Digital standards

Eurofiber France reportedly hit by data breach

Eurofiber France has suffered a data breach affecting its internal ticket management system and ATE customer portal, reportedly discovered on 13 November. The incident allegedly involved unauthorised access via a software vulnerability, with the full extent still unclear.

Sources indicate that approximately 3,600 customers could be affected, including major French companies and public institutions. Reports suggest that some of the allegedly stolen data, ranging from documents to cloud configurations, may have appeared on the dark web for sale.

Eurofiber has emphasised that Dutch operations are not affected.

The company moved quickly to secure affected systems, increasing monitoring and collaborating with cybersecurity specialists to investigate the incident. The French privacy regulator, CNIL, has been informed, and Eurofiber states that it will continue to update customers as the investigation progresses.

Founded in 2000, Eurofiber provides fibre optic infrastructure across the Netherlands, Belgium, France, and Germany. Primarily owned by Antin Infrastructure Partners and partially by Dutch pension fund PGGM, the company remains operational while assessing the impact of the breach.

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EU moves to reinforce cooperation against VAT fraud

The European Commission has presented a plan to strengthen cooperation among the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, the European Anti-Fraud Office, and member states as part of a broader effort to combat VAT fraud.

The proposal establishes a legal framework for the sharing of information. It grants the EU bodies immediate access to VAT data, which is expected to enhance the detection of cross-border tax evasion schemes.

Real-time reporting of cross-border trade, delivered through the VAT in the Digital Age package, provides national authorities with the information needed to identify suspicious activity, rather than relying on delayed or incomplete records.

Carousel fraud alone costs EU taxpayers billions each year and remains a significant element of the broader VAT compliance gap, which stood at over €89 billion in 2022.

The Commission argues that faster access to VAT information will help investigators uncover fraudulent networks, halt their activities and pursue prosecutions more effectively.

EPPO, OLAF and the Eurofisc network would gain direct communication channels, enabling closer coordination and rapid intelligence sharing throughout the Union.

A proposal that will now move to the Council for agreement and to the European Parliament and the Economic and Social Committee for consultation.

Once adopted and published, the changes will take effect and initiate the implementation phase across the EU.

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Disney+ subscribers protest AI content plans

Disney faces intense criticism after CEO Bob Iger announced plans to allow AI-generated content on Disney+. The streaming service, known for its iconic hand-drawn animation, now risks alienating artists and fans who value traditional craftsmanship.

Iger said AI would offer Disney+ users more interactive experiences, including the creation and sharing of short-form content. The company plans to expand gaming on Disney+ by continuing its collaborations with Fortnite, as well as featuring characters from Star Wars and The Simpsons.

Artists and animators reacted sharply, warning that AI could lead to job losses and a flood of low-quality material. Social media users called for a boycott, emphasising that generative AI undermines the legacy of Disney’s animation and may drive subscribers away.

The backlash reflects broader industry concerns, as other studios, such as Illumination and DreamWorks, have also rejected the use of generative AI. Creators like Dana Terrace of The Owl House urged fans to support human artistry, backing the push to defend traditional animation from AI-generated content.

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Teenagers still face harmful content despite new protections

In the UK and other countries, teenagers continue to encounter harmful social media content, including posts about bullying, suicide and weapons, despite the Online Safety Act coming into effect in July.

A BBC investigation using test profiles revealed that some platforms continue to expose young users to concerning material, particularly on TikTok and YouTube.

The experiment, conducted with six fictional accounts aged 13 to 15, revealed differences in exposure between boys and girls.

While Instagram showed marked improvement, with no harmful content displayed during the latest test, TikTok users were repeatedly served posts about self-harm and abuse, and one YouTube profile encountered videos featuring weapons and animal harm.

Experts warned that changes will take time and urged parents to monitor their children’s online activity actively. They also recommended open conversations about content, the use of parental controls, and vigilance rather than relying solely on the new regulatory codes.

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Digital twin technology drives new era in predictive medicine

A new AI model capable of generating digital twins of patients is being hailed as a significant step forward for clinical research. Developed at the University of Melbourne, the system reviews health records to predict how a patient’s condition may change during treatment.

DT-GPT, the model in question, was trained on thousands of records covering Alzheimer’s disease, non-small cell lung cancer, and intensive care admissions. Researchers stated that the model accurately predicted shifts in key clinical indicators, utilising medical literature and patient histories.

Predictions were validated without giving DT-GPT access to actual outcomes, strengthening confidence in its performance.

Lead researcher Associate Professor Michael Menden said the tool not only replicated patient profiles but also outperformed fourteen advanced machine-learning systems.

The ability to simulate clinical trial outcomes could lower costs and accelerate drug development, while enabling clinicians to anticipate deterioration and tailor treatment plans more effectively.

Researchers also noted that DT-GPT’s zero-shot ability to predict medical values it had never been trained on. The team has formed a company with the Royal Melbourne Women’s Hospital to apply the technology to patients with endometriosis, demonstrating wider potential in healthcare.

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Digital records gain official status in Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan has granted full legal validity to online personal data stored on the my.gov.uz Unified Interactive Public Services Portal, placing it on equal footing with traditional documents.

The measure, in force from 1 November, supports the country’s digital transformation by simplifying how citizens interact with state bodies.

Personal information can now be accessed, shared and managed entirely through the portal instead of relying on printed certificates.

State institutions are no longer permitted to request paper versions of records that are already available online, which is expected to reduce queues and alleviate the administrative burden faced by the public.

Officials in Uzbekistan anticipate that centralising personal data on one platform will save time and resources for both citizens and government agencies. The reform aims to streamline public services, remove redundant steps and improve overall efficiency across state procedures.

Government bodies have encouraged citizens to use the portal’s functions more actively and follow official channels for updates on new features and improvements.

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Most workers see AI risk but not for themselves

A new survey by YouGov and Udemy reveals that while workers across the US, UK, India and Brazil see AI as a significant economic force, many believe their own jobs are unlikely to be affected.

Over 4,500 adults were polled, highlighting a clear gap between concern for the broader economy and personal job security.

In the UK, 70% of respondents expressed concern about AI’s impact on the economy, but only 39% worried about its effects on their own occupation.

Similarly, in the US, 72% feared wider economic effects, while 47% concerned about personal job loss. Experts suggest this reflects a psychological blind spot similar to early reactions to the internet.

The survey also highlighted a perceived AI skills gap, particularly in the UK, where 55% of workers had received no AI training. Many employees acknowledged awareness of AI’s rise but lacked motivation to develop skills immediately, a phenomenon researchers describe as an ‘awareness action gap’.

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AI reveals hidden messages in gut microbes

Researchers at the University of Tokyo in Japan have utilised AI to investigate the intricate world of gut bacteria and their chemical signals.

Their system, VBayesMM, utilises a Bayesian neural network to identify genuine connections between bacteria and human health that traditional methods often overlook.

The human gut contains roughly 100 trillion bacterial cells, which interact with human metabolism, immunity and brain function through thousands of chemical compounds called metabolites.

Using AI, scientists can map which bacteria influence specific metabolites, offering hope for personalised treatment strategies for conditions such as obesity, sleep disorders and cancer.

VBayesMM stands out by recognising uncertainty in its predictions, offering more reliable insights than conventional models.

Researchers plan to expand the system to analyse larger and more diverse datasets, aiming to identify bacterial targets for therapies or dietary interventions that could improve patient outcomes.

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Heavy sell pressure pushes Bitcoin back under $94,000

Bitcoin’s price continued to weaken after dipping under $94,000, extending a retreat that has now erased nearly $190 billion from its market value over the past week. Trading volumes remained high, yet sell pressure dominated as the asset struggled to reclaim momentum.

Market data showed more than $394 million in crypto liquidations over the past 24 hours, with the majority coming from long positions. Sentiment stayed uneasy as Bitcoin hovered close to the $94,000 mark, offering little reassurance to traders seeking signs of stability.

Analysts remain divided on whether the current zone represents a potential floor or a pause before further declines. Traders noted that fresh catalysts will be needed to support any sustained recovery as liquidations rise and volatility deepens.

Bitcoin’s recent swings have left market participants split between bargain hunting and preparing for another downturn. Precise data and level-headed decision-making appear more valuable than hype as the market navigates its latest correction.

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Meta pushes deeper into robotics with key hardware move

Meta is expanding its robotics ambitions by appointing Li-Chen Miller, previously head of its smart glasses portfolio, as the first product manager for Reality Labs’ robotics division. Her transfer marks a significant shift in Meta’s hardware priorities following the launch of its latest augmented reality devices.

The company is reportedly developing a humanoid assistant known internally as Metabot within the same organisation that oversees its AR and VR platforms. Former Cruise executive Marc Whitten leads the robotics group, supported by veteran engineer Ning Li and renowned MIT roboticist Sangbae Kim.

Miller’s move emphasises Meta’s aim to merge its AI expertise with physical robotics. The new team collaborates with the firm’s Superintelligence Lab, which is building a ‘world model’ capable of powering dextrous motion and real-time reasoning.

Analysts see the strategy as Meta’s attempt to future-proof its ecosystem and diversify Reality Labs, which continues to post heavy losses. The company’s growing investment in humanoid design could bring home-use robots closer to reality, blending social AI with the firm’s long-term vision for the metaverse.

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