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Hong Kong deepfake scandal exposes gaps in privacy law

The discovery of hundreds of non-consensual deepfake images on a student’s laptop at the University of Hong Kong has reignited debate about privacy, technology, and accountability. The scandal echoes the 2008 Edison Chen photo leak, which exposed gaps in law and gender double standards.

Unlike stolen private images, today’s fabrications are AI-generated composites that can tarnish reputations with a single photo scraped from social media. The dismissal that such content is ‘not real’ fails to address the damage caused by its existence.

The legal system of Hong Kong struggles to keep pace with this shift. Its privacy ordinance, drafted in the 1990s, was not designed for machine-learning fabrications, while traditional harassment and defamation laws predate the advent of AI. Victims risk harm before distribution is even proven.

The city’s privacy watchdog has launched a criminal investigation, but questions remain over whether creation or possession of deepfakes is covered by existing statutes. Critics warn that overreach could suppress legitimate uses, yet inaction leaves space for abuse.

Observers argue that just as the snapshot camera spurred the development of modern privacy law, deepfakes must drive a new legal boundary to safeguard dignity. Without reform, victims may continue facing harm without recourse.

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Brazil prepares bill to tighten rules on social media

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has confirmed that his government is preparing new legislation to regulate social media, a move he defended despite criticism from US President Donald Trump. Speaking at an event in Pernambuco, Lula stressed that ‘laws also apply to foreigners’ operating in Brazil, underlining his commitment to hold international platforms accountable.

The draft proposal, which has not yet been fully detailed, aims to address harmful content such as paedophilia, hate speech, and disinformation that Lula said threaten children and democracy. According to government sources, the bill would strengthen penalties for companies that fail to remove content flagged as especially harmful by Brazil’s Justice Department.

Trump has taken issue with Brazil’s approach, criticising the Supreme Court for ruling that platforms could be held responsible for user-generated content and denouncing the 2024 ban of X, formerly Twitter, after Elon Musk refused to comply with court orders. He linked these disputes to imposing a 50% tariff on certain Brazilian imports, citing the political persecution of former president Jair Bolsonaro.

Lula pushed back on Trump’s remarks, insisting Bolsonaro’s trial for an alleged coup attempt is proceeding with full legal guarantees. On trade, he signalled that Brazil is open to talks over tariffs but emphasised negotiations would take place strictly on commercial, not political, grounds.

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Australia reverses its stance and restricts YouTube for children under 16

Australia has announced that YouTube will be banned for children under 16 starting in December, reversing its earlier exemption from strict new social media age rules. The decision follows growing concerns about online harm to young users.

Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and X are already subject to the upcoming restrictions, and YouTube will now join the list of ‘age-restricted social media platforms’.

From 10 December, all such platforms will be required to ensure users are aged 16 or older or face fines of up to AU$50 million (£26 million) for not taking adequate steps to verify age. Although those steps remain undefined, users will not need to upload official documents like passports or licences.

The government has said platforms must find alternatives instead of relying on intrusive ID checks.

Communications Minister Anika Wells defended the policy, stating that four in ten Australian children reported recent harm on YouTube. She insisted the government would not back down under legal pressure from Alphabet Inc., YouTube’s US-based parent company.

Children can still view videos, but won’t be allowed to hold personal YouTube accounts.

YouTube criticised the move, claiming the platform is not social media but a video library often accessed through TVs. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Australia would campaign at a UN forum in September to promote global backing for social media age restrictions.

Exemptions will apply to apps used mainly for education, health, messaging, or gaming, which are considered less harmful.

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Teens struggle to spot misinformation despite daily social media use

Misinformation online now touches every part of life, from fake products and health advice to political propaganda. Its influence extends beyond beliefs, shaping actions like voting behaviour and vaccination decisions.

Unlike traditional media, online platforms rarely include formal checks or verification, allowing false content to spread freely.

It is especially worrying as teenagers increasingly use social media as a main source of news and search results. Despite their heavy usage, young people often lack the skills needed to spot false information.

In one 2022 Ofcom study, only 11% of 11 to 17-year-olds could consistently identify genuine posts online.

Research involving 11 to 14-year-olds revealed that many wrongly believed misinformation only related to scams or global news, so they didn’t see themselves as regular targets. Rather than fact-check, teens relied on gut feeling or social cues, such as comment sections or the appearance of a post.

These shortcuts make it easier for misinformation to appear trustworthy, especially when many adults also struggle to verify online content.

The study also found that young people thought older adults were more likely to fall for misinformation, while they believed their parents were better than them at spotting false content. Most teens felt it wasn’t their job to challenge false posts, instead placing the responsibility on governments and platforms.

In response, researchers have developed resources for young people, partnering with organisations like Police Scotland and Education Scotland to support digital literacy and online safety in practical ways.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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

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

Former Facebook executive says Meta misled over China

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

Algorithms confront tariffs featured image

Tech stocks rally after Trump halts tariffs

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

DeepSeek highlights the risk of data misuse

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

Meta to block livestreaming for under 16s without parental permission

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

openAI Sam Altman TED 2025 ChatGPT users

ChatGPT hits 800 million users after viral surge

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

Google rolls out AI to improve US power grid connections

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

Google offers steep discounts to US federal agencies

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

Japan’s FSA proposes new framework for regulating crypto assets in Japan

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.

Microsoft pauses $1 billion data centre project in Ohio

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.

View all updates

READING CORNER

Navigating the AI maze: How to choose the right AI platform or tool – Diplo

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.

Don’t waste the crisis: How AI can help reinvent International Geneva – Diplo

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).

Microsoft at 50 – A journey through code, cloud, and AI

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,…

On the origins of ideas – Diplo

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

www.diplomacy.edu

GITEX Africa 2025 – Diplo Event

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

www.diplomacy.edu

Tech attache briefing: WSIS+20 and AI governance negotiations – Updates and next steps – Diplo Event

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.

23 April 2025

Demystifying AI: How to prepare international organisations for AI transformation?

The event will provide a timely discussion on methods, approaches, and solutions for AI transformation of International Organisaitons.

dig.watch

WIPO Conversation 11: AI and IP: Infrastructure for rights holders and innovation

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

DW Weekly #206 - Impact of Trump's tariffs on tech industry 50

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

EU regulators seek common approach on DSA

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

Authors in London protest Meta’s copyright violations

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

The US House Committee passes a bill to strengthen stablecoin oversight

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

The overlooked legacy of the Lwów–Warsaw school in shaping modern AI

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

TikTok bidding war intensifies as Amazon enters the fray

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…

Japan passes landmark cyber defence bill

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…

Studio Ghibli AI trend overwhelms OpenAI

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.

TikTok deal stalled amid US-China trade tensions

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

AI’s energy hunger drives nuclear energy resurgence

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

View all updates

READING CORNER

Algorithms confront tariffs: A hidden digital front in an emerging trade war – Diplo

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

Digital sovereignty: The end of the open internet as we know it? (Part 1) – Diplo

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.

The Hidden Influence: How Lwów–Warsaw School shaped AI developments – Diplo

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.

The strategy of provocation – Diplo

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.