Home | Newsletters & Shorts | DW Weekly #214 – The EU tightens its grip on digital governance, Crypto landscape, Last week in Geneva
DW Weekly #214 – The EU tightens its grip on digital governance, Crypto landscape, Last week in Geneva
In the past week, the EU has tightened its grip on digital governance, with robust policy implementation to shape a safer, fairer online landscape.
The EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA) drew praise and critique at a Brussels workshop, hailed as a model for digital governance. Its risk-based approach pushes platforms to tackle systemic risks, inspiring global adoption while facing calls for greater transparency.
European monitoring institutions are cracking down on adult sites like Pornhub for failing to protect minors, targeting DSA violations—plans for EU-wide age verification by 2026 signal tougher online safety rules.
The EU extended the deadline for the Radio Equipment Directive, giving wireless device makers more time to meet strict cybersecurity standards, thereby bolstering digital safety amid rising cyber threats.
Europe and Japan power up the quantum race
May brought quantum computing back into the spotlight as both Europe and Asia made bold moves. French startup Quandela unveiled Belenos, a 12-qubit quantum computer available via the cloud—positioning Europe as a serious contender in the quantum hardware arena. Not to be outdone, Japan launched ABCI-Q, its new quantum platform, backed by increased national investment to accelerate research and industrial adoption.
This Wednesday, 28 May, Diplo and the Geneva Internet Platform hosted a briefing for tech attaches exploring the interplay between the UN80 Initiative, UN processes on digital governance, and AI. Launched by the UN Secretary-General, the UN80 Initiative seeks to enhance efficiency in the UN system, review UN mandates, and explore structural reforms across the UN system. Our event, led by Diplo’s Executive Director Jovan Kurbalija and Diplo’s Director of Knowledge Sorina Teleanu, explored the implications that the UN80 Initiative might have for digital governance processes across the UN and its specialised agencies, including in Geneva. As current debates on UN reform include key terms such as integration, consolidation, and coordination, questions were asked about what these might mean for the digital governance architecture within the UN. There were also discussions on whether AI could play a role in making the UN ‘stronger and more effective’, and what key elements would need to be considered to ensure that AI is leveraged in line with core UN principles (e.g. impartiality, inclusivity).
Also on Wednesday, the UNHCR, UNDP, IOM, UNICC, and the Permanent Mission of Switzerland hosted the official launch of the Digital Hub of Treasury Solutions (DHoTS) at the Palais des Nations in Geneva. This high-level event brought together experts from the humanitarian, government, technology, and private sectors to explore how digital innovation is reshaping the future of aid delivery. Discussions highlighted the transformative role of AI, blockchain, and emerging technologies in humanitarian operations and Switzerland’s unique position at the intersection of financial innovation and humanitarian fundraising. New opportunities for collaboration through the UN Financial Gateway were also presented.
Yesterday, 29 May, the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) High-Level Event 2025 agenda was made available. The agenda reflects the outcomes of an inclusive Open Consultation Process and features a diverse range of high-level dialogues, interactive sessions, and special tracks aligned with the WSIS Action Lines and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. A Final brief on the WSIS+20 High-Level Event 2025 was also announced. The event will foster open dialogue, encourage active stakeholder engagement, and support continued progress toward the High-Level Event. The WSIS Prizes 2025 Champions were also announced, showcasing a remarkable selection of digital solutions driving sustainable development around the world.
In case you missed it, the GIP reported from the West African IGF 2025, held last week. The West Africa Internet Governance Forum (WAIGF) is a regional initiative that brings together various stakeholders to discuss and address internet-related issues in West Africa.
Looking ahead, several key events are on the horizon. An online discussion titled ‘Introducing the WSIS+20 for the Asia Pacific Internet Community’ will feature Diplo’s Director of Knowledge, Sorina Teleanu, on 3 June. Paris will host the Paris Cyber Summit 2025 from 2 to 5 June. The UNESCO Conference on Capacity Building on AI and Digital Transformation in the Public Sector will be held from 4 to 5 June in Paris and online. In Geneva, the 113th Session of the International Labour Conference (ILC), convened by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), will take place from 2 to 13 June 2025 at the Palais des Nations and ILO headquarters to deliberate on pressing global labour issues. The Giga Research Lab, together with Giga and the Geneva Innovation Movement, will host an event on 5 June on Giga premises, titled Bridging the Digital Divide: Cross-Sector Insights for Scaling School Connectivity, for invited guests. On the same day, the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) will hold a webinar to launch the fourth edition of the landmark report, Greening Digital Companies: Monitoring Emissions and Climate Commitments 2025.
For the main updates, reflections and events, consult the RADAR, the READING CORNER and the UPCOMING EVENTS section below.
Highlights from the week of 23 – 30 May 2025
The US is increasing export controls on advanced AI chips to limit China’s technological and military progress.
Texas may soon ban social media for users under 18, with age verification and parental account deletion rights proposed.
China said that Taiwan hackers attacked military and government systems, but Taipei insists the allegations are designed to destabilise its institutions.
A new agreement commits the UK and EU to joint action on cyber resilience, disinformation, and digital crisis management.
As AI transforms into a deeply personalised digital companion, the line between convenience and surveillance becomes increasingly blurred.
The government plans to build a long-term Bitcoin reserve, holding the asset indefinitely to support a wider digital finance strategy.
As global tech rivalries intensify, Nvidia’s latest warning reveals how US policies may accelerate the competition they aim to contain.
Experts say AI already harms the vulnerable and marginalised, urging Croatia to adopt stricter rules instead of copying the EU Act without deeper protections.
The EU’s digital rulebook is being blamed unfairly, says Henna Virkkunen, who points out that Meta and X remove more content under their own terms than EU law requires.
The UK’s Ministry of Defence plans to establish a Cyber and Electromagnetic Command, drawing on lessons from Ukraine to bolster digital warfare and accelerate specialist cyber training.
The Czech Republic blames China-linked hacking group for a breach on its foreign ministry network. China has dismissed allegations but NATO, the EU and the US stand behind Prague.
Empowering communities through bottom-up AI: The example of ThutoHealth In Botswana, a silent epidemic claims nearly half of all lives. Hypertension,
As the planet warms, power dynamics shift, unlocking new frontiers, deepening old conflicts, and forcing global diplomacy to reckon with the existential stakes of climate change.
What is it like to be a goshawk? Helen Macdonald sought to find out – not through theory, but through experience. Her book, H is for Hawk, is not just about falconry – it’s about patience, attention, and connection. Aldo Matteucci writes.
AI is reshaping how stories are told in film, games, and music, raising questions about authorship, ethics, and artistic identity.
03 June 2025
Introducing the WSIS+20 for the Asia Pacific Internet Community On 3 June 2025, Sorina Teleanu, Diplo’s Director of Knowledge, will participate in an online
4 Jun 2025 – 5 Jun 2025
The Forum will bring together high-level government representatives, UN leaders, academics, innovators, and capacity-building institutions to chart a practical course for strengthening public sector readiness in the digital age.
2 Jun 2025 – 4 Jun 2025
The event will bring together global leaders, policymakers, and cybersecurity experts to address the evolving landscape of digital threats and defences.
2 Jun 2025 – 13 Jun 2025
This annual event brings together government, employer, and worker delegates from ILO’s member states to deliberate on pressing global labour issues.
5 Jun 2025, 17:30h – 20:30h
Giga, the University of Geneva, and the Geneva Innovation Movement will host a cross-sector event on 5 June 2025 in Geneva to explore strategies for scaling school connectivity.
5 Jun 2025, 09:00h – 19:15h
The event will serve as the official launch of the joint ITU-WBA report ‘Greening Digital Companies: Monitoring Emissions and Climate Commitments 2025’.
23 Jun 2025 – 27 Jun 2025
The Government of Norway will host the 20th annual Internet Governance Forum (IGF) in Lillestrøm from 23 to 27 June 2025.
23 June 2025 – 27 June 2025
Diplo/GIP at IGF 2025 The 20th annual meeting of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) will be hosted by the Government of Norway in Lillestrøm from 23 to
24 Jun 2025 – 27 Jun 2025
Thailand will host the 3rd UNESCO Global Forum on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence from 24 to 27 June 2025.
