Online Safety stories

Canada commits to expanding high-speed internet to 1,922 rural and Indigenous homes across 28 communities in Saskatchewan.

A deepfake surge is driving relentless AI-powered celebrity scams, with persona kits and adaptive fraud campaigns eroding online trust.

Ofcom has opened a probe into X over claims its Grok AI tool enabled deepfake sexual images, testing the UK’s new Online Safety Act.

Data breaches at Victorian schools and Sydney University expose deep cyber flaws, leaving Australian students vulnerable to long-term threats.

Corsearch has launched CVAN, an AI-driven network that spots suspect listings across 1,500 marketplaces before counterfeit goods go live.

Australians greatly overestimate their ability to spot AI-driven scam images, with new research showing they get it right less than half the time.

Swoop is hosting Quad9’s DNS hubs across five Australian cities, restoring onshore security and performance after traffic was sent offshore.

Instagram denies a data breach after a dataset on 17m users appears on hacking forums, blaming old leak scraps and a fixed reset bug.

Black Hat will premiere Semperis documentary Midnight in the War Room in Las Vegas, spotlighting the human cost of cyber conflict.

Most Australians think they can spot AI scams, but new research shows fewer than half can correctly identify deepfake images in tests.

New Zealand urged to enact AI safety laws as deepfake sexual images surge, amid warnings it can no longer rely on tech firms’ goodwill.

UK vows Cyber Action Plan with GBP £210m for public-sector defences, as tech leaders warn success hinges on long-term reform and culture.

Liz Kendall presses X to stop AI tool Grok being used for sexual deepfakes, warning it may be breaching the UK’s Online Safety Act rules.

OpenAI backs a new California ballot measure with child-safety group Common Sense Media to impose strict rules on youth use of AI chatbots.

Australian tech leaders tip 2026 as the year AI hype cools, privacy platforms surge and digital health reshapes everyday care.

AI-powered ‘Truman Show’ scam uses OPCOPRO app and fake trading rooms in official stores to steal cash and victims’ digital identities.

Nominet’s GBP £10,000 GiveHub grant will help Hulme Grammar widen digital inclusion and STEM access for more than 1,000 Oldham youngsters.

A leading fraud expert says the FCA’s new Firm Checker will boost transparency but leave sophisticated social engineering scams largely untouched.

Manchester’s FourNet has scooped Palatine’s inaugural Leadership in Social Value award after generating GBP £2,660,194 in social value.

Over half of UK adults want under-16s barred from social media, as new polling exposes deep divides over children’s online access and safety.