, not just technology, drive the misconfiguration crisis.
Studies show AI complements human roles, but adoption and workflow changes take time to unlock productivity benefits.
China’s internet regulator has warned Kuaishou and Weibo for lax content controls, demanding reforms amid a broader crackdown on harmful online trends and celebrity gossip dominating trending topics.
Privacy concerns arose after Feastables collected children’s data without parental consent.
The investment could create up to 13,000 jobs, mostly outside London and the South East.
The new system combines Lidar, AI, and perception technology to tackle complex driving conditions across urban and highway environments.
Companies are betting on behavioural AI to predict and influence human decisions for better business outcomes.
Must read
Analysis
Techno(demo)cracy in action: How a five-day app blackout lit a Gen Z online movement in Nepal
Nepal’s five-day block on 26 social platforms sparked a youth-led mobilization shifted to VPNs, Discord and TikTok. Within days the ban ended and a leadership change opened the door to revisiting the social-media bill.
Analysis
When language models fabricate truth: AI hallucinations and the limits of trust
AI offers tools to expand access to justice globally, but without transparency, oversight, and human-rights safeguards, it risks deepening bias, exclusion, and eroding public trust.
Analysis
Unlocking the EU digital future with eIDAS 2 and digital wallets
eIDAS 2 and the European Digital Identity Wallet aim to secure online interactions, reduce bureaucracy, and empower citizens across the EU with a reliable and user-friendly digital identity.
Analysis
Is AI therapy safe, effective, and ethical?
AI chatbots may offer companionship, but they cannot replicate empathy or clinical expertise in mental healthcare.
Analysis
UN OEWG concludes, paving way for permanent cybersecurity mechanism
The OEWG on ICT security has adopted its Final Report after intense negotiations on responsible state behaviour in cyberspace. We unpack key takeaways, highlight key changes across drafts, and explore how a narrow path to agreement finally emerged.
DW monthly
Digital Watch newsletter – Issue 102 – July and August 2025
Issue 102: In our July-August 2025 issue, we explore the shifting balance of digital power: US chips versus China’s minerals, the global AI race, and cyber intrusions reshaping geopolitics. We highlight lessons from AI’s summer of disillusionment, the UN OEWG’s milestone on cybersecurity, and Geneva’s summer dialogues shaping digital governance.
DW WEEKLY
Weekly #230 Nepal’s Discord democracy: How a banned platform became a ballot box
Plus, TikTok ban deadline extended to December 2025, the latest in the US-China chip rivalry, the US-UK Tech Prosperity Deal, and countries stepping up oversight with teen and child safety measures, updates from Geneva and a look at the week ahead.
DW at a glance
TRENDING
The process towards a Global Digital Compact
How will the Global Digital Compact be developed and what will it focus on?
Explore the Observatory
Digital Technologies
From internet applications to quantum computing, we focus on advanced and emerging digital technologies which are increasingly reshaping our economies and societies.
Clusters of Policy topics
We unpack digital policy by exploring over 50 topics – from access and sustainable development to network security and the future of work – classified in 7 clusters.
Processes
Follow some of the most important digital policy processes, from the EU's work on the Digital Services Act/Digital Markets Act to the UN Cybercrime Ad Hoc Committee.