Consumer protection

AI tools enable large-scale monetisation of political misinformation in the UK

YouTube channels spreading fake and inflammatory anti-Labour videos have attracted more than a billion views this year, as opportunistic creators use AI-generated content to monetise political division in the UK.

Research by non-profit group Reset Tech identified more than 150 channels promoting hostile narratives about the Labour Party and Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The study found the channels published over 56,000 videos, gaining 5.3 million subscribers and nearly 1.2 billion views in 2025.

Many videos used alarmist language, AI-generated scripts and British-accented narration to boost engagement. Starmer was referenced more than 15,000 times in titles or descriptions, often alongside fabricated claims of arrests, political collapse or public humiliation.

Reset Tech said the activity reflects a wider global trend driven by cheap AI tools and engagement-based incentives. Similar networks were found across Europe, although UK-focused channels were mostly linked to creators seeking advertising revenue rather than foreign actors.

YouTube removed all identified channels after being contacted, citing spam and deceptive practices as violations of its policies. Labour officials warned that synthetic misinformation poses a serious threat to democratic trust, urging platforms to act more quickly and strengthen their moderation systems.

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Indonesia fines Platform X for pornographic content violations

Platform X has paid an administrative fine of nearly Rp80 million after failing to meet Indonesia’s content moderation requirements related to pornographic material, according to the country’s digital regulator.

The Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs said the payment was made on 12 December 2025, after a third warning letter and further exchanges with the company. Officials confirmed that Platform X appointed a representative to complete the process, who is based in Singapore.

The regulator welcomed the company’s compliance, framing the payment as a demonstration of responsibility by an electronic system operator under Indonesian law. Authorities said the move supports efforts to keep the national digital space safe, healthy, and productive.

All funds were processed through official channels and transferred directly to the state treasury managed by the Ministry of Finance, in line with existing regulations, the ministry said.

Officials said enforcement actions against domestic and global platforms, including those operating from regional hubs such as Singapore, remain a priority. The measures aim to protect children and vulnerable groups and encourage stronger content moderation and communication.

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EU moves to tax low-value e-commerce parcels

The European Commission welcomed the decision by EU Member States to introduce a €3 customs duty on low-value e-commerce parcels arriving from third countries.

A measure, which enters into force in July 2026, that applies to items valued below €150 and aims to restore fair competition instead of allowing online imports to benefit from longstanding exemptions.

The move responds to the rapid growth of cross-border e-commerce shipments and will operate as a temporary solution until the EU Customs Data Hub becomes fully operational in 2028.

Until then, the Council and the Commission will coordinate legal changes and IT systems to ensure smooth implementation and effective customs supervision across the Union.

Once the Customs Data Hub is in place, a permanent customs duty regime will replace the temporary measure, offering authorities a comprehensive view of goods entering and leaving the EU.

The €3 duty applies only to parcels sent directly to consumers and remains separate from ongoing negotiations on a handling fee intended to offset the rising operational costs faced by customs authorities.

The reform builds on earlier Commission proposals to remove duty exemptions for low-value parcels and forms part of the most extensive overhaul of EU customs rules in decades.

European institutions argue that modernised customs controls are essential instead of relying on outdated frameworks, particularly as global e-commerce volumes continue to expand.

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AI reshapes cybercrime investigations in India

Maharashtra police are expanding the use of an AI-powered investigation platform developed with Microsoft to tackle the rapid growth of cybercrime.

MahaCrimeOS AI, already in use across Nagpur district, will now be deployed to more than 1,100 police stations statewide, significantly accelerating case handling and investigation workflows.

The system acts as an investigation copilot, automating complaint intake, evidence extraction and legal documentation across multiple languages.

Officers can analyse transaction trails, request data from banks and telecom providers and follow standardised investigation pathways, instead of relying on slow manual processes.

Built using Microsoft Foundry and Azure OpenAI Service, MahaCrimeOS AI integrates policing protocols, criminal law references and open-source intelligence.

Investigators report major efficiency gains, handling several cases monthly where only one was previously possible, while maintaining procedural accuracy and accountability.

The initiative highlights how responsible AI deployment can strengthen public institutions.

By reducing administrative burden and improving investigative capacity, the platform allows officers to focus on victim support and crime resolution, marking a broader shift toward AI-assisted governance in India.

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OpenAI outlines safeguards as AI cyber capabilities advance

Cyber capabilities in advanced AI models are improving rapidly, delivering clear benefits for cyberdefence while introducing new dual-use risks that require careful management, according to OpenAI’s latest assessment.

The company points to sharp gains in capture-the-flag performance, with success rates rising from 27 percent in August to 76 percent by November 2025. OpenAI says future models could reach high cyber capability, including assistance with sophisticated intrusion techniques.

To address this, OpenAI says it is prioritising defensive use cases, investing in tools that help security teams audit code, patch vulnerabilities, and respond more effectively to threats. The goal is to give defenders an advantage in an often under-resourced environment.

OpenAI argues that cybersecurity cannot be governed through a single safeguard, as defensive and offensive techniques overlap. Instead, it applies a defence-in-depth approach that combines access controls, monitoring, detection systems, and extensive red teaming to limit misuse.

Alongside these measures, the company plans new initiatives, including trusted access programmes for defenders, agent-based security tools in private testing, and the creation of a Frontier Risk Council. OpenAI says these efforts reflect a long-term commitment to cyber resilience.

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EU tightens customs rules on low-cost e-commerce parcels

EU member states have agreed to introduce a €3 customs duty on low-value e-commerce parcels entering the bloc, marking a significant shift in how online imports are taxed. The new duty will apply to individual items worth less than €150 that are shipped directly to the EU consumers from non-EU countries and is set to take effect in July 2026.

The European Commission says the measure responds to the rapid growth of e-commerce imports and aims to level the playing field between online sellers based outside the EU and European retailers, which are already subject to customs duties and other costs. The duty is designed as a temporary solution ahead of broader reforms of the EU customs system.

The interim regime will remain in place until the planned EU Customs Data Hub becomes operational in 2028. Once established, the hub is expected to provide customs authorities with a comprehensive, real-time overview of goods entering and leaving the EU, allowing for a permanent and more integrated customs duty framework for e-commerce.

The €3 customs duty is separate from a proposed EU-wide handling fee on e-commerce parcels, which is still under negotiation. While the duty addresses competitive imbalances, the handling fee would compensate customs authorities for the rising costs of supervising the growing volume of small parcels.

Under current plans, the fee could take effect later in 2026, pending an agreement between the EU institutions.

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Trump signs order blocking individual US states from enforcing AI rules

US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order aimed at preventing individual US states from enforcing their own AI regulations, arguing that AI oversight should be handled at the federal level. Speaking at the White House, Trump said a single national framework would avoid fragmented rules, while his AI adviser, David Sacks, added that the administration would push back against what it views as overly burdensome state laws, except for measures focused on child safety.

The move is welcomed by major technology companies, which have long warned that a patchwork of state-level regulations could slow innovation and weaken the US position in the global AI race, particularly in comparison to China. Industry groups say a unified national approach would provide clarity for companies investing billions of dollars in AI development and help maintain US leadership in the sector.

However, the executive order has sparked strong backlash from several states, most notably California. Governor Gavin Newsom criticised the decision as an attempt to undermine state protections, pointing to California’s own AI law that requires large developers to address potential risks posed by their models.

Other states, including New York and Colorado, have also enacted AI regulations, arguing that state action is necessary in the absence of comprehensive federal safeguards.

Critics warn that blocking state laws could leave consumers exposed if federal rules are weak or slow to emerge, while some legal experts caution that a national framework will only be effective if it offers meaningful protections. Despite these concerns, tech lobby groups have praised the order and expressed readiness to work with the White House and Congress to establish nationwide AI standards.

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Reddit challenges Australia’s teen social media ban

The US social media company, Reddit, has launched legal action in Australia as the country enforces the world’s first mandatory minimum age for social media access.

Reddit argues that banning users under 16 prevents younger Australians from taking part in political debate, instead of empowering them to learn how to navigate public discussion.

Lawyers representing the company argue that the rule undermines the implied freedom of political communication and could restrict future voters from understanding the issues that will shape national elections.

Australia’s ban took effect on December 10 and requires major platforms to block underage users or face penalties that can reach nearly 50 million Australian dollars.

Companies are relying on age inference and age estimation technologies to meet the obligation, although many have warned that the policy raises privacy concerns in addition to limiting online expression.

The government maintains that the law is designed to reduce harm for younger users and has confirmed that the list of prohibited platforms may expand as new safety issues emerge.

Reddit’s filing names the Commonwealth of Australia and Communications Minister Anika Wells. The minister’s office says the government intends to defend the law and will prioritise the protection of young Australians, rather than allowing open access to high-risk platforms.

The platform’s challenge follows another case brought by an internet rights group that claims the legislation represents an unfair restriction on free speech.

A separate list identifies services that remain open for younger users, such as Roblox, Pinterest and YouTube Kids. At the same time, platforms including Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, Reddit and X are blocked for those under sixteen.

The case is expected to shape future digital access rights in Australia, as online communities become increasingly central to political education and civic engagement among emerging voters.

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India moves toward mandatory AI royalty regime

India is weighing a sweeping copyright framework that would require AI companies to pay royalties for training on copyrighted works under a mandatory blanket licence branded as the hybrid ‘One Nation, One Licence, One Payment’ model.

A new Copyright Royalties Collective for AI Training, or CRCAT, would collect payments from developers and distribute money to creators. AI firms would have to rely only on lawfully accessed material and file detailed summaries of training datasets, including data types and sources.

The panel is expected to favour flat, revenue-linked percentages on global earnings from commercial AI systems, reviewed roughly every three years and open to legal challenge in court.

Obligations would apply retroactively to AI developers that have already trained profitable models on copyright-protected material, framed by Indian policymakers as a corrective measure for the creative ecosystem.

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Swiss city deepens crypto adoption as 350 businesses now accept Bitcoin

The Swiss city of Lugano has advanced one of Europe’s most ambitious crypto-adoption programmes, with more than 350 shops and restaurants now accepting Bitcoin for everyday purchases, alongside municipal services such as pre-school childcare.

The city has distributed crypto-payment terminals free to local merchants, part of its Plan B initiative, launched in partnership with Tether to position Lugano as a European bitcoin hub.

Merchants cite lower transaction fees compared to credit cards, though adoption remains limited in practice. City officials and advocates envision a future ‘circular economy,’ where residents earn and spend bitcoin locally.

Early real-world tests suggest residents can conduct most daily purchases in Bitcoin, though gaps remain in public transport, fuel and utilities.

Lugano’s strategy comes as other national or city-level cryptocurrency initiatives have struggled. El Salvador’s experiment with making Bitcoin legal tender has seen minimal uptake, while cities such as Ljubljana and Zurich have been more successful in encouraging crypto-friendly ecosystems.

Analysts and academics warn that Lugano faces significant risks, including bitcoin’s volatility, reputational exposure linked to illicit use, and vulnerabilities tied to custodial digital wallets.

Switzerland’s deposit-guarantee protections do not extend to crypto assets, which raises concerns about consumer protection. The mayor, however, dismisses fears of criminal finance, arguing that cash remains far more attractive for illicit transactions.

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