The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has opened a Public Comment proceeding on proposed updates to Specification 14 of the 2026 Base Generic Top-Level Domain (gTLD) Registry Agreement, seeking feedback on new provisions related to variant TLDs and fee structures following recent Board resolutions.
ICANN has launched a request for proposal to select a provider that will conduct safeguard assessments for applied-for strings in the 2026 round of the New Generic Top-Level Domain Program. The selected provider will evaluate whether applications require risk-based public interest commitments before moving to contracting.
The European Commission has launched a formal antitrust probe into Google to assess whether the company leveraged its dominant position to access publisher and YouTube content on unfair terms for developing its artificial intelligence services, including AI Overviews and AI Mode.
China’s Cyberspace Administration has launched a public consultation on draft rules governing how organisations must assess and report network data security risks. The proposal sets detailed obligations for processors of important data, introduces oversight mechanisms for third-party assessors, and outlines new enforcement tools.
APC and Derechos Digitales have submitted a joint contribution to the UN Expert Mechanism on the Right to Development, examining how artificial intelligence affects cultural rights and equitable development. The submission argues that AI can both support and undermine cultural expression, identity and participation, depending on how systems are designed, governed and deployed. It calls for rights-based, feminist and culturally aware approaches to AI policy to ensure that technological development strengthens, rather than erodes, the right to development.
Access Now and the #KeepItOn coalition have issued a joint statement highlighting concerns about reported human rights violations and digital restrictions in Tanzania following the October 2025 elections. They also raise questions about recent Meta account blocks requested by national authorities. Signatories—including CIPESA, Paradigm Initiative and SMEX - call on the government, Meta and telecom operators to uphold international standards on rights and connectivity.
The European Commission has imposed a €120 million fine on X for violating several transparency obligations under the Digital Services Act, citing deceptive design of its verification system, insufficient advertising transparency, and barriers to researcher access to public data. The decision marks the first formal non-compliance ruling issued under the DSA.
EU ministers have endorsed new conclusions on digital competitiveness, calling for stronger skills, wider technology adoption and simpler rules for businesses. While prioritising support for SMEs and start-ups, governments stressed that regulatory simplification must not weaken data protection, online safety or fundamental rights.
The United Nations has launched a new Digital Cooperation Portal, a public platform designed to map global digital initiatives, support coordination across sectors, and strengthen implementation of the Global Digital Compact. The portal is now live and open to governments, civil society, UN entities, researchers and businesses.
A new study from the African Digital Rights Network and the Institute of Development Studies finds that biometric digital-ID systems are preventing millions in Africa from accessing basic services, highlighting systemic exclusion, weak legal safeguards and growing mistrust in governments’ handling of sensitive data.
Civil Society Alliances for Digital Empowerment (CADE) is a project co-funded by the European Union.
