Sustainable development

OpenClaw faces rising security pushback in South Korea

Major technology companies in South Korea are tightening restrictions on OpenClaw after rising concerns about security and data privacy.

Kakao, Naver and Karrot Market have moved to block the open-source agent within corporate networks, signalling a broader effort to prevent sensitive information from leaking into external systems.

Their decisions follow growing unease about how autonomous tools may interact with confidential material, rather than remaining contained within controlled platforms.

OpenClaw serves as a self-hosted agent that performs actions on behalf of a large language model, acting as the hands of a system that can browse the web, edit files and run commands.

Its ability to run directly on local machines has driven rapid adoption, but it has also raised concerns that confidential data could be exposed or manipulated.

Industry figures argue that companies are acting preemptively to reduce regulatory and operational risks by ensuring that internal materials never feed external training processes.

China has urged organisations to strengthen protections after identifying cases of OpenClaw running with inadequate safeguards.

Security analysts in South Korea warn that the agent’s open-source design and local execution model make it vulnerable to misuse, especially when compared to cloud-based chatbots that operate in more restricted environments.

Wiz researchers recently uncovered flaws in agents linked to OpenClaw that exposed personal information.

Despite the warnings, OpenClaw continues to gain traction among users who value its ability to automate complex tasks, rather than rely on manual workflows.

Some people purchase separate devices solely to run the agent, while an active South Korea community on X has drawn more than 1,800 members who exchange advice and share mitigation strategies.

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Yuan-pegged stablecoins face new restrictions under China policy

Chinese regulators have tightened controls on digital assets by banning the unauthorised issuance of yuan-pegged stablecoins overseas. The move extends existing restrictions to tokenised financial products linked to China’s currency and reinforces state control over monetary instruments.

In a joint notice, the People’s Bank of China and seven other agencies said no domestic or foreign entity may issue renminbi-linked stablecoins without approval. Authorities warned that such tokens replicate core monetary functions and could undermine currency sovereignty.

The rules also cover blockchain-based representations of real-world assets, including tokenised bonds and equities. Overseas providers are prohibited from offering these services to users in China without regulatory permission.

Beijing reaffirmed that cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ether have no legal tender status. Facilitating payments or related services using such assets remains illegal under China’s financial laws.

The measures align with China’s broader strategy of restricting private digital currencies while advancing the state-backed digital yuan. Officials have recently expanded the e-CNY’s role by allowing interest payments to encourage wider adoption.

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New Cyber Startup Programme unveiled as Infosecurity Europe boosts early innovation

Infosecurity Europe has launched a new Cyber Startup Programme to support early-stage cybersecurity innovation and strengthen ecosystem resilience. The initiative will debut at Infosecurity Europe 2026, offering founders and investors a dedicated experience focused on emerging technologies and growth.

The programme centres on a new Cyber Startups Zone, an exhibition area showcasing young companies and novel security solutions. Founders will gain industry visibility, along with tailored ticket access and curated networking.

Delivery will take place in partnership with UK Cyber Flywheel, featuring a dedicated founder- and investor-focused day on Tuesday 2 June. Sessions will cover scaling strategies, go-to-market planning, funding, and live pitching opportunities.

Infosecurity Europe will also introduce the Cyber Startup Award 2026, recognising early-stage firms with live products and growth potential. Finalists will pitch on stage, with winners receiving exhibition space, PR support, and a future-brand workshop.

Alongside the programme, the Cyber Innovation Zone, delivered with the UK Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, will spotlight innovative UK cybersecurity businesses and emerging technologies.

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EU split widens over ban on AI nudification apps

European lawmakers remain divided over whether AI tools that generate non-consensual sexual images should face an explicit ban in the EU legislation.

The split emerged as debate intensified over the AI simplification package, which is moving through Parliament and the Council rather than remaining confined to earlier negotiations.

Concerns escalated after Grok was used to create images that digitally undressed women and children.

The EU regulators responded by launching an investigation under the Digital Services Act, and the Commission described the behaviour as illegal under existing European rules. Several lawmakers argue that the AI Act should name pornification apps directly instead of relying on broader legal provisions.

Lead MEPs did not include a ban in their initial draft of the Parliament’s position, prompting other groups to consider adding amendments. Negotiations continue as parties explore how such a restriction could be framed without creating inconsistencies within the broader AI framework.

The Commission appears open to strengthening the law and has hinted that the AI omnibus could be an appropriate moment to act. Lawmakers now have a limited time to decide whether an explicit prohibition can secure political agreement before the amendment deadline passes.

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Germany fines Amazon €59 million for abusing market power in seller pricing

The German competition authority has fined Amazon €59 million for abusing its dominant position by influencing the pricing behaviour of third-party sellers.

Regulators concluded that Amazon’s pricing algorithms and Fair Pricing Policy breached national digital dominance rules and the EU competition law, rather than aligning with fair marketplace standards.

The authority argued that Amazon competes directly with merchants on its platform while shaping their prices through restrictions such as caps that penalise sellers who exceed certain limits.

Officials described that approach as incompatible with healthy competition since a platform should not influence rivals’ commercial strategies while participating in the same market.

Amazon strongly disputed the ruling and claimed the conclusion conflicts with the EU consumer standards. The company argued that the decision forces the platform to promote prices that fail to reflect competitive market conditions and announced it will challenge the findings.

The case follows a 2025 preliminary assessment and builds on Amazon’s earlier designation in 2022 as a company of paramount significance for competition, a judgement upheld by the Federal Court of Justice in Germany in 2024.

A ruling that marks another step in Europe’s efforts to rein in digital platforms that wield extensive influence across multiple markets.

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Spain faces escalating battle with Telegram founder

The confrontation between Spain and Telegram founder Pavel Durov has intensified after he claimed that Pedro Sánchez endangered online freedoms.

Government officials responded that the tech executive spread lies rather than engage with the proposed rules in good faith. Sánchez argued that democracy would not be silenced by what he called the techno-oligarchs of the algorithm.

The dispute followed the unveiling of new measures aimed at major technology companies. The plan introduces a ban on social media use for under-16s and holds corporate leaders legally responsible when unlawful or hateful content remains online rather than being removed.

Platforms would also need to adopt age-verification tools such as ID checks or biometric systems, which Durov argued could turn Spain into a surveillance state by allowing large-scale data collection.

Tensions widened as Sánchez clashed with prominent US tech figures. Sumar urged all bodies linked to the central administration to leave X, a move that followed Elon Musk’s accusation that the Spanish leader was acting like a tyrant.

The row highlighted how Spain’s attempt to regulate digital platforms has placed its government in open conflict with influential technology executives.

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TikTok access restored as Albania adopts new protective filters

Albania has lifted its temporary ban on TikTok after nearly a year, the government announced, saying that concerns about public, social and digital safety have now been addressed and that access will resume nationwide.

The restriction was introduced in March 2025 following a fatal stabbing linked to a social media dispute and aimed to protect younger users instead of exposing them to harmful online content.

Under the new arrangement, authorities are partnering with TikTok to introduce protective filters based on keywords and content controls and to strengthen reporting mechanisms for harmful material.

The government described the decision as a shift from restrictive measures to a phase of active monitoring, inter-institutional cooperation, and shared responsibility with digital platforms.

Although the ban has now been lifted, a court challenge contends that the earlier suspension violated the constitutional right to freedom of expression, and a ruling is expected later in February. Opposition figures also criticised the original ban when it was applied ahead of parliamentary elections.

Despite the formal ban, TikTok remained accessible to many users in Albania through virtual private networks during the year it was in force, highlighting the challenge of enforcing such blocks in practice.

Critics have also noted that addressing the impact on youth may require broader digital education and safety measures.

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Claude Opus 4.6 sets new benchmark for enterprise AI

Anthropic has released Claude Opus 4.6, its most advanced AI model to date, introducing significant improvements in coding performance, reasoning depth, and long-context comprehension.

Engineering workflows stand to benefit from stronger debugging, code review, and better large-scale repository management, while agentic task execution now runs for more extended periods with greater reliability.

The model’s 1M token context window, now in beta, enables sustained reasoning across vast datasets and extended conversations. Performance gains span multiple benchmarks, leading in agentic coding, multidisciplinary reasoning, and high-value knowledge work.

Information retrieval in long documents has also improved, addressing persistent industry concerns around context degradation.

Operational capabilities extend beyond software development into enterprise productivity. Financial analysis, research, and document workflows gain direct support, with spreadsheet and presentation integrations enhancing daily business use.

Within Claude Code, newly introduced agent teams allow multiple AI agents to collaborate autonomously on complex workloads.

Safety remains central, with expanded evaluations showing low misalignment risk backed by interpretability research and cybersecurity safeguards. Additional tools- adaptive thinking, effort scaling, and context compaction- add flexibility for deploying long-running AI systems at scale.

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Frontier and GPT-5.3-Codex mark major OpenAI expansion

OpenAI has unveiled Frontier, a new enterprise platform designed to help organisations build, deploy, and manage AI agents capable of executing real operational work.

The launch reflects accelerating enterprise adoption, with businesses reporting measurable productivity gains across manufacturing, finance, sales, and energy operations through agent deployment.

Frontier addresses a growing gap between AI model capability and real-world implementation. The platform equips AI agents with shared organisational context, system access, governance permissions, and feedback learning mechanisms.

By integrating across existing cloud infrastructure, enterprise software, and data environments, Frontier enables AI coworkers to operate across workflows rather than within isolated tools.

Alongside the platform release, OpenAI introduced GPT-5.3-Codex, its most advanced agentic coding model to date. The system combines the coding strength of earlier Codex iterations with expanded reasoning and professional task execution.

Benchmark performance leads across SWE-Bench Pro, Terminal-Bench, OSWorld, and GDPval, reflecting gains in software engineering, computer use, and knowledge work automation.

Cybersecurity capabilities also advance with the release. GPT-5.3-Codex includes enhanced vulnerability detection training and operates under strengthened safeguards designed to support defensive research while mitigating misuse.

Together, Frontier and GPT-5.3-Codex position AI agents as scalable digital coworkers capable of executing complex technical and enterprise workloads end-to-end.

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AI drives bold change with five technologies at Milano Cortina 2026

AI and digital technologies are set to play a central role at the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games, positioning the event as a global showcase for large-scale AI deployment. Organisers aim to demonstrate how advanced technologies can transform major international events across media, operations, and public engagement.

Audience experience will be significantly reshaped through AI-powered broadcasting and digital platforms. Innovations include first-person drones following athletes in real time and AI-assisted replays that generate multi-angle freeze frames and performance data. In parallel, AI-driven tools on the official Olympic website and social media platforms will offer personalised highlights, summaries, and interactive content.

At the same time, technology will support athletes both on and off the field. AI systems will monitor and flag abusive online content, while dedicated digital applications will assist with training, injury prevention, and communication with family members during competitions.

Beyond digital innovation, the Games will also highlight sustainability through design. Transparent, reusable Olympic torches powered by biofuel and made from recycled materials will showcase how technology can support environmental responsibility alongside sporting tradition.

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