Indonesia plans to implement interim guidelines to protect children on social media as it works toward creating a law to establish a minimum age for users, a senior communications ministry official announced on Wednesday. The move follows discussions between Communications Minister Meutya Hafid and President Prabowo Subianto, aiming to address concerns about online safety for children.
The proposed law will mirror recent regulations in Australia, which banned children under 16 from accessing social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, penalising tech companies that fail to comply. In the meantime, Indonesia will issue regulations requiring platforms to follow child protection guidelines, focusing on shielding children from harmful content while still allowing access to some degree.
Public opinion on the initiative is divided. While parents like Nurmayanti support stricter controls to reduce exposure to harmful material, human rights advocates, including Anis Hidayah, urge caution to ensure children’s access to information is not unduly restricted. A recent survey revealed nearly half of Indonesian children under 12 use the internet, with many accessing social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
This regulatory push reflects Indonesia’s broader efforts to balance digital innovation with safeguarding younger users in its rapidly growing online landscape
With the potential TikTok ban in the US drawing near, thousands of users are migrating to the Chinese app RedNote, making it the most downloaded app on Apple’s US App Store. Dubbed ‘TikTok refugees,’ these users are rapidly building new communities on the platform, which combines features of TikTok and Instagram to share lifestyle content.
RedNote, known as Xiaohongshu in China, has around 300 million monthly users and is popular among young urban women for sharing tips on fashion, travel, and more. The app has welcomed its new users from the US with open arms, with thousands of posts guiding them on navigating the platform and even learning basic Mandarin phrases.
While TikTok continues to resist demands to sell its US operations, RedNote has seen a surge of interest from users looking to preserve their online presence. Many users, like school canteen worker Sarah Fotheringham and fashion designer Marcus Robinson, say the platform is giving them fresh opportunities to connect and grow their followings.
Despite security concerns surrounding Chinese apps, RedNote’s growing popularity shows that TikTok’s future may face challenges even without a formal ban. Some users report spending more time on RedNote than on TikTok and plan to continue building their presence there regardless of the outcome.
The US government has officially labelled the extreme right-wing ‘Terrorgram’ network as a terrorist organisation, citing its promotion of violent white supremacist attacks. The group operates mainly on the Telegram platform and has been linked to attacks across the globe, including shootings and planned assaults on critical infrastructure.
The move, announced by the State Department, includes sanctions against three of the network’s leaders based in Brazil, Croatia, and South Africa. The designation freezes any US-based assets belonging to the group and bans Americans from engaging with its members. Officials say the collective has provided detailed guidance for attacks on minorities and government officials, calling for a race war.
US authorities have been ramping up efforts to combat domestic extremism under President Biden, who launched the country’s first national strategy on countering domestic terrorism in 2021. Britain has already taken similar steps, outlawing the Terrorgram collective in April last year.
This crackdown follows criminal charges brought against two alleged leaders of the group, accused of using Telegram to incite violence against Black, Jewish, LGBTQ, and immigrant communities. Authorities stress that dismantling such online hate groups is essential to prevent further extremist attacks.
The European Commission is reassessing its investigations into major tech companies, including Apple, Meta, and Google, under its landmark Digital Markets Act (DMA), according to the Financial Times. The review, which covers cases initiated since March 2024, comes as tech giants urge President-elect Donald Trump to push back against EU regulatory scrutiny. Sources suggest Trump’s presidency has influenced the review, though it was not the direct trigger.
The DMA, implemented in 2022, seeks to curb the dominance of Big Tech by imposing strict rules on their practices and fines of up to 10% of annual revenue for violations. The review may lead to narrowing or altering the scope of current probes, with all decisions and potential fines paused during this process. Technical work on the cases, however, will continue.
This development coincides with Meta’s recent overhaul of its US fact-checking program and CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s signals of a more conciliatory stance toward the Trump administration. Meanwhile, EU regulators are also examining whether Elon Musk’s social media platform X has violated content moderation rules, further highlighting the tech industry’s complex regulatory challenges.
The European Central Bank (ECB) has expanded its social media presence by joining Bluesky, a rival to Elon Musk’s X. A spokesperson stated that the move is part of a broader strategy to diversify communication channels following the adoption of other platforms last year. The ECB launched its Bluesky account by sharing an interview with chief economist Philip Lane, while confirming it will continue using X.
Musk, who has used X to promote political figures, recently endorsed Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany party and has also backed Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. His influence has raised concerns among EU regulators, particularly over misinformation and political bias. Critics have also highlighted his opposition to diversity and climate policies, which contrasts with the ECB’s commitment to gender equality and environmental sustainability under President Christine Lagarde.
Bluesky, founded as an alternative to X, has seen a surge in users following recent political events, adding 2.5 million accounts after Donald Trump’s election victory. However, with 27 million users, it remains smaller than Threads and X, which have 252 million and 317 million active users, respectively. EU regulators have also flagged Bluesky for failing to disclose key details about its user base within the bloc.
The US Supreme Court has rejected Meta’s attempt to block a massive class action lawsuit by advertisers accusing the company of inflating audience metrics. Advertisers claim Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, overstated the number of potential ad viewers, resulting in significant overcharges.
A lower court ruled that advertisers could seek damages collectively, stating Meta’s conduct was consistent across all affected parties. Plaintiffs, led by DZ Reserve and Cain Maxwell, argue Meta exaggerated potential audience figures by as much as 400%, focusing on social media accounts rather than unique users.
Meta challenged the decision, stating courts have rejected the ‘common course of conduct’ standard and that individual advertisers may not have relied on the figures. The company further criticised the court for excessive leniency when certifying class actions.
Potential damages could exceed $7 billion, covering millions of advertisers since 2014. Advertising remains Meta’s primary revenue source, with $116.1 billion generated in the first nine months of 2024.
Apple is defending itself against a $1.8 billion mass lawsuit in a London tribunal, accused of abusing its market dominance by charging app developers a 30% commission through its App Store. The lawsuit, brought on behalf of around 20 million UK iPhone and iPad users, claims the fees have unfairly inflated app costs for consumers.
Rachael Kent, the academic leading the case, argues Apple has leveraged its monopoly to exclude competition and impose restrictive terms on app developers. Apple’s lawyers counter that the fees reflect the benefits of its iOS ecosystem, emphasising its focus on security, privacy, and innovation. They also noted that most developers are exempt from paying commissions.
This trial marks the UK’s first class-action-style lawsuit against a tech giant under its evolving legal framework. Similar cases against Google, Meta, and Amazon are in progress, including a $1.1 billion lawsuit against Google over Play Store fees scheduled for later this year. The trial is expected to last seven weeks, with testimony from Apple’s CFO anticipated soon.
The European Union is considering expanding its investigation into Elon Musk’s social media platform X over potential content moderation breaches. The probe, launched in late 2023 under the Digital Services Act (DSA), relates partly to posts following Hamas’ attacks on Israel.
EU Commission Vice President Henna Virkkunen indicated the bloc is evaluating whether the investigation’s current scope is sufficient. Concerns have grown following Musk’s endorsement of far-right figures, including Germany’s Alternative for Germany candidate Alice Weidel, ahead of the country’s February elections.
The commission is also examining whether a live-streamed discussion between Musk and Weidel on X was unfairly promoted, potentially violating DSA rules by giving political advantage. X and the European Commission have yet to comment on the matter.
In July, EU regulators concluded that X breached the DSA, citing deceptive practices related to the platform’s blue checkmark system. Musk responded by welcoming a public legal confrontation to reveal the facts to European citizens.
Britain’s antitrust regulator, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), has launched an investigation into Google’s search operations to assess their impact on consumers, businesses, and competition. With Google handling 90% of UK online searches and supporting over 200,000 businesses through advertising, the CMA aims to ensure fair competition and innovation in search services, said CMA chief Sarah Cardell.
The probe will evaluate whether Google’s dominant position restricts market entry and innovation, as well as whether it provides preferential treatment to its own services. The CMA will also investigate the company’s extensive collection and use of consumer data, including its role in AI services. The findings, expected within nine months, could lead to measures such as requiring Google to share data with rivals or giving publishers more control over their content.
Google has defended its role, stating that its search services foster innovation and help UK businesses grow. The company pledged to work constructively with the CMA to create rules that benefit both businesses and users. The investigation follows similar scrutiny in the US, where prosecutors have pushed for major reforms to curb Google’s dominance in online search.
Ian Russell, father of Molly Russell, has called on the UK government to take stronger action on online safety, warning that delays in regulation are putting children at risk. In a letter to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, he criticised Ofcom’s approach to enforcing the Online Safety Act, describing it as a “disaster.” Russell accused tech firms, including Meta and X, of prioritising profits over safety and moving towards a more dangerous, unregulated online environment.
Campaigners argue that Ofcom’s guidelines contain major loopholes, particularly in addressing harmful content such as live-streamed material that promotes self-harm and suicide. While the government insists that tech companies must act responsibly, the slow progress of new regulations has raised concerns. Ministers acknowledge that additional legislation may be required as AI technology evolves, introducing new risks that could further undermine online safety.
Russell has been a prominent campaigner for stricter online regulations since his daughter’s death in 2017. Despite the Online Safety Act granting Ofcom the power to fine tech firms, critics believe enforcement remains weak. With concerns growing over the effectiveness of current safeguards, pressure is mounting on the government to act decisively and ensure platforms take greater responsibility in protecting children from harmful content.
