Content Policy

Australia’s social media ban raises concern for social media companies

Australia’s social media ban for under-16s is worrying social media companies. According to the country’s eSafety Commissioner, these companies fear a global trend of banning such apps. In Australia, regulators say major platforms reluctantly resisted the policy, fearing that similar rules could spread internationally.

In Australia, the ban has already led to the closure of 4.7 million child-linked accounts across platforms, including Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat. Authorities argue the measures are necessary to protect children from harmful algorithms and addictive design.

Social media companies operating in Australia, including Meta, say stronger safeguards are needed but oppose a blanket ban. Critics have warned about privacy risks, while regulators insist early data shows limited migration to alternative platforms.

Australia is now working with partners such as the UK to push tougher global standards on online child safety. In Australia, fines of up to A$49.5m may be imposed on companies failing to enforce the rules effectively.

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

UN warns of rising AI-driven threats to child safety

UN agencies have issued a stark warning over the accelerating risks AI poses to children online, citing rising cases of grooming, deepfakes, cyberbullying and sexual extortion.

A joint statement published on 19 January urges urgent global action, highlighting how AI tools increasingly enable predators to target vulnerable children with unprecedented precision.

Recent data underscores the scale of the threat, with technology-facilitated child abuse cases in the US surging from 4,700 in 2023 to more than 67,000 in 2024.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, online exploitation intensified, particularly affecting girls and young women, with digital abuse frequently translating into real-world harm, according to officials from the International Telecommunication Union.

Governments are tightening policies, led by Australia’s social media ban for under-16s, as the UK, France and Canada consider similar measures. UN agencies urged tech firms to prioritise child safety and called for stronger AI literacy across society.

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

Apple accuses the EU of blocking App Store compliance changes

Apple has accused the European Commission of preventing it from implementing App Store changes designed to comply with the Digital Markets Act, following a €500 million fine for breaching the regulation.

The company claims it submitted a formal compliance plan in October and has yet to receive a response from EU officials.

In a statement, Apple argued that the Commission requested delays while gathering market feedback, a process the company says lasted several months and lacked a clear legal basis.

The US tech giant described the enforcement approach as politically motivated and excessively burdensome, accusing the EU of unfairly targeting an American firm.

The Commission has rejected those claims, saying discussions with Apple remain ongoing and emphasising that any compliance measures must support genuinely viable alternative app stores.

Officials pointed to the emergence of multiple competing marketplaces after the DMA entered into force as evidence of market demand.

Scrutiny has increased following the decision by SetApp mobile to shut down its iOS app store in February, with the developer citing complex and evolving business terms.

Questions remain over whether Apple’s proposed shift towards commission-based fees and expanded developer communication rights will satisfy EU regulators.

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

ChatGPT model draws scrutiny over Grokipedia citations

OpenAI’s latest GPT-5.2 model has sparked concern after repeatedly citing Grokipedia, an AI-generated encyclopaedia launched by Elon Musk’s xAI, raising fresh fears of misinformation amplification.

Testing by The Guardian showed the model referencing Grokipedia multiple times when answering questions on geopolitics and historical figures.

Launched in October 2025, the AI-generated platform rivals Wikipedia but relies solely on automated content without human editing. Critics warn that limited human oversight raises risks of factual errors and ideological bias, as Grokipedia faces criticism for promoting controversial narratives.

OpenAI said its systems use safety filters and diverse public sources, while xAI dismissed the concerns as media distortion. The episode deepens scrutiny of AI-generated knowledge platforms amid growing regulatory and public pressure for transparency and accountability.

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

AI bot swarms emerge as a new threat to democracy

Researchers and free-speech advocates are warning that coordinated swarms of AI agents could soon be deployed to manipulate public opinion at a scale capable of undermining democratic systems.

According to a consortium of academics from leading universities, advances in generative and agentic AI now enable large numbers of human-like bots to infiltrate online communities and autonomously simulate organic political discourse.

Unlike earlier forms of automated misinformation, AI swarms are designed to adapt to social dynamics, learn community norms and exchange information in pursuit of a shared objective.

By mimicking human behaviour and spreading tailored narratives gradually, such systems could fabricate consensus, amplify doubt around electoral processes and normalise anti-democratic outcomes without triggering immediate detection.

Evidence of early influence operations has already emerged in recent elections across Asia, where AI-driven accounts have engaged users with large volumes of unverifiable information rather than overt propaganda.

Researchers warn that information overload, strategic neutrality and algorithmic amplification may prove more effective than traditional disinformation campaigns.

The authors argue that democratic resilience now depends on global coordination, combining technical safeguards such as watermarking and detection tools with stronger governance of political AI use.

Without collective action, they caution that AI-enabled manipulation risks outpacing existing regulatory and institutional defences.

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

Grok faces regulatory scrutiny in South Korea over explicit AI content

South Korea has moved towards regulatory action against Grok, the generative AI chatbot developed by xAI, following allegations that the system was used to generate and distribute sexually exploitative deepfake images.

The country’s Personal Information Protection Commission has launched a preliminary fact-finding review to assess whether violations occurred and whether the matter falls within its legal remit.

The review follows international reports accusing Grok of facilitating the creation of explicit and non-consensual images of real individuals, including minors.

Under the Personal Information Protection Act of South Korea, generating or altering sexual images of identifiable people without consent may constitute unlawful handling of personal data, exposing providers to enforcement action.

Concerns have intensified after civil society groups estimated that millions of explicit images were produced through Grok over a short period, with thousands involving children.

Several governments, including those in the US, Europe and Canada, have opened inquiries, while parts of Southeast Asia have opted to block access to the service altogether.

In response, xAI has introduced technical restrictions preventing users from generating or editing images of real people. Korean regulators have also demanded stronger youth protection measures from X, warning that failure to address criminal content involving minors could result in administrative penalties.

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

France accelerates rapid ban on social media for under-15s

French President Emmanuel Macron has called for an accelerated legislative process to introduce a nationwide ban on social media for children under 15 by September.

Speaking in a televised address, Macron said the proposal would move rapidly through parliament so that explicit rules are in place before the new school year begins.

Macron framed the initiative as a matter of child protection and digital sovereignty, arguing that foreign platforms or algorithmic incentives should not shape young people’s cognitive and emotional development.

He linked excessive social media use to manipulation, commercial exploitation and growing psychological harm among teenagers.

Data from France’s health watchdog show that almost half of teenagers spend between two and five hours a day on their smartphones, with the vast majority accessing social networks daily.

Regulators have associated such patterns with reduced self-esteem and increased exposure to content linked to self-harm, drug use and suicide, prompting legal action by families against major platforms.

The proposal from France follows similar debates in the UK and Australia, where age-based access restrictions have already been introduced.

The French government argues that decisive national action is necessary instead of waiting for a slower Europe-wide consensus, although Macron has reiterated support for a broader EU approach.

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

New AI startup secures $5M to transform children’s digital learning

AI education start-up Sparkli has raised $5 million in seed funding to develop an ‘anti-chatbot’ AI platform to transform how children engage with digital content.

Unlike traditional chatbots that focus on general conversation, Sparkli positions its AI as an interactive learning companion, guiding kids through topics such as math, science and language skills in a dynamic, age-appropriate format.

The funding will support product development, content creation and expansion into new markets. Founders say the platform addresses increasing concerns about passive screen time by offering educational interactions that blend AI responsiveness with curriculum-aligned activities.

The company emphasises safe design and parental controls to ensure technology supports learning outcomes rather than distraction.

Investors backing Sparkli see demand for responsible AI applications for children that can enhance cognition and motivation while preserving digital well-being. As schools and homes increasingly integrate AI tools, Sparkli aims to position itself at the intersection of educational technology and child-centred innovation.

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

Writers challenge troubling AI assumptions about language and style

A growing unease among writers is emerging as AI tools reshape how language is produced and perceived. Long-established habits, including the use of em dashes and semicolons, are increasingly being viewed with suspicion as machine-generated text becomes more common.

The concern is not opposition to AI itself, but the blurring of boundaries between human expression and automated output. Writers whose work was used to train large language models without consent say stylistic traits developed over decades are now being misread as algorithmic authorship.

Academic and editorial norms are also shifting under this pressure. Teaching practices that once valued rhythm, voice, and individual cadence are increasingly challenged by stricter stylistic rules, sometimes framed as safeguards against sloppy or machine-like writing rather than as matters of taste or craft.

At the same time, productivity tools embedded into mainstream software continue to intervene in the writing process, offering substitutions and revisions that prioritise clarity and efficiency over nuance. Such interventions risk flattening language and discouraging the idiosyncrasies that define human authorship.

As AI becomes embedded in publishing, education, and professional writing, the debate is shifting from detection to preservation. Many writers warn that protecting human voice and stylistic diversity is essential, arguing that affectless, uniform prose would erode creativity and trust.

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

Hollywood figures back anti-AI campaign

More than 800 creatives in the US have signed an anti-AI campaign accusing big technology companies of exploiting human work. High-profile figures from film and television in the country have backed the initiative, which argues that training AI on creative content without consent amounts to theft.

The campaign was launched by the Human Artistry Campaign, a coalition representing creators, unions and industry groups in the country. Supporters say AI systems should not be allowed to use artistic work without permission and fair compensation.

Actors and filmmakers in the US warned that unchecked AI adoption threatens livelihoods across film, television and music. Campaign organisers said innovation should not come at the expense of creators’ rights or ownership of their work.

The statement adds to growing pressure on lawmakers and technology firms in the US. Creative workers are calling for clearer rules on how AI can be developed and deployed across the entertainment industry.

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