Platforms

• Vienna-based fintech Talentir has raised €4 million in a seed funding round to modernize cross-border payout infrastructure for creators, freelancers, and contractors. • The round was led by Redstone VC and supported by Inovia Capital, featuring backing from former Google CFO Patrick Pichette and eight other investors. • Talentir aims to solve inefficiencies in platform payments by utilizing AI and stablecoin rails to streamline global financial transfers.

Exclusive: Former minister calls for urgent action against companies such as X that allow incitement to violenceWes Streeting has called for Keir Starmer to take urgent action against X and other online platforms that have helped whip up social tensions, suggesting they should be forced to contribute to rebuilding costs after the riots in Belfast.The intervention by the former health secretary, who is seen as a likely challenger to Keir Starmer in any leadership contest, comes after Downing Street said any response would be left to Ofcom, the media regulator, meaning no action is likely for at least two months. Continue reading...

• Muhammad Qasim outlines key fintech innovations that Forex broker product teams should prioritize for 2026 to remain competitive. • While trading interfaces and liquidity have been traditional focuses, the author argues that AI's most immediate value lies in operational efficiency rather than just trading analytics. • A primary goal for these innovations is to achieve faster cleared funds, streamlining the financial movement and settlement process for users.

• FOX Sports has secured the English-language broadcasting rights for the FIFA World Cup 2026, committing to air all 104 matches of the tournament. • The guide provides a comprehensive global overview of official broadcasters, streaming platforms, and mobile apps to help viewers access games across different countries. • It specifically addresses the use of VPNs to bypass regional restrictions, allowing fans to watch the tournament from outside their home countries.

US embassy came out against UK’s proposed under-16 social media ban, which would affect American firmsWhite House displeasure over the prospect of an under-16 social media ban will not deter the UK from cracking down on tech platforms, the British government has said.The technology secretary, Liz Kendall, told the Guardian she was not concerned “in the slightest” by the Trump administration’s intervention in the debate over restrictions, after the US embassy in London posted a notice warning against a ban. Continue reading...

• Micro drama platforms gained significant audience attention in May 2026, as per COTT Analytics data. • Jio Hotstar Tadka and ReelShort were among the platforms that successfully converted audience attention into deep engagement. • The data indicates a shift in viewer preferences towards shorter, more engaging content.

• Streaming platforms are shifting away from exclusivity by broadcasting original series on traditional television to reach wider audiences. • This trend is highlighted by the drama "Pachinko," starring Lee Min-ho and Kim Min-ha, which explores four generations of a Korean family facing racism during and after the Japanese occupation. • The pivot matters as it allows high-quality, "well-made" productions to transcend digital niches and gain broader mainstream visibility.

• The provided text offers a comparative overview of various political parties within the European Parliament, detailing their specific ideological alignments and manifestos. • Key examples include Sweden's Moderate Party, which focuses on free-market economics and national security, and Denmark's Moderaterne, which positions itself as a pragmatic, centrist force. • The content also highlights parties formed to combat corruption and restore the rule of law, specifically in the context of overcoming political polarization in Hungary.

• Germany has introduced a proposal titled “Paper on the Further Development of Public Value” aimed at curbing misinformation on social media. • The plan would require social media news feeds to prioritize "reliable" news sources, which would be identified by a government-designated “public value” label. • This initiative is significant because it allows politicians in power to indirectly determine which media outlets are deemed credible and visible to the public.

• Forbes has released its "30 Under 30 Asia: Social Media, Marketing & Advertising" list, highlighting young content creators who blend education and entertainment for Gen-Z audiences. • Among the featured creators is Richardo from Indonesia, who has leveraged art and storytelling to amass over 18 million followers on TikTok. • Richardo's impact is further evidenced by her consistent success on the platform, having won awards for three consecutive years starting in 2022.

• On May 25, 2026, India's startup ecosystem saw significant growth across diverse sectors, highlighted by Yes Madam securing Rs 50 crore in new funding. • Key expansions include the entry of Voy into the Indian market, Graamya's rural spice initiatives in Kerala, and the launch of a Quantum AI lab in Mysuru. • The day also marked advancements in deep-tech and the creator economy, alongside the introduction of new maritime research projects at IIT Madras.

Former health secretary’s intervention comes as government closes consultation on age limits for social media platformsSocial media companies should be treated like the tobacco industry, Wes Streeting has argued, as he called for a ban on under-16s accessing certain platforms.Speaking publicly about the prospect of a ban for the first time since he left government, the former health secretary said one was needed because large technology companies were trying to dodge regulations. Continue reading...

• The SBS romantic comedy "My Royal Nemesis" has become a global hit, driven by viral momentum on short-form video platforms. • The series saw domestic growth from a 5.4% viewership rating in its second episode to 6% by the fourth, according to Nielsen Korea. • Internationally, the show reached No. 1 on Netflix’s Global Top 10 (Non-English TV) list and ranked in the Top 10 across 84 countries, including the U.S. and Japan.

• Global OTT platforms like Prime Video are implementing India-specific edits and censoring international shows, such as *The Boys*, to comply with local sensibilities. • These modifications are driven by a need for legal risk management and the desire to avoid regulatory backlash in the Indian market. • The trend has sparked significant viewer frustration, with critics arguing that self-censorship compromises artistic integrity and may inadvertently drive audiences toward piracy.

• The 70th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest is taking place in Vienna, Austria, culminating in the live Grand Final today. • The event is scheduled to begin at 9:00 PM on Saturday for viewers in key participating nations, including Austria, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and Sweden. • As a global musical phenomenon, the contest serves as a major cultural platform for European artists to compete for the prestigious title.

• Nine Japanese political parties, including the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and opposition groups, agreed on Thursday to require social media operators to reduce disinformation, misinformation and slander during elections. • The plan would push platforms to halt reward payments to users, respond faster to deletion requests, and label AI-generated content, with lawmakers aiming to pass legislation during the current Diet session. • The move matters because Japan is trying to blunt online interference before unified local elections next spring, while also increasing transparency around how platforms moderate election-related content.

• Indonesia’s Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs issued a new regulation on May 8, 2026, requiring all large foreign tech platforms to host at least 60% of their AI models serving Indonesian users within the country by end‑2027. • The rule, framed as a national‑security and data‑sovereignty measure, targets companies including Meta, Google, and major Chinese AI firms, mandating local data‑center partnerships and annual compliance audits conducted by the Indonesia Data Center Association. • Jakarta estimates the mandate could attract $4–6 billion in data‑center investment over five years while enforcing stricter content‑moderation standards for localized models.

Reform UK is ‘doing something right when it comes to visibility’ on multiple AI systems, say researchersAI platforms are more likely to reference Nigel Farage than any other UK leader when prompted about British politics, according to an AI search analytics firm.“We are confident in saying that Reform are showing up significantly more than you would expect,” said Malte Landwehr, an expert at Peec AI, the firm that did the research. “So they’re doing something right when it comes to LLM [large language model] visibility.” Continue reading...

Exclusive: Union body finds workers describing themselves as ‘gambling’ because wages felt like the outcome of chance rather than workThe practice of using “dynamic pricing” to set pay on gig economy platforms including Uber should be banned because it leaves workers at the mercy of shadowy algorithms with no certainty over their earnings, trade union leaders have urged.In a report exposing the human cost of the gig economy practice, the Trades Union Congress said pay was becoming decoupled from time, skill or effort. Instead, work had become a speculative practice with the rewards determined by an algorithmic process with little transparency. Continue reading...

European Commission says tech company does not have effective measures to keep under-13s off Facebook and InstagramThe tech company Meta has been found to be in breach of EU law for failing to prevent children under 13 from using its Facebook and Instagram platforms.Issuing the preliminary findings of a nearly two-year investigation, the European Commission said on Wednesday that Meta did not have effective measures in place to stop under-13s accessing its services. Continue reading...

UK representatives from Meta, Roblox and TikTok also tell MPs they believe under-16 ban would be ‘unenforceable’Executives from three social media companies have denied their platforms are inherently addictive to children and young people in a combative appearance before MPs in Westminster.Representatives from Meta, Roblox and TikTok faced robust questioning from the cross-party education select committee about the impact of screen time and social media on children. Continue reading...

The government has launched a consultation on banning social media for under-16s but peers voted to move fasterHouse of Lords pushes for Australian-style social media ban for under-16sGood morning. It is going to be a busy political news day, but potentially quite a mixed and messy one. Keir Starmer is in Helsinki for a meeting of the Joint Expeditionary Force (the northern European military pact – the Nordics, the Baltics, the Dutch and the UK), and he has already been speaking to the media. In the Commons it is the last day before the Easter recess, which means it is “take out the trash day” – the trash, in this case, being government announcements that have to be reported to parliament (so they can’t be announced during the recesss), but which have been held back because they’re moderately embarrassing (or sometimes just too dull). There are 24 written ministerial statements (full list here). Few, if any, of these are likely to produce big headline stories, but there should be a lot here for people interested in the workings of government.And, with the parliamentary session also about to end soon (the new king’s speech is expected to take place on Wednesday 13 May), the government is also trying to get all its bills onto the statue book. And it faced a new problem last night after peers voted for a second time to insert a clause into the bill committing the government to an Australian-style social media ban for under-16s.Obviously we’ll study that ruling very carefully, but I’m absolutely clear that we need to go further.The status quo isn’t good enough. We need to do more to protect children. Continue reading...

• US Customs and Border Protection issued a January 16, 2026 ruling, publicized recently, barring unlicensed foreign online platforms from certain importer services for fees. • The platform was deemed to conduct impermissible customs business, setting guidelines for automated import tech providers. • This clarifies regulatory limits amid growing use of tech in US trade compliance.