Privacy and data protection

Ghana launches national privacy campaign

Ghana has launched the National Privacy Awareness Campaign, a year-long initiative to strengthen citizens’ privacy rights and build public trust in the country’s expanding digital ecosystem.

Unveiled by Deputy Minister Mohammed Adams Sukparu, the campaign emphasises that data protection is not just a legal requirement but essential to innovation, digital participation, and Ghana’s goal of becoming Africa’s AI hub.

The campaign will run from September 2025 to September 2026 across all 16 regions, using English and key local languages to promote widespread awareness.

The initiative includes the inauguration of the Ghana Association of Privacy Professionals (GAPP) and recognition of new Certified Data Protection Officers, many trained through the One Million Coders Programme.

Officials stressed that effective data governance requires government, private sector, civil society, and media collaboration. The Data Protection Commission reaffirmed its role in protecting privacy while noting ongoing challenges such as limited awareness and skills gaps.

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Meta set to unveil $800 smart glasses with display

Meta is set to unveil its first pair of smart glasses with a built-in display at its annual Connect conference in California.

Expected to be called Celeste, the glasses will debut at around $800 and feature a small digital display in the right lens for notifications. Analysts say the higher price point could limit adoption compared with Meta’s Ray-Ban line, which starts at $299.

Alongside the new glasses, Meta is also expected to launch its first wristband for hand-gesture control and an updated Ray-Ban line with better cameras, battery life and AI features. Developers will gain access to a new software kit to build device apps.

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New Babbel Speak helps beginners practise conversations

Babbel has introduced an AI-powered voice trainer designed to help beginners gain confidence in speaking a new language.

Babbel’s chief executive, Tim Allen, said the aim is not instant fluency but helping learners move from first words to confident conversations.

Called Babbel Speak, the AI feature guides users through 28 real-life scenarios, such as ordering coffee or describing the weather. It provides personalised feedback and uses a calming design with animations to ease anxiety while learning.

The trainer is available in open beta on the App Store and Play Store for English, Spanish, French, Italian, and German.

Subscribers can try it as part of the standard plans of Babbel, which start at $107.40 per year, with a lifetime option also offered.

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AI search tools challenge Google’s dominance

AI tools are increasingly reshaping how people search online, with large language models like ChatGPT drawing millions away from traditional engines.

Montreal-based lawyer and consultant Anja-Sara Lahady says she now turns to ChatGPT instead of Google for everyday tasks such as meal ideas, interior decoration tips and drafting low-risk emails. She describes it as a second assistant rather than a replacement for legal reasoning.

ChatGPT’s weekly user base has surged to around 800 million, double the figure reported in 2025. Data shows that nearly 6% of desktop searches are already directed to language models, compared with barely half that rate a year ago.

Academics such as Professor Feng Li argue that users favour AI tools because they reduce cognitive effort by providing clear summaries instead of multiple links. However, he warns that verification remains essential due to factual errors.

Google insists its search activity continues to expand, supported by AI Overviews and AI Mode, which offer more conversational and tailored answers.

Yet, testimony in a US antitrust case revealed that Google searches on Apple devices via Safari declined for the first time in two decades, underlining the competitive pressure from AI.

The rise of language models is also forcing a shift in digital marketing. Agencies report that LLMs highlight trusted websites, press releases and established media rather than social media content.

This change may influence consumer habits, with evidence suggesting that referrals from AI systems often lead to higher-quality sales conversions. For many users, AI now represents a faster and more personal route to decisions on products, travel or professional tasks.

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PayPal launches one-time links for easy payments

PayPal has introduced PayPal links, a new way for users to send and receive money via personalised, one-time links. Users can share links through text, chat, or email, add notes or emojis, and cancel or remind recipients before links expire after 10 days.

The service will initially be available in the US, with the UK, Italy, and other markets set to follow later this month.

The company confirmed gifts, reimbursements, and split payments remain exempt from tax reporting to keep personal transfers private. PayPal said the links are designed to simplify payments, attract new users, and enhance interoperability with Venmo and other wallets.

Crypto support also allows peer-to-peer transfers between digital assets and stablecoins.

PayPal also introduced Pay with Crypto, enabling merchants to accept over 100 cryptocurrencies and wallets, including Coinbase and MetaMask, with instant conversion to stablecoins or fiat. The platform charges just 0.99% per transaction, cutting costs compared with international credit card payments.

Looking ahead, Venmo users can shop online and in-store at millions of merchants starting in 2026. PayPal said these initiatives aim to expand global reach, provide more payment options, and drive growth for merchants while enhancing the user experience.

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Millions of customer records stolen in Kering luxury brand data breach

Kering has confirmed a data breach affecting several of its luxury brands, including Gucci, Balenciaga, Brioni, and Alexander McQueen, after unauthorised access to its Salesforce systems compromised millions of customer records.

Hacking group ShinyHunters has claimed responsibility, alleging it exfiltrated 43.5 million records from Gucci and nearly 13 million from the other brands. The stolen data includes names, email addresses, dates of birth, sales histories, and home addresses.

Kering stated that the incident occurred in June 2025 and did not compromise bank or credit card details or national identifiers. The company has reported the breach to the relevant regulators and is notifying the affected customers.

Evidence shared by ShinyHunters suggests Balenciaga made an initial ransom payment of €500,000 before negotiations broke down. The group released sample data and chat logs to support its claims.

ShinyHunters has exploited Salesforce weaknesses in previous attacks targeting luxury, travel, and financial firms. Questions remain about the total number of affected customers and the potential exposure of other Kering brands.

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Generative AI enables rapid phishing attacks on older users

A recent study has shown that AI chatbots can generate compelling phishing emails for older people. Researchers tested six major chatbots, including Grok, ChatGPT, Claude, Meta AI, DeepSeek, and Google’s Gemini, by asking them to draft scam emails posing as charitable organisations.

Of 108 senior volunteers, roughly 11% clicked on the AI-written links, highlighting the ease with which cybercriminals could exploit such tools.

Some chatbots initially declined harmful requests, but minor adjustments, such as stating the task was for research purposes, or circumvented these safeguards.

Grok, in particular, produced messages urging recipients to ‘click now’ and join a fictitious charity, demonstrating how generative AI can amplify the persuasiveness of scams. Researchers warn that criminals could use AI to conduct large-scale phishing campaigns at minimal cost.

Phishing remains the most common cybercrime in the US, according to the FBI, with seniors disproportionately affected. Last year, Americans over 60 lost nearly $5 billion to phishing attacks, an increase driven partly by generative AI.

The study underscores the urgent need for awareness and protection measures among vulnerable populations.

Experts note that AI’s ability to generate varied scam messages rapidly poses a new challenge for cybersecurity, as it allows fraudsters to scale operations quickly while targeting specific demographics, including older people.

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PDGrapher AI tool aims to speed up precision medicine development

Harvard Medical School researchers have developed an AI tool that could transform drug discovery by identifying multiple drivers of disease and suggesting treatments to restore cells to a healthy state.

The model, called PDGrapher, utilises graph neural networks to map the relationships between genes, proteins, and cellular pathways, thereby predicting the most effective targets for reversing disease. Unlike traditional approaches that focus on a single protein, it considers multiple factors at once.

Trained on datasets of diseased cells before and after treatment, PDGrapher correctly predicted known drug targets and identified new candidates supported by emerging research. The model ranked potential targets up to 35% higher and worked 25 times faster than comparable tools.

Researchers are now applying PDGrapher to complex diseases such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and various cancers, where single-target therapies often fail. By identifying combinations of targets, the tool can help overcome drug resistance and expedite treatment design.

Senior author Marinka Zitnik said the ultimate goal is to create a cellular ‘roadmap’ to guide therapy development and enable personalised treatments for patients. After further validation, PDGrapher could become a cornerstone in precision medicine.

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US and China reach framework deal on TikTok

The United States and China have reached a tentative ‘framework’ deal on the future of TikTok’s American operations, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed during trade talks in Madrid. The agreement, which still requires the approval of Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping, is aimed at resolving a looming deadline that could see the video-sharing app banned in the US unless its Chinese owner ByteDance sells its American division.

US officials say the framework addresses national security concerns by paving the way for US ownership of TikTok’s operations, while China insists any final deal must not undermine its companies’ interests. The Biden administration has long argued that the app’s access to US user data poses significant risks, while ByteDance maintains its American arm operates independently and respects user privacy.

The law mandating a sale or ban, upheld by the Supreme Court earlier this year, is due to take effect on 17 September. Although the framework marks progress, key details remain unresolved, particularly over whether TikTok’s recommendation algorithm and user data will be fully transferred, stored, and protected in the US.

Experts warn that unless strict safeguards are included, the deal may solve ownership issues without closing potential ‘backdoors’ for Beijing. Concerns also remain over how much influence China retains, with negotiators linking TikTok’s fate to wider tariff discussions between the two powers.

If fully implemented, the agreement could represent a breakthrough in both trade relations and tech governance. But with ByteDance among China’s most powerful AI firms, the stakes go far beyond social media, touching on questions of global competition, national security, and digital sovereignty.

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UNDP publishes digital participation guide to empower civic action

A newly published guide by People Powered and UNDP aims to connect people in their communities through inclusive, locally relevant digital participation platforms. Designed with local governments, civic groups, and organisations in mind, it highlights digital platforms that enable inclusive, action-oriented civic engagement.

According to the UNDP, ‘the guide covers the latest trends, including the integration of AI features, and addresses challenges such as digital inclusion, data privacy, accessibility, and sustainability.’

The guide focuses on actively maintained, publicly available platforms, typically offered through cloud-based software (SaaS) models, and prioritises flexible, multi-purpose tools over single-use options. While recognising the dominance of platforms from wealthier countries, it makes a deliberate effort to feature case studies and tools from the Global Majority.

Political advocacy platforms, internal government tools, and issue-reporting apps are excluded to keep the focus on technologies that drive meaningful public participation. Lastly, the guide emphasises the importance of local context and community empowerment, encouraging a shift from passive input to meaningful public influence in governance.

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