Japan’s Digital Agency partners with OpenAI to integrate AI into public services, enhancing efficiency and innovation. Gennai, an OpenAI-powered tool, will enable government employees to explore innovative public sector applications, supporting Japan’s modern governance vision.
The collaboration supports Japan’s leadership in the Hiroshima AI Process, backed by the OECD and G7. The framework sets global AI guidelines, ensuring safety, security, and trust while promoting inclusive governance across governments, industry, academia, and civil society in Asia and beyond.
OpenAI is committed to meeting Japan’s rigorous standards and pursuing ISMAP certification to ensure secure and reliable AI use in government operations. The partnership strengthens trust and transparency in AI deployment, aligning with Japan’s national policies.
OpenAI plans to strengthen ties with Japanese authorities, educational institutions, and industry stakeholders. The collaboration seeks to integrate AI into society responsibly, prioritising safety, transparency, and global cooperation for sustainable benefits.
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A Dutch court has ordered Meta to give Facebook and Instagram users in the Netherlands the right to set a chronological feed as their default.
The ruling follows a case brought by digital rights group Bits of Freedom, which argued that Meta’s design undermines user autonomy under the European Digital Services Act.
Although a chronological feed is already available, it is hidden and cannot be permanent. The court said Meta must make the settings accessible on the homepage and Reels section and ensure they stay in place when the apps are restarted.
If Meta does not comply within two weeks, it faces a fine of €100,000 per day, capped at €5 million.
Bits of Freedom argued that algorithmic feeds threaten democracy, particularly before elections. The court agreed the change must apply permanently rather than temporarily during campaigns.
The group welcomed the ruling but stressed it was only a small step in tackling the influence of tech giants on public debate.
Meta has not yet responded to the decision, which applies only in the Netherlands despite being based on EU law. Campaigners say the case highlights the need for more vigorous enforcement to ensure digital platforms respect user choice and democratic values.
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The US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has updated its password guidelines, urging organisations to drop strict complexity rules. NIST states that requirements such as mandatory symbols and frequent resets often harm usability without significantly improving security.
Instead, the agency recommends using blocklists for breached or commonly used passwords, implementing hashed storage, and rate limiting to resist brute-force attacks. Multi-factor authentication and password managers are encouraged as additional safeguards.
Password length remains essential. Short strings are easily cracked, but users should be allowed to create longer passphrases. NIST recommends limiting only extremely long passwords that slow down hashing.
The new approach replaces mandatory resets with changes triggered only after suspected compromise, such as a data breach. NIST argues this method reduces fatigue while improving overall account protection.
Businesses adopting these guidelines must audit their existing policies, reconfigure authentication systems, deploy blocklists, and train employees to adapt accordingly. Clear communication of the changes will be key to ensuring compliance.
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Hackers who stole data and images of children from Kido Schools have removed the material from the darknet and claimed to delete it. The group, calling itself Radiant, had demanded a £600,000 Bitcoin ransom, but Kido did not pay.
Radiant initially blurred the photos but kept the data online before later removing all content and issuing an apology. Experts remain sceptical, warning that cybercriminals often claim to delete stolen data while secretly keeping or selling it.
The breach exposed details of around 8,000 children and their families, sparking widespread outrage. Cybersecurity experts described the extortion attempt as a ‘new low’ for hackers and said Radiant likely backtracked due to public pressure.
Radiant said it accessed Kido’s systems by buying entry from an ‘initial access broker’ and then stealing data from accounts linked to Famly, an early years education platform. The Famly told the BBC its infrastructure was not compromised.
Kido confirmed the incident and stated that they are working with external specialists and authorities. With no ransom paid and Radiant abandoning its attempt, the hackers appear to have lost money on the operation.
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The US AI company, OpenAI, has entered the social media arena with Sora, a new app offering AI-generated videos in a TikTok-style feed.
The launch has stirred debate among current and former researchers, some praising its technical achievement while others worry it diverges from OpenAI’s nonprofit mission to develop AI for the benefit of humanity.
Researchers have expressed concerns about deepfakes, addictive loops and the ethical risks of AI-driven feeds. OpenAI insists Sora is designed for creativity rather than engagement, highlighting safeguards such as reminders for excessive scrolling and prioritisation of content from known contacts.
The company argues that revenue from consumer apps helps fund advanced AI research, including its pursuit of artificial general intelligence.
A debate that reflects broader tensions within OpenAI: balancing commercial growth with its founding mission. Critics fear the consumer push could dilute its focus, while executives maintain products like ChatGPT and Sora expand public access and provide essential funding.
Regulators are watching closely, questioning whether the company’s for-profit shift undermines its stated commitment to safety and ethical development.
Sora’s future remains uncertain, but its debut marks a significant expansion of AI-powered social platforms. Whether OpenAI can avoid the pitfalls that defined earlier social media models will be a key test of both its mission and its technology.
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Adam Mosseri has denied long-standing rumours that the platform secretly listens to private conversations to deliver targeted ads. In a video he described as ‘myth busting’, Mosseri said Instagram does not use the phone’s microphone to eavesdrop on users.
He argued that such surveillance would not only be a severe breach of privacy but would also quickly drain phone batteries and trigger visible microphone indicators.
Instead, Mosseri outlined four reasons why adverts may appear suspiciously relevant: online searches and browsing history, the influence of friends’ online behaviour, rapid scrolling that leaves subconscious impressions, and plain coincidence.
According to Mosseri, Instagram users may mistake targeted advertising for surveillance because algorithms incorporate browsing data from advertisers, friends’ interests, and shared patterns across users.
He stressed that the perception of being overheard is often the result of ad targeting mechanics rather than eavesdropping.
Despite his explanation, Mosseri admitted the rumour is unlikely to disappear. Many viewers of his video remained sceptical, with some comments suggesting his denial only reinforced their suspicions about how social media platforms operate.
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AI is moving from theory to practice in healthcare. Hospitals and clinics are adopting AI to improve diagnostics, automate routine tasks, support overworked staff, and cut costs. A recent GoodFirms survey shows strong confidence that AI will become essential to patient care and health management.
Survey findings reveal that nearly all respondents believe AI will transform healthcare. Robotic surgery, predictive analytics, and diagnostic imaging are gaining momentum, while digital consultations and wearable monitors are expanding patient access.
AI-driven tools are also helping reduce human errors, improve decision-making, and support clinicians with real-time insights.
Even so, the direction is clear: AI is set to be a defining force in healthcare’s future, enabling more efficient, accurate, and equitable systems worldwide.
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The University of Pennsylvania’s engineering team has made a breakthrough that could bring the quantum internet much closer to practical use. Researchers have demonstrated that quantum and classical networks can share the same backbone by transmitting quantum signals over standard fibre optic infrastructure using the same Internet Protocol (IP) that powers today’s web.
Their silicon photonics ‘Q-Chip’ achieved over 97% fidelity in real-world field tests, showing that the quantum internet does not necessarily require building entirely new networks from scratch.
That result, while highly technical, has far-reaching implications. Beyond physics and computer science, it raises urgent questions for governance, national infrastructures, and the future of digital societies.
Quantum signals were transmitted as packets with classical headers readable by conventional routers, while the quantum information itself remained intact.
Noise management
The chip corrected disturbances by analysing the classical header without disturbing the quantum payload. An interesting fact is that the test ran on a Verizon fibre link between two buildings, not just in a controlled lab.
That fact makes the experiment different from earlier advances focusing mainly on quantum key distribution (QKD) or specialised lab setups. It points toward a future in which quantum networking and classical internet coexist and are managed through similar protocols.
Implications for governance and society
Government administration
Governments increasingly rely on digital infrastructure to deliver services, store sensitive records, and conduct diplomacy. The quantum internet could provide secure e-government services resistant to espionage or tampering, protected digital IDs and voting systems, reinforcing democratic integrity, and classified communication channels that even future quantum computers cannot decrypt.
That positions quantum networking as a sovereignty tool, not just a scientific advance.
Healthcare
Health systems are frequent targets of cyberattacks. Quantum-secured communication could protect patient records and telemedicine platforms, enable safe data sharing between hospitals and research centres, support quantum-assisted drug discovery and personalised medicine via distributed quantum computing.
Here, the technology directly impacts citizens’ trust in digital health.
Critical infrastructure and IT systems
National infrastructures, such as energy grids, financial networks, and transport systems, could gain resilience from quantum-secured communication layers.
In addition, quantum-enhanced sensing could provide more reliable navigation independent of GPS, enable early-warning systems for earthquakes or natural disasters, and strengthen resilience against cyber-sabotage of strategic assets.
Citizens and everyday services
For ordinary users, the quantum internet will first be invisible. Their emails, bank transactions, and medical consultations will simply become harder to hack.
Over time, however, quantum-secured platforms may become a market differentiator for banks, telecoms, and healthcare providers.
Citizens and universities may gain remote access to quantum computing resources, democratising advanced research and innovation.
Building a quantum-ready society
The Penn experiment matters because it shows that quantum internet infrastructure can evolve on top of existing systems. For policymakers, this raises several urgent points.
Standardisation
International bodies (IETF, ITU-T, ETSI) will need to define packet structures, error correction, and interoperability rules for quantum-classical networks.
Strategic investment
Countries face a decision whether to invest early in pilot testbeds (urban campuses, healthcare systems, or government services).
Cybersecurity planning
Quantum internet deployment should be aligned with the post-quantum cryptography transition, ensuring coherence between classical and quantum security measures.
Public trust
As with any critical infrastructure, clear communication will be needed to explain how quantum-secured systems benefit citizens and why governments are investing in them.
Key takeaways for policymakers
Quantum internet is governance, not just science. The Penn breakthrough shows that quantum signals can run on today’s networks, shifting the conversation from pure research to infrastructure and policy planning.
Governments should treat the quantum internet as a strategic asset, protecting national administrations, elections, and critical services from future cyber threats.
Early adoption in health systems could secure patient data, telemedicine, and medical research, strengthening public trust in digital services.
International cooperation (IETF, ITU-T, ETSI) will be needed to define protocols, interoperability, and security frameworks before large-scale rollouts.
Policymakers should align quantum network deployment with the global transition to post-quantum encryption, ensuring coherence across digital security strategies.
Governments could start with small-scale testbeds (smart cities, e-government nodes, or healthcare networks) to build expertise and shape standards from within.
Why does it matter?
The University of Pennsylvania’s ‘Q-Chip’ is a proof-of-concept that quantum and classical networks can speak the same language. While technical challenges remain, especially around scaling and quantum repeaters, the political and societal questions can no longer be postponed.
The quantum internet is not just a scientific project. It is emerging as a strategic infrastructure for the digital state of the future. Governments, regulators, and international organisations must begin preparing today so that tomorrow’s networks deliver speed and efficiency, trust, sovereignty, and resilience.
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Imgur has cut off access for UK users after regulators warned its parent company, MediaLab AI, of a potential fine over child data protection.
Visitors to the platform since 30 September have been met with a notice saying that content is unavailable in their region, with embedded Imgur images on other sites also no longer visible.
The UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) began investigating the platform in March, questioning whether it complied with data laws and the Children’s Code.
The regulator said it had issued MediaLab with a notice of intent to fine the company following provisional findings. Officials also emphasised that leaving the UK would not shield Imgur from responsibility for any past breaches.
Some users speculated that the withdrawal was tied to new duties under the Online Safety Act, which requires platforms to check whether visitors are over 18 before allowing access to harmful content.
However, both the ICO and Ofcom stated that Imgur decided on a commercial choice. Other MediaLab services, such as Kik Messenger, continue to operate in the UK with age verification measures in place.
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A global survey commissioned by Yubico suggests that younger workers are more vulnerable to phishing scams than older generations. Gen Z respondents reported the highest level of interaction with phishing messages, with 62 percent admitting they engaged with a scam in the past year.
The study gathered responses from 18,000 employed adults in nine countries, including the UK, US, France, and Japan. In the past twelve months, 44 percent of participants admitted to clicking on or replying to a phishing message.
AI is raising the stakes for cybersecurity. Seventy percent of those surveyed believe phishing has become more effective due to AI, and 78 percent said the attacks seem more sophisticated. More than half could not confidently identify a phishing email when shown one.
Despite growing risks, cyber defences remain patchy. Only 48 percent said their workplace used multi-factor authentication across all services, and 40 percent reported never receiving cybersecurity training from their employer.
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