Digital Watch Observatory

DW Weekly #285 is out! 👇 dig.watch/newsletters/dw-wee… This week, courts, regulators and human rights bodies stepped up scrutiny of tech giants, from deceptive privacy practices and child safety to competition and content moderation. Plus, the UN Security Council launched an Informal Expert Group on Technology, Peace and Security, NIST set post-quantum migration deadlines, and the digital euro and a new UN trade convention moved forward. . . #techgiants #contentmoderation #UNSC #technology #NIST #digitaleuro #trade #NCD

🌍 Is access to technology enough to close the digital divide? Connecting people to the internet is only part of the challenge. Building an inclusive digital future also requires the knowledge, skills, and institutional capacity to use technology effectively and participate in shaping digital policies. From digital literacy and cybersecurity training to AI development and international cooperation, capacity development plays a crucial role in helping countries, organisations, and individuals navigate an increasingly complex digital landscape. 🌐 This week, #DigWatchTopics explores capacity development, why it goes far beyond training, how international initiatives are addressing digital inequalities, and why strengthening local expertise is essential for meaningful participation in global digital governance. ✍️ Written by Reyhan Dalaman. 🔗 Explore the topic: dig.watch/topics/capacity-de… . . #CapacityDevelopment #DigitalInclusion #DigitalDivide #DigitalGovernance #DigWatch #DigWatchTopics

DW Weekly #284 is out! 👇 dig.watch/newsletters/dw-wee… Two critical PHP vulnerabilities have triggered emergency patching and temporary website shutdowns across several countries. With PHP powering almost 70% of websites whose server-side technology is known, the incident highlights the risks posed by flaws in widely deployed software — and AI’s growing role in both discovering vulnerabilities and scaling attacks. Plus, this week’s developments in AI governance, platform accountability, data centre policy, digital trade, and children’s online protection. . . #PHP #PHP2Shell #cybersecurity #AI #digitalplatforms #data #digitaltrade #childonlineprotection

🌐 What happens when everyday objects become connected? From smart homes and wearable devices to connected vehicles, medical equipment, and industrial machinery, the Internet of Things (IoT) is transforming how we live, work, and interact with technology. As connected devices collect and exchange increasing amounts of data, they create new opportunities for innovation and efficiency, but also raise important questions about cybersecurity, privacy, technical standards, and responsibility. And as AI enables these devices to make decisions and act with less human involvement, the challenges become even more complex. 🔎 This week, #DigWatchTopics explores the Internet of Things, how connected technologies work, why they matter, and the policy and governance challenges shaping their development and use. ✍️ Written by Jose Manuel Pérez Marzabal. 🔗 Explore the technology: dig.watch/technologies/inter… . . #InternetOfThings #IoT #Cybersecurity #DigitalPolicy #DataGovernance #EmergingTechnologies #DigWatch

DW Weekly #283 is out! 👇 dig.watch/newsletters/dw-wee… A cyberattack on refrigeration systems disrupted hundreds of French retail outlets, highlighting the risks of obsolete software and connected infrastructure. Plus, Anthropic tightens AI safety evaluations amid concerns over autonomous agents, governments roll out new AI skills and employment initiatives, the WTO revises its trade outlook amid the AI boom, and Türkiye, Greece, the Philippines, and Mexico advance new measures on children’s online safety. . . #Cybersecurity #skills #learning #employment #jobs #trade #economy #childsafetyonline #Antropic #WTO #Türkiye #Greece #Philippines #Mexico

Le Mensuel n° 113 du DW est disponible ! 👇 dig.watch/newsletters/dw-mon… Dans ce numéro, nous avons analysé le débat croissant sur la sécurité de l’IA de pointe et les incidents réels impliquant des agents d’IA, ainsi que les discussions entre les États-Unis et la Chine sur l’IA et les questions émergentes concernant les besoins en infrastructures de l’IA. Nous nous sommes également penchés sur les priorités numériques des pays du BRICS, les nouvelles règles françaises applicables aux plateformes de mode ultra-rapide, ainsi que les développements plus généraux en matière de cybersécurité et d’économie qui influencent l’agenda numérique. . . #IA #IAdepointe #agentsdIA #ÉtatsUnis #Chine #BRICS #mode #cybersécurité #économie #politiquenumérique

🌐 Who really controls our digital future? From cloud infrastructure and data governance to AI and semiconductor supply chains, digital technologies are increasingly shaping how countries exercise control over their economies, security, and digital development. As governments seek to reduce technological dependencies and strengthen their digital autonomy, digital sovereignty has become a central issue in global digital policy debates, raising important questions about national control, international cooperation, and the future of the open internet. 🌍 This week, #DigWatchTopics explores digital sovereignty, what it means, why it matters, and how governments are navigating the challenges of technological dependence, digital autonomy, and global interconnectedness. ✍️ Written by Clara Jammot. 🔗 Explore the topic: dig.watch/topics/digital-sov… . . #DigitalSovereignty #DWTopics #DigWatchTopics #DigitalPolicy #DataGovernance #DigWatch

As Brazil prepares for the presidential runoff on 25 October, AI, electoral disinformation, and platform accountability are emerging as major challenges to electoral integrity. Despite tighter regulations and an 86% drop in reported disinformation alerts compared with 2022, AI-generated deepfakes, synthetic political content, and inconsistent platform moderation continue to raise concerns. Brazil's experience offers a critical test of whether electoral authorities and technology companies can effectively address emerging digital threats while safeguarding freedom of expression. Our latest #DigWatch analysis examines the role of AI, the responsibilities of digital platforms, and the limits of electoral governance in one of the world's largest democracies. Read the full analysis👇 dig.watch/updates/brazil-202… . . #Brazil #elections #AI #DigitalGovernance #Disinformation #DigitalPolicy

DW Weekly #282 is out! 👇 dig.watch/newsletters/dw-wee… Denmark’s population register breach exposed 8.8 million people’s records, highlighting a critical challenge for digital governance: how can governments protect sensitive data not only from outsiders, but also from those authorised to access it? Plus, this week’s developments in AI governance, data centres, cybersecurity, platform accountability, and children’s online safety. . . #AI #datacentres #cybersecurity #platforms #childprotectiononline

🔐 How much of our digital lives depends on encryption? From private messages and online payments to cloud storage and web browsing, encryption works behind the scenes to protect the data we store, share, and transmit every day. But encryption is more than a technical security tool. It sits at the centre of major digital policy debates over privacy, cybersecurity, human rights, and law enforcement access, while the rise of quantum computing is already pushing governments and organisations to prepare for a new generation of cryptographic protection. 🌐 This week, #DigWatchTopics explores encryption, how it works, where it is used, the governance debates surrounding it, and how post-quantum cryptography could shape its future. ✍️ Written by Nikoleta Selena. 🔗 Explore the topic: dig.watch/topics/encryption . . #Encryption #DWTopics #DigWatchTopics #DigitalPolicy #Cryptography #DigWatch