Information, Communications, Technology

• How Latam-GPT is building culturally relevant AI for the region
• How Aftenposten reinvents its homepage with AI to increase engagement and subscriptions
• Press freedom groups urge Kosovo government to take measures to protect journalists
• How the Kyiv Independent reached 20,000 paying members — with no paywall
• Amazon Ring Cashes in on Techno-Authoritarianism and Mass Surveillance
• When Your Power Meter Becomes a Tool of Mass Surveillance
• EFF: how to Fix the Internet:  Finding the Joy in Digital Security

UK Police Deploy AI Cameras to Monitor Phone/Seatbelt Use

• Impact:
  • Governments use AI-enabled cameras to identify phone usage and seatbelt violations in real time.
  • Enhances road safety and frees law enforcement resources.
  • Sets a precedent for performance-driven, real‑time enforcement using computer vision in public spaces.

UK’s Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 Receives Royal Assent

• Impact:
  • Introduces statutory “smart data” frameworks for interoperable data access across health, social care, and infrastructure registers.
  • Establishes a statutory Information Commission and standardizes data compliance and privacy mechanisms.
  • Impacts digital trust, data portability, and future regulation of AI and smart city services.

Data Centers Face Credibility Crisis—Trust Gap Widens

• Impact:
  • Public trust in data center operations (48/100) lags behind business confidence (77/100), threatening expansion of critical infrastructure.
  • Calls for proactive, transparent communication on environmental impact, energy use, and community benefit.
  • Influences regulatory alignment, social license, talent recruitment, and permits.

Summary Table