ICANN has published updated String Similarity Evaluation guidelines for public comment as preparations advance for the 2026 round of the New gTLD Program. The consultation seeks community feedback on how applied-for domain strings should be assessed to avoid user confusion in the Domain Name System.
The European Commission has launched a call for evidence to assess whether the EU’s Digital Decade 2030 targets remain fit for purpose amid rapid technological change. The findings will shape a formal review planned for 2026, examining whether current objectives should be updated, simplified or better aligned with funding and local implementation needs.
A coalition led by the Electronic Privacy Information Center has urged the US Department of Homeland Security to halt Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s use of the Mobile Fortify facial recognition app. The groups argue that the tool enables sweeping, error-prone surveillance in the field, with long-term data retention and no opt-out for those scanned.
The International Telecommunication Union’s new WSIS+20 report reviews 20 years of the World Summit on the Information Society, assessing achievements in connectivity, digital inclusion and multistakeholder cooperation, while setting expectations for the United Nations’ overall review in late 2025.
Digital Rights Ireland and the Irish Council for Civil Liberties warn that Ireland’s National Cyber Security Bill 2024 would grant the state extensive powers to scan networks, collect communications data in bulk, and block domain names, going far beyond what the EU’s NIS2 directive requires. The organisations caution that several provisions could undermine privacy, data protection and freedom of expression.
Derechos Digitales’ new discussion paper examines how technology-facilitated gender-based violence has become a persistent human rights concern that mirrors and deepens existing gender inequalities. Using international human rights law as its framework, the paper identifies major shortcomings in current national legislation, including inconsistent definitions, overreliance on criminal responses, weak safeguards, and limited avenues for redress. It also details how the speed, scale, and cross-border nature of digital technologies intensify harms, often silencing women and LGBTQIA+ people in public and political life. The analysis, grounded in comparative legal research and expert consultation, underscores the need for rights-based, survivor-centred approaches that address TFGBV as part of a broader continuum of gender-based discrimination.
Ofcom has published its final guidance on how digital services should address online harms that disproportionately affect women and girls. The document sets out required measures, recommended practices and new expectations for service design, transparency and victim support.
The open letter argues that the ICO’s softer stance toward public bodies has coincided with a rise in serious breaches, citing issues at the PSNI, the Electoral Commission, and other agencies. The signatories warn that weak oversight leaves the public exposed to growing security risks and undermines trust in the UK’s data governance system.
Tech Global Institute has submitted evidence to the OHCHR examining how digital and AI-enabled surveillance tools are being acquired and used in Bangladesh and India. The analysis details the growth of CCTV networks, facial recognition systems, interception tools, and targeted spyware operations, alongside longstanding questions about regulatory oversight, transparency, and avenues for redress. The submission provides case-based examples and highlights how these surveillance practices may affect the exercise of peaceful assembly and association.
The tool is intended to help the EU identify risks early, strengthen enforcement, and support the safe deployment of artificial intelligence across the Union.
Civil Society Alliances for Digital Empowerment (CADE) is a project co-funded by the European Union.
