Privacy and data protection

EU opens antitrust probe into Meta’s WhatsApp AI rollout

Brussels has opened an antitrust inquiry into Meta over how AI features were added to WhatsApp, focusing on whether the updated access policies hinder market competition. Regulators say scrutiny is needed as integrated assistants become central to messaging platforms.

Meta AI has been built into WhatsApp across Europe since early 2025, prompting questions about whether external AI providers face unfair barriers. Meta rejects the accusations and argues that users can reach rival tools through other digital channels.

Italy launched a related proceeding in July and expanded it in November, examining claims that Meta curtailed access for competing chatbots. Authorities worry that dominance in messaging could influence the wider AI services market.

EU officials confirmed the case will proceed under standard antitrust rules rather than the Digital Markets Act. Investigators aim to understand how embedded assistants reshape competitive dynamics in services used by millions.

European regulators say outcomes could guide future oversight as generative AI becomes woven into essential communications. The case signals growing concern about concentrated power in fast-evolving AI ecosystems.

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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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UNESCO launches AI guidelines for courts and tribunals

UNESCO has launched new Guidelines for the Use of AI Systems in Courts and Tribunals to ensure AI strengthens rather than undermines human-led justice. The initiative arrives as courts worldwide face millions of pending cases and limited resources.

In Argentina, AI-assisted legal tools have increased case processing by nearly 300%, while automated transcription in Egypt is improving court efficiency.

Judicial systems are increasingly encountering AI-generated evidence, AI-assisted sentencing, and automated administrative processes. AI misuse can have serious consequences, as seen in the UK High Court where false AI-generated arguments caused delays, extra costs, and fines.

UNESCO’s Guidelines aim to prevent such risks by emphasising human oversight, auditability, and ethical AI use.

The Guidelines outline 15 principles and provide recommendations for judicial organisations and individual judges throughout the AI lifecycle. They also serve as a benchmark for developing national and regional standards.

UNESCO’s Judges’ Initiative, which has trained over 36,000 judicial operators in 160 countries, played a key role in shaping and peer-reviewing the Guidelines.

The official launch will take place at the Athens Roundtable on AI and the Rule of Law in London on 4 December 2025. UNESCO aims for the standards to ensure responsible AI use, improve court efficiency, and uphold public trust in the judiciary.

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Meta expands global push against online scam networks

The US tech giant, Meta, outlined an expanded strategy to limit online fraud by combining technical defences with stronger collaboration across industry and law enforcement.

The company described scams as a threat to user safety and as a direct risk to the credibility of its advertising ecosystem, which remains central to its business model.

Executives emphasised that large criminal networks continue to evolve and that a faster, coordinated response is essential instead of fragmented efforts.

Meta presented recent progress, noting that more than 134 million scam advertisements were removed in 2025 and that reports about misleading advertising fell significantly in the last fifteen months.

It also provided details about disrupted criminal networks that operated across Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp.

Facial recognition tools played a crucial role in detecting scam content that utilised images of public figures, resulting in an increased volume of removals during testing, rather than allowing wider circulation.

Cooperation with law enforcement remains central to Meta’s approach. The company supported investigations that targeted criminal centres in Myanmar and illegal online gambling operations connected to transfers through anonymous accounts.

Information shared with financial institutions and partners in the Global Signal Exchange contributed to the removal of thousands of accounts. At the same time, legal action continued against those who used impersonation or bulk messaging to deceive users.

Meta stated that it backs bipartisan legislation designed to support a national response to online fraud. The company argued that new laws are necessary to weaken transnational groups behind large-scale scam operations and to protect users more effectively.

A broader aim is to strengthen trust across Meta’s services, rather than allowing criminal activity to undermine user confidence and advertiser investment.

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Governments urged to build learning systems for the AI era

Governments are facing increased pressure to govern AI effectively, prompting calls for continuous institutional learning. Researchers argue that the public sector must develop adaptive capacity to keep pace with rapid technological change.

Past digital reforms often stalled because administrations focused on minor upgrades rather than redesigning core services. Slow adaptation now carries greater risks, as AI transforms decisions, systems and expectations across government.

Experts emphasise the need for a learning infrastructure that facilitates to reliable flow of knowledge across institutions. Singapore and the UAE have already invested heavily in large-scale capability-building programmes.

Public servants require stronger technical and institutional literacy, supported through ongoing training and open collaboration with research communities. Advocates say that states that embed learning deeply will govern AI more effectively and maintain public trust.

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Japan plans large scale investment to boost AI capability

Japan plans to increase generative AI usage to 80 percent as officials push national adoption. Current uptake remains far lower than in the United States and China.

The government intends to raise early usage to 50 percent and stimulate private investment. A trillion yen target highlights the efforts to expand infrastructure and accelerate deployment across various Japanese sectors quickly.

Guidelines stress risk reduction and stronger oversight through an enhanced AI Safety Institute. Critics argue that measures lack detail and fail to address misuse with sufficient clarity.

Authorities expect broader AI use in health care, finance and agriculture through coordinated public-private work. Annual updates will monitor progress as Japan seeks to enhance its competitiveness and strategic capabilities.

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Public backlash grows as Coupang faces scrutiny over massive data leak

South Korea is facing broader concerns about data governance following Coupang’s confirmation of a breach affecting 33.7 million accounts. Investigators say the leak began months before it was detected, highlighting weak access controls and delayed monitoring across major firms.

Authorities believe a former employee exploited long-valid server tokens and unrevoked permissions to extract customer records. Officials say the scale of the incident underscores persistent gaps in offboarding processes and basic internal safeguards.

Regulators have launched parallel inquiries to assess compliance violations and examine whether structural weaknesses extend beyond a single company. Recent leaks at telecom and financial institutions have raised similar questions about systemic risk.

Public reaction has been intense, with online groups coordinating class-action filings and documenting spikes in spam after the exposure. Many argue that repeated incidents show a more profound corporate reluctance to invest meaningfully in security.

Lawmakers are now signalling plans for more substantial penalties and tighter oversight. Analysts warn that unless companies elevate data protection standards, South Korea will continue to face cascading breaches that damage public trust.

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Honolulu in the US pushes for transparency in government AI use

Growing pressure from Honolulu residents in the US is prompting city leaders to consider stricter safeguards surrounding the use of AI. Calls for greater transparency have intensified as AI has quietly become part of everyday government operations.

Several city departments already rely on automated systems for tasks such as building-plan screening, customer service support and internal administrative work. Advocates now want voters to decide whether the charter should require a public registry of AI tools, human appeal rights and routine audits.

Concerns have deepened after the police department began testing AI-assisted report-writing software without broad consultation. Supporters of reform argue that stronger oversight is crucial to maintain public trust, especially if AI starts influencing high-stakes decisions that impact residents’ lives.

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EU states strike deal on chat-scanning law

EU member states have finally reached a unified stance on a long-debated law aimed at tackling online child sexual abuse, ending years of stalemate driven by fierce privacy concerns. Governments agreed to drop the most controversial element of the original proposal, mandatory scanning of private messages, after repeated blockages and public opposition from privacy advocates who warned it would amount to mass surveillance.

The move comes as reports of child abuse material continue to surge, with global hotlines processing nearly 2.5 million suspected images last year.

The compromise, pushed forward under Denmark’s Council presidency, maintains the option for tech companies to scan content voluntarily while affirming that end-to-end encryption must not be compromised. Supporters argue that the agreement closes a regulatory gap that will occur when temporary EU rules allowing voluntary detection expire in 2026.

However, children’s rights groups argue that the Council has not gone far enough, saying that simply preserving the current system will not adequately address the scale of the problem.

Privacy campaigners remain alarmed. Critics fear that framing voluntary scanning as a risk-reduction measure could encourage platforms to expand surveillance of user communications to shield themselves from liability.

Former MEP Patrick Breyer, a prominent voice in the campaign against so-called ‘chat control,’ warned that the compromise could still lead to widespread monitoring and possibly age-verification requirements that limit access to digital services.

With the Council and European Parliament now holding formal positions, negotiations will finally begin on the regulation’s final shape. But with political divisions still deep and the clock ticking toward the 2026 deadline, it may be months before the EU determines how far it is willing to go in regulating the detection of child sexual abuse material, and at what cost to users’ privacy.

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OpenAI faced questions after ChatGPT surfaced app prompts for paid users

ChatGPT users complained after the system surfaced an unexpected Peloton suggestion during an unrelated conversation. The prompt appeared for a Pro Plan subscriber and triggered questions about ad-like behaviour. Many asked why paid chats were showing promotional-style links.

OpenAI said the prompt was part of early app-discovery tests, not advertising. Staff acknowledged that the suggestion was irrelevant to the query. They said the system is still being adjusted to avoid confusing or misplaced prompts.

Users reported other recommendations, including music apps that contradicted their stated preferences. The lack of an option to turn off these suggestions fuelled irritation. Paid subscribers warned that such prompts undermine the service’s reliability.

OpenAI described the feature as a step toward integrating apps directly into conversations. The aim is to surface tools when genuinely helpful. Early trials, however, have demonstrated gaps between intended relevance and actual outcomes.

The tests remain limited to selected regions and are not active in parts of Europe. Critics argue intrusive prompts risk pushing users to competitors. OpenAI said refinements will continue to ensure suggestions feel helpful, not promotional.

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