Indonesia promises to bolster digital sovereignty and AI talent on Independence Day

Indonesia marked its 80th Independence Day by reaffirming its commitment to digital sovereignty and technology-driven inclusion.

The Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs, following President Prabowo Subianto’s ‘Indonesia Incorporated’ directive, highlighted efforts to build an inclusive, secure, and efficient digital ecosystem.

Priorities include deploying 4G networks in remote regions, expanding public internet services, and reinforcing the Palapa Ring broadband infrastructure.

On the talent front, the government launched a Digital Talent Scholarship and AI Talent Factory to nurture AI skills, from beginners to specialists, setting the stage for future AI innovation domestically.

In parallel, digital protection measures have been bolstered: over 1.2 million pieces of harmful content have been blocked, while new regulations under the Personal Data Protection Law, age-verification, content monitoring, and reporting systems have been introduced to enhance child safety online.

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Bluesky updates rules and invites user feedback ahead of October rollout

Two years after launch, Bluesky is revising its Community Guidelines and other policies, inviting users to comment on the proposed changes before they take effect on 15 October 2025.

The updates are designed to improve clarity, outline safety procedures in more detail, and meet the requirements of new global regulations such as the UK’s Online Safety Act, the EU’s Digital Services Act, and the US’s TAKE IT DOWN Act.

Some changes aim to shape the platform’s tone by encouraging respectful and authentic interactions, while allowing space for journalism, satire, and parody.

The revised guidelines are organised under four principles: Safety First, Respect Others, Be Authentic, and Follow the Rules. They prohibit promoting violence, illegal activity, self-harm, and sexualised depictions of minors, as well as harmful practices like doxxing and non-consensual data-sharing.

Bluesky says it will provide a more detailed appeals process, including an ‘informal dispute resolution’ step, and in some cases will allow court action instead of arbitration.

The platform has also addressed nuanced issues such as deepfakes, hate speech, and harassment, while acknowledging past challenges in moderation and community relations.

Alongside the guidelines, Bluesky has updated its Privacy Policy and Copyright Policy to comply with international laws on data rights, transfer, deletion, takedown procedures and transparency reporting.

These changes will take effect on 15 September 2025 without a public feedback period.

The company’s approach contrasts with larger social networks by introducing direct user communication for disputes, though it still faces the challenge of balancing open dialogue with consistent enforcement.

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YouTube’s AI flags viewers as minors, creators demand safeguards

YouTube’s new AI age check, launched on 13 August 2025, flags suspected minors based on their viewing habits. Over 50,000 creators petitioned against it, calling it ‘AI spying’. The backlash reveals deep tensions between child safety and online anonymity.

Flagged users must verify their age with ID, credit card, or a facial scan. Creators say the policy risks normalising surveillance and shrinking digital freedoms.

SpyCloud’s 2025 report found a 22% jump in stolen identities, raising alarm over data uploads. Critics fear YouTube’s tool could invite hackers. Past scandals over AI-generated content have already hurt creator trust.

Users refer to it on X as a ‘digital ID dragnet’. Many are switching platforms or tweaking content to avoid flags. WebProNews says creators demand opt-outs, transparency, and stronger human oversight of AI systems.

As global regulation tightens, YouTube could shape new norms. Experts urge a balance between safety and privacy. Creators push for deletion rules to avoid identity risks in an increasingly surveilled online world.

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EU member states clash over the future of encrypted private messaging

The ongoing controversy around the EU’s proposed mandatory scanning of private messages has escalated with the European Parliament intensifying pressure on the Council to reach a formal agreement.

A leaked memo reveals that the Parliament threatens to block the extension of the current voluntary scanning rules unless mandatory chat control is agreed upon.

Denmark, leading the EU Council Presidency, has pushed a more stringent version of the so-called Chat Control law that could become binding as soon as 14 October 2025.

While the Parliament argues the law is essential for protecting children online, many legal experts and rights groups warn the proposal still violates fundamental human rights, particularly the right to privacy and secure communication.

The Council’s Legal Service has repeatedly noted that the draft infringes on these rights since it mandates scanning all private communications, undermining end-to-end encryption that most messaging apps rely on.

Some governments, including Germany and Belgium, remain hesitant or opposed, citing these serious concerns.

Supporters like Italy, Spain, and Hungary have openly backed Denmark’s proposal, signalling a shift in political will towards stricter measures. France’s position has also become more favourable, though internal debate continues.

Opponents warn that weakening encryption could open the door to cyber attacks and foreign interference, while proponents emphasise the urgent need to prevent abuse and close loopholes in existing law.

The next Council meeting in September will be critical in shaping the final form of the regulation.

The dispute highlights the persistent tension between digital privacy and security, reflecting broader European challenges in regulating encrypted communications.

As the October deadline approaches, the EU faces a defining moment in balancing child protection with protecting the confidentiality of citizens’ communications.

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Tech giants under fire in Australia for failing online child protection standards

Australia’s eSafety commissioner report showed that tech giants, including Apple, Google, Meta, and Microsoft, have failed to act against online child sexual abuse. Namely, it was found that Apple and YouTube do not track the number of abuse reports they receive or how quickly they respond, raising serious concerns. Additionally, both companies failed to disclose the number of trust and safety staff they employ, highlighting ongoing transparency and accountability issues in protecting children online.

In July 2024, the eSafety Commissioner of Australia took action by issuing legally enforceable notices to major tech companies, pressuring them to improve their response to child sexual abuse online.

These notices legally require recipients to comply within a set timeframe. Under the order, each companies were required to report eSafety every six months over a two-year period, detailing their efforts to combat child sexual abuse material, livestreamed abuse, online grooming, sexual extortion, and AI-generated content.

While these notices were issued in 2022 and 2023, there has been minimal effort by the companies to take action to prevent such crimes, according to Australia’s eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant.

Key findings from the eSafety commissioner are:

  • Apple did not use hash-matching tools to detect known CSEA images on iCloud (which was opt-in, end-to-end encrypted) and did not use hash-matching tools to detect known CSEA videos on iCloud or iCloud email. For iMessage and FaceTime (which were end-to-end encrypted), Apple only used Communication Safety, Apple’s safety intervention to identify images or videos that likely contain nudity, as a means of ‘detecting’ CSEA.
  • Discord did not use hash-matching tools for known CSEA videos on any part of the service (despite using hash-matching tools for known images and tools to detect new CSEA material).
  • Google did not use hash-matching tools to detect known CSEA images on Google Messages (end-to-end encrypted), nor did it detect known CSEA videos on Google Chat, Google Messages, or Gmail.
  • Microsoft did not use hash-matching tools for known CSEA images stored on OneDrive18, nor did it use hash-matching tools to detect known videos within content stored on OneDrive or Outlook.

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EU proposal to scan private messages gains support

The European Union’s ‘Chat Control’ proposal is gaining traction, with 19 member states now supporting a plan to scan all private messages on encrypted apps. From October, apps like WhatsApp, Signal, and Telegram must scan all messages, photos, and videos on users’ devices before encryption.

France, Denmark, Belgium, Hungary, Sweden, Italy, and Spain back the measure, while Germany has yet to decide. The proposal could pass by mid-October under the EU’s qualified majority voting system if Germany joins.

The initiative aims to prevent child sexual abuse material (CSAM) but has sparked concerns over mass surveillance and the erosion of digital privacy.

In addition to scanning, the proposal would introduce mandatory age verification, which could remove anonymity on messaging platforms. Critics argue the plan amounts to real-time surveillance of private conversations and threatens fundamental freedoms.

Telegram founder Pavel Durov recently warned of societal collapse in France due to censorship and regulatory pressure. He disclosed attempts by French officials to censor political content on his platform, which he refused to comply with.

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The end of the analogue era and the cognitive rewiring of new generations

Navigating a world beyond analogue

The digital transformation of daily life represents more than just a change in technological format. It signals a deep cultural and cognitive reorientation.

Rather than simply replacing analogue tools with digital alternatives, society has embraced an entirely new way of interacting with information, memory, time, and space.

For younger generations born into this reality, digital mediation is not an addition but the default mode of experiencing the world. A redefinition like this introduces not only speed and convenience but also cognitive compromises, cultural fragmentation, and a fading sense of patience and physical memory.

Generation Z as digital natives

Generation Z has grown up entirely within the digital realm. Unlike older cohorts who transitioned from analogue practices to digital habits, members of Generation Z were born into a world of touchscreen interfaces, search engines, and social media ecosystems.

As Generation Z enters the workforce, the gap between digital natives and older generations is becoming increasingly apparent. For them, technology has never been a tool to learn. It has always been a natural extension of their daily life.

young university students using laptop and studying with books in library school education concept

The term ‘digital native’, first coined by Marc Prensky in 2001, refers precisely to those who have never known a world without the internet. Rather than adapting to new tools, they process information through a technology-first lens.

In contrast, digital immigrants (those born before the digital boom) have had to adjust their ways of thinking and interacting over time. While access to technology might be broadly equal across generations in developed countries, the way individuals engage with it differs significantly.

Instead of acquiring digital skills later in life, they developed them alongside their cognitive and emotional identities. This fluency brings distinct advantages. Young people today navigate digital environments with speed, confidence, and visual intuition.

They can synthesise large volumes of information, switch contexts rapidly, and interact across multiple platforms with ease.

The hidden challenges of digital natives

However, the native digital orientation also introduces unique vulnerabilities. Information is rarely absorbed in depth, memory is outsourced to devices, and attention is fragmented by endless notifications and competing stimuli.

While older generations associate technology with productivity or leisure, Generation Z often experiences it as an integral part of their identity. The integration can obscure the boundary between thought and algorithm, between agency and suggestion.

Being a digital native is not just a matter of access or skill. It is about growing up with different expectations of knowledge, communication, and identity formation.

Memory and cognitive offloading: Access replacing retention

In the analogue past, remembering involved deliberate mental effort. People had to memorise phone numbers, use printed maps to navigate, or retrieve facts from memory rather than search engines.

The rise of smartphones and digital assistants has allowed individuals to delegate that mental labour to machines. Instead of internalising facts, people increasingly learn where and how to access them when needed, a practice known as cognitive offloading.

digital brain

Although the shift can enhance decision-making and productivity by reducing overload, it also reshapes the way the brain handles memory. Unlike earlier generations, who often linked memories to physical actions or objects, younger people encounter information in fast-moving and transient digital forms.

Memory becomes decentralised and more reliant on digital continuity than on internal recall. Rather than cognitive decline, this trend marks a significant restructuring of mental habits.

Attention and time: From linear focus to fragmented awareness

The analogue world demanded patience. Sending a letter meant waiting for days, rewinding a VHS tape required time, and listening to an album involved staying on the same set of songs in a row.

Digital media has collapsed these temporal structures. Communication is instant, entertainment is on demand, and every interface is designed to be constantly refreshed.

Instead of promoting sustained focus, digital environments often encourage continuous multitasking and quick shifts in attention. App designs, with their alerts, pop-ups, and endless scrolling, reinforce a habit of fragmented presence.

Studies have shown that multitasking not only reduces productivity but also undermines deeper understanding and reflection. Many younger users, raised in this environment, may find long periods of undivided attention unfamiliar or even uncomfortable.

The lost sense of the analogue

Analogue interactions involved more than sight and sound. Reading a printed book, handling vinyl records, or writing with a pen engaged the senses in ways that helped anchor memory and emotion. These physical rituals provided context and reinforced cognitive retention.

highlighter in male hand marked text in book education concept

Digital experiences, by contrast, are streamlined and screen-bound. Tapping icons and swiping a finger across glass lack the tactile diversity of older tools. Sensory uniformity might lead to a form of experiential flattening, where fewer physical cues are accessible to strengthen memory.

Digital photography lacks the permanence of a printed one, and music streamed online does not carry the same mnemonic weight as a cherished cassette or CD once did.

From communal rituals to personal streams

In the analogue era, media consumption was more likely to be shared. Families gathered around television sets, music was enjoyed communally, and photos were stored in albums passed down across generations.

These rituals helped synchronise cultural memory and foster emotional continuity and a sense of collective belonging.

The digital age favours individualised streams and asynchronous experiences. Algorithms personalise every feed, users consume content alone, and communication takes place across fragmented timelines.

While young people have adapted with fluency, creating their digital languages and communities, the collective rhythm of cultural experience is often lost.

People no longer share the same moment. They now experience parallel narratives shaped by personal profiles and rather than social connections.

Digital fatigue and social withdrawal

However, as the digital age reaches a point of saturation, younger generations are beginning to reconsider their relationship with the online world.

While constant connectivity dominates modern life, many are now striving to reclaim physical spaces, face-to-face interactions, and slower forms of communication.

In urban centres, people often navigate large, impersonal environments where community ties are weak and digital fatigue is contributing to a fresh wave of social withdrawal and isolation.

Despite living in a world designed to be more connected than ever before, younger generations are increasingly aware that a screen-based life can amplify loneliness instead of resolving it.

But the withdrawal from digital life has not been without consequences.

Those who step away from online platforms sometimes find themselves excluded from mainstream social, political, or economic systems.

Others struggle to form stable offline relationships because digital interaction has long been the default. Both groups would probably say that it feels like living on a razor’s edge.

Education and learning in a hybrid cognitive landscape

Education illustrates the analogue-to-digital shift with particular clarity. Students now rely heavily on digital sources and AI for notes, answers, and study aids.

The approach offers speed and flexibility, but it can also hinder the development of critical thinking and perseverance. Rather than engaging deeply with material, learners may skim or rely on summarised content, weakening their ability to reason through complex ideas.

ChatGPT students Jocelyn Leitzinger AI in education

Educators must now teach not only content but also digital self-awareness. Helping students understand how their tools shape their learning is just as important as the tools themselves.

A balanced approach that includes reading physical texts, taking handwritten notes, and scheduling offline study can help cultivate both digital fluency and analogue depth. This is not a nostalgic retreat, but a cognitive necessity.

Intergenerational perception and diverging mental norms

Older and younger generations often interpret each other through the lens of their respective cognitive habits. What seems like a distraction or dependency to older adults may be a different but functional way of thinking to younger people.

It is not a decline in ability, but an adaptation. Ultimately, each generation develops in response to the tools that shape its world.

Where analogue generations valued memorisation and sustained focus, digital natives tend to excel in adaptability, visual learning, and rapid information navigation.

multi generation family with parents using digital tablet with daughter at home

Bridging the gap means fostering mutual understanding and encouraging the retention of analogue strengths within a digital framework. Teaching young people to manage their attention, question their sources, and reflect deeply on complex issues remains vital.

Preserving analogue values in a digital world

The end of the analogue era involves more than technical obsolescence. It marks the disappearance of practices that once encouraged mindfulness, slowness, and bodily engagement.

Yet abandoning analogue values entirely would impoverish our cognitive and cultural lives. Incorporating such habits into digital living can offer a powerful antidote to distraction.

Writing by hand, spending time with printed books, or setting digital boundaries should not be seen as resistance to progress. Instead, these habits help protect the qualities that sustain long-term thinking and emotional presence.

Societies must find ways to integrate these values into digital systems and not treat them as separate or inferior modes.

Continuity by blending analogue and digital

As we have already mentioned, younger generations are not less capable than those who came before; they are simply attuned to different tools.

The analogue era may be gone for good, but its qualities need not be lost. We can preserve its depth, slowness, and shared rituals within a digital (or even a post-digital) world, using them to shape more balanced minds and more reflective societies.

To achieve something like this, education, policy, and cultural norms should support integration. Rather than focus solely on technical innovation, attention must also turn to its cognitive costs and consequences.

Only by adopting a broader perspective on human development can we guarantee that future generations are not only connected but also highly aware, capable of critical thinking, and grounded in meaningful memory.

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Moflin, Japan’s AI-powered robot pet with a personality

A fluffy, AI-powered robot pet named Moflin is capturing the imagination of consumers in Japan with its unique ability to develop distinct personalities based on how it is ‘raised.’ Developed by Casio, Moflin recognises its owner and learns their preferences through interactions such as cuddling and stroking, boasting over four million possible personality variations.

Priced at ¥59,400, Moflin has become more than just a companion at home, with some owners even taking it along on day trips. To complement the experience, Casio offers additional services, including a specialised salon to clean and maintain the robot’s fur, further enhancing its pet-like feel.

Erina Ichikawa, the lead developer, says the aim was to create a supportive sidekick capable of providing comfort during challenging moments, blending technology with emotional connection in a new way.

A similar ‘pet’ was also seen in China. Namely, AI-powered ‘smart pets’ like BooBoo are gaining popularity in China, especially among youth, offering emotional support and companionship. Valued for easing anxiety and isolation, the market is set to reach $42.5 billion by 2033, reflecting shifting social and family dynamics.

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US federal appeals court renews scrutiny in child exploitation suit against Musk’s X

A federal appeals court in San Francisco has reinstated critical parts of a lawsuit against Elon Musk’s social media platform X, previously known as Twitter, regarding child exploitation content. 

While recognising that X holds significant legal protections against liability for content posted by users, the 9th Circuit panel determined that the platform must address allegations of negligence stemming from delays in reporting explicit material involving minors to authorities.

The troubling case revolves around two minors who were tricked via SnapChat into providing explicit images, which were later compiled and widely disseminated on Twitter. 

Despite being alerted to the content, Twitter reportedly took nine days to remove it and notify the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, during which the disturbing video received over 167,000 views. 

The court emphasised that once the platform was informed, it had a clear responsibility to act swiftly, separating this obligation from typical protections granted by the Communications Decency Act.

The ruling additionally criticised X for having an infrastructure that allegedly impeded users’ ability to report child exploitation effectively. 

However, the court upheld the dismissal of other claims, including allegations that Twitter knowingly benefited from sex trafficking or deliberately amplified illicit content. 

Advocates for the victims welcomed the decision as a step toward accountability, setting the stage for further legal scrutiny and potential trial proceedings.

Source: Reuters

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