Europe to launch Eurosky to regain digital control

Europe is taking steps to assert its digital independence by launching the Eurosky initiative, a government-backed project to reduce reliance on US tech giants.

Eurosky seeks to build European infrastructure for social media platforms and promote digital sovereignty. The goal is to ensure that the continent’s digital space is governed by European laws, values, and rules, rather than being subject to the influence of foreign companies or governments.

To support this goal, Eurosky plans to implement a decentralised content moderation system, modelled after the approach used by the Bluesky network.

Moderation, essential for removing harmful or illegal content like child exploitation or stolen data, remains a significant obstacle for new platforms. Eurosky offers a non-profit moderation service to help emerging social media providers handle this task, thus lowering the barriers to entering the market.

The project enjoys strong public and political backing. Polls show that majorities in France, Germany, and Spain prefer Europe-based platforms, with only 5% favouring US providers.

Eurosky also has support from four European governments, though their identities remain undisclosed. This momentum aligns with a broader shift in user behaviour, as Europeans increasingly turn to local tech services amid privacy and sovereignty concerns.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Social media overtakes TV as main news source in the US

Social media and video platforms have officially overtaken traditional television and news websites as the primary way Americans consume news, according to new research from the Reuters Institute. Over half of respondents (54%) now turn to platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and X (formerly Twitter) for their news, surpassing TV (50%) and dedicated news websites or apps (48%).

The study highlights the growing dominance of personality-driven news, particularly through social video, with figures like podcaster Joe Rogan reaching nearly a quarter of the population weekly. That shift poses serious challenges for traditional media outlets as more users gravitate toward influencers and creators who present news in a casual or partisan style.

There is concern, however, about the accuracy of this new media landscape. Nearly half of global respondents identify online influencers as major sources of false or misleading information, on par with politicians.

At the same time, populist leaders are increasingly using sympathetic online hosts to bypass tough questions from mainstream journalists, often spreading unchecked narratives. The report also notes a rise in AI tools for news consumption, especially among Gen Z, though public trust in AI’s ability to deliver reliable news remains low.

Despite the rise of alternative platforms like Threads and Mastodon, they’ve struggled to gain traction. Even as user habits change, one constant remains: people still value reliable news sources, even if they turn to them less often.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacyIf so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Growing push in Europe to regulate children’s social media use

Several European countries, led by Denmark, France, and Greece, are intensifying efforts to shield children from the potentially harmful effects of social media. With Denmark taking over the EU Council presidency from July, its Digital Minister, Caroline Stage Olsen, has made clear that her country will push for a ban on social media for children under 15.

Olsen criticises current platforms for failing to remove illegal content and relying on addictive features that encourage prolonged use. She also warned that platforms prioritise profit and data harvesting over the well-being of young users.

That initiative builds on growing concern across the EU about the mental and physical toll social media may take on children, including the spread of dangerous content, disinformation, cyberbullying, and unrealistic body image standards. France, for instance, has already passed legislation requiring parental consent for users under 15 and is pressing platforms to verify users’ ages more rigorously.

While the European Commission has issued draft guidelines to improve online safety for minors, such as making children’s accounts private by default, some countries are calling for tougher enforcement under the EU’s Digital Services Act. Despite these moves, there is currently no consensus across the EU for an outright ban.

Cultural differences and practical hurdles, like implementing consistent age verification, remain significant challenges. Still, proposals are underway to introduce a unified age of digital adulthood and a continent-wide age verification application, possibly even embedded into devices, to limit access by minors.

Olsen and her allies remain adamant, planning to dedicate the October summit of the EU digital ministers entirely to the issue of child online safety. They are also looking to future legislation, like the Digital Fairness Act, to enforce stricter consumer protection standards that explicitly account for minors. Meanwhile, age verification and parental controls are seen as crucial first steps toward limiting children’s exposure to addictive and damaging online environments.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacyIf so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Texas considers statewide social media ban for minors

Texas is considering a bill that would ban social media use for anyone under 18. The proposal, which recently advanced past the state Senate committee, is expected to be voted on before the legislative session ends June 2.

If passed, the bill would require platforms to verify the age of all users and allow parents to delete their child’s account. Platforms would have 10 days to comply or face penalties from the state attorney general.

This follows similar efforts in other states. Florida recently enacted a law banning social media use for children under 14 and requiring parental consent for those aged 14 to 15. The Texas bill, however, proposes broader restrictions.

At the federal level, a Senate bill introduced in 2024 aims to bar children under 13 from using social media. While it remains stalled in committee, comments from Senators Brian Schatz and Ted Cruz suggest a renewed push may be underway.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

DW Weekly #207 – China disagrees with Trump over $54B TikTok deal due to tariffs rise

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6 – 14 April 2025


 People, Person, Crowd, Face, Head, Audience

Dear readers,

Last week, we saw the TikTok saga unfold as the Chinese government has not agreed to sell the ByteDance daughter company to a US majority TikTok entity, so US President Donald Trump extended the deadline to find a non-Chinese buyer by another 75 days, pushing the cutoff to mid-June after a near-miss on 5 April.

Amid the tariff rise turmoil, President Donald Trump’s administration has granted exemptions from steep tariffs on smartphones, laptops, and other electronics, relieving tech giants like Apple and Dell. 

The cryptocurrency landscape was waved by a blockchain analytics firm, which has alleged that the team behind the Melania Meme (MELANIA) cryptocurrency moved $30 million worth of tokens, allegedly taken from community reserves without explanation.

In the ever-evolving world of AI, two leading AI systems, OpenAI’s GPT-4.5 and Meta’s Llama-3.1, have passed a key milestone by outperforming humans in a modern version of the Turing Test. 

On the cybersecurity stage, Oracle Health has reportedly suffered a data breach that compromised sensitive patient information stored by US hospitals.

The European Union has firmly ruled out dismantling its strict digital regulations in a bid to secure a trade deal with Donald Trump. Henna Virkkunen, the EU’s top official for digital policy, said the bloc remained fully committed to its digital rulebook instead of relaxing its standards to satisfy US demands.

Meta’s existence is threatened by a colossal antitrust trial which commenced in Washington, with the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) arguing that the company’s acquisitions of Instagram in 2012 and WhatsApp in 2014 were designed to crush competition with monopoly aims instead of fostering innovation.

Elon Musk’s legal saga with OpenAI intensifies, as OpenAI has filed a countersuit accusing the billionaire entrepreneur of a sustained campaign of harassment intended to damage the company and regain control over its AI developments.

For the main updates and reflections, consult the Radar and Reading Corner below.

DW Team


RADAR

Highlights from the week of 6 – 14 April 2025

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Wynn-Williams says Meta executives prioritised business growth in China over national security.

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The Nasdaq jumped over 12%, its best day in decades, following a temporary halt on trade tariffs by the Trump administration.

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Data stored today could be vulnerable to decryption in the near future.

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Instagram users under 16 won’t be able to livestream or view blurred nudity in messages unless approved by a parent, Meta announced.

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OpenAI is developing agents that can act autonomously on behalf of users, with safeguards.

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Energy connection delays face AI-powered fix through Google’s new initiative.

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The 71% discount on Google Workspace is part of a cost-cutting initiative under President Trump’s government reform, targeting federal spending efficiency.

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A discussion paper on crypto regulation in Japan highlights issues like market access, insider trading, and classification of assets into funding and non-funding categories.

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As AI demand shifts, Microsoft has slowed down major data centre projects, including the one in Ohio, and plans to invest $80 billion in AI infrastructure this year.


READING CORNER
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With over 10,000 AI applications available, selecting the right AI tool can be daunting. Diplo advocates starting with a ‘good enough’ tool to avoid paralysis by analysis, tailoring it to specific needs through practical use.

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International Geneva faces significant challenges, including financial constraints, waning multilateralism, and escalating geopolitical tensions. To remain relevant, it must embrace transformative changes, particularly through Artificial Intelligence (AI).

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Founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen in 1975, Microsoft grew from a small startup into the world’s largest software company. Through strategic acquisitions, the company expanded into diverse sectors,…

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Do ideas have origins? From medieval communes to WWI, Aldo Matteucci shows how political thought, like a river, is shaped by experience, institutions, and historical context — not just theory.

UPCOMING EVENTS
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www.diplomacy.edu

GITEX Africa 2025 Jovan Kurbalija will participate at GITEX Africa (14-16 April 2025 in Marrakech, Morocco).

Geneva Internet Platform
www.diplomacy.edu

Tech attache briefing: WSIS+20 and AI governance negotiations – Updates and next steps. The event is part of a series of regular briefings the Geneva

 Internet Platform (GIP) is delivering for diplomats at permanent missions and delegations in Geneva following digital policy issues. It is an invitation-only event.
geneva human rights platform
23 April 2025
The event will provide a timely discussion on methods, approaches, and solutions for AI transformation of International Organisaitons. 
WIPO
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WIPO’s 11th Conversation on IP and AI will take place on April 23-24, 2025, focusing on the role of copyright infrastructure in supporting both rights holders and AI-driven innovation. As…

DW Weekly #206 – Impact of Trump’s tariffs on tech industry

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 Lighting, Art

Dear readers,

Last week brought tectonic shifts in the global economy following the US tariffs dismantling the existing trade order. So far, the tech and digital sectors have been indirectly affected mainly by the price increase of hardware components, including semiconductors and servers, imported from China, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Apple and Samsung already announced a rise in the prices of smartphones.

However, the impact on the US tech sector and the global digital economy can worsen if the trade war escalates. In such a scenario, the European Union and other countries will likely introduce digital services taxes and stricter regulations of the US tech giants, as analysed by Jovan Kurbalija in Algorithms confront tariffs: A hidden digital front in an emerging trade war.

Forthcoming economic uncertainty may lead to a rise in the value of Bitcoin as a safer than other options for saving wealth and investment.

TikTok bidding war intensified as Amazon entered the fray with Trump’s last call to resolve TikTok’s future. However, the TikTok deal stalled amid US-China trade tensions.

Amid geopolitical tensions, cybersecurity has risen in relevance. The UK and Japan passed new cybersecurity bills that protect critical infrastructure. As of 1 April, Switzerland requires critical infrastructure operators to report cyberattacks within 24 hours to the National Cybersecurity Center.

The pushback against strict AI safety regulations continues as the industry has lobbied South Korea for a less strict AI Basic Act than the European Union.

Microsoft is scaling down the development of new AI data centres as a sign of lower dynamism in this field and precautionary measures against AI bubble.

Ghibli-style images overwhelmed OpenAI servers and OpenAI layers as they opened the question of copyright breaches. The EU AI Act’s Code of Practice clarified the regulation of using copyrighted materials to develop AI models.

For the main updates and reflections, consult the Radar and Reading Corner below.

DW Team


RADAR

Highlights from the week of 28 March – 4 April 2025

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Coimisiún na Meán, leading DSA enforcement in Ireland, faces varying interpretations of the law among EU members, making a unified approach crucial to regulation.

Meta hub in London

Notable authors such as Kate Mosse and Tracy Chevalier are participating, with the demonstration organised by the Society of Authors (SoA).

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US lawmakers are advancing stablecoin legislation aimed at increasing transparency, securing reserves, and strengthening the dollar’s role in digital payments.

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The logical and analytical foundations laid by the Lwów–Warsaw School significantly support both the technical and ethical dimensions of AI transformation.

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Key interested parties now include Amazon too, expressing its interest in line with its social media expansion ambitions, and a consortium led by OnlyFans founder Tim Stokely, proposing a model…

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The Active Cyber Defence Bill would enable pre-emptive and active cyber measures by military and law enforcement, mandating incident reporting from critical infrastructure, and allowing limited data collection to monitor…

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What started as a fun artistic trend has quickly turned into a technical nightmare for OpenAI, with its CEO pleading for a break as servers buckle under pressure.

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Talks about spinning off TikTok’s US operations have hit a wall after China signalled disapproval following President Trump’s new tariff hikes.

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Big Tech’s energy needs are pushing the nuclear renaissance as AI models become increasingly power-hungry.


READING CORNER
Algorithms confront tariffs featured image

President Trump’s tariffs on goods have intensified global trade tensions, notably with the EU. However, they largely ignore the critical sector of digital services, where the US holds a strong advantage. In response, European nations have proposed digital services taxes (DSTs) aimed at American tech giants, framing them as necessary for fiscal fairness. The collapse of OECD negotiations has prompted unilateral digital taxes across various countries, escalating the trade conflict. This shift towards digital taxation could redefine international trade diplomacy, posing challenges for US tech dominance and potentially leading to retaliation that affects both goods and digital markets.

Digital sovereignty p1 blog featured image

The concept of digital sovereignty has gained prominence. This discussion examines the tension between territorial politics and transborder digital operations, highlighting how demands for autonomy reflect a desire to navigate external influences within an interconnected digital landscape. As sovereignty claims become entwined with security narratives, the necessity to socially anchor digital sovereignty policies is emphasized.

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The Lwów–Warsaw School of Philosophy, a pioneering movement in Polish thought, has made lasting contributions to philosophy highly relevant to modern AI. The school’s work in logic and semantics provides essential tools for AI, while its analytical approach offers insights into ethical challenges.

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An ermine plays peek-a-boo from a rotting tree. Cute? Maybe. But it might also be a calculated survival tactic. Aldo Matteucci explores provocation in the wild – and its unsettling parallel in human behaviour.

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How Ghibli-inspired AI art went viral, exploring mainstream AI trends, creativity impact, and ethical concerns raised by Hayao Miyazaki.

UPCOMING EVENTS
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7-11 April 2025

The twenty-eighth session of the Commission on Science and Technology for Development (CSTD) will take place from 7 to 11 April 2025. 

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9 April 2025

The briefing will discuss the role of civil society organisations in digital governance and AI developments. 

gitex africa
15 April 2025

Jovan Kurbalija will discuss how AI can help African development and preservation of local knowledge and traditions. 

geneva human rights platform
23 April 2025
The event will provide a timely discussion on methods, approaches, and solutions for AI transformation of International Organisaitons. 

DW Weekly #205 – Turkish protests

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Dear readers,

In this week’s edition, we untangle the clash of free speech, power, and platforms, during the mass protests in Türkiye, where many X accounts have been suspended, digging into what it means for global diplomacy, content policy, and the future of online speech.

IN FOCUS: Turkish protests – Freedom of speech has taken centre stage this week, with Türkiye’s streets erupting in mass protests and Elon Musk’s platform X again under fire. With account suspensions, government requests, and a tech giant caught between free expression and compliance, all eyes are on how X navigates this storm.

RADAR: UN General Assembly adopts resolution on WSIS+20 review modalities; Trump weighs tariff cuts to secure TikTok deal; EU softens AI copyright rules; SoftBank leads massive investment in OpenAI.

READING CORNER:

IN FOCUS

Turkish protests

The recent suspension of many accounts on X (formerly Twitter) amid Türkiye’s civil unrest has provoked a complex debate surrounding freedom of speech and content moderation policies. Another case in the row shows the complex balance social media platforms must maintain between upholding free expression and adhering to governmental regulations, particularly in politically volatile environments.

THE CONTEXT: What’s happening in Türkiye?

The turmoil in Türkiye was sparked by the arrest of Istanbul’s mayor, Ekrem İmamoğlu, a potential candidate in the Turkish presidential election on behalf of an opposition party. Charged with alleged corruption and ties to terrorism, İmamoğlu’s detention led to widespread protests across major Turkish cities, including Istanbul, Ankara, and İzmir. Demonstrators viewed the arrest as a politically motivated attempt to sideline a key opposition figure ahead of the 2028 presidential elections. The government’s response was swift, resulting in over 1,100 arrests, including several journalists.

Amid the escalating protests, the Turkish Information and Communication Technologies Authority reportedly requested X to block more than 700 accounts, including those of news organisations, journalists, and political figures. These accounts primarily shared information about protest locations and organised demonstrations. Yusuf Can, the Wilson Center’s Middle East Program coordinator, noted that many suspended accounts were ‘university-associated activist accounts, basically sharing protest information, locations for students to go.’

However, X’s actions were inconsistent. While it allegedly suspended some accounts selectively, the platform publicly rejected the broader demand to block over 700 accounts, labelling the request as ‘illegal’ and asserting:

‘X will always defend freedom of speech everywhere we operate.’  ​

X’s partial compliance with these requests has been criticised, especially given Elon Musk’s previous assertions of championing free speech on the platform. Despite Musk’s stance, X generally does respond to governmental content removal requests, with the company’s transparency report indicating an 86% compliance rate during the second half of 2024 in Türkiye.

Either way, the suspension of accounts during the Turkish protests raises critical questions about the responsibilities of social media platforms. While platforms like X operate globally, they must navigate a complex web of local laws and regulations. In Türkiye, laws mandate that social media companies appoint local representatives and comply with content removal requests under threat of fines or bandwidth reductions. This legal framework places platforms in a challenging position, balancing governmental compliance while trying to preserve user rights and freedom of expression.​

To conclude:

The measures taken by X amid Türkiye’s protests underscore a constant challenge: content policy isn’t unchangeable; it’s a continuous legal dispute between big tech, national power and the voice of the people. Therefore, as social media platforms play an integral role in political discourse and activism, their content moderation policies and responses to governmental requests will remain under intense scrutiny. However, these common controversies demand transparent policies enabling companies to uphold the principles of free expression while curbing harmful content and being mindful of the complex landscape of content policies and political dynamics.

Find the full dig.watch analysis here or in our READING CORNER!

For more information on cybersecurity, digital policies, AI governance and other related topics, visit diplomacy.edu.

Related news:

Elon musk SEC Twitter lawsuit

Legal experts are divided over whether the SEC’s lawsuit against Musk is justified or politically motivated.

RADAR:

UN General Assembly adopts resolution on WSIS+20 review modalities

On 25 March 2025, the UN General Assembly (UNGA) adopted the resolution defining the modalities for the overall review of the implementation of the outcomes of the World Summit on the Information Society (the WSIS+20 review). 

Trump weighs tariff cuts to secure TikTok deal

US President Donald Trump has indicated he is willing to reduce tariffs on China as part of a deal with ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, to sell the popular short-video app.

Visit dig.watch now for the latest updates and other topics!

Marko and the Digital Watch team


RADAR

Highlights from the week of 21-28 March 2025

US Congress 2

By allowing platforms to govern their digital spaces, Section 230 supports freedom of expression and guards against excessive censorship.

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Amid European legal shifts, developers of general-purpose AI models are finding clearer ground, as the latest draft of the EU AI Act’s copyright guidelines embraces practicality and proportionate enforcement.

softbank openai data centre Japan

As ChatGPT’s features continue to capture the public’s imagination, OpenAI is close to sealing a colossal funding deal led by SoftBank that would double its valuation within months.

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The US is investigating whether banned AI chips reached Chinese firm DeepSeek.

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Financial authorities are split on crypto regulation, with the Central Bank pushing for a ban and the Ministry of Finance considering limited access for top investors.

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Apple has avoided penalties as the EU concludes its inquiry into iPhone browser options, following regulatory adjustments by the company.

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Demand for Nvidia’s H20 chips is surging as Chinese tech giants, including Tencent and Alibaba, rush to adopt AI models, straining already limited supplies.

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The V3 model from DeepSeek offers enhanced performance metrics and positions the Chinese startup as a growing rival to major AI players like OpenAI and Anthropic.

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China rejected US accusations in the intelligence report, accusing Washington of using outdated Cold War thinking and hyping the ‘China threat’ to maintain military dominance.

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Bitcoin has dropped from $106,000 to $83,000 amid rising crypto crime, with analysts predicting further declines in the coming weeks.


READING CORNER

X Turkey protests freedom of speech 1
dig.watch

Freedom of speech has taken centre stage this week, with Türkiye’s streets erupting in mass protests and Elon Musk’s platform X again under fire. With account suspensions, government requests, and a tech giant caught between free expression and compliance, all eyes are on how X navigates this storm.

climate flow data
www.diplomacy.edu

Every March, yellow rain coats European cities, tinting cars and sidewalks with a golden hue. This striking phenomenon occurs when Saharan dust, carried by wind, travels thousands of kilometres and is washed down by rain. I learnt about it through conversations at the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), where my office is located. In 2021, when 180,000 tonnes of dust swept across Europe, a webinar with Dr Slobodan Nickovic, creator of the ‘dust model’, deepened my understanding of this interplay between nature, science, and diplomacy, leading to reflections you can read in the original blog.

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www.diplomacy.edu

Only 2% of wild bees do 80% of the pollination. Should we still save the other 700 species? The debate is not just ecological – it’s moral vs economic.

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www.diplomacy.edu

No system works without standards – not cities, not cyberspace. As the metaverse grows, it needs rules that go beyond code. Read Part 6 of the new metaverse blog series: UN 2.0 and the Metaverse: Are We Seeing What Is Possible?

BLOG featured image 2025 48 Nuclear renaissance
www.diplomacy.edu

As AI’s energy demands surge, nuclear power is emerging as a key solution to sustain its growth while minimising carbon emissions. Tech giants like Microsoft, Google, and Amazon are investing heavily in nuclear energy to power AI-driven data centres, signalling a potential nuclear renaissance in the age of AI.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Africa AI Summit
dig.watch

The Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the Ministry of ICT & Innovation, in collaboration with the World Economic Forum, will host the inaugural Global AI Summit on Africa…

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www.diplomacy.edu

Training for the Republic of Serbia Commissioner for Information of Public Importance and Personal Data Protection The representatives of the Commissioner for

diplo event crvena 2
www.diplomacy.edu

Digital Sovereignty and the open internet: Can they coexist? The Internet Governance Project (IGP) in collaboration with the Quello Center will gather

X faces major outage in the US and UK

Social media platform X is experiencing widespread outages in the US and the UK, with thousands of users reporting issues, according to outage tracking website Downdetector.

Reports indicate over 21,000 incidents in the US and more than 10,800 in the UK, suggesting significant disruptions.

Downdetector, which gathers status reports from various sources, noted that the actual number of affected users may be higher.

Many have turned to other platforms to discuss the outage, but X has not yet responded to requests for comment.

The cause of the disruption remains unclear, and there is no official timeline for when full service will be restored. Users continue to face difficulties accessing the platform, impacting communication and social media activity globally.

For more information on these topics, visit diplomacy.edu.

Tech giants challenge Australia’s exemption for YouTube

Major social media companies, including Meta, Snapchat, and TikTok, have urged Australia to reconsider its decision to exempt YouTube from a new law banning under-16s from social media platforms.

The legislation, passed in November, imposes strict age restrictions and threatens heavy fines for non-compliance. YouTube, however, is set to be excluded due to its educational value and parental supervision features.

Industry leaders argue that YouTube shares key features with other platforms, such as algorithmic content recommendations and social interaction tools, making its exemption inconsistent with the law’s intent.

Meta called for equal enforcement, while TikTok warned that excluding YouTube would create an ‘illogical, anticompetitive, and short-sighted’ regulation. Snapchat echoed these concerns, insisting that all platforms should be treated fairly.

Experts have pointed out that YouTube, like other platforms, can expose children to addictive and harmful content. The company has responded by strengthening content moderation and expanding its automated detection systems.

The debate highlights broader concerns over online safety and fair competition as Australia moves to enforce some of the world’s strictest social media regulations.

For more information on these topics, visit diplomacy.edu.

UK regulator sets deadline for assessing online content risks

Britain’s media regulator, Ofcom, has set a 31 March deadline for social media and online platforms to submit a risk assessment on the likelihood of users encountering illegal content. This move follows new laws passed last year requiring companies such as Meta’s Facebook and Instagram, as well as ByteDance’s TikTok, to take action against criminal activities on their platforms. Under the Online Safety Act, these firms must assess and address the risks of offences like terrorism, hate crimes, child sexual exploitation, and financial fraud.

The risk assessment must evaluate how likely it is for users to come across illegal content, or how user-to-user services could facilitate criminal activities. Ofcom has warned that failure to meet the deadline could result in enforcement actions against the companies. The new regulations aim to make online platforms safer and hold them accountable for the content shared on their sites.

The deadline is part of the UK‘s broader push to regulate online content and enhance user safety. Social media giants are now facing stricter scrutiny to ensure they are addressing potential risks associated with their platforms and protecting users from harmful content.

For more information on these topics, visit diplomacy.edu.