This Global Trends flash discusses how the government of Nepal, in addition to adopting binding government directives to regulate the use of social media in general, has also imposed an outright, nationwide ban on the use of TikTok. Several countries besides Nepal have also imposed bans on the use of TikTok out of moral, commercial, or safety considerations.

India’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) is consulting until 9 December 2023 on a draft bill replacing the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act 1995. If enacted, the new legislation would extend the MIB’s purview to over-the-top (OTT) content. This Global Trends flash discusses this draft bill, as well as how some countries already regulate OTT services in parallel with broadcasters, while others have merely proposed it.

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) are consulting until 20 December 2023 on a new proposed shared responsibility framework for phishing scams. Under the proposal, both financial institutions and mobile network operators might be held liable for the financial losses encountered by phishing scams victims, this Global Trends flash highlights. Other countries around the world, including Australia and the UK, are also taking action to protect the public more effectively against the proliferation of online scams.

This Global Trends flash reports on the ongoing debate on the regulatory framework applicable for telecoms and over-the-top (OTT) communication services in India. Telecoms operators argue that the expected 2024 draft Telecommunications Bill should apply the same rules to telecoms and OTT communication services (i.e. a level playing field). Other stakeholders sustain there is no need of additional regulation for OTTs or that only some regulation to ensure interoperability amongst OTT platforms is needed, such as in Europe. Additionally, this report covers the fair share debate in India and other jurisdictions, since Indian operators argue a network usage fee must be included in the draft telecoms bill.

Six of Africa’s largest mobile telecommunications groups recently invited African heads of state to foster digital inclusion and mobile infrastructure development across the continent. The chief executive officers (CEOs) of these companies asked for fiscal reforms, new financing models for digital infrastructure, and access to more electricity from renewable sources to meet their climate targets.

Both initiatives have a global, non-binding character and focus on advanced AI systems such as foundation/frontier models and generative AI. The agreed outcomes would complement other efforts to create a global governance framework on AI, including the existing Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) AI principles.