Other News from Participating Centers

Meta is making Instagram DMs less private, WANA users could pay the price

Meta’s removal of the end-to-end encryption (E2EE) technology for its Instagram Direct Messages (DMs) could pose serious risk to internet users, including children, warn cybersecurity experts at SMEX. 

Earlier last week, Meta quietly announced in an update to the Instagram Help Center that E2EE will no longer be supported on the platform starting May 8, 2026. 

Lebanon’s telecom preparedness falls short amid a dangerous escalation with Israel

Once again, Lebanon’s telecom infrastructure is under pressure as the war with Israel escalates. Israel’s bombing on residential neighborhoods caused a massive wave of displacement, and residents are worried that telecoms may not be able to keep the country connected.

Despite the lessons learned during the 2024 war, Lebanon’s Ministry of Telecommunications still appears to lack a clear emergency plan to maintain connectivity during bombardment, mass displacement, and the mounting strain on so-called “safe” areas now absorbing growing populations.

Policy Innovation Lab joins SDGi partners in Pretoria to advance evidence-informed policymaking

The Policy Innovation Lab recently participated in a Sustainable Development Goals Initiative II (SDGi) partners’ workshop in Pretoria on 16 and 17 March 2026.

Internet Use as Everyday Religion on the Rise, Cyborgization Still in its Early Stages

Internet Use as Everyday Religion on the Rise, Cyborgization Still in its Early Stages

New publications on techno-religion, human augmentation technologies, internet use in Switzerland

New publications on techno-religion, human augmentation technologies, internet use in Switzerland

Michael Reiss successfully defended his cumulative dissertation  

Michael Reiss successfully defended his cumulative dissertation  

Kiran Kappeler successfully defended her dissertation

Kiran Kappeler successfully defended her dissertation

“Artificial Intelligence” in Switzerland 2024: Rapid Diffusion and Increasing Digital Inequality

“Artificial Intelligence” in Switzerland 2024: Rapid Diffusion and Increasing Digital Inequality

Two Awards at SACM 2025 for the Media Change and Innovation Division

Two Awards at SACM 2025 for the Media Change and Innovation Division

Daniela Jaramillo-Dent wins Best Seminar Award for outstanding teaching

Daniela Jaramillo-Dent wins Best Seminar Award for outstanding teaching

Generative AI is Taking Over Everyday Life in Switzerland: From Experimentation to Regular Use

Generative AI is Taking Over Everyday Life in Switzerland: From Experimentation to Regular Use

Vortragsreihe: Wie Digitalisierung und Künstliche Intelligenz unsere Gesellschaft verändern

Vortragsreihe: Wie Digitalisierung und Künstliche Intelligenz unsere Gesellschaft verändern

Concours de présentations des recherches des étudiant.es du CRDP – annonce des résultats

Dans le cadre de la Semaine de la recherche étudiante de la Faculté de droit de l’Université de Montréal, a eu lieu le 1er concours de présentations des recherches des étudiant.es du Centre de recherche en droit public.
Lors de ce concours, Ali Ekber Cinar, Nouwagnon Olivier Afogo, Issouf Ouattara, Jenny Betu Kumeso et Lyndah Randrianarivo ont eu la possibilité de présenter leur mémoire et leur thèse devant leurs pairs et la direction du CRDP qui les félicite pour la qualité et la pertinence de leurs propos.

Forget the “killing machine”: why AI is a question of responsibility, not apocalypse

The authors challenge the metaphor of artificial intelligence as a "killing machine" that will one day surpass its human creators.
The post Forget the “killing machine”: why AI is a question of responsibility, not apocalypse appeared first on HIIG.

Sabine Pfeiffer wird neue Vorsitzende des bidt-Direktoriums

Das Bayerische Forschungsinstitut für Digitale Transformation (bidt) der Bayerischen Akademie der Wissenschaften (BAdW) stellt sich neu auf: zum 1. April 2026 übernimmt Professorin Sabine Pfeiffer den Vorsitz des Direktoriums von Professor Alexander Pretschner.

Guest Lecture Series in Irish Studies: Imagining Environmental Futures: Hope in Contemporary Irish Writing by Prof. Dr. Patrick Lonergan

ABSTRACT:

Multistakeholderism in AI Governance: Learning and Reinforcements (Part 1) 

By Torsha Sarkar Since 2023, priorities, conversations and discourses on global AI governance have begun to be increasingly shaped by the AI Summit series, which is an emerging series of global convenings widely attended by national leaders, industry bodies and technological companies. Starting with the Bletchley AI Safety Summit, and the latest edition in New […]

Datasphere Initiative launches global “Sandboxes for DPI” report at Insight Session

The Datasphere Initiative convened a Global Sandboxes Forum (GSF) Insight Session to mark the official launch of its latest report, “Sandboxes for DPI: Co-creating the blocks of digital trust”. The event gathered policymakers, technologists, and civil society leaders to examine how structured experimentation can support the responsible development of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI).

The Immediacy Complex: The Bias of Information

The following article is an edited transcript of a talk held in Venice and organized by Becoming Press. You can find the unedited transcript and video recording of the talk here.
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Menstruation, motherhood and the menopause: “Women work – and so do their bodies”

aau/MüllerPsychologist Theresa Tschauko is conducting research into how different stages of women’s health affect their work behaviour as member of the research group Organizational Behavior & Human Resource Management. The conclusion of her work to date is that women carry on working – even when it hurts.