2025 saw a global push for online safety laws, from the UK’s Online Safety Act to Australia’s social media ban for under-16s. But a surge in VPN use and flawed age-checks suggest these measures are creating inconvenience, not safety.
Federal prosecutors have unsealed a massive indictment against 54 individuals for a sophisticated ATM jackpotting scheme. The conspiracy, allegedly linked to the Tren de Aragua crime syndicate, used advanced malware to steal over $40 million from cash machines across the U.S.
Revolut is launching a mobile service in the UK that bundles a NordVPN subscription at no extra cost. The plan offers unlimited 5G data for £12.50 per month for early adopters, with a full public launch slated for January 2026.
A popular VPN extension with millions of users is secretly stealing every prompt and response from major AI chatbots. The malicious code has been active since July 2025, and the data is reportedly being sold.
The UK’s Investigatory Powers Commissioner says the 2024 amendment act failed to plug critical gaps in surveillance law. Loopholes exist for foreign intelligence sharing and serious data breaches, while aging police IT systems remain a major concern.
The Department of Defense has named ISACA as the exclusive organization to certify assessors and instructors for its Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC). This move formalizes a three-year rollout, with full compliance required across the defense industrial base by 2028.
Reddit is taking Australia’s government to court over its new law banning children from social media. The company claims the ban violates free speech and that Reddit is fundamentally different from platforms like TikTok or Instagram.
A security investigation has uncovered that several popular browser extensions are secretly harvesting the contents of users’ AI chatbot conversations. The extensions, installed by over 8 million people, send the data to third parties. Users are urged to uninstall them immediately.
At the NeurIPS AI conference, the conversation was dominated by fears of a future superintelligence. Critics argue this focus overlooks the tangible, present-day damage from AI, from deepfakes to mental health crises.
A petition with over 500,000 signatures called for the UK’s Online Safety Act to be repealed. In a parliamentary debate, MPs largely agreed the law should stay and even be strengthened, focusing on closing VPN loopholes for kids.
