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The latest news, analysis and opinion on Internet. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
AI misuse sparks concern as a Japanese man is arrested for selling obscene deepfake images of celebrities Photo: Getty Images
Japan

Japan arrests man for selling AI-generated celebrity porn

A 31-year-old in Japan arrested for using generative AI to create and sell 520,000 explicit images of celebrities for US$70,000 in profit.

China stock market

China’s advances in AI fuel tech stock boom, help it shake off economic malaise

Artificial intelligence

Tencent seeks cooperation with other AI firms to better serve vulnerable users

Iran

Iran’s leader says ‘thousands’ killed in protests, Trump a ‘criminal’

The comments by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei are the first admission by Tehran on the death toll from the unrest.

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Protesters gather as vehicles burn, amid anti-government protests in Tehran, Iran, in this screen grab from a social media video released on January 9. Photo: Social media via Reuters
X (formerly Twitter)

Musk’s xAI sued over Grok deepfakes – this time, by mother of his child

Ashley St Clair, mother of Musk’s 13th child, said that in one photo, an image of her at 14 was altered to show her in a bikini.

Hong Kong society

Hongkonger missing in protest-hit Iran safe and ‘in touch’ with authorities

Immigration Department says it has also advised the woman to leave Iran as soon as possible.

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Malaysia

X marks the bot: Malaysia says Grok ban may be lifted if it is proven to be safe

Though X has deactivated several prompts, more changes need to be made to ensure the site’s safety, Malaysia’s communications minister says.

Screens display the logo of Grok and its founder Elon Musk. Photo: AFP
Artificial intelligence

Musk’s Grok barred from undressing AI images after global backlash

‘Spicy Mode’ feature had allowed users to create sexualised deepfakes of women and children.

Regulation

Beijing opens antitrust investigation into Trip.com before Lunar New Year break

The Trip.com case shows how China’s regulatory inquiries into various online platforms have become the norm.

Indonesia

Indonesian comedian hit with blasphemy complaints over Netflix jokes

Pandji Pragiwaksono’s unfiltered set took aim at the president, but it was a quip about religious groups that triggered police reports.

A still from the trailer for Indonesian comedian Pandji Pragiwaksono’s new Netflix special “Mens Rea”. Photo: YouTube/pandji.pragiwaksono
Africa

Uganda shuts down internet as Museveni seeks to extend 40-year rule

Government imposes a blackout as the 81-year-old leader moves to secure a seventh term in Thursday’s election.

A wall decorated with posters supporting Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni. Photo: AFP
Middle East

Trump urges on protesters in Iran as crackdown death toll surges

As Tehran accuses the US of inciting violence, Trump warns of ‘very strong action’ if Iran hangs protesters.

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Japan

Japan’s Princess Kako targeted in viral Grok AI deepfakes trend

Images of the princess in a blue dress during a recent event were used to generate deepfakes, including of her naked and covered in tattoos.

Iran

Iranians use Musk’s Starlink to pierce internet blackout during protests

Smuggled satellite terminals offer a high-risk lifeline as Iran’s protest death toll climbs.

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Cars burn in a street during a protest in Tehran on January 8. Photo: West Asia News Agency via Reuters
Crime in Hong Kong

Online shopping scams cost Hongkongers HK$14 million in first week of 2026

Police urge caution among consumers and sellers after receiving 276 reports of online shopping fraud last week.

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The cases and losses reported last week marked a significant increase from the 230 reports and more than HK$5.7 million lost in the final week of 2025. Photo: Getty Images
Britain

UK launches probe into Musk’s X over Grok’s ‘disgusting’ sexualised AI imagery

UK regulator acts after users prompt AI to create sexually intimate deepfakes, fuelling fears of widespread image abuse on the platform.

Australia

Australian social media ban: Meta shuts 550,000 children’s accounts

Australia’s ban on social media usage for under 16s, a world’s first, came into effect on December 10.

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Iran

Video | Iran shuts down internet amid growing protests

The latest unrest, sparked by Iran’s worsening economy, has led to the deaths of at least 35 people.

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Artificial intelligence

‘Leading us down a pretty dark path’: AI under the spotlight at CES 2026

Actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt is among many at CES 2026 shining a light on both the positive and negative ways AI is affecting entertainment.

China stock market

China stocks to see 20% upside on AI boom, overseas expansion: Goldman Sachs

Investment bank predicts the MSCI China Index of both yuan-traded stocks and Chinese firms trading in Hong Kong and the US to surge in 2026.

Fame and celebrity

Are stars like Charli XCX and Sabrina Carpenter making smoking cool again?

Smoking is all over pop star imagery and lyrics, but its revival as a glamorous accessory faces pushback from experts.

Sabrina Carpenter holds a Louis Vuitton cigar. Photo: @sabrinacarpenter/Instagram
Sri Lanka

‘Show your kinky side’: Sri Lanka probes syllabus error linking to gay site

Education chief quits as police probe ‘Bad Boys Club’ link in 400,000 English text books – since recalled. Officials suspect sabotage, AI errors.

The English syllabus directed students to a chat site that encourages users to “show your kinky side”. Photo: buddy.net
Malaysia

Malaysia moves to regulate WhatsApp, Facebook and others under online safety law

The decision to deem major platforms licensed regardless of application closes a regulatory gap, but questions remain over enforcement.

Semiconductors

Nvidia asks chipmaker TSMC to ramp up H200 production amid China demand: sources

Chinese tech companies place orders for more than 2 million H200 chips for 2026, according to sources.

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Social media

Opinion | West is getting on the same page as China for children’s social media use

Governments face the same problem: how to let young people grow up in a connected world, around products not designed with their well-being in mind.

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A message that reads “Let them be kids” is projected onto the Sydney Harbour Bridge to mark a law banning social media for users under 16 in Australia on December 10. Photo: Reuters
Hong Kong society

Opinion | Hong Kong’s new legislators must strengthen child protection laws

The city’s children need better legal protection from cruelty, sexual grooming and internet advances.

There is a pressing need to criminalise the sexual grooming of children on the internet, along with sexual messaging. Photo: Shutterstock
Social media

US hits 5 Europeans with visa bans in ‘censorship’ row

Former EU commissioner is among those barred as the US targets individuals it says are involved in censoring US social media platforms.

Cybersecurity

China’s Kuaishou hit by breach as explicit content floods live-streaming rooms

Short-video platform’s services are thrown into chaos on Monday night after the cyberattack it blames on ‘black and grey industries’.

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