How democracies worldwide are criminalizing speech in the name of safety—and what it means for your business As we close out 2025, a disturbing pattern has emerged across democratic nations: governments are racing to criminalize online speech under the banner of combating "misinformation," "hate speech,"
The Latest State to Take Action Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit against Roblox Corporation, marking the fifth state to pursue legal action against the gaming platform since August 2024. The November 6, 2025 filing alleges that Roblox allowed predators to exploit children while misleading families about
In an era where disinformation can spread faster than facts, governments worldwide are grappling with how to protect democratic institutions, public trust, and policy outcomes from information manipulation. The UK Government's newly updated RESIST 3 framework offers a comprehensive, pragmatic approach that any institution can adapt to strengthen
October 1, 2025 marked a critical inflection point in American data privacy regulation as Maryland's groundbreaking privacy law took effect, joining seven other new state laws that became active throughout 2025. With 18 states now enforcing comprehensive privacy legislation and aggressive enforcement actions intensifying—including Texas AG'
As we approach 2026, public companies face unprecedented cybersecurity disclosure obligations and heightened SEC enforcement—here's what you need to know Executive Summary The SEC's cybersecurity disclosure rules, which became effective in December 2023, have fundamentally transformed how public companies approach incident reporting and governance oversight.
Executive Summary: As 2025 draws to a close, the compliance landscape has reached unprecedented complexity and enforcement intensity. With the EU AI Act now actively enforcing penalties up to €35 million, DORA requiring full financial sector compliance since January 17, 2025, NIS2 facing enforcement proceedings against 13 EU Member States,
Executive Summary: Organizations face an overwhelming maze of regulatory requirements spanning data privacy, cybersecurity, industry-specific mandates, and emerging technologies. With penalties reaching €5.88 billion under GDPR alone and 19 U.S. states enacting comprehensive privacy laws by 2025, compliance is no longer optional—it's existential. This comprehensive
On October 8, 2025, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 361 into law, marking another significant expansion of the state's already stringent data broker regulations. Known as the "Defending Californians' Data Act," this legislation dramatically increases disclosure requirements for data brokers while introducing new
Congress has just unveiled the GUARD Act—a "protect the kids" bill that would fundamentally reshape how Americans interact with artificial intelligence. If passed, the Guidelines for User Age-verification and Responsible Dialogue (GUARD) Act would require government-issued ID verification before accessing AI chatbots, potentially ending online anonymity as
BREAKING UPDATE: Temporary Victory for Privacy Advocates as Voluntary Scanning Continues Until April 2026, But Poland's Upcoming Presidency Signals Renewed "Child Safety" Push Bottom Line Up Front: Denmark has backed away from mandatory message scanning in the EU's controversial Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAR)
While Australia made headlines with its groundbreaking social media age restrictions for under-16s, Brazil has quietly enacted what may be the most comprehensive child online protection framework in the world. The Digital Child and Adolescent Statute (Digital ECA), signed into law on September 17, 2025, goes far beyond social media
Bottom Line Up Front: Australia's Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024 is not simply a ban on social media for children—it's the framework for a mandatory age verification infrastructure that will fundamentally transform how all Australians access the internet. While marketed as
The app store as you know it is about to change. Starting January 2026, downloading apps in certain states will require proof of who you are—and how old you are. The New Reality: No More Anonymous App Downloads Google has introduced its Play Signals API in beta, a technical
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has officially finalized a record-breaking $1.375 billion settlement with Google, marking the conclusion of two of the most significant data privacy enforcement actions ever brought by a single state against a technology giant. This historic agreement, formally signed on October 31, 2025, represents the
October 2025 Update: Critical Preparations for the New Privacy Regime In October 2025, Vietnam's Ministry of Public Security released a pivotal draft decree that provides detailed implementation guidance for the country's 2025 Personal Data Protection Law (PDPL). For organizations operating in Vietnam or processing data of
On September 12, 2025, the European Union fundamentally transformed the data landscape for connected devices with the full implementation of the EU Data Act (Regulation (EU) 2023/2854). This landmark regulation represents one of the most significant shifts in data governance since GDPR, affecting everyone from individual smart home owners
The EU Cyber Resilience Act (CRA), which entered into force on December 10, 2024, represents a paradigm shift in how digital products are developed, secured, and maintained throughout their lifecycle. With main obligations applying from December 11, 2027, and certain critical requirements starting even earlier, manufacturers, importers, and distributors of
The EU Data Act's implementation on September 12, 2025, introduced a critical challenge for organizations: coordinating compliance between two powerful yet distinct data regulations. While the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has governed personal data since 2018, the Data Act now establishes comprehensive rules for both personal and
Executive Summary: In a landmark enforcement move on October 24, 2025, the European Commission issued preliminary findings that Meta (Facebook and Instagram) and TikTok have breached core transparency and user protection obligations under the Digital Services Act. This represents one of the first major salvos of DSA enforcement against Very
Almost a month ago, October 1, 2025 marked a pivotal moment in American data privacy regulation. Not one, but three significant state privacy law developments took effect on this date, fundamentally reshaping the compliance landscape for businesses operating across the United States. Maryland's groundbreaking new comprehensive privacy law
UK Regulation Sparks Federal Lawsuit as 4chan Refuses Compliance, Calling Ofcom Enforcement "Illegal Campaign of Harassment" Bottom Line Up Front: The UK's Online Safety Act, promised as domestic legislation to protect children online, has triggered an unprecedented constitutional showdown in US federal courts. American platforms including
Compliance Bottom Line: The Jaguar Land Rover cyber attack represents one of the most significant compliance failures in UK corporate history, exposing critical gaps in vendor risk management, data protection controls, and third-party access governance. Despite having an £800 million cybersecurity and IT support contract with Tata Consultancy Services, JLR&
As October 2025 draws to a close, so does another year of Cybersecurity Awareness Month—the 22nd anniversary of this global initiative originally launched by the Department of Homeland Security. But while organizations worldwide participated in educational campaigns and awareness activities, the compliance landscape witnessed some of the most significant
A Global Regulatory Analysis for Compliance Officers, CISOs, and Risk Management Professionals Executive Summary Financial institutions across the UK and Australia have implemented carbon footprint tracking systems that analyze customer transaction data to estimate environmental impact. While positioned as sustainability initiatives, these systems present significant compliance, privacy, and reputational risks