The UAE Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research has partnered with Microsoft to develop AI agents to help university students find jobs. The initiative was announced in Dubai during a major policy gathering in the UAE.
The collaboration in the UAE will use Microsoft Azure to build prototype AI agents supporting personalised learning and career navigation. Dubai-based officials said the tools are designed to align higher education with labour market needs in the UAE.
Four AI agents are being developed in the UAE, covering lifelong skills planning, personalised learning, course co creation and research alignment. Dubai remains central to the project as a hub for higher education innovation in the UAE.
Officials in the UAE said the partnership reflects national priorities around innovation and a knowledge based economy. Microsoft said Dubai offers an ideal environment to scale AI driven education tools across the UAE.
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Among several countries lately, Slovenia is also moving towards banning access to social media platforms for children under the age of 15, as the government prepares draft legislation aimed at protecting minors online.
Deputy Prime Minister Matej Arčon said the Education Ministry initiated the proposal and would be developed with input from professionals.
The planned law would apply to major social networks where user-generated content is shared, including TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram. Arčon said the initiative reflects growing international concern over the impact of social media on children’s mental health, privacy and exposure to addictive design features.
Slovenia’s move follows similar debates and proposals across Europe and beyond. Countries such as Italy, France, Spain, UK, Greece and Austria have considered restrictions, while Australia has already introduced a nationwide minimum age for social media use.
Spain’s prime minister recently defended proposed limits, arguing that technology companies should not influence democratic decision-making.
Despite these concerns, Slovenia’s government appears determined to proceed, positioning the measure as part of a broader effort to strengthen child protection in the digital space.
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European lawmakers remain divided over whether AI tools that generate non-consensual sexual images should face an explicit ban in the EU legislation.
The split emerged as debate intensified over the AI simplification package, which is moving through Parliament and the Council rather than remaining confined to earlier negotiations.
Concerns escalated after Grok was used to create images that digitally undressed women and children.
The EU regulators responded by launching an investigation under the Digital Services Act, and the Commission described the behaviour as illegal under existing European rules. Several lawmakers argue that the AI Act should name pornification apps directly instead of relying on broader legal provisions.
Lead MEPs did not include a ban in their initial draft of the Parliament’s position, prompting other groups to consider adding amendments. Negotiations continue as parties explore how such a restriction could be framed without creating inconsistencies within the broader AI framework.
The Commission appears open to strengthening the law and has hinted that the AI omnibus could be an appropriate moment to act. Lawmakers now have a limited time to decide whether an explicit prohibition can secure political agreement before the amendment deadline passes.
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The confrontation between Spain and Telegram founder Pavel Durov has intensified after he claimed that Pedro Sánchez endangered online freedoms.
Government officials responded that the tech executive spread lies rather than engage with the proposed rules in good faith. Sánchez argued that democracy would not be silenced by what he called the techno-oligarchs of the algorithm.
The dispute followed the unveiling of new measures aimed at major technology companies. The plan introduces a ban on social media use for under-16s and holds corporate leaders legally responsible when unlawful or hateful content remains online rather than being removed.
Platforms would also need to adopt age-verification tools such as ID checks or biometric systems, which Durov argued could turn Spain into a surveillance state by allowing large-scale data collection.
Tensions widened as Sánchez clashed with prominent US tech figures. Sumar urged all bodies linked to the central administration to leave X, a move that followed Elon Musk’s accusation that the Spanish leader was acting like a tyrant.
The row highlighted how Spain’s attempt to regulate digital platforms has placed its government in open conflict with influential technology executives.
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Albania has lifted its temporary ban on TikTok after nearly a year, the government announced, saying that concerns about public, social and digital safety have now been addressed and that access will resume nationwide.
The restriction was introduced in March 2025 following a fatal stabbing linked to a social media dispute and aimed to protect younger users instead of exposing them to harmful online content.
Under the new arrangement, authorities are partnering with TikTok to introduce protective filters based on keywords and content controls and to strengthen reporting mechanisms for harmful material.
The government described the decision as a shift from restrictive measures to a phase of active monitoring, inter-institutional cooperation, and shared responsibility with digital platforms.
Although the ban has now been lifted, a court challenge contends that the earlier suspension violated the constitutional right to freedom of expression, and a ruling is expected later in February. Opposition figures also criticised the original ban when it was applied ahead of parliamentary elections.
Despite the formal ban, TikTok remained accessible to many users in Albania through virtual private networks during the year it was in force, highlighting the challenge of enforcing such blocks in practice.
Critics have also noted that addressing the impact on youth may require broader digital education and safety measures.
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The dating platform is expanding its reliance on AI, with Tinder experimenting with a feature designed to ease swipe fatigue among users.
A tool, known as Chemistry, that builds a picture of each person through optional questions and by reviewing their Camera Roll with permission, offering a more personalised route toward potential matches instead of repetitive browsing.
Match is currently testing the feature only in Australia. Executives say the system allows people to receive a small set of tailored profiles rather than navigating large volumes of candidates.
Tinder hopes the approach will strengthen engagement during a period when registrations and monthly activity remain lower than last year, despite minor improvements driven by AI-based recommendations.
Developers are also refocusing the broader discovery experience to reflect concerns raised by Gen Z around authenticity, trust and relevance.
The platform now relies on verification tools such as Face Check, which Match says cut harmful interactions by more than half instead of leaving users exposed to impersonators.
These moves indicate a shift away from the swipe mechanic that once defined the app, offering more direct suggestions that may improve outcomes.
Marketing investment is set to rise as part of the strategy. Match plans to allocate $50 million to new campaigns that will position Tinder as appealing again, using creators on TikTok and Instagram to reframe the brand.
Strong quarterly revenue failed to offset weaker guidance, yet the company argues that AI features will help shape a more reliable and engaging service for users seeking consistent matches.
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Spain is preparing legislation to ban social media access for users under 16, with the proposal expected to be introduced within days. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez framed the move as a child-protection measure aimed at reducing exposure to harmful online environments.
Government plans include mandatory age-verification systems for platforms, designed to serve as practical barriers rather than symbolic safeguards. Officials argue that minors face escalating risks online, including addiction, exploitation, violent content, and manipulation.
Additional provisions could hold technology executives legally accountable for unlawful or hateful content that remains online. The proposal reflects a broader regulatory shift toward platform responsibility and stricter enforcement standards.
Momentum for youth restrictions is building across Europe. France and Denmark are pursuing similar controls, while the EU Digital Services Act guidelines allow member states to define a national ‘digital majority age’.
The European Commission is also testing an age verification app, with wider deployment expected next year.
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The Geneva Engage initiative, launched in 2016 by the Geneva Internet Platform under DiploFoundation with the support of the Republic and Canton of Geneva, continues to track how International Geneva connects with audiences worldwide. Through research and annual awards, it assesses how Geneva-based actors communicate on global policy issues ranging from development and human rights to health, the environment, and digital governance.
The 11th edition of the Geneva Engage Awards was held on 3 February 2026 at the World Meteorological Organization building, and it came at a moment of significant change in how people access information. Under the theme ‘Back to basics in the AI era’, the event explored how International Geneva can remain a trusted source as users increasingly rely on AI assistants rather than traditional searches, websites, and reports.
Each year, the Geneva Engage Awards recognise excellence in digital outreach across three main categories: international organisations, non-governmental organisations, and permanent representations. The evaluation focuses on how effectively these actors use digital tools to engage global audiences, build trust, and remain visible in an evolving information ecosystem.
The methodology combines quantitative analysis across three areas, social media outreach, web relevancy, and web accessibility. Performance is measured using engagement data from social media platforms, the visibility and relevance of web content in global search results, and accessibility standards that assess how usable and inclusive websites are for diverse audiences.
Together, this year’s results highlight how digital trust, accessibility, and relevance are becoming central to diplomacy in an AI-driven information landscape.
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Preparing to restrict social media access for children under 15s, Greece plans to use the Kids Wallet app as its enforcement tool amid rising European concern over youth safety.
The Ministry of Digital Governance intends to rely on the Kids Wallet application, introduced last year, as a mechanism for enforcing the measure instead of developing a new control framework.
Government planning is advanced, yet the precise timing of the announcement by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has not been finalised.
In addition to the legislative initiative in Greece, the European debate on children’s online safety is intensifying.
Spain recently revealed plans to prohibit social media access for those under sixteen and to create legislation that would hold platform executives personally accountable for hate speech.
Such moves illustrate how governments are seeking to shape the digital environment for younger users rather than leaving regulation solely in private hands.
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The British regulator, Ofcom, has released an update on its investigation into X after reports that the Grok chatbot had generated sexual deepfakes of real people, including minors.
As such, the regulator initiated a formal inquiry to assess whether X took adequate steps to manage the spread of such material and to remove it swiftly.
X has since introduced measures to limit the distribution of manipulated images, while the ICO and regulators abroad have opened parallel investigations.
The Online Safety Act does not cover all chatbot services, as regulation depends on whether a system enables user interactions, provides search functionality, or produces pornographic material.
Many AI chatbots fall partly or entirely outside the Act’s scope, limiting regulators’ ability to act when harmful content is created during one-to-one interactions.
Ofcom cannot currently investigate the standalone Grok service for producing illegal images because the Act does not cover that form of generation.
Evidence-gathering from X continues, with legally binding information requests issued to the company. Ofcom will offer X a full opportunity to present representations before any provisional findings are published.
Enforcement actions take several months, since regulators must follow strict procedural safeguards to ensure decisions are robust and defensible.
Ofcom added that people who encounter harmful or illegal content online are encouraged to report it directly to the relevant platforms. Incidents involving intimate images can be reported to dedicated services for adults or support schemes for minors.
Material that may constitute child sexual abuse should be reported to the Internet Watch Foundation.
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