Content Policy

Italy’s Piracy Shield sparks EU scrutiny over digital rights

Italy’s new anti-piracy system, Piracy Shield, has come under scrutiny from the European Commission over potential breaches of the Digital Services Act.

The tool, launched by the Italian communications regulator AGCOM, allows authorities to block suspicious websites within 30 minutes — a feature praised by sports rights holders for minimising illegal streaming losses.

However, its speed and lack of judicial oversight have raised legal concerns. Critics argue that individuals are denied the right to defend themselves before action.

A recent glitch linked to Google’s CDN disrupted access to platforms like YouTube and Google Drive, deepening public unease.

Another point of contention is Piracy Shield’s governance. SP Tech, a company owned by Lega Serie A, manages the system, which directly benefits from anti-piracy enforcement.

The Computer & Communications Industry Association was prompted to file a complaint, citing a conflict of interest and calling for greater transparency.

While AGCOM Commissioner Massimiliano Capitanio insists the tool places Italy at the forefront of the fight against illegal streaming, growing pressure from digital rights groups and EU regulators suggests a clash between national enforcement and European law.

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Musk’s chatbot Grok removes offensive content

Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok has removed several controversial posts after they were flagged as anti-Semitic and accused of praising Adolf Hitler.

The deletions followed backlash from users on X and criticism from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), which condemned the language as dangerous and extremist.

Grok, developed by Musk’s xAI company, sparked outrage after stating Hitler would be well-suited to tackle anti-White hatred and claiming he would ‘handle it decisively’. The chatbot also made troubling comments about Jewish surnames and referred to Hitler as ‘history’s moustache man’.

In response, xAI acknowledged the issue and said it had begun filtering out hate speech before posts go live. The company credited user feedback for helping identify weaknesses in Grok’s training data and pledged ongoing updates to improve the model’s accuracy.

The ADL criticised the chatbot’s behaviour as ‘irresponsible’ and warned that such AI-generated rhetoric fuels rising anti-Semitism online.

It is not the first time Grok has been caught in controversy — earlier this year, the bot repeated White genocide conspiracy theories, which xAI blamed on an unauthorised software change.

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ChatGPT quietly tests new ‘Study Together’ feature for education

A few ChatGPT users have noticed a new option called ‘Study Together’ appearing among available tools, though OpenAI has yet to confirm any official rollout. The feature seems designed to make ChatGPT a more interactive educational companion than just delivering instant answers.

Rather than offering direct solutions, the tool prompts users to think for themselves by asking questions, potentially turning ChatGPT into a digital tutor.

Some speculate the mode might eventually allow multiple users to study together in real-time, mimicking a virtual study group environment.

With the chatbot already playing a significant role in classrooms — helping teachers plan lessons or assisting students with homework — the ‘Study Together’ feature might help guide users toward deeper learning instead of enabling shortcuts.

Critics have warned that AI tools like ChatGPT risk undermining education, so it could be a strategic shift to encourage more constructive academic use.

OpenAI has not confirmed when or if the feature will launch publicly, or whether it will be limited to ChatGPT Plus users. When asked, ChatGPT only replied that nothing had been officially announced.

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Humanitarian, peace, and media sectors join forces to tackle harmful information

At the WSIS+20 High-Level Event in Geneva, a powerful session brought together humanitarian, peacebuilding, and media development actors to confront the growing threat of disinformation, more broadly reframed as ‘harmful information.’ Panellists emphasised that false or misleading content, whether deliberately spread or unintentionally harmful, can have dire consequences for already vulnerable populations, fueling violence, eroding trust, and distorting social narratives.

The session moderator, Caroline Vuillemin of Fondation Hirondelle, underscored the urgency of uniting these sectors to protect those most at risk.

Hans-Peter Wyss of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation presented the ‘triple nexus’ approach, advocating for coordinated interventions across humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding efforts. He stressed the vital role of trust, institutional flexibility, and the full inclusion of independent media as strategic actors.

Philippe Stoll of the ICRC detailed an initiative that focuses on the tangible harms of information—physical, economic, psychological, and societal—rather than debating truth. That initiative, grounded in a ‘detect, assess, respond’ framework, works from local volunteer training up to global advocacy and research on emerging challenges like deepfakes.

Donatella Rostagno of Interpeace shared field experiences from the Great Lakes region, where youth-led efforts to counter misinformation have created new channels for dialogue in highly polarised societies. She highlighted the importance of inclusive platforms where communities can express their own visions of peace and hear others’.

Meanwhile, Tammam Aloudat of The New Humanitarian critiqued the often selective framing of disinformation, urging support for local journalism and transparency about political biases, including the harm caused by omission and silence.

The session concluded with calls for sustainable funding and multi-level coordination, recognising that responses must be tailored locally while engaging globally. Despite differing views, all panellists agreed on the need to shift from a narrow focus on disinformation to a broader and more nuanced understanding of information harm, grounded in cooperation, local agency, and collective responsibility.

Track all key events from the WSIS+20 High-Level Event 2025 on our dedicated page.

UNESCO pushes for digital trust at WSIS+20

At the WSIS+20 High-Level Event in Geneva, UNESCO convened a timely session exploring how to strengthen global information ecosystems through responsible platform governance and smart technology use. The discussion, titled ‘Towards a Resilient Information Ecosystem’, brought together international regulators, academics, civil society leaders, and tech industry representatives to assess digital media’s role in shaping public discourse, especially in times of crisis.

UNESCO’s Assistant Director General Tawfik Jelassi emphasised the organisation’s longstanding mission to build peace through knowledge sharing, warning that digital platforms now risk becoming breeding grounds for misinformation, hate speech, and division. To counter this, he highlighted UNESCO’s ‘Internet for Trust’ initiative, which produced governance guidelines informed by over 10,000 global contributions.

Speakers called for a shift from viewing misinformation as an isolated problem to understanding the broader digital communication ecosystem, especially during crises such as wars or natural disasters. Professor Ingrid Volkmer stressed that global monopolies like Starlink, Amazon Web Services, and OpenAI dominate critical communication infrastructure, often without sufficient oversight.

She urged a paradigm shift that treats crisis communication as an interconnected system requiring tailored regulation and risk assessments. France’s digital regulator Frédéric Bokobza outlined the European Digital Services Act’s role in enhancing transparency and accountability, noting the importance of establishing direct cooperation with platforms, particularly during elections.

The panel also spotlighted ways to empower users. Google’s Nadja Blagojevic showcased initiatives like SynthID watermarking for AI-generated content and media literacy programs such as ‘Be Internet Awesome,’ which aim to build digital critical thinking skills across age groups.

Meanwhile, Maria Paz Canales from Global Partners Digital offered a civil society perspective, sharing how AI tools protect protestors’ identities, preserve historical memory, and amplify marginalised voices, even amid funding challenges. She also called for regulatory models distinguishing between traditional commercial media and true public interest journalism, particularly in underrepresented regions like Latin America.

The session concluded with a strong call for international collaboration among regulators and platforms, affirming that information should be treated as a public good. Participants underscored the need for inclusive, multistakeholder governance and sustainable support for independent media to protect democratic values in an increasingly digital world.

Track all key events from the WSIS+20 High-Level Event 2025 on our dedicated page.

Google hit with EU complaint over AI Overviews

After a formal filing by the Independent Publishers Alliance, Google has faced an antitrust complaint in the European Union over its AI Overviews feature.

The group alleges that Google has been using web content without proper consent to power its AI-generated summaries, causing considerable harm to online publishers.

The complaint claims that publishers have lost traffic, readers and advertising revenue due to these summaries. It also argues that opting out of AI Overviews is not a real choice unless publishers are prepared to vanish entirely from Google’s search results.

AI Overviews were launched over a year ago and now appear at the top of many search queries, summarising information using AI. Although the tool has expanded rapidly, critics argue it drives users away from original publisher websites, especially news outlets.

Google has responded by stating its AI search tools allow users to ask more complex questions and help businesses and creators get discovered. The tech giant also insisted that web traffic patterns are influenced by many factors and warned against conclusions based on limited data.

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EU rejects delay for AI Act rollout

The EU has confirmed it will enforce its originally scheduled AI Act, despite growing calls from American and European tech firms to delay the rollout.

Major companies, including Alphabet, Meta, ASML and Mistral, have urged the European Commission to push back the timeline by several years, citing concerns over compliance costs.

Rejecting the pressure, a Commission spokesperson clarified there would be no pause or grace period. The legislation’s deadlines remain, with general-purpose AI rules taking effect this August and stricter requirements for high-risk systems following August 2026.

The AI Act represents the EU’s effort to regulate AI across various sectors, aiming to balance innovation and public safety. While tech giants argue that the rules are too demanding, the EU insists legal certainty is vital and the framework must move forward as planned.

The Commission intends to simplify the process later in the year, such as easing reporting demands for smaller businesses. Yet the core structure and deadlines of the AI Act will not be altered.

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BRICS calls for AI data regulations amid challenges with de-dollarisation

BRICS leaders in Rio de Janeiro have called for stricter global rules on how AI uses data, demanding fair compensation for content used without permission.

The group’s draft statement highlights growing frustration with tech giants using vast amounts of unlicensed content to train AI models.

Despite making progress on digital policy, BRICS once again stalled on a long-standing ambition to reduce reliance on the US dollar.

After a decade of talks, the bloc’s cross-border payments system remains in limbo. Member nations continue to debate infrastructure, governance and how to work around non-convertible currencies and sanctions.

China is moving independently, expanding the yuan’s international use and launching domestic currency futures.

Meanwhile, the rest of the bloc struggles with legal, financial and technical hurdles, leaving the dream of a unified alternative to the dollar on hold. Even a proposed New Investment Platform remains mired in internal disagreements.

In response to rising global debt concerns, BRICS introduced a Multilateral Guarantees Initiative within the New Development Bank. It aims to improve credit access across the Global South without needing new capital, especially for countries struggling to borrow in dollar-dominated markets.

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Council of Europe picks Jylo to power AI platform

The Council of Europe has chosen Jylo, a European enterprise AI provider, to support over 3,000 users across its organisation.

The decision followed a competitive selection process involving multiple AI vendors, with Jylo standing out for its regulatory compliance and platform adaptability.

As Europe’s leading human rights body, the Council aims to use AI responsibly to support its legal and policy work. Jylo’s platform will streamline document-based workflows and reduce administrative burdens, helping staff focus on critical democratic and legal missions.

Leaders from both Jylo and the Council praised the collaboration. Jylo CEO Shawn Curran said the partnership reflects shared values around regulatory compliance and innovation.

The Council’s CIO, John Hunter, described Jylo’s commitment to secure AI as a perfect fit for the institution’s evolving digital strategy.

Jylo’s AI Assistant and automation features are designed specifically for knowledge-driven organisations. The rollout is expected to strengthen the Council’s internal efficiency and reinforce Jylo’s standing as a trusted AI partner across the European public and legal sectors.

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Spotify hit by AI band hoax controversy

A band called The Velvet Sundown has gone viral on Spotify, gaining over 850,000 monthly listeners, yet almost nothing is known about the people behind it.

With no live performances, interviews, or social media presence for its supposed members, the group has fuelled growing speculation that both it and its music may be AI-generated.

The mystery deepened after Rolling Stone first reported that a spokesperson had admitted the tracks were made using an AI tool called Suno, only to later reveal the spokesperson himself was fake.

The band denies any connection to the individual, stating on Spotify that the account impersonating them on X is also false.

AI detection tools have added to the confusion. Rival platform Deezer flagged the music as ‘100% AI-generated’, although Spotify has remained silent.

While CEO Daniel Ek has said AI music isn’t banned from the platform, he expressed concerns about mimicking real artists.

The case has reignited industry fears over AI’s impact on musicians. Experts warn that public trust in online content is weakening.

Musicians and advocacy groups argue that AI is undercutting creativity by training on human-made songs without permission. As copyright battles continue, pressure is mounting for stronger government regulation.

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