The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology has called on online service providers to strengthen measures against digital harms targeting women and girls, as part of a commitment to halve such violence within a decade.
In a letter published on 23 March 2026, Liz Kendall outlined expectations for platforms operating under the Online Safety Act.
The letter states that the government has strengthened criminal law and regulatory frameworks, including new offences related to harmful pornographic practices and intimate image abuse.
It confirms that sharing or threatening to share sexually explicit deepfakes without consent constitutes a criminal offence, while the non-consensual creation of such content has also been criminalised and is being designated as a priority offence under the Act.
Further measures include amendments to the Crime and Policing Bill to ban so-called ‘nudification’ tools and extend illegal content duties to AI chatbots.
The government is also introducing a requirement for platforms to remove non-consensual intimate images within 48 hours, with a focus on reducing repeated reporting burdens for victims.
The Secretary of State urged companies to implement recommendations from Ofcom’s guidance on online safety for women and girls, including risk assessments, stronger privacy settings, and limits on the visibility of harmful content.
Platforms are expected to comply by the end of the year, with progress to be monitored.
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In the UK, the St Helens Council has added AI and digital disruption to its strategic risk register as it seeks to strengthen governance and oversight. The change reflects growing concern about how emerging technologies could affect operations and services.
The updated register, now featuring 12 strategic risks, was presented ahead of the audit and governance committee meeting. UK officials said effective risk management is vital to meeting the council’s objectives and mitigating potential challenges.
AI and digital disruption were cited for the first time alongside risks linked to extreme weather and community cohesion. The council noted that ethical, data privacy and workforce confidence issues are among the challenges associated with integrating AI into public services.
Leaders said other risks, including cybersecurity threats and budget pressures, remain under review. The move comes as local authorities across the UK weigh the impacts of new technologies on service delivery and strategic planning.
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The Trump Administration unveiled a national AI framework to boost competitiveness, security, and benefits for Americans. The plan seeks to ensure that AI innovation supports all citizens while maintaining public trust in the technology.
Six key objectives form the foundation of the policy. These include protecting children online, empowering parents with tools to manage digital safety, strengthening communities and small businesses, respecting intellectual property, defending free speech, and fostering innovation.
The framework also prioritises workforce development to prepare Americans for AI-driven job opportunities.
Federal uniformity is considered critical to the plan’s success. The Administration warns that a patchwork of state regulations could stifle innovation and reduce the United States’ ability to lead globally.
Congress is encouraged to collaborate closely to implement the framework nationwide.
The Administration emphasises that the United States must lead the AI race, ensuring the benefits of AI reach all Americans while addressing challenges such as privacy, security, and equitable access to opportunities.
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The World Happiness Report 2026 has identified a growing decline in well-being among young people, with increased social media use emerging as a key contributing factor. These findings suggest that digital habits are increasingly shaping life satisfaction, particularly across Western societies.
The report notes that younger age groups now report significantly lower happiness levels compared to previous decades.
In regions such as North America and Western Europe, the decline coincides with a sharp rise in time spent on social media platforms. Researchers highlight that heavy usage is associated with measurable reductions in well-being, especially among younger users.
Alongside these trends, the report continues to rank Finland as the happiest country globally, reflecting broader stability in Nordic nations. However, such stability contrasts with emerging concerns about mental health and social outcomes in more industrialised regions, where digital environments are playing an increasingly influential role.
While the report identifies risks including cyberbullying, depression and online exploitation, it does not advocate for complete restrictions. Instead, it emphasises the need for carefully designed regulatory approaches that balance protection with the potential benefits of digital connectivity.
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AI-generated deepfake abuse is emerging as a serious global threat, with women and girls disproportionately affected by non-consensual and harmful digital content. Advances in AI make it easy to create manipulated content that can spread across platforms within minutes and reach millions.
Data highlights the scale of the issue. The vast majority of deepfake content online consists of explicit material, overwhelmingly targeting women.
Accessible and often free tools have lowered the barrier to entry, enabling widespread misuse. At the same time, the ability to endlessly replicate and share such content makes removal nearly impossible once it is published.
Legal responses remain fragmented, with many pre-existing laws leaving gaps in addressing AI-generated deepfake abuse. Enforcement issues, such as cross-border challenges and limited digital forensics capabilities, make it unlikely that perpetrators will face consequences.
Pressure is mounting on governments and technology platforms to act. Calls for reform include clearer legislation, faster obligations to remove content, improved law enforcement capabilities, and stronger support systems for victims.
Without coordinated global action, deepfake abuse is set to expand alongside the technologies enabling it.
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A growing number of individuals worldwide are participating in a new digital economy built around supplying data for AI systems.
Through platforms such as Kled AI and Silencio, users upload videos, audio recordings and personal interactions in exchange for payment, contributing to the development of increasingly sophisticated AI models.
Such a trend reflects a broader shift in the AI industry, where demand for high-quality human-generated data is rising as traditional web-based sources become more limited.
Researchers suggest that human data remains essential for improving system performance and modelling behaviour beyond existing datasets. As a result, data marketplaces have emerged as an alternative supply mechanism.
Economic considerations often shape participation. In regions facing limited employment opportunities or currency instability, earning income in global currencies can provide a meaningful financial incentive.
At the same time, similar practices are expanding in higher-income countries, where individuals seek supplementary income streams amid rising living costs.
However, the model introduces complex trade-offs.
Contributors may grant extensive usage rights over their data, sometimes on a long-term or irreversible basis. Experts note that such arrangements can reduce control over how personal information is reused, including in contexts not initially anticipated.
Concerns also extend to issues such as data security, transparency and the potential for misuse in areas including synthetic media and identity replication.
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Emmanuel Macron has called for stronger enforcement of the EU digital rules, urging Ursula von der Leyen to act against risks linked to foreign interference in elections. The request comes amid growing concern over attempts to influence democratic processes across Europe.
In a letter addressed to the Commission, Macron stressed the importance of safeguarding electoral integrity in a challenging geopolitical environment.
He wrote:
‘In a geopolitical context marked by a multiplication of hostile stances against the European model and its democratic values, it is crucial that the Union… ensure the integrity of civic discourse and electoral processes’.
The proposal focuses on stricter enforcement instead of new legislation, particularly regarding the Digital Services Act. European authorities are encouraged to ensure that online platforms properly assess and mitigate systemic risks, including the spread of manipulated content and coordinated disinformation.
Attention is also directed toward algorithmic amplification, AI-generated content labelling and the removal of fake accounts.
As multiple elections approach across the EU, policymakers are considering how to apply existing regulatory tools more effectively to protect democratic systems.
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The FBI’s New York Field Office has warned that fraudulent tokens impersonating the agency are being airdropped to Tron wallets, with recipients threatened with ‘total block’ of assets unless they submit personal information via phishing sites.
At least 728 wallets were affected, some holding over US$1 million in USDT, when the warning was issued on 19 March.
The scam warns users that their wallets are ‘under investigation’ and instructs them to complete an online anti-money-laundering form. The FBI urged crypto holders to ignore these messages and avoid entering any personal data on linked websites.
Attackers exploit Tron for its fast and low-cost transactions, using bots to distribute tokens widely and generate spoofed addresses.
Impersonation scams have surged dramatically in 2025, with Chainalysis reporting a 1,400% year-over-year increase. Total crypto fraud losses are estimated at US$17 billion, with AI-assisted scams proving far more profitable than traditional schemes.
The FBI previously ran a blockchain sting using Ethereum tokens, resulting in indictments and the seizure of millions in assets.
The bureau encourages anyone who receives the fake FBI tokens to report the incident to the Internet Crime Complaint Centre to help combat ongoing crypto fraud.
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Interoperability tests for the European Digital Identity Wallet have marked a significant step towards deployment, following a major industry-wide exercise. Systems were tested under real conditions to ensure compatibility across providers.
The initiative forms part of the EU’s plan to provide citizens with a secure digital wallet for identification and online services. The system will allow users to store identity data and access services, including electronic signatures.
Results showed that most test scenarios were successfully completed, confirming that independent systems can work together effectively. The exercise also highlighted areas requiring further refinement ahead of wider implementation.
EU officials and industry leaders said the progress supports the development of a unified digital ecosystem. The wallet is expected to simplify everyday services while strengthening security and trust in digital identity solutions.
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Meta recently confirmed that an AI agent inadvertently exposed sensitive company and user data to some employees. The leak happened when an engineer followed the AI agent’s forum suggestion, exposing data for about two hours.
Meta stated that no user data was mishandled and emphasised that human errors could cause similar issues.
The incident reflects broader challenges in deploying agentic AI tools within major tech companies. Amazon faced similar issues, with internal AI tools causing outages and operational errors, showing risks of quickly integrating AI into critical workflows.
Experts describe these deployments as experimental, with companies testing AI at scale without fully assessing potential risks.
Security specialists note that AI agents lack the contextual awareness that human engineers accumulate over years of experience. Lacking long-term operational knowledge, AI can make decisions that compromise security, a factor in the Meta breach.
Analysts warn that such errors are likely to recur as AI adoption accelerates.
The episode comes amid growing attention on agentic AI’s potential to disrupt workflows, affect productivity, and introduce new vulnerabilities. Industry observers caution that AI tools must be carefully monitored and accompanied by robust safeguards to prevent future incidents.
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