A new study commissioned by noyb reports that most users favour a tracking-free advertising option when navigating Pay or Okay systems. Researchers found low genuine support for data collection when participants were asked without pressure.
Consent rates rose sharply when users were presented only with payment or agreement to tracking, leading most to select consent. Findings indicate that the absence of a realistic alternative shapes outcomes more than actual preference.
Introduction of a third option featuring advertising without tracking prompted a strong shift, with most participants choosing that route. Evidence suggests users accept ad-funded models provided their behavioural data remains untouched.
Researchers observed similar patterns on social networks, news sites and other platforms, undermining claims that certain sectors require special treatment. Debate continues as regulators assess whether Pay or Okay complies with EU data protection rules such as the GDPR.
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Nigeria’s National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has issued an urgent advisory on security weaknesses in OpenAI’s ChatGPT models. The agency warned that flaws affecting GPT-4o and GPT-5 could expose users to data leakage through indirect prompt injection.
According to NITDA’s Computer Emergency Readiness and Response Team, seven critical flaws were identified that allow hidden instructions to be embedded in web content. Malicious prompts can be triggered during routine browsing, search or summarisation without user interaction.
The advisory warned that attackers can bypass safety filters, exploit rendering bugs and manipulate conversation context. Some techniques allow injected instructions to persist across future interactions by interfering with the models’ memory functions.
While OpenAI has addressed parts of the issue, NITDA said large language models still struggle to reliably distinguish malicious data from legitimate input. Risks include unintended actions, information leakage and long-term behavioural influence.
NITDA urged users and organisations in Nigeria to apply updates promptly and limit browsing or memory features when not required. The agency said that exposing AI systems to external tools increases their attack surface and demands stronger safeguards.
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NTT and Toyota have expanded their partnership with a new initiative aimed at advancing safer mobility and reducing traffic accidents. The firms announced a Mobility AI Platform that combines high-quality communications, distributed computing and AI to analyse large volumes of data.
Toyota intends to use the platform to support software-defined vehicles, enabling continuous improvements in safety through data-driven automated driving systems.
The company plans to update its software and electronics architecture so vehicles can gather essential information and receive timely upgrades, strengthening both safety and security.
The platform will use three elements: distributed data centres, intelligent networks and an AI layer that learns from people, vehicles and infrastructure. As software-defined vehicles rise, Toyota expects a sharp increase in data traffic and a greater need for processing capacity.
Development will begin in 2025 with an investment of around 500 billion yen. Public trials are scheduled for 2028, followed by wider introduction from 2030.
Both companies hope to attract additional partners as they work towards a more connected and accident-free mobility ecosystem.
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Growing political pressure is building in Westminster as more than 100 parliamentarians call for binding regulation on the most advanced AI systems, arguing that current safeguards lag far behind industry progress.
A cross-party group, supported by former defence and AI ministers, warns that unregulated superintelligent models could threaten national and global security.
The campaign, coordinated by Control AI and backed by tech figures including Skype co-founder Jaan Tallinn, urges Prime Minister Keir Starmer to distance the UK from the US stance against strict federal AI rules.
Experts such as Yoshua Bengio and senior peers argue that governments remain far behind AI developers, leaving companies to set the pace with minimal oversight.
Calls for action come after warnings from frontier AI scientists that the world must decide by 2030 whether to allow highly advanced systems to self-train.
Campaigners want the UK to champion global agreements limiting superintelligence development, establish mandatory testing standards and introduce an independent watchdog to scrutinise AI use in the public sector.
Government officials maintain that AI is already regulated through existing frameworks, though critics say the approach lacks urgency.
Pressure is growing for new, binding rules on the most powerful models, with advocates arguing that rapid advances mean strong safeguards may be needed within the next two years.
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Regulators in the EU have accepted binding commitments from TikTok aimed at improving advertising transparency under the Digital Services Act.
An agreement that follows months of scrutiny and addresses concerns raised in the Commission’s preliminary findings earlier in the year.
TikTok will now provide complete versions of advertisements exactly as they appear in user feeds, along with associated URLs, targeting criteria and aggregated demographic data.
Researchers will gain clearer insight into how advertisers reach users, rather than relying on partial or delayed information. The platform has also agreed to refresh its advertising repository within 24 hours.
Further improvements include new search functions and filters that make it easier for the public, civil society and regulators to examine advertising content.
These changes are intended to support efforts to detect scams, identify harmful products and analyse coordinated influence operations, especially around elections.
TikTok must implement its commitments to the EU within deadlines ranging from two to twelve months, depending on each measure.
The Commission will closely monitor compliance while continuing broader investigations into algorithmic design, protection of minors, data access and risks connected to elections and civic discourse.
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European ministers have adopted conclusions aimed to boosting the Union’s digital competitiveness, urging quicker progress toward the 2030 digital decade goals.
Officials called for stronger digital skills, wider adoption of technology, and a framework that supports innovation while protecting fundamental rights. Digital sovereignty remains a central objective, framed as open, risk-based and aligned with European values.
Ministers supported simplifying digital rules for businesses, particularly SMEs and start-ups, which face complex administrative demands. A predictable legal environment, less reporting duplication and more explicit rules were seen as essential for competitiveness.
Governments emphasised that simplification must not weaken data protection or other core safeguards.
Concerns over online safety and illegal content were a prominent feature in discussions on enforcing the Digital Services Act. Ministers highlighted the presence of harmful content and unsafe products on major marketplaces, calling for stronger coordination and consistent enforcement across member states.
Ensuring full compliance with EU consumer protection and product safety rules was described as a priority.
Cyber-resilience was a key focus as ministers discussed the increasing impact of cyberattacks on citizens and the economy. Calls for stronger defences grew as digital transformation accelerated, with several states sharing updates on national and cross-border initiatives.
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Australian regulators have released new guidance ahead of the introduction of industry codes designed to protect children from exposure to harmful online material.
The Age Restricted Material Codes will apply to a wide range of online services, including app stores, social platforms, equipment providers, pornography sites and generative AI services, with the first tranche beginning on 27 December.
The rules require search engines to blur image results involving pornography or extreme violence to reduce accidental exposure among young users.
Search services must also redirect people seeking information related to suicide, self-harm or eating disorders to professional mental health support instead of allowing harmful spirals to unfold.
eSafety argues that many children unintentionally encounter disturbing material at very young ages, often through search results that act as gateways rather than deliberate choices.
The guidance emphasises that adults will still be able to access unblurred material by clicking through, and there is no requirement for Australians to log in or identify themselves before searching.
These codes will operate alongside existing standards that tackle unlawful content and will complement new minimum age requirements for social media, which are set to begin in mid-December.
Authorities in Australia consider the reforms essential for reducing preventable harm and guiding vulnerable users towards appropriate support services.
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European regulators have imposed a fine of one hundred and twenty million euros on X after ruling that the platform breached transparency rules under the Digital Services Act.
The Commission concluded that the company misled users with its blue checkmark system, restricted research access and operated an inadequate advertising repository.
Officials found that paid verification on X encouraged users to believe their accounts had been authenticated when, in fact, no meaningful checks were conducted.
EU regulators argued that such practices increased exposure to scams and impersonation fraud, rather than supporting trust in online communication.
The Commission also stated that the platform’s advertising repository lacked essential information and created barriers that prevented researchers and civil society from examining potential threats.
European authorities judged that X failed to offer legitimate access to public data for eligible researchers. Terms of service blocked independent data collection, including scraping, while the company’s internal processes created further obstacles.
Regulators believe such restrictions frustrate efforts to study misinformation, influence campaigns and other systemic risks within the EU.
X must now outline the steps it will take to end the blue checkmark infringement within sixty working days and deliver a wider action plan on data access and advertising transparency within ninety days.
Failure to comply could lead to further penalties as the Commission continues its broader investigation into information manipulation and illegal content across the platform.
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Authorities in Taiwan will block the Chinese social media and shopping app RedNote for a year following a surge in online scams linked to the platform. Officials report that more than 1,700 fraud cases have been linked to the app since last year, resulting in losses exceeding NT$247 million.
Regulators report that the company failed to meet required data-security standards and did not respond to requests for a plan to strengthen cybersecurity.
Internet providers have been instructed to restrict access, affecting several million users who now see a security warning message when opening the app.
Concerns over Beijing’s online influence and the spread of disinformation have added pressure on Taiwanese authorities to tighten oversight of Chinese platforms.
RedNote’s operators are also facing scrutiny in mainland China, where regulators have criticised the company over what they labelled ‘negative’ content.
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Ireland’s online safety regulator has agreed a new partnership with Australia’s eSafety Commissioner to strengthen global approaches to digital harm. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) reinforces shared ambitions to improve online protection for children and adults.
The Irish and Australian plan to exchange data, expertise and methodological insights to advance safer digital platforms. Officials describe the arrangement as a way to enhance oversight of systems used to minimise harmful content and promote responsible design.
Leaders from both organisations emphasised the need for accountability across the tech sector. Their comments highlighted efforts to ensure that platforms embed user protection into their product architecture, rather than relying solely on reactive enforcement.
The MoU also opens avenues for collaborative policy development and joint work on education programs. Officials expect a deeper alignment around age assurance technologies and emerging regulatory challenges as online risks continue to evolve.
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