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Africa reflects on 20 years of WSIS at IGF 2025

At the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) 2025, a high-level session brought together African government officials, private sector leaders, civil society advocates, and international experts to reflect on two decades of the continent’s engagement in the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) process. Moderated by Mactar Seck of the UN Economic Commission for Africa, the WSIS+20 Africa review highlighted both remarkable progress and ongoing challenges in digital transformation.

Seck opened the discussion with a snapshot of Africa’s connectivity leap from 2.6% in 2005 to 38% today. Yet, he warned, ‘Cybersecurity costs Africa 10% of its GDP,’ underscoring the urgency of coordinated investment and inclusion. Emphasising multi-stakeholder collaboration, he called for ‘inclusive policy-making across government, private sector, academia and civil society,’ aligned with frameworks such as the AU Digital Strategy and the Global Digital Compact.

Tanzania’s Permanent Secretary detailed the country’s 10-year National Digital Strategic Framework, boasting 92% 3G and 91% 4G coverage and regional infrastructure links. Meanwhile, Benin’s Hon. Adjara presented the Cotonou Declaration and proposed an African Digital Performance Index to monitor broadband, skills, cybersecurity, and inclusion. From the private sector, Jimson Odufuye called for ‘annual WSIS reviews at national level’ and closer alignment with Sustainable Development Goals, stating, “If we cannot measure progress, we cannot reach the SDGs.”

Gender advocate Baratang Pil called for a revision of WSIS action lines to include mandatory gender audits and demanded that ‘30% of national AI and DPI funding go to women-led tech firms.’ Youth representative Louvo Gray stressed the need for $100 billion to close the continent’s digital divide, reminding participants that by 2050, 42% of the world’s youth will be African. Philippe Roux of the UN Emerging Technology Office urged policymakers to focus on implementation over renegotiation: ‘People are not connected because it costs too much — we must address the demand side.’

The panel concluded with a call for enhanced continental cooperation and practical action. As Seck summarised, ‘Africa has the youth, knowledge, and opportunity to lead in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. We must make sure digital inclusion is not a slogan — it must be a shared commitment.’

Track all key moments from the Internet Governance Forum 2025 on our dedicated IGF page.

How ROAMX helps bridge the digital divide

At the Internet Governance Forum 2025 in Lillestrøm, Norway, experts and stakeholders gathered to assess the progress of UNESCO’s ROAMX framework, a tool for evaluating digital development through the lenses of Rights, Openness, Accessibility, Multi-stakeholder participation, and cross-cutting issues such as gender equality and sustainability. Since its introduction in 2018, and with the rollout of new second-generation indicators in 2024, ROAMX has helped countries align their digital policies with global standards like the WSIS and Sustainable Development Goals.

Dr Tawfik Jelassi of UNESCO opened the session by highlighting the urgency of inclusive digital transformation, noting that 2.6 billion people remain offline, particularly in lower-income regions.

Brazil and Fiji were presented as case studies for the updated framework. Brazil, the first to implement the revised indicators, showcased improvements in digital public services, but also revealed enduring inequalities—particularly among Black women and rural communities—with limited meaningful connectivity and digital literacy.

Meanwhile, Fiji piloted a capacity-building workshop that exposed serious intergovernmental coordination gaps: despite extensive consultation, most ministries were unaware of their national digital strategy. These findings underscore the need for ongoing engagement across government and civil society to implement effective digital policies truly.

Speakers emphasised that ROAMX is more than just an assessment tool; it offers a full policy lifecycle framework that can inform planning, monitoring, and evaluation. Participants noted that the framework’s adaptability makes it suitable for integration into national and regional digital governance efforts, including Internet Governance Forums.

They also pointed out the acute lack of sex-disaggregated data, which severely hampers effective policy responses to gender-based digital divides, especially in regions like Africa, where women remain underrepresented in both access and leadership roles in tech.

The session concluded with a call for broader adoption of ROAMX as a strategic tool to guide inclusive digital transformation efforts worldwide. Its relevance was affirmed in the context of WSIS+20 and the Global Digital Compact, with panellists agreeing that meaningful, rights-based digital development must be data-driven, inclusive, and participatory to leave no one behind in the digital age.

Track all key moments from the Internet Governance Forum 2025 on our dedicated IGF page.

Google revises AI team’s mission statement, removing equity focus

Google has quietly updated the webpage for its Responsible AI and Human-Centred Technology team, removing references to diversity and equity

Terms such as ‘marginalised communities’ and ‘underrepresented groups’ have been replaced with more neutral language. The changes were first spotted by watchdog group The Midas Project, which previously reported similar edits to Google’s Startups Founders Fund page.

The company’s move comes amid a broader rollback of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives across the tech industry. Google announced in February that it would end its diversity hiring targets and reassess its DEI programmes.

Other companies, including Amazon and Meta, have also scaled back diversity policies in response to legal and political pressures from the Trump administration, which has criticised such initiatives.

Federal contracts could be influencing these decisions, as many of the affected companies, including Google, work closely with United States agencies.

While some firms, such as OpenAI, have removed diversity language from hiring pages, Apple recently rejected a shareholder proposal to eliminate its DEI programmes. The changes suggest a shifting landscape for corporate diversity efforts in the US tech sector.

For more information on these topics, visit diplomacy.edu.

Gender imbalance in EU’s tech industry

A new report has revealed significant gender imbalances across the EU’s tech ecosystem, from education to executive positions. The GENDEX index, funded by the European Innovation Council, found that women remain underrepresented in STEM fields, with only 42% of graduates in 2022 being women.

The imbalance is particularly evident in the information and communication technology (ICT) sector, where just 24% of graduates are women.

However, this discrepancy leads to fewer women founders in deep tech startups, with only one in five European tech companies being led by women over the past decade.

Women’s representation in academia is also limited, comprising just 31% of researchers and scientists in deep tech. Furthermore, only 24% of patent applications are submitted by women.

The report suggests that a narrowing funnel of opportunities negatively impacts the entire tech sector, as talented women are lost along the way. Men continue to dominate leadership positions, with women holding only about 30% of roles in European companies.

The gender gap is most evident at the board level, particularly in male-founded companies.

The study also highlighted the challenges female entrepreneurs face in securing funding. Female-led teams receive just 1% of venture capital funding, and when they do secure investments, they often face less favourable terms and longer waits compared to male-led teams.

The report recommends that investors require gender diversity reporting before providing funding and prioritise women-led companies to address these disparities.

Additionally, experts argue that structural changes are necessary to create a more balanced and effective tech ecosystem, pointing out that gender diversity can lead to better results for companies and the industry as a whole.

For more information on these topics, visit diplomacy.edu.

Amazon removes diversity references as companies scale back DEI policies

Amazon has removed references to ‘inclusion and diversity‘ from its latest annual report, signalling a shift away from diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. The change follows an internal memo from December, in which Amazon announced it was winding down certain DEI programmes by the end of 2024. Instead of maintaining separate initiatives, the company plans to integrate DEI efforts into broader corporate processes.

Tech giants such as Meta and Google have also been scaling back diversity programmes, facing pressure from conservative groups threatening legal action. Disney has similarly adjusted its DEI approach, removing mentions of its ‘Reimagine Tomorrow‘ programme while introducing an initiative to hire US military veterans. The trend reflects a broader corporate retreat from diversity-focused policies that gained traction after the 2020 protests against racial injustice.

Political opposition to DEI has grown, with President Donald Trump’s administration vowing to eliminate diversity policies in the private sector. In response, attorneys general from twelve US states, including New York and California, have reaffirmed their commitment to enforcing civil rights protections against workplace discrimination. The debate over DEI’s future remains contentious as businesses and lawmakers continue to clash over its role in corporate America.

Google drops diversity-focused recruitment targets

Google has scrapped its diversity-based hiring goals and is reviewing its inclusion initiatives, aligning with other US businesses scaling back such efforts. Chief People Officer Fiona Cicconi confirmed the company would no longer set aspirational diversity targets, marking a shift from commitments made in 2020 to improve representation across leadership roles.

A goal set by CEO Sundar Pichai in 2020 aimed for 30% of leadership hires to come from underrepresented groups by 2025. Reports indicate Google had reached 60% of its five-year objectives by early 2024. However, recent regulatory filings show that the company removed previous statements about making diversity a core focus, reflecting its broader reassessment of DEI programmes.

Alphabet Workers Union criticised the move, calling it part of a larger trend against workplace diversity in the tech sector. As a federal contractor, Google also cited the need to comply with changing regulations and executive orders affecting DEI initiatives. Internal employee groups such as “Black Googler Network” and ‘Trans at Google’ will remain in place, continuing to inform company policies.

Other major technology firms, including Meta and Amazon, have also reduced their DEI commitments. Conservative groups have challenged corporate diversity policies following a 2023 US Supreme Court ruling against affirmative action in university admissions, increasing pressure on businesses to revise their approaches.

Meta, X, Google join EU code to combat hate speech

Major tech companies, including Meta’s Facebook, Elon Musk’s X, YouTube, and TikTok, have committed to tackling online hate speech through a revised code of conduct now linked to the European Union’s Digital Services Act (DSA). Announced Monday by the European Commission, the updated agreement also includes platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitch, expanding the coalition originally formed in 2016. The move reinforces the EU’s stance against illegal hate speech, both online and offline, according to EU tech commissioner Henna Virkkunen.

Under the revised code, platforms must allow not-for-profit organisations or public entities to monitor how they handle hate speech reports and ensure at least 66% of flagged cases are reviewed within 24 hours. Companies have also pledged to use automated tools to detect and reduce hateful content while disclosing how recommendation algorithms influence the spread of such material.

Additionally, participating platforms will provide detailed, country-specific data on hate speech incidents categorised by factors like race, religion, gender identity, and sexual orientation. Compliance with these measures will play a critical role in regulators’ enforcement of the DSA, a cornerstone of the EU’s strategy to combat illegal and harmful content online.

EU court orders SNCF to eliminate gender titles in online ticket purchases to comply with privacy regulations

The EU’s highest court ruled today that France‘s railway company SNCF must stop asking customers for their gender titles when purchasing tickets online. This ruling follows a complaint filed by LGBT+ rights group Mousse, which argued that requiring a title like Mr. or Mrs. violated EU privacy laws, specifically the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which mandates data minimisation.

Mousse contended that asking for a title, which reflects a person’s gender identity, was unnecessary and infringed on privacy rights. While SNCF justified the practice of personalising communications and offering services like women-only carriages on night trains, the court disagreed. It concluded that personalising commercial communications based on presumed gender identity was not essential for completing a rail transport contract.

The court’s decision, based on a previous opinion from Advocate-General Maciej Szpunar, allows companies to communicate with customers in a more inclusive, non-gendered manner. Mousse celebrated the ruling as a victory for LGBT+ rights, emphasising its potential to bring wider positive changes for equality across the EU.

Meta ends fact-checking program in the US

Meta Platforms has announced the termination of its US fact-checking program and eased restrictions on politically charged discussions, such as immigration and gender identity. The decision, which affects Facebook, Instagram, and Threads, marks a significant shift in the company’s content moderation strategy. CEO Mark Zuckerberg framed the move as a return to ‘free expression,’ citing recent US elections as a cultural tipping point. The changes come as Meta seeks to build rapport with the incoming Trump administration.

In place of fact-checking, Meta plans to adopt a ‘Community Notes’ system, similar to that used by Elon Musk’s platform X. The company will also scale back proactive monitoring of hate speech, relying instead on user reports, while continuing to address high-severity violations like terrorism and scams. Meta is also relocating some policy teams from California to other states, signalling a broader operational shift. The decision follows the promotion of Republican policy executive Joel Kaplan to head of global affairs and the appointment of Trump ally Dana White to Meta’s board.

The move has sparked criticism from fact-checking organisations and free speech advocates. Angie Drobnic Holan, head of the International Fact-Checking Network, pushed back against Zuckerberg’s claims of bias, asserting that fact-checkers provide context rather than censorship. Critics, including the Centre for Information Resilience, warn that the policy rollback could exacerbate disinformation. For now, the changes will apply only to the US, with Meta maintaining its fact-checking operations in regions like the European Union, where stricter tech regulations are in place.

As Meta rolls out its ‘Community Notes’ system, global scrutiny is expected to intensify. The European Commission, already investigating Musk’s X over similar practices, noted Meta’s announcement and emphasised compliance with the EU’s Digital Services Act, which mandates robust content regulation. While Meta navigates a complex regulatory and political landscape, the impact of its new policies on disinformation and public trust remains uncertain.

AI model Aitana takes social media by storm

In Barcelona, a pink-haired 25-year-old named Aitana captivates social media with her stunning images and relatable personality. But Aitana isn’t a real person—she’s an AI model created by The Clueless Agency. Launched during a challenging period for the agency, Aitana was designed as a solution to the unpredictability of working with human influencers. The virtual model has proven successful, earning up to €10,000 monthly by featuring in advertisements and modelling campaigns.

Aitana has already amassed over 343,000 Instagram followers, with some celebrities unknowingly messaging her for dates. Her creators, Rubén Cruz and Diana Núñez, maintain her appeal by crafting a detailed “life,” including fictional trips and hobbies, to connect with her audience. Unlike traditional models, Aitana has a defined personality, presented as a fitness enthusiast with a determined yet caring demeanour. This strategic design, rooted in current trends, has made her a relatable and marketable figure.

The success of Aitana has sparked a new wave of AI influencers. The Clueless Agency has developed additional virtual models, including a more introverted character named Maia. Brands increasingly seek these customisable AI creations for their campaigns, citing cost efficiency and the elimination of human unpredictability. However, critics warn that the hypersexualised and digitally perfected imagery promoted by such models may negatively influence societal beauty standards and young audiences.

Despite these concerns, Aitana represents a broader shift in advertising and social media. By democratising access to influencer marketing, AI models like her offer new opportunities for smaller businesses while challenging traditional notions of authenticity and influence in the digital age.