Freedom of expression

Uzbekistan sets principles for responsible AI

A new ethical framework for the development and use of AI technologies has been adopted by Uzbekistan.

The rules, prepared by the Ministry of Digital Technologies, establish unified standards for developers, implementing organisations and users of AI systems, ensuring AI respects human rights, privacy and societal trust.

A framework that is part of presidential decrees and resolutions aimed at advancing AI innovation across the country. It also emphasises legality, transparency, fairness, accountability, and continuous human oversight.

AI systems must avoid discrimination based on gender, nationality, religion, language or social origin.

Developers are required to ensure algorithmic clarity, assess risks and bias in advance, and prevent AI from causing harm to individuals, society, the state or the environment.

Users of AI systems must comply with legislation, safeguard personal data, and operate technologies responsibly. Any harm caused during AI development or deployment carries legal liability.

The Ministry of Digital Technologies will oversee standards, address ethical concerns, foster industry cooperation, and improve digital literacy across Uzbekistan.

An initiative that aligns with broader efforts to prepare Uzbekistan for AI adoption in healthcare, education, transport, space, and other sectors.

By establishing clear ethical principles, the country aims to strengthen trust in AI applications and ensure responsible and secure use nationwide.

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Irish regulator probes an investigation into TikTok and LinkedIn

Regulators in Ireland have opened investigations into TikTok and LinkedIn under the EU Digital Services Act.

Coimisiún na Meán’s Investigations Team believes there may be shortcomings in how both platforms handle reports of suspected illegal material. Concerns emerged during an exhaustive review of Article 16 compliance that began last year and focused on the availability of reporting tools.

The review highlighted the potential for interface designs that could confuse users, particularly when choosing between reporting illegal content and content that merely violates platform rules.

An investigation that will examine whether reporting tools are easy to access, user-friendly and capable of supporting anonymous reporting of suspected child sexual abuse material, as required under Article 16(2)(c).

It will also assess whether platform design may discourage users from reporting material as illegal under Article 25.

Coimisiún na Meán stated that several other providers made changes to their reporting systems following regulatory engagement. Those changes are being reviewed for effectiveness.

The regulator emphasised that platforms must avoid practices that could mislead users and must provide reliable reporting mechanisms instead of diverting people toward less protective options.

These investigations will proceed under the Broadcasting Act of Ireland. If either platform is found to be in breach of the DSA, the regulator can impose administrative penalties that may reach six percent of global turnover.

Coimisiún na Meán noted that cooperation remains essential and that further action may be necessary if additional concerns about DSA compliance arise.

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OpenAI expands investment in mental health safety research

Yesterday, OpenAI launched a new grant programme to support external research on the connection between AI and mental health.

An initiative that aims to expand independent inquiry into how people express distress, how AI interprets complex emotional signals and how different cultures shape the language used to discuss sensitive experiences.

OpenAI also hopes that broader participation will strengthen collective understanding, rather than keeping progress confined to internal studies.

The programme encourages interdisciplinary work that brings together technical specialists, mental health professionals and people with lived experience. OpenAI is seeking proposals that can offer clear outputs, such as datasets, evaluation methods, or practical insights, that improve safety and guidance.

Researchers may focus on patterns of distress in specific communities, the influence of slang and vernacular, or the challenges that appear when mental health symptoms manifest in ways that current systems fail to recognise.

The grants also aim to expand knowledge of how providers use AI within care settings, including where tools are practical, where limitations appear and where risks emerge for users.

Additional areas of interest include how young people respond to different tones or styles, how grief is expressed in language and how visual cues linked to body image concerns can be interpreted responsibly.

OpenAI emphasises that better evaluation frameworks, ethical datasets and annotated examples can support safer development across the field.

Applications are open until 19 December, with decisions expected by mid-January. The programme forms part of OpenAI’s broader effort to invest in well-being and safety research, offering financial support to independent teams working across diverse cultural and linguistic contexts.

The company argues that expanding evidence and perspectives will contribute to a more secure and supportive environment for future AI systems.

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Australia stands firm on under 16 social media ban

Australia’s government defended its under-16 social media ban ahead of its introduction on 10 December. Minister Anika Wells said she would not be pressured by major platforms opposing the plan.

Tech companies argued that bans may prove ineffective, yet Wells maintained firms had years to address known harms. She insisted parents required stronger safeguards after repeated failures by global platforms.

Critics raised concerns about enforcement and the exclusion of online gaming despite widespread worries about Roblox. Two teenagers also launched a High Court challenge, claiming the policy violated children’s rights.

Wells accepted rollout difficulties but said wider social gains in Australia justified firm action. She added that policymakers must intervene when unsafe operating models place young people at risk.

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Italy secures new EU support for growth and reform

The European Commission has endorsed Italy’s latest request for funding under the Recovery and Resilience Facility, marking an important step in the country’s economic modernisation.

An approval that covers 12.8 billion euros, combining grants and loans, and supports efforts to strengthen competitiveness and long-term growth across key sectors of national life.

Italy completed 32 milestones and targets connected to the eighth instalment, enabling progress in public administration, procurement, employment, education, research, tourism, renewable energy and the circular economy.

Thousands of schools have gained new resources to improve multilingual learning and build stronger skills in science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics.

Many primary and secondary schools have also secured modern digital tools to enhance teaching quality instead of relying on outdated systems.

Health research forms another major part of the package. Projects focused on rare diseases, cancer and other high-impact conditions have gained fresh funding to support scientific work and improve treatment pathways.

These measures contribute to a broader transformation programme financed through 194.4 billion euros, representing one of the largest recovery plans in the EU.

A four-week review by the Economic and Financial Committee will follow before the payment can be released. Once completed, Italy’s total receipts will exceed 153 billion euros, covering more than 70 percent of its full Recovery and Resilience Facility allocation.

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Australia moves to curb nudify tools after eSafety action

A major provider of three widely used nudify services has cut off Australian access after enforcement action from eSafety.

The company received an official warning in September for allowing its tools to be used to produce AI-generated material that harmed children.

A withdrawal that follows concerns about incidents involving school students and repeated reminders that online services must meet Australia’s mandatory safety standards.

eSafety stated that Australia’s codes and standards are encouraging companies to adopt stronger safeguards.

The Commissioner noted that preventing the misuse of consumer tools remains central to reducing the risk of harm and that more precise boundaries can lower the likelihood of abuse affecting young people.

Attention has also turned to underlying models and the hosting platforms that distribute them.

Hugging Face has updated its terms to require users to take steps to mitigate the risks associated with uploaded models, including preventing misuse for generating harmful content. The company is required to act when reports or internal checks reveal breaches of its policies.

eSafety indicated that failure to comply with industry codes or standards can lead to enforcement measures, including significant financial penalties.

The agency is working with the government on further reforms intended to restrict access to nudify tools and strengthen protections across the technology stack.

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Virginia sets new limits on AI chatbots for minors

Lawmakers in Virginia are preparing fresh efforts to regulate AI as concerns grow over its influence on minors and vulnerable users.

Legislators will return in January with a set of proposals focused on limiting the capabilities of chatbots, curbing deepfakes and restricting automated ticket-buying systems. The push follows a series of failed attempts last year to define high-risk AI systems and expand protections for consumers.

Delegate Michelle Maldonado aims to introduce measures that restrict what conversational agents can say in therapeutic interactions instead of allowing them to mimic emotional support.

Her plans follow the well-publicised case of a sixteen-year-old who discussed suicidal thoughts with a chatbot before taking his own life. She argues that young people rely heavily on these tools and need stronger safeguards that recognise dangerous language and redirect users towards human help.

Maldonado will also revive a previous bill on high-risk AI, refining it to address particular sectors rather than broad categories.

Delegate Cliff Hayes is preparing legislation to require labels for synthetic media and to block AI systems from buying event tickets in bulk instead of letting automated tools distort prices.

Hayes already secured a law preventing predictions from AI tools from being the sole basis for criminal justice decisions. He warns that the technology has advanced too quickly for policy to remain passive and urges a balance between innovation and protection.

Proposals that come as the state continues to evaluate its regulatory environment under an executive order issued by Governor Glenn Youngkin.

The order directs AI systems to scan the state code for unnecessary or conflicting rules, encouraging streamlined governance instead of strict statutory frameworks. Observers argue that human oversight remains essential as legislators search for common ground on how far to extend regulatory control.

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Australia strengthens parent support for new social media age rules

Yesterday, Australia entered a new phase of its online safety framework after the introduction of the Social Media Minimum Age policy.

eSafety has established a new Parent Advisory Group to support families as the country transitions to enhanced safeguards for young people. The group held its first meeting, with the Commissioner underlining the need for practical and accessible guidance for carers.

The initiative brings together twelve organisations representing a broad cross-section of communities in Australia, including First Nations families, culturally diverse groups, parents of children with disability and households in regional areas.

Their role is to help eSafety refine its approach, so parents can navigate social platforms with greater confidence, rather than feeling unsupported during rapid regulatory change.

A group that will advise on parent engagement, offer evidence-informed insights and test updated resources such as the redeveloped Online Safety Parent Guide.

Their advice will aim to ensure materials remain relevant, inclusive and able to reach priority communities that often miss out on official communications.

Members will serve voluntarily until June 2026 and will work with eSafety to improve distribution networks and strengthen the national conversation on digital literacy. Their collective expertise is expected to shape guidance that reflects real family experiences instead of abstract policy expectations.

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AI use by US immigration agents sparks concern

A US federal judge has condemned immigration agents in Chicago for using AI to draft use-of-force reports, warning that the practice undermines credibility. Judge Sara Ellis noted that one agent fed a short description and images into ChatGPT before submitting the report.

Body camera footage cited in the ruling showed discrepancies between events recorded and the written narrative. Experts say AI-generated accounts risk inaccuracies in situations where courts rely on an officer’s personal recollection to assess reasonableness.

Researchers argue that poorly supervised AI use could erode public trust and compromise privacy. Some warn that uploading images into public tools relinquishes control of sensitive material, exposing it to misuse.

Police departments across the US are still developing policies for safe deployment of generative tools. Several states now require officers to label AI-assisted reports, while specialists call for stronger guardrails before the technology is applied in high-stakes legal settings.

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Teens launch High Court bid to stop Australia’s under-16 social media ban

Two teenagers in Australia have taken the federal government to the High Court in an effort to stop the country’s under-16 social media ban, which is due to begin on 10 December. The case was filed by the Digital Freedom Project with two 15-year-olds, Noah Jones and Macy Neyland, listed as plaintiffs. The group says the law strips young people of their implied constitutional right to political communication.

The ban will lead to the deactivation of more than one million accounts held by users under 16 across platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, Twitch, Facebook and Instagram. The Digital Freedom Project argues that removing young people from these platforms blocks them from engaging in public debate. Neyland said the rules silence teens who want to share their views on issues that affect them.

The Digital Freedom Project’s president, John Ruddick, is a Libertarian Party politician in New South Wales. After the lawsuit became public, Communications Minister Anika Wells told Parliament the government would not shift its position in the face of legal threats. She said the government’s priority is supporting parents rather than platform operators.

The law, passed in November 2024, is supported by most Australians according to polling. The government says research links heavy social media use among young teens to bullying, misinformation and harmful body-image content.

Companies that fail to comply with the ban risk penalties of up to A$49.5 million. Lawmakers and tech firms abroad are watching how the rollout unfolds, as Australia’s approach is among the toughest efforts globally to restrict minors’ access to social platforms.

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