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Stanford just proved your AI chatbot is flattering you into bad decisions

We’re used to the terms “echo chambers” and “filter bubbles” when discussing the dangers of social networks, search engines, and personalized ads. Now, with AI chatbots, a new term joins the ranks: “sycophancy”, or telling people what they want to hear. Could sycophantic chatbots be more harmful than social media echo chambers? My gut says (…)

Japan’s Team Mirai Uses Tech to Bolster Democracy, Not Undermine It

I strongly believe AI tools that engage citizens directly in shaping policy will be the main engine of future political campaigns. We’re familiar by now with stories about AI influencing voters’ opinions. What’s new here is the use of AI to shape a political party’s principles and policies and making such tools open and usable (…)

Symposium de la Donnée 2026

Identité digitale, intelligence artificielle, interopérabilité : les fondations de la santé numérique se transforment en profondeur. Un symposium pour en saisir les enjeux et rencontrer les acteurs qui les façonnent, organisé par Trust Valley à Martigny.

Book Review “On Privacy and Technology”, by Solove, Daniel J. (2025)

In “On Privacy and Technology”, Prof. Solove distils years of rigorous academic research into an accessible analysis that cuts through the noise surrounding privacy debates with surgical precision. What makes this work particularly compelling is Solove’s unflinching exposure of uncomfortable truths: the consent model is fundamentally flawed, self-regulation has failed and cannot succeed, and current (…)

Businesses scramble to get noticed by AI search

From Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), to Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO) – also sometimes called Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO), it’s interesting to notice how much we rely on specific tools to “see the world”. With search engines, we had to scroll down the results and decide ourselves which links were relevant (and still feared how much (…)

Die Massenüberwachung des Geheimdiensts ist unmöglich mit den Grundrechten vereinbar

Die Digitale Gesellschaft hat das Urteil des Bundesverwaltungsgerichtes vom 19. November 2025 mit Genugtuung zur Kenntnis genommen. Noch ist nicht klar ob das Parlament bei der Revision des Gesetzes zur Kabelaufklärung dieses Urteil miteinbezieht. Das Urteil ist nämlich sehr klar und sagt, dass fast alle Punkte des alten Gesetzes eine Massenüberwachung nach dem EGMR darstellen. (…)

Technology Paternalism Expands — A Case for Self-Sovereign Identity

Finally, the term I’ve been looking for! Technology paternalism: when technical systems shape, restrict, or pre-decide our choices before we can make them. What strikes me most about this concept is how it finds echoes in so many current political debates—collective goals (safety, security, efficiency) versus individual choice; autonomy versus dependency; who holds power and (…)

Reshuffle: Who wins when AI restacks the knowledge economy (2025)

Choudary, Sangeet Paul (2025) Reshuffle: Who wins when AI restacks the knowledge economy (ISBN-13: ‎979-8294127213), Independently published, 460 pages. By Olivier Crochat “AI’s value lies less in automating tasks and more in enabling new coordination and decision-making architectures.” In his book Reshuffle, Choudary offers a compelling framework for leaders to navigate the organisational impact of (…)

Meta and YouTube found negligent in landmark social media addiction case

This case is groundbreaking because it’s the first time a jury has held social media companies legally accountable for harm caused by their platform designs, not just user content.The verdict challenges the tech industry’s traditional legal protections and directly links addictive platform features to mental health harm in young users. As a “bellwether” case, it (…)

Switzerland built a secure alternative to BGP. The rest of the world hasn’t noticed yet

I was pleasantly surprised to read this interesting article about SCION, Switzerland’s approach to improved internet routing and security. What struck me was Prof. Perrig’s preference for ‘optionality’ over ‘sovereignty’ — freedom to choose paths, trust roots or network. The solution works yet adoption stalls because organisations are ‘numb’ to known vulnerabilities and reluctant to (…)

A photo of Iran’s bombed schoolgirl graveyard went viral. Why did AI say it wasn’t real?

The spread of deepfakes, erosion of trust in authentic images and hallucinating chatbots are today well-known issues. These phenomena are especially problematic in rapidly evolving situations, when people are looking for updates, but reliable information is not yet available. Add algorithmic content distribution to the mix, and you get a perfect storm of misinformation. While (…)

Google: 17,1 Millionen US-Dollar im Bug-Bounty-Programm 2025 ausgezahlt

Google startete schon 2010 ein ‘Vulnerability Reward Program’, ein Bug-Bounty für alle Services von Google, das Belohnungen auszahlt, allein 17 Millionen US-$ 2025. Dieser Betrag wurde an mehr als 700 Analysten verteilt, die Fehler in Android, der Google Cloud, aber auch in verbreiteten und häufig gebrauchten Open Source Programmen und Bibliotheken fanden. Auch wenn 17 (…)

From Ukraine to Iran, Hacking Security Cameras Is Now Part of War’s ‘Playbook’

The camera hacking issue is problematic because it weaponizes civilian devices without owners’ consent, creating an accountability gap where victims can’t control the security of cameras used against them. It democratizes military intelligence by replacing expensive satellites with cheap consumer cameras,and is nearly impossible to solve since millions of unpatched devices exist worldwide. Most fundamentally, (…)

Spain launches tool to monitor online hate speech

I like the idea behind this tool because it tackles a serious online societal problem. I’m curious if and how it will pass the test of time. The key challenge will be to link subjective criteria to objective metrics – a problem we’ve seen with privacy, which still lacks objective benchmarks despite substantial research. But (…)

AI Agents Can Unmask Anonymous Online Identities

This article caught my attention because it exposes the threat of de-anonymization that AI agents pose and its consequences for online privacy. The author writes that ‘the implications stretch far beyond embarrassing social media reveals’ and points out that whistleblowers who reveal corporate misconduct and government corruption, journalists who shield their informants, and political dissidents (…)

India’s tech sovereignty is built on digital dependence

This analysis of India’s technological dependence reveals patterns that are also applicable to Europe. Attracting foreign tech companies to invest locally ultimately results in profits being exported abroad, exemplifying a kind of digital colonialism. In my opinion, the solution lies in a demand-side strategy that favors local and open-source products over monopolies such as Microsoft (…)

Digital sovereignty stack: Infrastructure, services, data, and AI knowledge

This article points out that the ‘real digital sovereigns’ are the tech companies, who control all ‘vectors’ of sovereignty, from infrastructure, to data, AI models, and services. Beyond the US and China (and North Korea), the only realistic strategy for countries to gain control over their digital sovereignty will be to work together, whether through joining (…)

Global Digital Collaboration Conference 2026

Organized by intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, particularly standard development and open source organizations, this event will bring together 2,000 sector leaders by invitation only through co-organizers. Over the course of three days, participants will explore the global pulse of cross-sector innovation, with the primary objective of bridging gaps and solving interoperability challenges.

AI for Good Global Summit

The AI for Good Global Summit brings together experts, policymakers, and innovators to explore how artificial intelligence can help address global challenges and achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. It has become a major global platform for promoting responsible and beneficial use of AI.

FBI erhält Daten über anonymes E‑Mail-Konto bei Proton Mail

Sogar für eine Firma, die die Privatsphäre als Aushängeschild verwendet, ist es nicht immer einfach, ihre Benutzer zu beschützen: Obwohl die E-Mails selbst verschlüsselt sind, gibt es viele Metadaten. In diesem Fall war es die Zahlung mit einer VISA-Karte, die den Benutzer einer E-Mail-Adresse verriet. Ich finde es interessant, dass Proton laut einem eigenen Bericht (…)

Iranian strikes test the Gulf’s trillion-dollar AI dream

This article illustrates the brutal economics of modern conflict and the fragility of digital infrastructures. Relatively inexpensive drones can render billion-dollar data centers ineffective, calling into question their placement in supposedly “stable” regions. For me, a question remains: What explains the apparent lack of cyberattacks by Iran? Have the U.S. and Israel blocked such attempts (…)

Insomni’Hack – Swiss Cybersecurity Conference

Insomni’hack is a five-day cybersecurity event featuring intensive workshops (Mon-Wed) and expert talks (Thu-Fri), culminating in an overnight Capture the Flag (CTF) competition. The CTF challenges 700 participants in teams of up to eight to solve security puzzles and exploit vulnerabilities. Beyond technical training, the event serves as a key networking hub for cybersecurity professionals and enthusiasts, fostering a community-oriented environment that welcomes participants of all skill levels.

I hacked ChatGPT and Google’s AI – and it only took 20 minutes

This article is quite unnerving: a twenty‑minute hack shows how data‑poisoning can make LLMs tell tall tales, turning sci‑fi fears into real business risk. It’s a wake‑up call to demand provenance, adversarial robustness assessment and scepticism—because trusting chatbots without checking is like relying on a smooth-talking oracle with a hidden agenda. Critical thinking remains your (…)