Meta has restricted access in India to two AI-generated videos posted by the Congress party. The clips depicted Prime Minister Narendra Modi alongside Gautam Adani, Chairman of the Adani Group.
The company stated that the content did not violate its community standards. Action followed takedown notices issued by Delhi Police under India’s information technology laws.
Meta warned that ignoring the orders could jeopardise safe harbour protections. Loss of those protections would expose platforms to direct legal liability.
The case highlights growing scrutiny of political AI content in India. Recent rule changes have tightened procedures for ordering online takedowns.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
Japan’s competition authority will probe AI search services from major domestic and international tech firms. The investigation aims to identify potential antitrust violations rather than impose immediate sanctions.
The probe is expected to cover LY Corp., Google, Microsoft and AI providers such as OpenAI and Perplexity AI. Concerns centre on how AI systems present and utilise news content within search results.
Legal action by Japanese news organisations alleges unauthorised use of articles by AI services. Regulators are assessing whether such practices constitute abuse of market dominance.
The inquiry builds on a 2023 review of news distribution contracts that warned against the use of unfair terms for publishers. Similar investigations overseas, including within the EU, have guided the commission’s approach.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
Mandatory facial verification will be introduced in South Korea for anyone opening a new mobile phone account, as authorities try to limit identity fraud.
Officials said criminals have been using stolen personal details to set up phone numbers that later support scams such as voice phishing instead of legitimate services.
Major mobile carriers, including LG Uplus, Korea Telecom and SK Telecom, will validate users by matching their faces against biometric data stored in the PASS digital identity app.
Such a requirement expands the country’s identity checks rather than replacing them outright, and is intended to make it harder for fraud rings to exploit stolen data at scale.
The measure follows a difficult year for data security in South Korea, marked by cyber incidents affecting more than half the population.
SK Telecom reported a breach involving all 23 million of its customers and now faces more than $1.5 billion in penalties and compensation.
Regulators also revealed that mobile virtual network operators were linked to 92% of counterfeit phones uncovered in 2024, strengthening the government’s case for tougher identity controls.
Would you like to learn more aboutAI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
AI is transforming how news is produced and consumed, moving faster than audiences and policies can adapt. Journalists increasingly use AI for research, transcription and content optimisation, creating new trust challenges.
Ethical concerns are rising when AI misrepresents events or uses content without consent. Media organisations have introduced guidelines, but experts warn that rules alone cannot cover every scenario.
Audience scepticism remains, even as journalists adopt AI tools in daily practice. Transparency, apparent human oversight and ethical adoption are key to maintaining credibility and legitimacy.
Europe faces pressure to strengthen its trust infrastructure and regulate the use of AI in newsrooms. Experts argue that democratic stability depends on informed audiences and resilient journalism to counter disinformation.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
TikTok removed fake adverts for weight loss drugs after a company impersonating UK retailer Boots used AI-generated videos. The clips falsely showed healthcare professionals promoting prescription-only medicines.
Boots said it contacted TikTok after becoming aware of the misleading adverts circulating on the platform. TikTok confirmed the videos were removed for breaching its rules on deceptive and harmful advertising.
BBC reporting found the account was briefly able to repost the same videos before being taken down. The account appeared to be based in Hong Kong and directed users to a website selling the drugs.
UK health regulators warned that prescription-only weight loss medicines must only be supplied by registered pharmacies. TikTok stated that it continues to strengthen its detection systems and bans the promotion of controlled substances.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
Splat is a new mobile app from the team behind Retro that uses generative AI to transform personal photos into colouring pages designed for children. The app targets parents seeking creative activities, free from advertising clutter and pay-per-page websites.
Users can upload images from their camera roll or select from curated educational categories, then apply styles such as cartoon, anime or comic.
Parents guide the initial setup through simple preferences instead of a lengthy account creation process, while children can colour either on-screen or on printed pages.
Splat operates on a subscription basis, offering weekly or annual plans that limit the number of generated pages. Access to payments and settings is restricted behind parental verification, helping prevent accidental purchases by younger users.
The app reflects a broader trend in applying generative AI to child-friendly creativity tools. By focusing on ease of use and offline activities, Splat positions itself as an alternative to screen-heavy entertainment while encouraging imaginative play.
Would you like to learn more aboutAI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
Florida lawmakers are preparing a sweeping AI Bill of Rights as political debates intensify. Senator Tom Leek introduced a proposal to provide residents with clearer safeguards while regulating how firms utilise advanced systems across the state.
The plan outlines parental control over minors’ interactions with AI and requires disclosure when people engage with automated systems. It also sets boundaries on political advertising created with AI and restricts state contracts with suppliers linked to countries of concern.
Governor Ron DeSantis maintains Florida can advance its agenda despite federal attempts to curb state-level AI rules. He argues the state has the authority to defend consumers while managing the rising costs of new data centre developments.
Democratic lawmakers have raised concerns about young users forming harmful online bonds with AI companions, prompting calls for stronger protections. The legislation now forms part of a broader clash over online safety, privacy rights and fast-growing AI industries.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
ChatGPT has introduced a new feature, ‘Your Year with ChatGPT,’ allowing users to review their interactions with the AI over the past 12 months. The optional summary highlights high-level themes from conversations and provides usage statistics.
The feature is gradually rolling out to Free, Plus, and Pro users in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Users must have Memory and Reference Chat History enabled and meet a minimum activity threshold to access the review.
Those with limited activity will only see basic statistics.
Available anytime via the prompt ‘Your Year with ChatGPT’, the review reflects on how individual usage evolved throughout 2025. ChatGPT emphasises that the experience is designed to provide insights for frequent users, with access varying by account type, region, and language.
The new feature allows AI enthusiasts to reflect on their engagement over the year and gain a personalised snapshot of their interactions, encouraging a fresh look at how ChatGPT has been integrated into daily use.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
TikTok Shop has introduced digital gift cards as part of its wider push into e-commerce. Users can purchase cards for $10 to $500 and choose animated designs for occasions such as birthdays or weddings. Availability is currently limited to the United States.
Recipients must have a TikTok account to redeem a gift card, and the balance is added to their TikTok Wallet instantly. Users can reply with a thank-you message or send a gift card as a return gesture. The approach reinforces TikTok’s focus on social interaction alongside transactions.
The feature puts the digital shop in more direct competition with established e-commerce platforms such as Amazon and eBay, which have long offered digital gift cards. Moves into higher-end retail to broaden its ambitions. The social media powerhouse is positioning itself as a full-scale online marketplace.
Momentum has continued to build, with US sales exceeding $500 million during the Black Friday and Cyber Monday period. The results highlight rising consumer confidence in the platform’s ability to drive purchases. Engagement is increasingly translating into measurable commerce.
Further developments are planned, including video messages and an interactive unboxing experience, which are expected to be released in early 2026. Expansion continues despite uncertainty around the platform’s future in the US. Negotiations over a potential sale remain unresolved ahead of January 2026.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
Almost 3.5 million students, staff and suppliers linked to the University of Phoenix have been affected by a data breach tied to a sophisticated cyber extortion campaign. The incident followed unauthorised access to internal systems, exposing highly sensitive personal and financial information.
Investigations indicate attackers exploited a zero-day vulnerability in Oracle E-Business Suite, a widely used enterprise financial application. The breach surfaced publicly after the Clop ransomware group listed the university on its leak site, prompting internal reviews and regulatory disclosures.
Compromised data includes names, contact details, dates of birth, social security numbers and banking information. University officials have confirmed that affected individuals are being notified, while filings with US regulators outline the scale and nature of the incident.
The attack forms part of a broader wave of intrusions targeting American universities and organisations using Oracle platforms. As authorities offer rewards for intelligence on Clop’s operations, the breach highlights growing risks facing educational institutions operating complex digital infrastructures.
Would you like to learn more aboutAI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
