Analysis | Digital Watch Observatory

27 Mar 2025

X’s Türkiye tangle, between freedom of speech, control, and digital defiance

Freedom of speech has taken centre stage this week, with Türkiye’s streets erupting in mass protests and Elon Musk’s platform X again under fire.

19 Mar 2025

America’s Bitcoin gamble: A power play for financial dominance

The US is leading a Bitcoin charge—will the world follow, or is this just another high-stakes power move?

12 Mar 2025

The future of digital regulation between the EU and the US

The EU’s bold Digital Markets and Services Acts set the stage for a transatlantic clash with the US over the regulation of tech giants. As Brussels pursues digital sovereignty, Washington defends innovation. Could these tensions reshape the global digital landscape?

27 Feb 2025

OEWG’s tenth substantive session: Entering the eleventh hour

The OEWG’s tenth session in February 2025 saw states emphasise collective action against cyber threats, address divisions on norms implementation and binding regulations, highlight the Voluntary Fund and Capacity-Building Portal, and discuss the future permanent mechanism for ICT security.

26 Feb 2025

Basketball spirit through cutting-edge technology: What did the NBA Tech Summit deliver?

Augmented reality features like ‘Tabletop’ allow NBA fans to view matches from multiple angles, analyse performances in real time, and simulate alternative outcomes.

24 Feb 2025

Overview of AI policy in 15 jurisdictions

These approaches illustrate a global shift towards embracing AI’s transformative potential while considering the ethical and societal implications, fostering international cooperation to future-proof technological advancements.

12 Feb 2025

Data Protection Day 2025: A new mandate for data protection

From panel debates on global data governance to the future of AI in Europe, Data Protection Day 2025 tackled the most pressing issues in data protection.

4 Feb 2025

Legacy media vs social media and alternative media channels

In this digitally porous media world, information spreads faster than ever, empowering creativity but also unleashing avalanches of misinformation and deepfakes that blur reality. High-profile clashes, from Novak Djokovic boycotting Channel 9 over biassed remarks to Joe Rogan’s podcast reshaping political narratives or Elon Musk’s critique of legacy media’s ‘negativity filter,’ expose the fierce battle between traditional media control and the unfiltered freedom of modern platforms.

31 Jan 2025

DeepSeek: Speeding up the planet or levelling with ChatGPT?

As DeepSeek gains popularity, its commitment to open-source ethics and transparency in AI could shape the industry’s future, though the full extent of its impact remains to be seen amidst the competitive pressures it faces.

30 Jan 2025

Can quantum computing break the cryptocurrency’s code?

Quantum computing’s rise brings both transformative potential and significant challenges to blockchain and cryptocurrency, driving innovation in quantum-resistant technologies to secure the future of decentralised finance.