As with the earlier parts of the series, the rankings were based on HypeAuditor’s Audience Quality Score (AQS) , which evaluates audience quality beyond raw follower numbers alone.

Now, here are the top five most influential comedians on Instagram in Asia.

5. Gilang Herlambang

Gilang Herlambang is an Indonesian comedy creator recognised for his yellow hard hat in sketches that parody awkward conversations, friendships, and internet-era relationships. His understated delivery contrasts with exaggerated emotional reactions, creating humour rooted in everyday social experiences.

Check out his Instagram profile.

4. Musdalifah Basri

Musdalifah Basri is an Indonesian social media comedian whose humour focuses on family dynamics, explored in “Kamseupay.” Her sketches often use regional humour and expressive performances that resonate strongly with local audiences.

Rather than relying on polished production, Basri’s comedy succeeds through talk show formats, reflecting the broader popularity of casual, personality-driven entertainment across Indonesian TikTok and Instagram communities.

Check out her Instagram profile.

3. Salsabila Anugrah

Indonesian comedian Salsabila Anugrah has developed a loyal social media audience through her stand-up comedy. As more women gain visibility within Southeast Asia’s digital comedy scene, Salsabila has emerged as one of Indonesia’s recognisable online personalities in youth-oriented entertainment.

Check out her Instagram profile.

2. Breakatunezz

Malaysia’s Breakatunezz, also known online as Lil Gonsterville, built his audience through surreal sketches, parody videos, and meme-driven humour aimed at younger internet users. His comedy relies heavily on exaggerated reactions, fast editing, and references to online culture, making his content particularly shareable on TikTok and Instagram.

Though unconventional compared with traditional stand-up comedians, he represents a newer generation of Southeast Asian creators who thrive entirely through digital platforms.

Check out his Instagram profile.

1. Sandi Sukron

Ranked at number one, Sandi Sukron is an Indonesian comedian and digital creator known for everyday shenanigans that blend political humour with internet culture. Rising through social media, he gained wider attention for roast-style content and collaborative comedy videos that comment on public figures and everyday Indonesian life.

His humour often combines illustration, visual editing, and sharp observational jokes, helping him stand out in Indonesia’s crowded online comedy scene.

Check out his Instagram profile.

This list was created with the help of  HypeAuditor  and is based on the  Audience Quality Score (AQS) . In case of a tie between two or more personalities, we used the engagement rate to determine the order. The keywords used in our search were 'comedian, 'humorist', and 'standup' in all Southeast Asian countries.

The list was compiled using data from HypeAuditor , whose Audience Quality Score (AQS) measures engagement, audience authenticity, growth trends, and overall community quality to identify creators with real digital influence.

Now, here are spots 15–6.

15. Lucas Lee HanJ

Malaysian creator Lucas Lee HanJ, also known through his “Lucas Debating” content, has gained attention for videos that mix satire with debate-style commentary. His humour often revolves around social behaviour, internet discourse, and exaggerated rhetorical arguments delivered with sharp comedic timing.

Check out his Instagram profile.

14. Missy Chanpaibool

Thai comedian and content creator Missy Chanpaibool is known for humorous lifestyle videos and personality-driven social media content. Her comedy frequently parodies beauty culture, relationships, and online behaviour, combining influencer aesthetics with self-aware humour.

Chanpaibool represents the increasingly blurred line between entertainer and influencer in Southeast Asia, where digital creators often balance comedy, lifestyle branding, and online celebrity simultaneously.

Check out her Instagram profile.

13. Yono Bakrie

Yono Bakrie is an Indonesian stand-up comedian recognised for observational humour delivered in a calm, conversational style. His material often explores social behaviour, cultural expectations, and the frustrations of everyday life.

While less reliant on exaggerated internet comedy than many younger creators, Bakrie has maintained relevance through both live performances and digital clips, reflecting the continued overlap between stand-up and online entertainment in Indonesia.

Check out his Instagram profile.

12. Mikey Bustos

Mikey Bustos is among the Philippines’ most internationally recognised digital comedians. Originally known as a contender on Canadian Idol , he later built a massive online audience through humorous videos about Filipino culture, language, family life, and social habits. His “Pinoy humour” sketches became especially popular among overseas Filipino communities.

Beyond comedy, Bustos is also active in music, hosting, and educational content related to ant-keeping via AntsCanada, which has developed its own dedicated following.

Check out his Instagram profile.

11. Bray

Bray is an Indonesian content creator known for energetic sketches and humorous takes on everyday life. His videos often use exaggerated reactions and casual dialogue to turn ordinary situations into comedic moments.

Bray’s appeal lies in his accessibility and familiarity, qualities that have helped many digital comedians in Indonesia attract substantial followings without relying on traditional television exposure.

Check out his Instagram profile.

10. Kiky Saputri

Kiky Saputri is one of Indonesia’s most recognisable comedians, known for her sharp roasting style and fearless celebrity interviews. A former teacher, she rose to prominence after competing in Stand Up Comedy Academy and later became famous for her humour directed at politicians and public figures.

Beyond stand-up, Saputri has worked as an actress, presenter, and television personality, building a substantial following across Indonesian entertainment and social media.

Check out her Instagram profile.

9. Khairul Umam

Khairul Umam is an Indonesian comedian and digital creator whose content centres on relatable social situations as a firefighter. His work-based humour is generally conversational and understated, allowing ordinary interactions to become comedic through subtle exaggeration.

Check out his Instagram profile.

8. Nini2

Singaporean creator Nini2 is known for eccentric comedy videos that blend chaotic internet humour with exaggerated character performances. Her online content frequently experiments with unusual editing styles and unpredictable scenarios, appealing particularly to younger viewers familiar with meme culture and fast-paced digital entertainment.

Check out her Instagram profile.

7. Alip

Indonesian creator Alip has gained online popularity through short comedic videos centred on scenario-based social encounters, youth culture, and exaggerated everyday behaviour. His content relies heavily on facial expressions, timing, and meme music that performs well on TikTok and Instagram.

While relatively low-profile compared with mainstream entertainers, Alip reflects the rise of digital-native comedians whose audiences are built almost entirely through viral online engagement.

Check out his Instagram profile.

6. Smokey Manaloto

Smokey Manaloto is a veteran Filipino comedian, actor, and television personality whose career spans live comedy, television, and film. Known for energetic performances and accessible humour, he became a familiar face in Philippine entertainment through variety programmes and comedic acting roles.

Check out his Instagram profile.

Discover the next part of the list (numbers 5-1) on May 29.

This list was created with the help of  HypeAuditor  and is based on the  Audience Quality Score (AQS) . In case of a tie between two or more personalities, we used the engagement rate to determine the order. The keywords used in our search were 'comedian, 'humorist', and 'standup' in all Southeast Asian countries.

Such a shift reflects a wider transformation in the region’s media landscape, where audiences — particularly younger viewers — are spending more time with creators who deliver humour in fast, highly relatable formats designed for scrolling feeds.

In countries such as Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand, Instagram has become a major platform for comedians to expand their reach, shape public personas, and build communities around everyday experiences, internet culture, and social commentary.

To identify the region’s leading comedy creators, we worked with HypeAuditor , an AI-powered influencer analytics platform that measures audience quality beyond headline follower numbers. This ranking uses Audience Quality Score (AQS) , which evaluates factors including engagement, audience authenticity, growth trends, and overall community strength.

This list highlights the growing overlap between entertainment, influencer culture, and digital media in Asia. From political roast comics and lifestyle satirists to sketch creators rooted in local dialects and regional humour, the rankings capture how comedy is evolving alongside the platforms that now distribute it.

Here are the comedians ranked from No. 25 to No. 16.

25. Kim Molina Napoles

Kim Molina Napoles, professionally known as Kim Molina, is a Filipino actress, singer, and comedic performer recognised for her energetic screen presence and musical theatre background. She became widely known for her role in the long-running stage production Rak of Aegis before transitioning into film and television, where she gained popularity through comedic and supporting roles.

Although not exclusively a comedian, Molina has built a reputation for lively humour, strong comedic timing, and expressive performances that resonate with mainstream Filipino audiences. Her blend of acting, singing, and comedy has helped her become a familiar face in Philippine entertainment.

Check out her Instagram profile.

24. Chad Kinis

Chad Kinis is a Filipino comedian, actor, and YouTube personality who became widely known after appearing in It’s Showtime ’s “Miss Q and A” segment. Though he did not win the competition, his comedic personality helped launch a successful entertainment career, including his involvement in the popular comedy collective Beks Battalion.

Known for loud, self-aware humour and relatable storytelling, Chad built a massive digital following through vlogs, parody content, and live performances. Beyond online entertainment, he has also ventured into music, television, and film, becoming one of the Philippines’ most recognisable LGBTQ+ comedy personalities.

Check out his Instagram profile.

23. Douglas Lim

Douglas Lim is one of Malaysia’s most prominent comedians, widely recognised for his sharp observational humour and commentary on Malaysian society. He rose to fame through the sitcom Kopitiam before building a career spanning stand-up, television, theatre, hosting, and film. Over more than two decades in entertainment, Lim has become known for comedy that balances local cultural references with broad mainstream appeal.

His stand-up work and online content have further cemented his reputation as a major voice in Malaysian comedy, particularly for audiences who appreciate satire rooted in everyday life and politics.

Check out his Instagram profile.

22. Arif Brata

Arif Brata is an Indonesian stand-up comedian, actor, and content creator who first gained national attention after finishing as a runner-up in the Street Comedy competition organised by Stand Up Indo in 2015. Known for incorporating his Makassar accent and regional identity into his routines, he later expanded into film, television, and digital comedy content.

Brata’s growing online audience has also made him a recognisable figure among younger viewers who follow both mainstream and digital comedy.

Check out his Instagram profile.

21. Cak Ukil

Cak Ukil is an Indonesian comedian and digital creator known for sketches rooted in everyday village life, working-class humour, and exaggerated social situations. His content often uses regional dialects and distinctly local references, giving his comedy a strong cultural identity that resonates with Indonesian audiences beyond major cities.

Through TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, Ukil has built a loyal following drawn to his expressive delivery and relatable portrayal of ordinary life in Indonesia.

Check out his Instagram profile.

20. Boiyen Pesek

Boiyen Pesek is an Indonesian comedian, television personality, and singer known for her loud comedic persona and energetic variety-show appearances. Her humour often relies on exaggerated expressions, playful banter, and self-deprecating comedy, helping her remain a familiar figure in Indonesian popular entertainment.

Check out her Instagram profile.

19. Kumarason Chinnadurai

Singaporean entertainer Kumarason Chinnadurai, or “Kumar,” is known for comedy that explores multicultural identity, language, and everyday social interactions. His performances often draw from Singapore’s diverse cultural environment, using observational humour that resonates across different communities.

Chinnadurai represents a growing group of Southeast Asian comedians whose work reflects the realities of multilingual and multicultural urban life.

Check out his Instagram profile.

18. John Patrick Alejandro

Filipino comedian John Patrick Alejandro is known online for sketches rooted in familiar social experiences and exaggerated misunderstandings. His videos often rely on expressive acting and relatable dialogue, allowing everyday situations to become humorous without complex setups.

Check out his Instagram profile.

17. Aldino Julisnianta

Aldino Julisnianta is an Indonesian digital creator whose comedic content and skateboarding skills focus on modern relationships, awkward encounters, and everyday frustrations. His understated humour and casual performance style give his videos a natural, relatable quality that resonates with younger audiences.

Julisnianta’s popularity reflects the growing demand for low-production but personality-driven comedy across Indonesian social media platforms.

Check out his Instagram profile.

16. Baus Rufo

Baus Rufo is a Filipino online comedian recognised for energetic sketches and exaggerated portrayals of everyday social situations. Most popularly known as a host of “Dogshow Divas,” Rufo’s humour frequently draws from familiar Filipino experiences involving friendships, family interactions, and public embarrassment.

Check out his Instagram profile.

Discover the next part of the list (numbers 15-6) on May 27.

This list was created with the help of  HypeAuditor  and is based on the  Audience Quality Score (AQS) . In case of a tie between two or more personalities, we used the engagement rate to determine the order. The keywords used in our search were 'comedian, 'humorist', and 'standup' in all Southeast Asian countries.

The clip gained wider attention after Indian businessman Harsh Goenka reposted it online with a joke referencing the guru’s “fan following."

The unusual scene triggered debate over the optics of comfort and privilege surrounding religious figures.

Some social media users criticised what they described as excessive or luxury-like arrangements around a spiritual leader, with several mocking the spectacle online.

Others, however, defended the cooling measures, arguing that seeking relief from extreme temperatures should not attract criticism, particularly for older individuals.

The viral moment comes as large parts of India continue to endure extreme heat conditions .

Authorities in several regions have issued health warnings and urged residents to avoid prolonged exposure to the sun during peak afternoon hours.

According to the India Meteorological Department, temperatures in some areas have climbed above 45 degrees Celsius in recent days, disrupting daily activities and forcing some schools to suspend classes.

“They’re all talking about the picture we took when I gave you this great cologne — Just in case you ran out!” the note read.

Sharaa replied in English: “Some meetings leave an impression; ours apparently left a fragrance.”

“Thank you, Mr President @realDonaldTrump, for your generosity and for topping up this precious gift. May the spirit of that meeting continue to shape a stronger relationship between Syria and the United States,” he added.

The exchange follows a meeting between the two leaders at the White House in November 2025, the first by a Syrian leader since the country’s independence in 1946.

Video from the visit showed Trump handing Sharaa a bottle of Trump cologne and spraying some on him and Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani. Trump also gave Sharaa a perfume box for his wife and joked about “how many wives” he had.

According to the fragrance website, the cologne sells for $249 a bottle and “embodies strength, power, and victory”.

The US and Syria have moved to restore ties since Sharaa’s Islamist-led authorities ousted former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad in 2024.

Meloni later posted a video on social media thanking Modi for the “very, very good toffee,” sparking the hashtag #Melodi — a playful mashup of the two leaders’ surnames that quickly trended online.

The clip racked up millions of views within hours, with users on X and Instagram flooding timelines with memes, edited videos and jokes about the pair’s increasingly viral public interactions. Some social media users even joked that Parle, the maker of Melody candies, may have found its “best brand ambassadors” yet.

The “Melodi” nickname has repeatedly resurfaced online whenever Modi and Meloni appear together publicly, reflecting growing fascination with the leaders’ friendly rapport during international events.

Beyond the candy diplomacy , Modi’s Italy visit also featured a series of symbolic cultural moments. The two leaders reportedly shared dinner ahead of bilateral engagements, while Modi later toured Rome’s iconic Colosseum.

Videos circulating online also showed the Indian leader enjoying performances by Italian artists dancing and singing to Indian music , adding to the lighter tone of the visit.

Modi’s trip comes as India and Italy continue to deepen ties under their Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025–2029, which focuses on expanding cooperation in trade, investment, defense, clean energy, innovation, science and technology, and cultural exchanges.

Organisers said social media has become a powerful tool for Africans to tell their own stories, promote tourism and investment, and influence public policy.

Obsa Abdissa, an Ethiopian influencer with more than 437,000 TikTok followers, urged young Africans to use their platforms responsibly.

“We have no tomorrow except today. So let’s wake up now so that we don’t live in regret and poverty,” he said.

Botswana content creator William Last KRM, who has 29.8 million TikTok followers, called for greater support for creators from governments and institutions.

“As content creators, we can’t make money only by promoting businesses. We need to be able to make a living out of it,” he said.

South Sudanese influencer Raya Rayan encouraged young creators to remain consistent and authentic.

“One day, whatever thing that you’re posting on social media is going to pay back,” she said.

Speakers at the summit said distorted global narratives about Africa could be costing the continent more than $4.2 billion a year, arguing that digital influence now has direct economic consequences.

President William Ruto has announced a Ksh10 million (approx. US$77,400) funding offer for Kenyan content creators producing films and art around affordable housing and health. Speaking at the 14th Kalasha International Film and TV Market Festival and Awards at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre, Ruto said the government was ready to support creatives whose work tells stories linked to national priorities. “I am making an offer. Those who want to pursue film and art in this space of affordable housing, I am asking my friends from the Kenya Film Commission to include those categories. I am going to make an offer of Ksh10 million each in affordable housing and in health,” he said. Ruto also directed that 30 percent of all government advertising be channelled through creative platforms, saying the move would support young talent in digital creation, film and music. “I can confirm that the government has the resources to support and partner with creatives who tell our stories,” he said , at an event that drew more than 3,000 delegates, 100 exhibitors and representatives from over 30 countries.

Finance Bill targets crypto and digital platforms

Kenya’s Finance Bill 2026 has proposed major changes to the taxation of the digital economy, with new rules targeting virtual assets, online platforms and electronic transactions. The Bill seeks to bring cryptocurrencies, digital tokens and virtual asset service providers more firmly under the Kenya Revenue Authority’s reporting framework. Exchanges and trading platforms will be required to file annual information returns detailing users, transactions and controlling interests. The proposals also introduce tougher penalties for non-compliance, including fines of up to Ksh100,000 (approx. US$774) per false statement or imprisonment of up to three years, while failure to file returns may attract penalties of up to Ksh1 million (around US$7,740). “The Tax Procedures Act is amended by inserting new sections after section 6B, requiring a virtual asset service provider to file an information return if it facilitates exchange transactions, provides a trading platform on behalf of a customer, or acts as a counterparty or intermediary in such transactions,” the proposals read .

Ruto to address Tanzanian parliament in historic visit

President William Ruto is expected to address Tanzania’s parliament in Dodoma on May 5, 2026, in what officials have described as a historic moment for Kenya-Tanzania relations. Tanzania’s Deputy Speaker Daniel Sillo said the address, scheduled for 11am, would be attended by top national leaders and would focus on strengthening cooperation between the two neighbours. “We wish to inform you that on Tuesday, 5th May 2026, Hon Pr William Ruto, the President of Kenya, will address the Parliament here in Dodoma,” Sillo said . “This very important and historical event, which will also be attended by our top leaders, is aimed at strengthening cooperation and brotherhood between Tanzania and Kenya.” It will be the first time a Kenyan president addresses the Tanzanian parliament.

Israel deploys mobile climate lab in Kenya

Israel has deployed a mobile climate laboratory in Kenya to help close Africa’s climate data gap and strengthen evidence-based policymaking. The facility, stationed in Machakos County after two months of operation in the country, is hosted at the International Livestock Research Institute’s Kapiti site and is designed to measure climate-related conditions across different ecosystems. Israel’s Ambassador to Kenya, Gideon Behar, said the lab would support better preparation for climate change. “We must remember that there is a huge gap in climate data and climate knowledge in Africa, and the work of this laboratory helps us close this gap,” he said. “It enables us to be better prepared for climate change and to make better policy decisions based on real and accurate science.” Behar described it as “the first-ever climate mobile lab not only in Africa but possibly in the world,” adding that its scientific work would support the global fight against climate change.  

Kenya pushes local mineral processing

Kenya is moving to retain more value from its mineral resources by shifting from raw mineral exports to local processing, refining and manufacturing. Speaking at the 2026 Mining Investment Conference in Nairobi, President Ruto said the country’s strategy is to build integrated industrial value chains around minerals such as gold, titanium, rare earths, gemstones, iron ore, copper, manganese and chromite. “We will process our minerals here on the continent, we will refine them here, we will manufacture them here,” Ruto said . He pointed to the iron ore pelletisation plant in Taita Taveta, now in its final stages of construction, as a key step in Kenya’s industrialisation agenda. The push reflects a wider African effort to stop exporting raw materials while importing finished products made from the same resources.

That era is ending as search is no longer king. Discovery has taken over and today, it belongs to creators.

African media platforms are uniquely well positioned to take advantage of this evolution as the continent has the highest population growth rate in the world, boasting a yearly change of approximately 2.29% as against Europe which is experiencing a negative growth rate of around -0.09% and relatively declining global wealth share.

With the continent’s improved digital media technology penetration, there is direct access to digital natives, the ability to work at low costs with digital technology, and the opportunity to earn appreciably while telling authentic stories.

Across Accra, Lagos, Nairobi and Johannesburg, a new class of storytellers is rising, but not from newsrooms. They are not waiting for editorial meetings or morning budgets. They are rising from bedrooms, street corners, and community centres. They are posting, streaming, reacting, explaining, and, most importantly, connecting.

Demand for news is evolving

This shift is not just technological. It is cultural and the data makes it very clear. According to the March 2026  report  by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism on Understanding Young News Audiences at a Time of Rapid Change, young people between age 18 and 24 are no longer online-first, they are social-first. A decade ago, their primary gateway to news was websites and publisher apps. Today, it is social media. At Global South World, we’ve seen this firsthand where our social audiences are hundreds of times bigger than our website audiences.

Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube have overtaken Facebook as the dominant spaces for news consumption among young audiences. In the report, 51% of young people say they pay more attention to individual news creators, compared to 39% who prioritise traditional news brands, as authority has shifted from institutions to individuals.

And it goes deeper as only 64% of young people consume news daily, compared to 87% of those over 55. Just 35% say they are highly interested in news, far below older audiences. Many are not rejecting information, they are rejecting how it is presented. They find it depressing, irrelevant, or difficult to understand. So they scroll past it or they wait for someone they trust to explain it better. The experience of Global South World reflects this evolution. Following our launch in 2023, our initial model was based around traditional web publishing. Without a rising tide of Google traffic, this strategy simply wasn’t resonating with our audiences, so we pivoted to a short video approach focused on human faces.

The creator economy’s real power is not just producing content, but translating complexity into clarity – often requiring a tight focus on a single angle. A 60-second video breaking down one aspect from a national budget will outperform a 1,200-word article tackling the entire announcement. Not because it is necessarily better journalism, but because it is better communication. The content business is about creation + distribution. Once upon a time, journalists had a monopoly on the matter, but no more.

Format preferences are undoubtedly shifting. Young audiences increasingly prefer to watch or listen rather than read. They are consuming more podcasts, more short-form video, more explainers. News is becoming audiovisual, conversational, and personalised.

At the same time, they are more comfortable with emerging technologies. Around 15% of young people now use AI tools weekly to access or understand news, compared to just 3% of older audiences. They are not intimidated by complexity but are simply choosing tools that simplify it.

AI tools are powerful in production and delivery of news but pose risks for publishers in terms of trust and connection. At  Global South World , different AI models support journalists with research and sometimes drafting. But technology cannot replace humans. On  Qonversations , one of Impactum Group’s digital news platforms, we have extensively experimented with a wider use of AI presenters, graphics and imagery and found that our audiences are cautious about engaging without a visible human presence.

Rising to the challenge

All this is not to say, that technologies and accompanying behavioural changes are not creating challenges for society. When young people encounter news through algorithms and influencers, depth is often lost and context is diluted. Important stories compete with entertainment, and too often, entertainment wins. This is where the responsibility and opportunity for African media becomes urgent.

At Global South World, this reality has informed the development of the Global South Voices to bridge this emerging information gap created by evolving media consumption habits. In our network, we have news content creators like Ebenezer Wormadey from Ghana who runs  Devlin’s Report  on TikTok and Instagram. His brand is distinctive with his instantly recognisable shirt and fast-paced delivery. He takes the audience through stories, sometimes circling around a point to ensure they follow, and using language they can relate to.

We also have creators like  Hikma Temam  and  Bassant Hesham , from Ethiopia and Egypt, respectively, who appeal to female audiences who don’t see many people like themselves on traditional television. They explain topics without a studio or extravagant graphics but through conversational and relatable messaging.

The goal is simple, but critical. Ensure that as formats change and platforms evolve, the voices, realities, and complexities of the Global South are not lost in translation, because the danger is not just that young people are consuming less news. It is that they may be consuming incomplete news or worse, disconnected narratives that do not reflect their lived realities.

The initiative recognises that the future of information in Africa will not be secured by choosing between traditional media and creators. It will be built by connecting them. Traditional media in Africa was built on authority and the power to decide what matters. Creators operate on relatability and the ability to make it matter to people.

The future demands both.

African newsrooms must accept the hard truth that distribution is no longer guaranteed. Owning a website is not the same as owning attention. If audiences are not coming to you, you must go to them and in formats they understand and spaces they already occupy.

A mindset for a modern era

Beyond distribution, there must be a deeper shift in mindset. African media managers must rethink talent. Not just hiring reporters, but storytellers. Not just editors, but explainers. Not just anchors, but personalities who can build trust over time because trust itself is evolving.

While young people’s trust in news is only about nine percentage points lower than older audiences, their expectations are different. Many still value impartiality, but 32% believe neutrality does not always make sense on issues like climate change or racism. They want clarity, not just balance. They want relevance and want to see themselves in the story.

They want to hear it from someone who feels like them. This is why the rise of creators is not a threat to journalism. It is a correction. A reminder that storytelling has always been about connection, and connection cannot be automated, optimised, or outsourced to algorithms. It must be earned.

The smartest media organisations will not seek to compete with creators. They will collaborate with them. They will build hybrid ecosystems where credibility meets creativity, where depth meets accessibility, and where stories travel across formats without losing their meaning.

This is an opportunity for Africa to leapfrog and build media systems that are more inclusive, more participatory, and more reflective of the people they serve.

This article was originally published on iAfrica.com and solely represents the views of Ismail Akwei, the founding editor of Global South World.

The push follows a multi-agency review led by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC), and the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), amid growing complaints from parents, educators and advocacy groups .

What is driving the concern?

The issue extends beyond gaming content to how interactions on the platform can evolve.

Roblox allows users—many of them minors—to create and interact in virtual environments with built-in chat and voice features. Regulators said these tools can be exploited by bad actors.

Officials outlined a pattern where harmful activity begins with contact inside games, then shifts to private messaging or external platforms where monitoring is limited.

Police have reported cases where children’s interactions on Roblox “spilled into more dangerous channels,” including exposure to violent content and potential grooming.

Lawmakers have also raised concerns over weak age verification and moderation gaps, which may allow such behaviour to go undetected at scale.

Why is this a priority now?

Officials point to the scale of youth internet use in the country.

Data cited by child welfare authorities show that 95% of Filipinos aged 12 to 17 are online, increasing the exposure of minors to digital risks.

“It's really harmful… it’s a ticking time bomb,” a Council for the Welfare of Children official said.

The review also follows a directive from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to strengthen online child protection measures.

What actions are being considered?

The CICC earlier gave Roblox a deadline to respond to allegations involving illegal activities, including cases linked to child exploitation. Regulators warned that failure to engage could lead to access restrictions.

Telecom firms including PLDT and its wireless unit Smart Communications have said they are prepared to implement any government directive, including blocking access.

What changes do regulators want?

Authorities are pushing for stronger safeguards, including tighter age verification, improved moderation tools, and systems to detect attempts to move minors to external platforms.

They are also calling for closer coordination, with officials saying Roblox must establish a direct presence in the Philippines to respond more quickly to law enforcement requests.

For now, the platform remains accessible, but regulators say further action will depend on Roblox’s response and its willingness to address safety concerns.

The trend has been fuelled in part by Chinese-American creator Sherry Zhu, whose videos jokingly encourage followers to embrace what she calls the “Chinese baddie” lifestyle. Since January, thousands of posts have appeared under variations of the phrase, with users playfully claiming they have “turned Chinese."

While the content is often light-hearted, many view the trend as part of a broader shift in how Chinese culture is circulating globally — particularly through digital platforms and consumer products rather than traditional state messaging.

“Chinese-created cultural products can have global aesthetic appeal,” Dylan Loh, a specialist in Chinese foreign policy at Nanyang Technological University, told Global South World in an earlier interview. “It is not simply the fact that cultural products from the West have a complete monopoly or dominance over media and cultural entertainment.”

In recent years, Chinese brands and cultural products have found new global audiences. Collectible toys from Pop Mart, including the popular Labubu character, have gone viral internationally, while Chinese food chains and lifestyle brands have expanded overseas.

Loh said such trends illustrate a form of soft power driven largely by private industry rather than the state.

“These are the most authentic kinds of soft power because you see the absence largely of the state,” he said. Because they emerge through commercial appeal rather than official promotion, “ people do not consider or think that it is threatening or suspicious.”

At the same time, China’s government has long sought to promote a more positive image of the country abroad. According to Loh, the Chinese Communist Party sees soft power as part of a broader effort to counter the narrative that China poses a threat.

“Using soft power does not preclude using coercive measures,” he added, noting that China’s cultural outreach sometimes sits alongside more assertive foreign policy moves, including disputes in the South China Sea .

Whether Chinamaxxing represents a lasting shift in cultural influence remains uncertain. 

Loh said China’s soft power efforts have historically produced “mixed outcomes.”

The escalating conflict in the Middle East began after US-Israeli forces carried out preemptive military strikes on Tehran on Saturday, February 28, over Iran's nuclear programme. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was confirmed dead in the strike.

X said the new rule specifically targets AI-generated content about armed conflicts that could mislead users if it is not properly labelled.

“During times of war, people must have access to authentic information on the ground,” X’s head of product Nikita Bier said, adding that current AI technologies make it “trivial to create content that can mislead people.”

The Elon Musk-owned platform said it will continue updating its policies and product features to address the issue.

X said on Monday it would “continue to refine” its policies and product to ensure the platform “can be trusted during these critical moments".

The change marks a shift in the platform’s approach to content moderation since Musk completed his $44 billion acquisition of Twitter in October 2022 and later rebranded it as X.

Since Musk’s takeover, the company has removed several policies aimed at tackling misinformation, arguing that such rules amount to censorship.

Under the new policy , creators who repeatedly violate the disclosure rule could face permanent removal from the Creator Revenue Sharing programme, which allows eligible users to earn a portion of advertising revenue generated from their posts.

X said violations will be identified through Community Notes, the platform’s crowd-sourced fact-checking system, as well as through metadata and other technical signals embedded in AI-generated content.

At first glance, the phenomenon appears highly visual: teenagers wearing animal masks, mimicking animal movements or speaking about feeling connected to wolves, cats or other species. However, as the trend has spread, discussion has shifted from the imagery itself to the meaning behind it.

Those who identify as therians generally do not claim physical transformation. Instead, they describe a psychological or symbolic alignment with a particular animal, saying certain instincts, traits or emotional patterns feel central to their sense of self. For many, it is framed as an internal experience rather than a performance.

Public reaction in Latin America has been mixed, ranging from curiosity and support to scepticism and concern. Some see it as a form of adolescent self-expression amplified by social media, while others question whether it reflects a deeper or more lasting shift in how young people define themselves.

Specialists note that adolescence has long been a period of identity exploration. In a digital environment where online communities can grow rapidly across borders, new forms of self-description can gain visibility and legitimacy faster than in previous generations.

As therian identity in Latin America moves beyond viral content into wider cultural debate, the conversation increasingly centres on broader questions about personal identity: how it is formed, how flexible it can be, and how societies respond when emerging expressions of self challenge familiar categories.

Still, further action is under active review, signalling that the crackdown may not stop at web access alone.

What happened: 

What officials say:

Communications Ministe r Fahmi Fadzil said MCMC will act against content or app functions that violate local laws, including material deemed lewd or immoral, exploitative, abusive, fraudulent or threatening to public safety.

Why ban them now?

MCMC was merely responding to a parliamentary question from Nurul Amin Hamid on whether the government would work with app store providers to block downloads of LGBTQ+ dating apps, including Grindr, Blued and Growlr.

Strict LGBT laws in Malaysia

Malaysia has not cited a single, specific statute naming the apps themselves. But the Muslim-majority country has been implementing sharia law and content regulations that prohibit the promotion of LGBTQ+ identities to Muslims.

Under sharia law — which applies to Muslims in Malaysia — same-sex acts and sodomy are criminalised, though prosecutions are rare. 

A government task force has proposed amendments that would explicitly allow enforcement action against online content seen as “promoting the LGBT lifestyle” or insulting Islam, including material shared via apps and social media platforms.

Bigger picture:

Why it matters:

Website blocks are relatively easy to implement, but app store restrictions require cooperation from global tech firms. How Malaysia navigates that gap will shape the reach — and limits — of its online content enforcement going forward.

He indicated that the platform is being closely monitored, and further incidents could trigger a full block.

“Illegal gambling has migrated to Telegram,” Aguda said. “If we see one more incident, I will not care who gets angry. We will block these platforms.”

The secretary stressed that child abuse and sexual exploitation are “non-negotiable.” 

He said the department has also engaged with Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, to tackle similar issues on its platforms.

Where Telegram is banned

Telegram has faced restrictions and bans in several countries, including China, Iran, the United Kingdom, Norway, and Germany, often over national security concerns.

The app’s co-founder and CEO, Pavel Durov, was arrested in France in 2024 over allegations that he failed to monitor criminal activity on the platform. He is currently released on bail and remains under investigation.

In the Philippines, the DICT has previously taken action against online platforms facilitating harmful content. 

In January, it temporarily blocked the AI chatbot Grok after users were able to generate manipulated images removing clothing from women and children . Access was later restored following assurances from the developers to remove the offending tools.

Telegram’s encryption and anonymous messaging features have made it a preferred channel for illegal activities in multiple countries.

With regulators worldwide increasingly scrutinising the platform, the Philippines’ potential ban could mark another step in global efforts to hold messaging apps accountable for cybercrime.

Iran's sustained global search interest

Iran is trending globally because of widespread unrest inside the country and the Iranian government’s forceful response to it. What began as protests driven by economic hardship has escalated into a broader movement reflecting deep frustration with political repression, social restrictions and long-standing governance issues under the Islamic Republic.

The unrest reportedly began in late 2025, fuelled by soaring inflation, a weakening currency and deteriorating living standards. Economic grievances quickly merged with broader anger over limited political freedoms, restrictions on civil liberties and dissatisfaction among young people and students. Demonstrations spread across multiple cities, becoming one of the most significant waves of dissent in recent years.

In response, Iranian authorities deployed security forces in large numbers. Human rights organisations and international observers have reported mass arrests and the use of force against protesters. Internet disruptions and temporary blackouts have also been imposed at various points, limiting communication and reducing the flow of information both inside and outside the country.

This sustained media visibility explains why the term “Iran” dominated search comparisons across North America , Europe, Africa and much of Asia during the measured period.

Therian and what it means

In contrast, the term “Therian” refers to individuals who identify as therianthropes or people who experience a strong psychological or spiritual connection to a non-human animal identity. The concept has been documented in academic discussions of online identity communities and subcultures.

Research published in journals such as Anthrozoös and studies examining online identity formation note that therian communities primarily exist in digital spaces, including forums and social media platforms. Interest often spikes due to viral videos, social media trends or online discourse.

Recent Google Trends comparisons show that several Latin American countries, including Argentina, Chile and Peru, recorded stronger relative search interest in “Therian” than in “Iran” over the past week.

This does not necessarily signal a broad societal shift, but it may reflect the influence of youth-driven online communities, particularly on platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, where identity-based content can trend quickly across regions.

How Google Trends Data Should Be Interpreted

The comparison uses publicly available Google Trends figures, which track relative search interest rather than total search numbers. Google explains that its data is scaled from 0 to 100, showing how popular a term is compared with all other searches in a specific place and period, not the raw volume behind it.

As a result, a country identified as showing higher interest in “Therian” is not necessarily producing more overall searches than one associated with “Iran”.

Google Trends also clarifies that the data is drawn from a sample of searches and then normalised so regions can be compared fairly. A score of 100 represents the highest level of popularity for a term within the chosen timeframe and location. The figures reflect search activity only and do not indicate sentiment, motivation or context behind those queries.

I also think it’s important for news, because it’s where a whole generation hangs out and because the format is actually appropriate for information sharing - unlike some of the other competitors for attention such as gaming or music streaming.

I’ve never subscribed to the notion that content on the platform has to be funny or light, despite having attended countless industry events where I was shown innovative but content-deficient approaches by major news organisations.

At CGTN, with an excellent team, we amassed more than a million followers over a two-year period (it’s now closer to 2 million).

TikTok is powerful. TikTok is useful. And TikTok is relevant. 

So it’s a shame they are currently doing worse at news than Meta. 

That’s a low bar. Meta once made an effort to lure big news brands. It didn’t really build an ecosystem to support a diversity of news content, but it did at least put money and lipservice towards the value of news. Then came the big falling out, lawsuits and legislation that led to a divorce. Instead, Meta pivoted towards creators, using a tiny portion of its earnings to return to those whose efforts make the platform work.

And today it is possible for a news organisation with very tight cost controls to make some (OK not a lot of) money from content licensing on Facebook.

TikTok offers a similar programme, designed to share a measly portion of revenue with those who power the platform with their own content. As a news organisation, we want to be on TikTok because it's an important channel to reach an audience who may not have access to other sources of information. Few media make a serious effort on the platform because the financial returns for doing so are low. But we feel it's part of our mission.

I can understand why TikTok has strict rules about violent or graphic content. I think they should find a way of filtering this content so users can decide if they want to see the realities of conflict or disaster, but I understand why it's easier just to remove everything and play safe. It means we do sanitise and dilute some of our storytelling on TikTok to avoid being blocked.  Not ideal, but understandable.

My problem comes with a much more insidious moderation approach which penalises “unoriginal content”.

Firstly because it doesn’t work: I interviewed the head of Indonesia’s free meals programme - https://www.globalsouthworld.com/article/indonesia-s-free-meals-programme-will-feed-83-million-people-in-2026 - but the interview was flagged as unoriginal on TikTok. Not only does this mean it cannot be monetised, but effectively I get a strike.

But also because it is wrong in principle: We got another unoriginal strike for a video compiling reactions to the US attack on Venezuela (TikTok says this does not include sufficient editing to be considered original content, do take a look and make your own opinion https://www.tiktok.com/@globalsouthworld/video/7591629476258254102 ). Another strike was given for a video of Donald Trump defending sharing a monkey video of Barack Obama and another for a clip of Egypt’s president at Davos.

And once we had five strikes that was enough to get us banned from the creator rewards programme. From small revenue to no revenue. And that makes a difference. I can understand that TikTok may not feel that running clips such as these is what the creator programme was designed for. It would be fair to exclude them from monetisation. But the entire channel should not be punished for providing serious news content. Channels producing anodyne brain-rot do not run this risk.

I don’t want to see social media banned. I want to see social media improved. Here’s somewhere to start. In an emailed response to questions about their policy, TikTok said the content was not eligible for its creator programme because it did not involve enough editing or because the creator was not appearing in the video (which incidentally is not mentioned in the rewards programme terms https://www.tiktok.com/creator-academy/en/article/creator-rewards-program ).

They did not address the policy of blocking the entire channel from the programme on the basis that some videos were ineligible.

Duncan Hooper is consulting editor at Global South World. He previously ran the European newsroom of CGTN and was head of digital at Euronews.

As of early February, at least 25 lawmakers had surpassed 100,000 subscribers, the threshold required to receive YouTube’s “silver play button.” It has become an unlikely status symbol in politics , in the country and a way to appeal to the grassroots.

Most of the lawmakers with silver play buttons are from liberal or left-leaning parties, though several conservatives have also built sizable audiences. Subscriber numbers appear to depend less on seniority and more on timing, messaging style and online engagement.

YouTube allows politicians to communicate unfiltered, respond quickly to controversies and mobilise younger voters who consume news primarily online. Lawmakers can livestream debates, post commentary and shape narratives without relying on mainstream broadcasters.

However, politicians have been cautioned that online popularity does not always reflect public support or voting .

The charge is linked to provisions in Cuba’s penal code that criminalise actions deemed to undermine the state’s constitutional system. Authorities have not publicly detailed the specific content or actions that led to the decision, but both individuals are known online for sharing commentary critical of official policies and the country’s political direction.

Human rights organisations have described the move as part of an escalating pattern of legal action against activists, journalists and digital content creators in recent years. Cuban officials, however, have consistently defended the application of such laws as necessary to protect national sovereignty and public order.

The case comes at a time of heightened economic strain and social tension on the island, with dissent increasingly expressed through social media platforms. The decision to impose provisional detention means both influencers will remain in custody while investigations continue and the legal process moves forward.

The emails, contained in the so-called Epstein Files, show how reputation management, search algorithms and low-cost overseas labour were used to launder the image of a convicted sex offender, even as allegations against him continued to mount.

Why it matters:

Epstein’s case illustrates how early digital manipulation tactics were used to suppress accountability, raise ethical questions about outsourced online labour, and expose gaps in platform safeguards.

By the numbers

What Epstein did

The Philippines angle

How it worked

Did it succeed?

The footage appeared at the end of a one-minute video promoting conspiracy theories about the 2020 election. In the final seconds, the faces of the Obamas were superimposed onto apes in a jungle setting, accompanied by the song “The Lion Sleeps Tonight.” The imagery referenced a longstanding racist trope historically used to dehumanise Black people and justify racial violence .

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt initially defended the post, calling the criticism “fake outrage.” Leavitt stated that the video was intended to be an “ internet meme” showing Trump as the “King of the Jungle” and Democrats as characters from The Lion King. However, the version posted by the President did not show other Democrats, and the Obamas were the only ones depicted.

Republican leaders condemned the video. Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, the only Black Republican in the Senate, described it as the “most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House.” He added that he was “praying it was fake” and called for its immediate removal. Representative Mike Lawler described the post as “wrong and incredibly offensive,” while Senator Roger Wicker stated it was “totally unacceptable.”

Following public pressure, the White House claimed the video was posted in error by a staff member. An official statement said a “White House staffer erroneously made the post” and that the President had not been aware of its content. Neither the President nor the White House has issued a formal apology.

According to the Commission, features such as infinite scrolling, autoplay, push notifications and highly personalised content recommendations make it harder for users to stop scrolling and may harm their physical and mental wellbeing.

EU officials said TikTok did not do enough to assess or reduce the impact of these features, particularly on minors and vulnerable users. Regulators raised concerns about excessive screen time, including children using the app late at night.

“TikTok has to take action,” EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen told reporters. “They have to change the design of their service in Europe to protect minors and their wellbeing.”

The Commission said TikTok’s existing screen-time controls and parental tools were ineffective. It noted that time limits were easy to dismiss and that parental controls required extra effort and technical knowledge from parents to set up.

The investigation into TikTok began in February 2024 and was the first case opened under the DSA, the EU’s sweeping law aimed at tightening oversight of major digital platforms. The law allows regulators to fine companies up to six per cent of their global annual turnover if breaches are confirmed.

To avoid penalties, the Commission said TikTok could be required to redesign parts of its app, including limiting infinite scrolling, introducing stronger screen-time breaks, especially at night and adjusting how its recommendation algorithms work.

TikTok will now be allowed to review the EU’s findings and respond to the allegations. EU officials said the company has so far cooperated with regulators.

In the video, the teenagers are seen saying they “want to do a good deed” before eating fried chicken at a fast-food outlet. One remarks that the chicken bones would be wasted if thrown away. They then pack the bones into rice and hand it to a man sleeping outside a Johor Bahru restaurant. The man thanks them, though it is unclear whether he ate the food.

Tang, who represented himself in court, was charged under Section 233(1)(a) of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 with creating and posting an offensive video intended to cause annoyance, according to state-run news agency Bernama .

In court, Tang apologised and asked for a minimum fine, saying he was remorseful for the stunt.

The prosecution described the video as a “calculated act of exploitation,” noting that the victim felt “insulted and angry” after being used for social media content. 

Deputy public prosecutor Fadhli Ab Wahab called for a deterrent sentence to prevent others from posting similar videos.

Judge Sazlina Safie ordered Tang to pay the RM40,000 fine, adding four months’ imprisonment in default of payment. Tang has since settled the fine.

Under Malaysian law, the offence carries a maximum penalty of RM500,000 ($127,000), up to two years’ imprisonment, or both, with additional daily fines if the violation continues after conviction.

Tang later posted another Instagram video admitting his mistake, promising not to film similar content again, and kowtowing three times in apology.

The over-one-minute clip has been viewed more than 400,000 times, sparking a debate online about the limits of social media pranks and the ethics of exploiting vulnerable individuals for content.

Why TikTok faced a ban

In 2024, the US Congress passed legislation requiring ByteDance to sell TikTok or face a nationwide ban. Lawmakers argued that Chinese ownership posed risks of data misuse and potential government interference, claims TikTok has repeatedly denied.

Although the ban was initially set to take effect in early 2025, deadlines were extended several times as negotiations continued behind the scenes.

What the deal changes  

Under the new arrangement, parts of TikTok’s US operations have been transferred to American partners, including technology company Oracle and private equity firm Silver Lake. The structure gives US investors a larger role in governance and oversight, addressing Washington’s concerns about control and data security .

TikTok’s global chief executive, Chew Shou Zi, will continue to run the company worldwide and will also sit on the board of the new US entity.

CEO thanks users

Hours after the deal was completed, Chew posted a video on TikTok thanking users for their support. Without directly referencing the agreement, he expressed gratitude to the platform’s more than one billion users worldwide and 200 million users in the United States.

“We are grateful to have you as part of our TikTok community,” Chew said, adding that he looked forward to seeing more creativity and storytelling on the platform.

The deal allows TikTok to continue operating in the US while meeting legal requirements set by Congress.

“They really tried to break me but it built me,” he wrote. “They wanted me gone but I’m here, all glory to GOD!!!”

Vitaly, 33, was deported to Russia on January 17 following a detention that began in April 2025, after his livestreamed pranks in Bonifacio Global City (BGC) — a major business and leisure district in Taguig — triggered public backlash and legal action. 

His videos showed him grabbing a security guard’s cap, attempting to seize another guard’s firearm and threatening to rob a woman, incidents prosecutors said amounted to criminal harassment.

Philippine immigration authorities said the Bureau of Immigration’s Board of Commissioners ordered his deportation after three counts of unjust vexation filed against him in Taguig courts were settled. 

Another foreign vlogger deported

Vitaly’s case has become a reference point for a broader crackdown on foreign vloggers accused of harassing Filipinos for online content. 

This month, authorities arrested 34-year-old Estonian national Siim Roosipuu, who ran a YouTube channel called Pro Life Traveler. 

Roosipuu was detained on January 15 in a joint operation involving immigration intelligence officers, police and local officials, and now faces deportation.

Authorities said Roosipuu gained notoriety for harassing locals, with social media users alleging that his videos included chasing people and posing highly inappropriate questions to underage women. 

Local officials in Negros Oriental formally declared him persona non grata (unwanted person), citing complaints of unauthorised filming, harassment and offensive remarks.

“This is another Vitaly case — different person, same behavior,” Immigration Commissioner Joel Viado said. “A foreign vlogger comes here, disrespects Filipinos, violates our laws and thinks he can hide behind a camera and a social media following. That ends here.”

“The Philippines is not a content playground,” he added. “We welcome tourists and legitimate creators, but anyone who exploits our people for views, clicks, or profit will face arrest, deportation and blacklisting.”

Technology has indeed revolutionised the way we live, work, and interact with each other. Over the years, it has provided us with countless unforgettable memories, from the first mobile phone call to the latest virtual reality experiences.

Martin Cooper, an engineer at Motorola, made the first public call on a handheld mobile phone in 1973.

This groundbreaking moment marked the beginning of a new era in communication. 51 years later, mobile phones form the very foundation of our lives, and it's hard to think there was a time they didn't exist!

Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) have transformed the way we connect.

From sharing life updates and photos to joining online communities and movements, social media has given us a platform to express ourselves and connect with others across the globe. And to think that first tweet was shared only 18 years ago is so surreal.

To top everything up, ChatGPT said here comes Artificial Intelligence. This was not a reality some three years ago.

There is also Virtual reality (VR) technology. Although it's been around for decades, it only gained momentum and huge presence a few years ago, and whether it is in education , healthcare, gaming and entertainment, VR has opened the human race to several unforgettable experiences.

What are some of your fondest memories about technology? What else would you rather see and experience?

This brings our live coverage of Uganda’s 2026 general election to an end. The vote is widely expected to extend President Yoweri Museveni’s four-decade rule. Follow Global South World for ongoing updates as the process continues, with final results expected from the Electoral Commission within the next 48 hours.

18:00 GMT: Yoweri Museveni takes early lead

15:00 GMT: Vote counting commences in several parts of the country

14:30 GMT: No "serious violations" detected during voting in Kampala, Russian election observer reports

14:00 GMT: Polls officially close at most polling stations across the country

1:30 GMT: Opposition leader Bobi Wine allege incidents of ballot stuffing

1:00 GMT: Uganda's National Tally Center in Lubowa is ready for first round of result later this evening

12:30 GMT: Polling hours have been extended from the earlier communicated 4:00pm to 5:00pm

12:00 GMT: Health Minister Dr Jane Ruth Aceng casts her vote

11:00 GMT: Voting underway at Kampala Road

10: 30 GMT: Presidential candidate Yvonne Mpambara raises concerns over technical failures on election day

10:30 GMT: Common Man’s Party Presidential flagbearer Mubarak Munyagwa votes

10:00 GMT: Opposition leader Bobi Wine votes in the company of his wife

9:30 GMT: President Yoweri Museveni speaks after voting

President Museveni has addressed the nation after casting his ballot on matters relating to election rigging, delays in opening polls, malfunctioning biometric machines, amongst others.

9:00 GMT: Incumbent President Yoweri Museveni votes

9:00 GMT: President Yoweri Museveni arrives at Rwakitura to vote

8:30 GMT: The Alliance for National Transformation (ANT) presidential candidate, Major General Gregory Mugisha Muntu (Rtd) casts ballot

8:00 GMT: Electoral Commission orders voting process to commence immediately despite machine malfunctions

Uganda’s Electoral Commission chief, Justice Simon Mugenyi Byabakama has ordered the immediate commencement of polls across all polling stations. This comes after reported delays and biometric machine malfunction in several polling stations across the country.

7:30 GMT: Polls delay and biometric machines malfunction

Polls was expected to open by 7am however reports from several parts of the capital, Kampala, and the city of Jinja said voting had yet to begin by 9am (0600 GMT), with reports that ballot papers had not been delivered and biometric machines used to check voters' identities were not working. "Nobody is here to tell us what is happening," said Abuza Monica Christine, a 56-year-old businesswoman in central Jinja, told AFP.

7:00 GMT: Voting begins across Uganda

Voting officially commenced at 7:00 am in various polling station across the country

Campaign Season

In the months leading up to the campaign, the Ugandan government stepped up actions against the opposition National Unity Platform (NUP), with arrests and charges against its members. In October 2025, ten NUP members were arrested in northern Uganda, and in November at least 95 more were charged with minor offences. After campaigning began, the pressure continued, including an incident on 6 December 2025 in Gulu where Bobi Wine and several supporters and staff were attacked and beaten by security forces while on the trail. President Yoweri Museveni, in a New Year’s Eve address on 31 December 2025, urged security forces to use more tear gas to disperse crowds, describing the opposition as “criminal” and arguing that tear gas was preferable to live ammunition.

Key Issues

Electoral System

Uganda’s president is elected under a two-round system, meaning a candidate must win 50% plus one vote to take the presidency in the first round. The law requires presidential candidates to be Ugandan citizens by birth, eligible to be an MP, and of sound mind, and it bars anyone with a formal connection to the Electoral Commission from running; term limits were removed in 2005, and elections are overseen by the Electoral Commission of Uganda.

Parliament has 529 seats: 353 are elected in single-member constituencies using first-past-the-post, and 146 district-based seats are reserved for women (one per district) and filled the same way. The remaining 30 seats are filled indirectly through special electoral colleges, 10 for the army and 5 each for youths, elders, unions and people with disabilities with requirements to ensure women are represented in each group.

The Candidates

A total of seven candidates were nominated during the two-day exercise held on 23rd and 24th September 2025 at the Electoral Commission grounds in Lweza-Lubowa, Wakiso District. Among those nominated is President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, standing on the ticket of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM). Now in power for nearly four decades, Museveni first took office in 1986 after leading a guerrilla war that promised to restore democracy following years of instability. The opposition field is led by Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, popularly known as Bobi Wine, the candidate of the National Unity Platform (NUP). A former pop star turned politician, Bobi Wine, is widely viewed as Museveni’s strongest challenger. Read more

Background and Electoral History

Uganda’s first national election was the 1962 Uganda National Assembly vote, which produced a post-independence government after an alliance between the Uganda People ’s Congress (UPC) and Kabaka Yekka (KY) won a parliamentary majority and made Milton Obote executive prime minister. Elections then stalled for years amid dictatorship and political turmoil, including the eras of Idi Amin, Yusuf Lule and Godfrey Binaisa, until a disputed presidential election in December 1980 returned Obote to power amid allegations of fraud. One of the contenders, Yoweri Museveni, rejected the outcome and launched an armed rebellion, and his National Resistance Army eventually took power in 1986 after the short-lived government of Gen Tito Okello.

Under Museveni, Uganda introduced a “no-party” system that barred parties from fielding candidates directly, and the country held nonparty elections in 1996, its first popular presidential election since 1962, when Museveni won while formally running without a party, despite the existence of parties such as the Democratic Party, UPC and later the Forum for Democratic Change. Museveni also won again in 2001, in a vote challenged by his main rival Kizza Besigye but ultimately upheld by the Supreme Court. In 2005, Ugandans voted in a referendum to restore multiparty politics, setting up the 2006 general election as the first multiparty contest in 25 years, which Museveni and the NRM won; he later defeated opposition challenger Bobi Wine in the 2021 presidential election.

Voter Statistics

According to the Ugandan Electoral Commission in its latest voter statistics, the country currently has 146 districts, 312 counties, 353 constituencies, 2,191 sub-counties/towns/municipal divisions, 10,717 parishes and 71,214 villages, while the scale of election administration has expanded since the last general cycle. The number of polling stations has risen from 34,684 in 2021 to 50,739 as of 13 November 2025, and the registered voter roll has grown from 18,103,603 (2021) to 21,681,491 (as of 13 November 2025).

Vitaly’s video showed him grabbing a security guard’s cap, attempting to seize another guard’s firearm, and threatening to rob a woman — acts prosecutors said merited three counts of unjust vexation.

On Thursday, the Philippines’ Bureau of Immigration (BI) said its Board of Commissioners has issued a deportation order against the 33-year-old Russian national, following the resolution of criminal cases filed against him.

He was charged with three counts of the offence before courts in Taguig, cases that have since been settled, thereby clearing the way for his removal from the country, according to immigration officials.

After 9 months in jail

Earlier, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla had insisted that Vitaly would serve his sentence locally , saying deportation was not immediately possible.  Neither Russia nor the United States — where the vlogger holds a green card — had agreed to receive him.

At the time, Remulla said Vitaly had written to him seeking the dismissal of the charges, citing mental health concerns, but stressed that the law would take its course.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. had also condemned the vlogger’s action, warning that abuse disguised as entertainment would not be tolerated in the Philippines.

Remulla later clarified that while Vitaly holds US residency, he remains a Russian citizen travelling on a Russian passport, underscoring where responsibility for his return ultimately lies.

Tourists welcome, but…

Vitaly’s case has drawn attention to the limits of prank culture in the age of viral content, particularly when performed in foreign countries.

“Let this be a reminder to all our visitors here in the Philippines that we always welcome tourists and visitors,” Remulla said. “We treat them with respect and we expect them to follow the same rules as we follow the same rules when we travel.” 

Vitaly has more than 10 million subscribers on YouTube and is known for provocative stunts across the world . Because of his actions, he has been declared persona non grata , or an “unwelcome person,” in several countries, including the Philippines. 

“All those in Uganda, who are able to bypass the criminal regime’s internet blockade – big up yourselves!” he wrote. “Pass around the message. Let everyone know how to do it. They cut off the internet in order to hide rigging and atrocities. Record everything and share with the world .”

The call came less than 24 hours after the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) ordered mobile network operators and internet service providers to suspend public internet access and selected mobile services starting at 6:00 pm on January 13, 2026. The suspension is expected to remain in force until further notice.

The UCC said the move was aimed at maintaining public order during the election period.

Just days earlier, government officials had dismissed claims by the opposition that an internet shutdown was planned.

Just days earlier, authorities had denied claims by the main opposition that the government intended to cut internet access to prevent mobilisation and the sharing of election results. Those concerns intensified last week after satellite internet provider Starlink restricted its services in Uganda following an order from the regulator.

According to the UCC, the shutdown follows a “strong recommendation” from the Inter-Agency Security Committee and is aimed at preventing the spread of misinformation, disinformation, electoral fraud and incitement to violence during the polls. The commission said the measures are necessary to protect public confidence and national security .

Under the directive, services to be suspended include public internet access, the sale and registration of new SIM cards, and outbound data roaming services to countries within the One Network Area. The shutdown applies across mobile broadband, fibre optic connections, leased lines, fixed wireless access, microwave radio links and satellite internet services.

The UCC said all non-essential public internet traffic, including social media platforms, web browsing, video streaming, personal email services and messaging applications, must be blocked during the suspension period.

A limited number of essential services will be exempted under a strictly controlled exclusion list, allowing continued access for critical national functions such as network monitoring and infrastructure management. Access to these systems will be restricted to authorised personnel and secured through whitelisted mechanisms such as dedicated IP ranges or private networks. Operators have been instructed to suspend access immediately if any abuse is detected.

MrBeast, whose content reaches more than one billion followers across platforms, said the project is designed to turn online influence into tangible impact. Rather than focusing on follower numbers alone, participants were chosen for their commitment to social good and community-driven ideas.

The country has become increasingly visible on the global stage, attracting international attention for projects that combine philanthropy, storytelling and youth engagement. Local creators, including Ghanaian YouTuber Wode Maya, have been invited to participate.

The village project will be fully documented and shared across MrBeast’s platforms.

The clip features a cartoon eagle — a stand-in for the US — singing to a panda representing China. 

Through the song, the embassy delivers pointed jabs at what it portrays as hypocrisy in Western criticism of China, particularly over manufacturing and trade in electric vehicles, solar energy and technology .

“Great ideas until China checks,” the video declares.

“When we lead, it’s ‘progress, wow.’ When China leads, it’s ‘overcapacity now,’” the eagle sings.

The embassy also leans into China’s reputation as a manufacturing powerhouse. 

For years, the surplus of “made in China” labels has been a running joke in the West, often implying poor quality. The video flips that trope, presenting China’s industrial capacity as a source of resentment rather than ridicule.

It further accuses Western media of framing China’s rise through a distorted lens.

“We preach ‘fair play,’ ‘open the gate,’ feels fair till China’s moving too great,” the eagle sings.

Trade tensions between Beijing and Washington intensified under President Donald Trump, during both his first and second terms in office. 

Trump accused China of using “vicious trade tactics” and of violating a temporary trade truce earlier last year, and at one point threatened to impose a 100% tariff on Chinese goods entering the US.

For the Chinese Embassy, however, China’s industrial success is not the real problem behind the backlash.

“The real China shock? Can’t stand them rise.”

In one widely shared moment from Botswana, the streamer appeared shocked to learn that he could not simply buy raw diamonds locally, despite the country being the world’s largest diamond producer. Viewers pointed out that Botswana’s diamond industry is tightly regulated through long-term international contracts, leaving a limited domestic market.

Beyond viral clips, social media users argue that iShowSpeed’s tour has unintentionally become educational. Others noted that many young Americans, especially those who have never travelled outside the United States , were exposed for the first time to African cities with skyscrapers, paved roads, internet access and modern amenities. Some described the reactions as revealing how deeply Western narratives have portrayed Africa as uniformly poor or rural.

One emotional video showed a viewer breaking down while saying the streams had changed his entire view of Africa, admitting he had grown up believing the continent consisted only of “huts and stick houses” with no future. Instead, he said, the livestreams showed beauty, culture, resources and advanced urban life.

iShowSpeed has said his motivation for doing long “IRL marathons” is to bring the world to people who cannot travel. “I’m for the people that can’t travel,” he said in one clip. “I try to give y’all the best experience. Whatever experience it is, I’m your test dummy.”

The streamer is reportedly set to visit 20 African countries, including Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Egypt, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa , Zambia, and Zimbabwe. He has already shared footage from Angola, Eswatini, Botswana, and Zimbabwe, among others.

“This research gives us a biological explanation for why limiting screen time in the first two years is crucial,” said Dr Tan Ai Peng, the study’s lead researcher. “It also highlights the importance of parental engagement, showing that parent-child activities, like reading together, can make a real difference.”

Brain scans carried out when the children were aged four and a half, six and seven and a half showed that higher screen exposure in infancy was linked to faster maturation of brain networks involved in visual processing and cognitive control. While early brain maturation may sound positive, Dr Tan warned that this is not necessarily the case.

“The first few years of life is when the brain is starting to learn real-world experiences,” she said. “It is important that they get exposed to different types of environmental stimuli, and not just very excessive visual stimulation like what they get on screen.”

For children whose parents read to them frequently from the age of three, the link between early screen exposure and later brain changes was significantly weakened.

“When we started this study, we wanted to see how altered brain development might lead to anxiety symptoms during adolescence,” Dr Tan said. “There is a high possibility that they may not be able to cope well in new social environments.”

Published in the medical journal eBioMedicine, the findings add to growing global concerns about excessive screen use in early childhood.

Under the regulation, platforms will be required to enforce minimum age requirements for users and restrict children’s access based on the level of risk posed by each service. 

The government will classify platforms into risk categories, with stricter limits applied to high-risk services such as social media.

Children aged 13 to 16 will be subject to differentiated access controls depending on a platform’s risk profile, Communications and Digital Minister Meutya Hafid said, adding that the government will publish an official list of high- and low-risk platforms.

PP Tunas also prohibits platforms from profiling children or collecting, analysing and exploiting their personal data, marking one of the strongest child data protections introduced in Indonesia to date.

Platforms that breach the rules will face escalating administrative sanctions , starting with formal warnings, followed by fines and, in severe or repeated cases, the termination of access to their services in Indonesia.

The government has completed public consultations on the implementing guidelines and has begun pilot testing the rules with child users in several regions ahead of full enforcement.

Officials said the regulation is designed to apply across the entire digital ecosystem rather than targeting social media alone, placing obligations on platforms to actively protect children from online risks once the rules come into force in 2026.

Of these, 566 links were targeted for allegedly disrupting public order.

The data, compiled by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre, reveals that only a small fraction of the notices related to clear criminal activity. Just 14 notices across a 20-month period alleged offences such as betting scams, impersonation linked to financial fraud , or child sexual abuse material.

Instead, much of the enforcement focused on speech-related concerns, including content aimed at political leaders and public figures. At least 124 URLs were flagged for targeting politicians, while others were accused of spreading misinformation or defamation.

The scale of intervention spiked during sensitive political moments. During the Lok Sabha elections in April and May 2024 alone, authorities flagged 761 URLs, including nearly 200 links accused of violating election laws. One single notice, issued on May 13, 2024, sought the removal of 115 URLs over an allegedly doctored video said to influence voters.

X has repeatedly objected to several of these orders, arguing that posts cited by the government did not violate the laws invoked. In some cases, the platform asked officials to reconsider takedown demands involving opposition party accounts and political commentary.

At the centre of the dispute is the legal route used by the government. The MHA has relied on Section 79(3)(b), which deals with intermediary liability, rather than Section 69A of the IT Act — the provision traditionally used for blocking online content on grounds such as national security or public order.

X argues that using Section 79(3)(b) widens the state’s power to remove content without the procedural safeguards built into Section 69A, including clearer thresholds and a more formal review process. The company has challenged the legality of the government’s Sahyog portal, which issues such notices, in the Karnataka High Court.

The government, for its part, says X has questioned both the authority of officials issuing notices and the classification of content as unlawful. In its court filings, the MHA maintains that the takedowns are necessary to prevent unrest, misinformation and threats to public order.

The pattern of notices also shows how broadly “public order” has been interpreted, covering everything from allegedly manipulated images of senior leaders to critical posts about government institutions. Critics say this blurs the line between preventing harm and suppressing dissent.

As the courts weigh X’s challenge, the figures underline a larger question facing India’s digital governance: where regulation ends and censorship begins — and who gets to draw that line in the world ’s largest democracy.

That casual moment became the starting point of a journey that would move from home cooking to digital influence, and now, social change. 

The video later evolved into a full recipe post on TikTok, helping her find an audience that connected with her food, her ideas, and eventually, her purpose.

In the early days, Chefabbys made a clear decision to stay behind the camera. For nearly two years, her videos focused only on the food. “For like two years I never showed my face… I just really love to cook,” she told Global South World in an interview. 

At the time, cooking was the focus, not visibility or recognition. That changed around December 2024, when she chose to step into the frame. “The moment you add your face to it, it becomes like your personality, showing what you can offer.” Showing her face helped shift how people saw her content. What once felt like a recipe page began to feel like a personal brand, built around a real person with a clear voice.

As her audience grew, so did the challenges behind the scenes. Chefabbys spoke about the financial strain of food content creation. “You need to buy the ingredients to shoot the recipe… and if that’s not coming anymore, you need to use your own money.” 

Beyond costs, there was also the pressure of standing out in a crowded digital space. “How do you stand out? What exactly will make people want to watch your videos?”

For her, the answer was never just better visuals or trend-driven content. It came from something deeper. Her relationship with food was shaped long before social media. 

“Growing up, we always came from a family where food was in abundance, and we always gave our food.” 

That habit of sharing stayed with her. Seeing people light up when they received a meal became meaningful. “I felt like, oh, if food can make somebody this happy, then imagine giving thousands of people that food.”

That thinking pushed her to look beyond content creation. She began to question how her words and values could turn into real action. “I wanted to make use of something I’ve been saying all the time… How do I change that thing that is just talking into something that is more passion-driven and action?”

The answer came on October 16, World Food Day, when Chefabbys launched the “Big Street Feast” in Accra. 

She turned the street into an open kitchen and fed tens of thousands for free . The event was simple in concept but powerful in impact. Food was shared without conditions or labels.

But she was not alone; her initiative received support from the office of Ghana’s president and local organisations. 

“People actually helped us. They came through. It was the first time, so people needed to see how it was going to go.” 

The crowd reflected the wider reality of food insecurity. Over 36 million people in West and Central Africa are on the verge of experiencing emergency hunger as a result of persistent conflict, difficult economic conditions, and severe weather, according to the World Food Programme (WFP) . The situation in Ghana, Guinea, and Côte d'Ivoire is getting worse due to rising food and fuel prices.

According to WFP, a million of Ghana's more than 2 million people who experience food insecurity are chronically malnourished children under five.

“It’s not just for the underprivileged… businessmen, influencers, and everyday people” showed up, reinforcing her belief that food challenges affect many people, not just those often identified as vulnerable.

From that experience, a bigger vision took shape. The Ghanaian now wants every October 16 to be recognised as Free Food Day across her country and everywhere else. 

Her idea is simple: restaurants, communities, and individuals offering free meals on that day. 

“In the next five years, I want to see World Food Day as something that is practised out of Ghana, in countries, in restaurants… people should be able to walk in and eat for free.”

Her work has not gone unnoticed. In July 2025, she was named one of TIME’s 100 Most Influential Creators. Months later, at the TikTok Awards Sub-Saharan Africa held in Johannesburg in December, she earned 1st Runner-Up in the Food Creator of the Year category. 

For her, recognition is not pressure. “It gives me more opportunities to do more… I don’t feel pressure at all,” she said.

Despite being widely known as a chef and content creator, Chefabbys defines herself differently. 

“Being a chef is my passion. Being a creator is a platform… but being a changemaker is my vision, my hope, my dream.” 

The dealer later told the customer that the logo, weighing just under one don, was worth more than 700,000 won — a sum that far exceeded expectations for a discarded household appliance part.

The video quickly gained traction online, surpassing one million views within days and prompting viewers to scour homes, storage rooms and scrap piles for similar logos. Social media users shared stories of elderly relatives’ old air conditioners and lamented throwing away metal badges years earlier.

The online buzz intensified when a second customer appeared in a follow-up video, bringing in another Whisen logo after seeing the original post. That logo, in better condition, got an even higher valuation.

As interest surged, media reports began to clarify the origins of the gold-plated find. South Korean newspapers reported that the gold logos were not standard fittings but appeared only on specific limited-edition LG models.

According to industry records, LG — then operating as Lucky-Goldstar — produced around 10,000 special-edition Whisen air conditioners in 2005, each fitted with a pure gold logo to mark the company’s dominance in the domestic market.

The concept was revived in 2008 with a small batch of models featuring gold nameplates engraved with an artist’s signature, further blurring the line between appliance and collectible.

At the time, gold prices were a fraction of today’s levels, making the inclusion of precious metal more symbolic than financially significant. Two decades later, soaring gold prices have transformed those logos into unexpected assets.

The episode has underscored how forgotten promotional gimmicks can gain new value with time — and how, in this case, an old air conditioner quietly became a long-term investment without its owner ever knowing.

Philippine lawmakers have concluded bicameral negotiations on the proposed P6.793 trillion ($115 billion) national budget for 2026 after months of delays. The House of Representatives and the Senate finalised the reconciled version at 2.22 a.m. on Thursday, following more than nine hours of deliberations. Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said the agreed budget was responsive to public needs and claimed it was free of corruption and overpriced items. Final discussions focused on funding for public works, unprogrammed appropriations and special-purpose funds. The budget will now move towards ratification by both chambers.

Senate to subpoena Meta over disinformation hearing absence

A Philippine Senate committee will issue a subpoena to Meta after the Facebook owner again failed to attend a hearing on proposed laws tackling online disinformation. Senator Rodante Marcoleta moved for compulsory attendance after Meta skipped Monday’s session on three bills covering false content, social media algorithms and organised “troll farms,” submitting only an excuse letter. Committee chair Robin Padilla criticised what he said was a pattern of absences since the 19th Congress. The move contrasted with TikTok, which sent a senior policy executive. Lawmakers say the measures form a coordinated response to the country’s escalating disinformation problem.

Filipinas claim historic SEA Games football gold 

The Philippines’ women’s national football team won its first-ever Southeast Asian Games gold medal after defeating defending champions Vietnam in a dramatic penalty shootout in Thailand. The final ended goalless after extra time, forcing penalties for the second consecutive match involving the Filipinas. Both teams converted their first five kicks before veteran Jackie Sawicki scored in sudden death. Goalkeeper Olivia McDaniel then sealed the title by saving Vietnam’s final attempt. 

Philippine court orders arrests over $1.7 million ghost flood control project

A Philippine court has issued arrest warrants against contractor Sarah Discaya and nine others over a P96 million ($1.7 million) flood control project that allegedly never began in Davao Occidental, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Thursday. The suspects face graft and malversation charges linked to a project in Barangay Culaman, involving officials and staff of the Department of Public Works and Highways’ local engineering office. Malversation is a non-bailable offence, meaning those charged face immediate detention. The Office of the Ombudsman filed the cases with a regional court earlier this month, with authorities signalling further prosecutions.

Historic thoroughfare set for long-awaited facelift

The long-delayed rehabilitation of EDSA, Metro Manila’s main thoroughfare and a key site of the 1986 “People Power” uprising, will begin on December 24, Philippine authorities said. Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon said the P6 billion project will take eight months, far shorter than earlier estimates of up to two years. Initial works will run overnight during the holiday period, when traffic is expected to be lighter. The overhaul will use stone mastic asphalt, a more durable material designed to withstand heavy loads and harsh weather. No changes to traffic rules are planned.

“They’re doing a lot of things. We want to keep Europe – Europe. Europe is going in some bad directions. It’s very bad. Very bad for the people . We don’t want Europe to change so much,” he said.

The remarks come as the White House on Friday released an updated National Security Strategy warning that Europe faced “civilisational erasure” amid rising migration, and accusing the EU of engaging in “censorship.”

EU regulators said X’s paid blue verification ticks were “deceptive,” alleging that the platform failed to properly verify users, lacked transparency on advertising practices, and refused to provide researchers access to key data.

The dispute escalated over the weekend when Musk likened the EU to a “Fourth Reich,” suggesting the bloc should be dismantled and sovereignty returned to member states. X has since blocked EU institutions from purchasing ads on the platform.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio condemned the EU’s actions, calling the fine “an attack on all American tech platforms and the American people by foreign governments.”

Under the proposed rules, social media companies that allow under-16s to create accounts could face penalties of up to RM10 million (about USD $2.1 million).

Fahmi said the government is studying how other countries are implementing similar restrictions, including Australia, which this month became the first nation to ban social media access for those under 16. Platforms there face fines of up to AU$49.5 million (about USD $33 million) if they fail to enforce the ban.

Malaysia’s decision follows rising concern about online safety for children . Fahmi cited a recent incident involving a primary school pupil who requested indecent images from a teacher via WhatsApp as an example of why tighter controls are needed.

According to Australia’s eSafety Commissioner, Twitch qualifies for the ban because its livestreaming and real-time interaction features pose risks for younger users.

Other services, such as Pinterest, LegoPlay and WhatsApp, have been allowed to remain accessible for teenagers. Several additional platforms are still under review.

Twitch, which has more than 7 million livestream artists, said most of its audience is between 18 and 34. It did not disclose how many users are younger, though current rules already prohibit anyone under 13 from joining.

The legislation has faced heavy pushback from tech companies, which argue that enforcing strict age limits online is practically unworkable and that the policy has been rushed. Critics say without reliable age-verification technology, the ban may function more as a political statement than a meaningful barrier.

Even so, the move is being closely watched by governments exploring their own approaches. 

New Zealand ’s Prime Minister has pledged to pursue similar laws, and officials in the Netherlands have advised parents to keep children under 15 off apps like TikTok and Snapchat.

As it stands, Australia now holds one of the toughest positions on youth access to social media . 

The issue caused unusual traffic spikes and affected multiple websites and apps worldwide. Downtime was reported by users of X, Google services, and the video game League of Legends. Even the Global South World site, run by Gjirafa Tech, was not spared from the outage. 

Cloudflare, which handles roughly one-fifth of global internet traffic, saw its stock fall 1.5% following the disruption.

“Earlier today, we failed our customers and the broader internet when a problem in Cloudflare network impacted large amounts of traffic that rely on us,” said Cloudflare’s chief technology officer Dane Knecht.

Experts said the outage exposed the risks of centralised internet infrastructure . 

Cloudflare supports about a third of the world ’s top websites, including AI platforms like OpenAI and Anthropic, as well as online retailers. 

Professor Alan Woodward of the University of Surrey said relying on a few major providers creates efficiency, but failures can have wide-ranging consequences.

Analysts also point to growing strain on digital networks. Jacob Bourne from Emarketer said rising demand from AI applications, streaming, and general web traffic is pushing systems beyond their limits, making outages more frequent and harder to resolve.

The company promised a detailed explanation of the incident and steps to prevent future problems, emphasising the critical role of infrastructure in keeping global internet services running smoothly.

Scam and fraud claims against Singapore’s digital banks have more than doubled in 2025, with 94 cases reported in the first eight months, up from 42 in all of 2024. The Financial Industry Disputes Resolution Centre (Fidrec) said these cases, worth S$2.5 million, mainly involved compromised credentials and impersonation scams, Straits Times reports. Victims were often deceived by phishing or scammers posing as officials. Fidrec added that claims against digital banks rose from 2.1% of total cases in 2023 to 8.7% in 2025, signalling a worrying trend as online banking expands.

Two Singaporeans arrested in Cambodia-based scam ring

Two Singaporean men, Wayne Soh You Chen and Brian Sie Eng Fa, have been deported and arrested for their alleged roles in a Cambodia-based scam syndicate accused of running government official impersonation scams. The syndicate, believed to be led by fugitive Ng Wei Liang, allegedly defrauded victims in at least 438 cases, costing S$41 million. Straits Times reports both men were captured abroad after months on the run, while 32 other members, including 25 Singaporeans and 7 Malaysians, remain at large.  

Autonomous vehicle testing

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has greenlit Grab and WeRide to conduct autonomous vehicle testing for their Ai.R fleet in Punggol. The trial will pave the way for Singapore’s first public autonomous shuttle service by early 2026. The service will link residents to key areas such as Punggol Coast MRT, bus interchanges, and shopping malls, Business Times reports. The AVs, trained to navigate local road conditions and weather, will gather real-world data to enhance their AI driving models. The programme will see test runs increase fourfold by year-end.  

Study links heavy social media use to mental distress

A national mental health study by the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) has found that young people who spend over three hours daily on social media are more likely to experience depression, anxiety, and stress. Based on interviews with 2,600 respondents aged 15 - 35, the research showed that 30.6% reported severe symptoms, while cyberbullying and body image issues were strong contributing factors. IMH noted that youth with higher resilience and social support were less likely to suffer mental health strain. The study was conducted with the Ministry of Health and NUS’s Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, Today Online reports.

5.5% - 7.5% pay rise for low-wage workers

The National Wages Council (NWC) has urged employers to grant built-in wage increases of 5.5% to 7.5% for workers earning up to S$2,700 a month from December 2025 to November 2026. Firms performing well should raise pay at the higher end of the range or by at least S$105 - S$125. The move, which covers about 57,600 workers, comes amid modest GDP growth of 1.5% - 2.5% for 2025 and persistent cost pressures. The council also announced higher pay floors for administrators and drivers under the Occupational Progressive Wages scheme, set to take effect in July 2026.

What they said

“Mariam was forcibly taken from the market in front of everyone,” one local source said. Timbuktu region mayor Yehia Tandina told the Associated Press: “The same men brought her back to Independence Square in Tonka and executed her in front of a crowd.” State television described Cissé as “a young woman who simply wanted to promote her community through her TikTok posts and encourage the Malian army in its missions to protect people and their property.”

From the United Kingdom to Australia, China, and Brazil, each country is exploring new ways of making the internet safer.

Here are four countries and the restrictions on internet access:

UK’s proof of age

Starting July 2025, the UK implemented a cybersecurity law that required children to prove their age to access the most harmful material on social media and adult websites.

Platforms that host content such as pornography, self-harm, or eating disorder promotion will be legally required to introduce secure age-verification systems, including facial scans, photo ID matching, or credit card checks.

Failure to comply could cost companies up to 10% of their global annual revenue or £18 million, whichever is higher. “This is one of the boldest steps anywhere in the world to reclaim the digital space for young people,” said Technology Secretary Peter Kyle. He described the policy as a response to the mental health crisis among children exposed to “toxic algorithms” and harmful online material.

Australia’s ban of under-16s from social media

Under the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Bill 2024, passed last November, anyone under 16 will soon be banned from creating accounts on major platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat, X (formerly Twitter), Threads, Reddit, and Kick.

The policy decision is the first of its kind anywhere in the world and is designed to shield minors from addictive and harmful content, cyberbullying, and predatory behaviour. Communications Minister Anika Wells admitted the policy is imperfect but insisted it was necessary: “There is no perfect solution to keeping young Australians safe online. But the social media minimum age laws will make a meaningful difference.” Platforms will be legally required to enforce the ban using age-verification technology.

China’s only verified influencers regulation

In East Asia, China’s Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) now requires social media influencers to prove their professional credentials before posting about sensitive topics such as law, medicine, finance, or education. Under the new policy, creators must show a degree, license, or certification to speak on these subjects. Platforms like Douyin (China’s TikTok), Weibo, and Bilibili are required to verify credentials and flag posts containing AI-generated material or research references.

Persons who misrepresent qualifications could lose monetisation rights, face temporary bans, or be fined. The CAC says the move aims to curb misinformation and promote a “cleaner cyberspace,” part of President Xi Jinping’s wider campaign to ensure online content is “factual, educational, and socially responsible.”

Brazil’s cyber responsibility

A landmark Supreme Court ruling in June 2025 declared that social media companies must act immediately to remove hate speech and criminal content once they become aware of it.

Previously, companies could only be penalised if they failed to remove content after a court order. Now, platforms are directly responsible for what circulates on their networks.

“We preserve freedom of expression as much as possible,” wrote Supreme Court President Justice Luis Roberto Barroso, “without allowing the world to fall into an abyss of incivility,” he added. The ruling also urged Congress to revise Article 19 of the country’s main internet law, the Marco Civil da Internet, to strengthen protections against disinformation and online violence.

Over recent years, the government has steadily tightened control over what citizens can read, post, or even discuss. Key online platforms once central to public conversation — Twitter (now X), Clubhouse, Telegram, and the influential Tanzanian forum JamiiForums — have been blocked or restricted.

Many users now rely on VPNs to access these platforms. The Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) denies restricting the use of VPNs but requires users to notify the regulator when using such applications — a move clearly designed to monitor and discourage digital privacy.

JamiiForums, often called “Tanzania’s WikiLeaks” for its role in exposing corruption and hosting open debates, was suspended for 90 days in September after it shared statements by politician Humphrey Polepole about President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s private meetings with a Zimbabwean businessman. Officials accused the site of “misleading the public” and “undermining national unity.”

This digital crackdown has gone hand in hand with pressure on the press. Jambo TV received three separate takedown orders in a single month.

Under Section 19 of the Media Services Act (2016) and Regulations 17–19 of the Media Services Regulations (2017), all journalists must hold government-issued press cards — a system many see as turning accreditation into a tool of control. Even entertainment programs now avoid political jokes or commentary, fearful that a single remark could bring punishment.

The campaign of control has reached beyond media into religious life

When Bishop Josephat Gwajima, a CCM lawmaker, accused the government of detentions and disappearances, his Glory of Christ Church in Dar es Salaam was swiftly deregistered and sealed by police as hundreds of worshippers protested. Officials said his sermons violated the “acceptable conduct” of religious organisations — a warning that even ruling-party insiders are not safe from retribution.

Disappearances have become part of Tanzania’s political landscape

Earlier this October, Humphrey Polepole, former ambassador to Cuba and a sharp critic of the administration, was abducted by unknown assailants shortly after resigning from his post and denouncing government abuses.

According to UN experts, there have been over 200 cases of enforced disappearances since 2019, forming what they call a “pattern of intimidation” against journalists, activists, opposition members, and other dissenting voices.

At a recent discussion hosted by Tanzania’s Tech and Media Convergency (TMC), participants described the internet as a field of “ digital landmines, ” where a single post can end a career. For many Tanzanians, silence now feels safer than speech.

But silencing truth has not stopped lies

With independent journalism under siege and online spaces censored, misinformation spreads unchecked. In early 2025, fact-checking platform JamiiCheck analysed 192 political claims circulating online. Of these, 128 were false, most targeting opposition parties. 

Digital rights advocates believe that Tanzania’s Cybercrime Act and Electronic and Postal Communications Act are enforced selectively . Posts critical of the government vanish almost instantly, while pro-government falsehoods stay online — turning digital platforms into yet another instrument of political control.

As speech grows more restricted, political competition is also narrowing

The main opposition party, CHADEMA, has been disqualified from the race after refusing to sign an electoral code of conduct it called biased. Its leader, Tundu Lissu, faces treason charges widely viewed as politically motivated. He was arrested after a peaceful rally calling for electoral reform and accused of spreading false information — charges that could carry the death penalty.

Dozens of his supporters have been harassed or barred from attending his trial

Another opposition candidate, Luhaga Mpina, of the Alliance for Change and Transparency (ACT–Wazalendo), has also been banned from running . Once a senior CCM member, Mpina left the ruling party in August after being blocked from seeking re-nomination in his longtime parliamentary seat in Kisesa. His candidacy was seen as a serious challenge to President Samia — until the electoral commission disqualified him.

Many Tanzanians still remember the 2020 election, when the internet was shut down on polling day . Civil society groups warn that another blackout could leave voters, journalists, and observers in the dark — especially in rural areas. Without open communication, they say, rumours will thrive and public trust in the results will collapse.

Tanzania’s crisis reflects a wider African trend: the fusion of authoritarian control with digital technology. Across the continent, governments are using surveillance laws, internet shutdowns, and disinformation to shape public narratives and suppress dissent. But Tanzania stands out — for both its intensity and its timing — as it approaches a pivotal election where access to truth may matter as much as the vote itself.

Tanzania’s 2025 election will test more than political loyalty. It will test whether democracy can survive when speech, information, and belief are all under siege.

Restoring transparency will take more than promises. It will require protecting independent journalism, safeguarding free expression, investing in digital literacy, and dismantling the culture of fear that now grips the nation.

Until then, Tanzanians move toward the polls not only uncertain of their choices — but uncertain of what to believe.

The opinions and thoughts expressed in this article reflect only the author's views.

Mweha Msemo is a Tanzanian freelance journalist based in Dar es Salaam. He focuses on stories of marginalised communities, social justice, and digital rights. With a passion for amplifying unheard voices, his work highlights the lives and challenges of underrepresented groups, reflecting his commitment to raising awareness and fostering understanding.

While the bill aims to strengthen national resilience against hacking , fraud, and online abuse, there are concerns that some provisions could blur the line between regulation and surveillance and limit online freedoms.

Prior to the drafting of the amendment bill, the Ministry of Communication, together with the Cyber Security Authority, invited public input .

Here’s what you need to know about the Bill:

The CSA’s proposed investigative, arrest and prosecutorial power may perhaps be one of the biggest and concerning changes in the Amendment Bill. This means that the Cyber Security Authority, which was originally set up as a regulator, can now investigate and prosecute cybercrime on the authority of the Attorney-General. It can even exercise police powers, including arrest, search, and seizure. Under the existing law , the Authority could only enforce compliance through administrative means and recommend prosecutions. However, now, the Authority may now prosecute cybercrime cases directly, apply for confiscation orders, and freeze assets under section 59B, which states that: “(1) The Authority shall, upon the occurrence of a cybersecurity incident or a cybercrime, conduct criminal investigations and prosecute the same. (2) The Authority shall have the jurisdiction to prosecute all offences under the Electronic Transactions Act, 2008 (Act 772)." 

Under the new Section 59B, the CSA can seize and confiscate property, money, or assets believed to be connected to cybercrime. Even if a criminal case fails, the Authority may still pursue civil recovery, meaning your assets could be taken without a conviction if linked to an alleged offence. Section 59B (3) states, “Where a person is convicted of a cybercrime under this Act, the Authority may apply to the Court for an order to confiscate moneys, proceeds, benefits, properties, and assets purchased by a person with proceeds derived from or in the commission of the cybercrime.” The act goes on in subsection (5) that: “In relation to subsection (6), if criminal prosecution fails, civil asset recovery should still proceed, and confiscation orders should have the effect of a civil judgment appealable from the High Court to the Court of Appeal.” Under the existing law, the CSA has no power to confiscate proceeds of crime; this power is reserved for the Attorney General’s office and the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO).

New provisions under sections 59C - 59I give the CSA powers to compel individuals, service providers, or companies to hand over data, including computer records and personal information. Investigators can apply ex parte, without notifying the affected person, to obtain search and preservation orders over data stored on computers or servers. Section 59C(1) states; “The Authority may, for the purposes of carrying out an investigation in respect of a contravention of the Act, Regulations, or any other relevant enactment by the owner of a critical information infrastructure, a licensee, a service provider or any other person, by notice in writing, require a person to: attend at a time and place specified in the notice; and furnish the Authority with information related to a matter relevant to the investigation.”  The goal is to make it easier to investigate cybercrime, but this raises issues about the possibility of opening the door to mass data access and unwarranted surveillance.

For the first time, Ghana’s cyber law explicitly covers Artificial Intelligence (AI), blockchain, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, cloud technology, and quantum computing. The CSA will now set security standards and certify emerging technologies before they are deployed, from banking algorithms to smart home systems, under sections 4A(a) – (c), 58A. In addition, the authority shall accredit non-profit cybersecurity institutions under section 58B. This could help ensure safer technology use, but it also places innovation under state control. In this regard, the CSA becomes Ghana’s tech certifier, which invariably expands its remit from cybersecurity to technology governance.

The Bill introduces new online offences under Sections 67A and 67B, targeting cyberbullying, stalking, and online harassment, especially of children. However, it also makes it a crime to “deliberately spread false or misleading information” online. The problem? The law doesn’t define what counts as “false or misleading.” This vagueness could criminalise legitimate reporting, satire, or political commentary. Penalties range from fines of up to five thousand penalty units to 25 thousand penalty units to three to five years’ imprisonment and not more than ten years, depending on the offence.

The amendments create new funding streams for the CSA, including: 12% of Ghana’s Communication Service Tax, 9% of corporate tax, and 50% of fines collected under the Act. Under the existing law, the authority relies on parliamentary allocations, donor support, and service fees for funding.

Failure to register critical infrastructure, report cyber incidents, or comply with CSA directives could now attract hefty fines of up to 50,000 penalty units. The proposed amendment raises penalties up to 25,000 penalty units, 50,000 penalty units, and 5 - 10 years imprisonment. The monetary value of one penalty unit in Ghana is GHC 12, which means the monetary value of 50,000 penalty units is GHC 600,000 (approximately US$55,000).

Generally, for Ghanaian citizens who use the internet for diverse purposes, including social media, e-commerce and banking, the Amendment Bill, once passed, would regulate online behaviour, digital data, social media content (particularly that considered fake or misleading), devices, and workplace systems. With the intent to sanitise and make Ghana’s cyberspace safer.