Content Policy Archives | Digital Watch Observatory

Spain reports higher removal of online hate speech content

Spain’s Observatory on Racism and Xenophobia identified 31,003 pieces of hate speech and discriminatory content on social media in May 2026, according to its monthly monitoring report.

The Observatory, known as OBERAXE, said digital platforms removed 65% of notified content, up from 56% in April. TikTok, X and Instagram recorded the highest removal rates, while the Trusted Flagger route continued to perform better than ordinary user reporting.

Trusted Flagger notifications accounted for 53% of removed content, compared with 48% in April. Content reported through ordinary user channels reached a removal rate of 12%, up from 8% the previous month.

The report found that 73% of detected content presented targeted groups as a threat, while dehumanising and severely degrading messages increased sharply compared with April. It also recorded frequent use of aggressive language and growing reliance on images, videos, memes and coded expressions.

People from North Africa remained the main target of online hate speech, followed by African and Afro-descendant people and Roma people. Narratives linked to citizen insecurity accounted for the largest share of detected content, followed by content related to social benefits and access to public resources.

OBERAXE said continued cooperation with digital platforms is essential to improve detection, removal procedures and policies aimed at combating discrimination online.

Why does it matter?

The report shows how hate speech monitoring is becoming part of platform governance and anti-discrimination policy. Spain’s data suggest that trusted reporting channels can improve removal rates, but the scale and persistence of hostile narratives show the limits of reactive moderation. The findings also raise wider questions about transparency, platform accountability and how governments can address online hate while protecting freedom of expression.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Ofcom fines adult site over age check failures

Ofcom has imposed an £80,000 fine on pornography provider First Time Videos LLC after finding that the company failed to implement legally required age assurance measures under the Online Safety Act.

The regulator concluded that the provider failed to implement the ‘highly effective’ age assurance measures required to prevent children from accessing pornographic content. According to Ofcom, robust age assurance measures are a central requirement of the UK’s online safety framework and play a key role in protecting minors online.

Alongside the enforcement action, Ofcom announced its provisional view that xgroovy.com may also have failed to comply with age assurance obligations under the legislation. The regulator further expanded an existing investigation into Sun Social Media Inc. to cover an additional adult website operated by the company.

Ofcom said the penalty was determined with regard to the size and turnover of the service, ensuring that the sanction remained proportionate while reinforcing compliance expectations across the sector.

Why does it matter?

The decision marks an important milestone in the implementation of the UK’s Online Safety Act, demonstrating that age assurance requirements are moving beyond policy commitments into active regulatory enforcement. By imposing financial penalties on non-compliant providers, Ofcom is signalling that online platforms hosting adult content will be expected to adopt effective measures to prevent children’s access.

The case also reflects a broader international trend towards stronger child online safety regulation. Governments and regulators increasingly view age assurance technologies as a key tool for protecting minors in digital environments, while balancing concerns around privacy, proportionality and implementation. Future enforcement actions could shape how platforms design and deploy age verification systems both in the UK and beyond.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Beijing publishing forum calls for AI copyright standards

Publishing leaders and professionals have called for clearer copyright rules and industry standards for the use of AI in publishing, following discussions at the 2026 International Publishing Forum in Beijing.

The forum, held during the Beijing International Book Fair, brought together nearly 300 publishing executives and professionals from 26 countries and regions. It was jointly organised by the Publishers Association of China and the International Publishers Association.

Participants discussed how AI is reshaping publishing workflows, content production and distribution. They said AI should support, rather than replace, human creativity, with human-machine collaboration helping publishers improve efficiency and expand access to high-quality content.

Speakers also warned that the industry must protect intellectual property, preserve the authenticity and credibility of content, and support linguistic diversity as AI-generated material becomes more widely used.

Participants called for international cooperation on standards and copyright frameworks for AI applications in publishing. They said such rules should define rights and responsibilities, support fair compensation and ensure source traceability.

The discussions reflect growing concern in the publishing sector over how AI systems use copyrighted works, how original creators are recognised, and how publishers can maintain trust in content as synthetic media and automated production tools spread.

Why does it matter?

The forum highlights a central concern for creative industries: AI can improve publishing workflows and content distribution, but it also raises unresolved questions about copyright, attribution, compensation and authenticity. For publishers and authors, clear standards on source traceability and rights could become essential as AI-generated or AI-assisted content becomes more common.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Eurostat report highlights online hate speech exposure in the EU

More than half of young internet users in the EU encountered hostile or degrading online content in 2025, according to Eurostat data published to mark the International Day for Countering Hate Speech.

Eurostat said 54.0% of internet users aged 25 to 34 and 53.7% of those aged 16 to 24 had encountered hostile or degrading messages during the previous three months. Exposure declined with age, falling to 46.4% among people aged 35 to 44, 38.9% among those aged 45 to 54, 32.8% among those aged 55 to 64, and 28.1% among people aged 65 to 74.

Among internet users aged 16 to 24, young women reported higher exposure than young men, at 57.2% compared with 50.4%. Eurostat said the pattern was observed across all types of hostile or degrading messages.

For both young women and young men, the most commonly reported hostile messages related to political or social views and racial or ethnic origin. The largest gender gaps were recorded for messages concerning sexual orientation, sex and disability.

Eurostat said hostile or degrading content may be directed at respondents or at other people, and can include messages, comments, photos, memes, videos and other online material.

The findings underline the scale of online hostility facing younger internet users in the EU and the continuing challenge for policymakers, platforms and civil society organisations working on digital safety and content governance.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Research highlights growing use of AI chatbots for news

The growing use of generative AI tools such as ChatGPT and Google Gemini is beginning to reshape how audiences discover, access and engage with news, according to new research. While still representing a minority behaviour, usage is expanding rapidly across global markets, particularly among younger audiences and highly engaged news consumers.

Weekly use of AI chatbots for news has increased in recent years, although only around 1% of users currently identify them as their primary news source. Engagement is highest among news-interested and politically active users, while trust remains low overall but is higher among those already using AI tools.

Survey data suggests that users primarily turn to chatbots to ask follow-up questions, simplify complex stories, summarise information and evaluate the reliability of sources. Motivations include speed, clarity, and deeper contextual understanding, reflecting a shift toward more interactive and personalised news consumption.

The findings also raise concerns for publishers, as AI chatbots can answer user queries directly within their interfaces, potentially reducing referral traffic to news websites. Although search engines and social media remain the dominant sources of referral traffic, AI-powered ‘answer engines’ may push news organisations to invest more heavily in original reporting, verification and distinctive content that is harder to replicate through automated summaries.

Why does it matter?

The findings point to a significant shift in the digital information ecosystem. AI chatbots are changing how people discover and consume news by replacing traditional search and feed-based navigation with conversational interfaces that provide direct answers, summaries and contextual explanations.

This trend has important implications for journalism and platform governance. If users increasingly obtain information through AI intermediaries rather than visiting publisher websites directly, news organisations could face declining traffic, reduced advertising revenues and lower visibility for original reporting. At the same time, AI platforms may gain greater influence over how information is selected, interpreted and presented, raising questions about transparency, attribution, accuracy and media pluralism in the digital age.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our chatbot!

Study raises concerns over AI-generated content on TikTok

New research from Kapwing suggests that AI-generated content now accounts for a significant share of videos shown on TikTok, raising concerns about content quality, authenticity and misinformation. The study suggests that nearly 59% of videos served to new users can be classified as AI-generated ‘slop’, with similarly high levels reported in feeds aimed at children.

Analysis across thousands of videos found that AI-generated material is particularly concentrated in the Kids category, where it accounts for around 57% of content. Science, education and health-related content also showed comparatively high levels of AI-generated production, while categories such as fitness, music and fashion remained largely dominated by human creators.

Researchers warn that the growing volume of AI-generated content could undermine information quality and increase exposure to misleading, repetitive or low-value material, particularly among younger audiences. Concerns focus on how algorithmic recommendation systems amplify such content, shaping early viewing experiences for new users.

In response, TikTok has introduced tools allowing users to adjust the amount of AI content in their feeds and launched initiatives aimed at improving AI literacy. Despite these measures, the findings suggest that AI-generated videos are becoming an increasingly prominent feature of the short-form social media ecosystem.

Why does it matter?

The findings highlight how generative AI is reshaping online content ecosystems by dramatically lowering the cost and effort required to produce large volumes of media. As recommendation algorithms prioritise engagement and scale, AI-generated content can spread rapidly, influencing what users see and how information is consumed.

The trend also raises broader questions about platform governance, content moderation and digital literacy. If synthetic content becomes increasingly difficult to distinguish from human-created material, platforms may face growing pressure to improve labelling, verification and recommendation systems. The issue is particularly significant for younger users and for content categories such as education, science and health, where misinformation can have wider societal consequences.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our chatbot!

IWF backs Pope Leo XIV call for responsible AI development

The Internet Watch Foundation has welcomed Pope Leo XIV’s reflections on AI, arguing that AI systems must be developed with stronger safeguards to protect children from abuse.

In a blog post, the IWF said the Pope’s message that technology should serve the common good and remain subject to human judgement and accountability reflects the risks its analysts are already seeing online.

The organisation warned that AI is being used to generate highly realistic child sexual abuse images and videos at scale. It said the number of AI-generated child sexual abuse videos identified by the IWF in 2025 increased by more than 260%, with nearly two-thirds falling into the most severe category of abuse.

The IWF also raised concerns about AI-nudification tools, which can generate realistic sexualised images of children and other individuals. Following the Child Dignity in the Artificial Intelligence Era conference in Rome, the organisation joined more than 100 organisations and individuals in supporting calls for a global ban on such tools.

The IWF said AI safety should be built into products from the earliest stages of development. Through its Safety by Design work, the organisation is calling for companies to assess, test and mitigate risks before AI systems reach the public.

It also called for stronger regulation, global alignment and enforceable safety-by-design standards to prevent the creation and spread of AI-generated child sexual abuse material.

Why does it matter?

The IWF’s warning shows how generative AI is creating urgent child protection risks, especially through realistic synthetic abuse material and nudification tools. The issue is no longer only content moderation after harm occurs; it increasingly concerns model design, testing, deployment and accountability before AI systems reach users. That makes safety by design, developer responsibility and international coordination central to AI governance.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

European Parliament backs AI Act simplification and nudifier app ban

The European Parliament has approved amendments to parts of the EU AI Act as part of the digital omnibus package, postponing some compliance deadlines while adding a ban on AI systems used to create non-consensual sexually explicit content.

MEPs backed the changes with 423 votes in favour, 57 against and 174 abstentions. The measures are intended to simplify compliance for companies while preserving the AI Act’s risk-based structure and core safeguards.

Under the approved text, obligations for stand-alone high-risk AI systems would apply from 2 December 2027. Obligations for AI systems embedded as safety components in products covered by the EU sectoral safety and market surveillance legislation would apply from 2 August 2028.

The text also delays the obligation to watermark AI-generated content until 2 December 2026. By then, AI-generated content will need to be labelled in a machine-readable way to support transparency.

Parliament also approved a ban on AI systems that generate child sexual abuse material or create images, videos or audio depicting an identifiable person’s intimate parts or sexually explicit activities without consent. Providers would not be allowed to place such systems on the EU market unless they include adequate technical safeguards to prevent the creation of such material. The ban would also apply to deployers using systems for that purpose.

Other changes include removing overlapping requirements for AI used in machinery products, clarifying the definition of ‘safety component’, extending some SME exemptions to small mid-cap enterprises, and streamlining enforcement of certain general-purpose AI systems through the EU AI Office.

The legislation still needs formal adoption by the Council before it can enter into force.

Why does it matter?

The vote shows the EU trying to adjust the implementation AI the AI Act without reopening the law’s overall risk-based architecture. Delaying some deadlines could reduce legal uncertainty for businesses and give standards, guidance, and support measures more time to mature. At the same time, the proposed ban on nudification tools and AI-assisted child sexual abuse material addresses a fast-growing harm linked to generative AI, especially image and video manipulation targeting women and minors.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Humanists UK urges government to adopt human-centred AI principles

Humanists UK has urged the UK government to place human dignity, democratic oversight and human flourishing at the centre of AI governance.

The call followed a House of Lords debate on the impact of AI on human relationships and society, during which peers discussed the ethical, social and regulatory challenges raised by rapidly advancing AI systems.

Humanists UK pointed out to the government the Luxembourg Declaration on Artificial Intelligence and Human Values, adopted by Humanists International in 2025. The declaration argues that AI should support human judgement, the common good, democratic governance, transparency, autonomy and protection from harm.

Lord Michael Cashman, a patron of Humanists UK and member of the All-Party Parliamentary Humanist Group, urged the government not to ‘reinvent the wheel’ and said the declaration already sets out principles relevant to AI governance.

Liberal Democrat peer Lord Clement-Jones said the debate showed a convergence of values across different traditions, including the need for democratic oversight, transparency and safeguards to ensure AI serves human beings rather than replacing them.

Responding for the government, Digital Economy Minister Baroness Lloyd of Effra said AI is already changing the economy, public services and human relationships. She said the government’s responsibility is to ensure that the transformation strengthens rather than diminishes the fabric of society.

Humanists UK said it has written to Baroness Lloyd and shared a copy of the Luxembourg Declaration.

Why does it matter?

The story reflects the growing role of civil society, religious groups and ethical movements in AI governance debates. While it does not signal a new UK policy, it shows how discussions on AI safety are broadening beyond technical risk to include human dignity, democratic accountability, transparency, autonomy and the public interest. Such value-based frameworks may influence how governments frame future AI regulation, assurance and safeguards.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Children’s online safety and screen time under growing UK scrutiny

The UK Government Office for Science has highlighted the need for evidence-led policy on children’s online lives, warning that digital technologies bring both benefits and risks while long-term evidence remains limited.

In an article published on the GOV.UK, the Government Chief Scientific Adviser noted that 97% of UK teenagers aged 13 to 15 now own a mobile phone, while almost one-fifth of children aged three to five also own one. Children aged eight to nine spend an average of two hours per day online, rising to four hours for those aged 13 to 14, excluding gaming time.

The article said children use digital platforms to maintain friendships, access communities, and find support, and that some are also using AI companions for well-being and emotional regulation. AI tools are increasingly being used for learning and schoolwork, with around half of children reporting AI use.

However, the government adviser warned that children face risks including harmful content, cyberbullying, privacy breaches, false or misleading information, unlimited scrolling, personalised algorithms and other features designed to maximise engagement.

The article said there is not enough robust long-term data to determine with confidence how digital technologies are affecting children. It also warned that the use of AI should not prevent children from developing skills such as written expression and critical thinking.

The Government Office for Science said stronger evidence and continued evaluation are needed to inform policy, including the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology’s consultation on the impacts of growing up online, which covers social media, AI chatbots, gaming sites and other online services.

Why does it matter?

The article is relevant because it frames children’s online safety as an evidence and governance challenge, not only a moral panic over screen time. UK policymakers are weighing restrictions on social media, gaming platforms, AI chatbots and other online services, but the Government Office for Science stresses that long-term evidence remains incomplete. That makes transparency, evaluation and proportional safeguards central to future online safety policy.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our chatbot!