Regulatory Watch – November 2025

Australia expands social media ban

Two more platforms have been added to Australia’s ban on children using social media. Message board Reddit, and livestreaming service Kick will join Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X and YouTube in facing a legal obligation to close the accounts of all Australians under the age of 16 or risk fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars (33 million US dollars). The ban comes into force on 10 December 2025.

EU publishes ‘digital simplification’ package

Delaying the implementation of new AI rules, simplifying cybersecurity reporting and amending the GDPR to create an ‘innovation-friendly framework’ are among the measures proposed in the ‘Digital Omnibus’ package announced by the European Commission. The changes are designed to address the issues identified in the Draghi report, which argued that complex regulation was hindering European competitiveness. The proposed measures also include a ‘data union’ strategy, modernising cookie rules and a ‘European Business Wallet’ to help digitalise operations for EU entities.

Vodacom to use Starlink to close connectivity gaps in Africa

South African telco Vodacom has reached a deal with Starlink to provide high-speed, low latency broadband for businesses across Africa. With the high costs of rolling out towers in rural areas, Vodacom will integrate Starlink’s technology for data relay into its mobile network, and will be authorized to sell Starlink’s equipment and services to customers in Africa. In a statement Vodacom said that it ‘continues to work with multiple satellite providers’. Vodacom’s parent company, Vodafone, has teamed up with Amazon’s Project Kuiper and AST SpaceMobile.

FCC to introduce new licensing framework for subsea cables

The US Federal Communications Commission has proposed a new rule for submarine cable landing licensing designed to ‘prevent national security risks from current and potential foreign adversaries, while encouraging the use of trusted technology and measures to further accelerate the buildout of submarine cables.’  The proposed framework will grant a blanket licence to entities, subject to meeting certain requirements.  Comments are invited by 26 November, with reply comments by 26 December. Full details here. (The December issue of Intermedia will feature an article by Gregory Staple on the subject of the ownership of submarine cables by big tech companies.)

New privacy rules come into force in India

Companies will have to minimise the collection of personal data and give users more control over their data under India’s newly enforced Digital Personal Data Protection law. The rules adopt similar principles to the EU’s general data protection regulation (GDPR), such as the requirements that companies can only collect data necessary for a specified purpose, users must be able to opt out and must be informed if their data is involved in a data breach. India is also drafting other digital regulation, including higher compliance standards for social media and AI.

EU adopts ‘European Democracy Shield’

On 12 November, the European Commission adopted a communication that includes a series of actions to be gradually rolled out by 2027 to strengthen the protection of European democracies against attacks launched in particular by foreign powers. The actions include the establishment of a European Centre for Democratic Resilience, the creation of an independent European network of fact-checkers, a new Digital Services Act incidents and crisis protocol, and measures to support free media in the upcoming review of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive and other future initiatives.

Sources:  The Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal, Bird and Bird, APNews, Euronews, CNN, The Guardian, The Daily Telegraph, Bloomberg, Economic Times, Ars Technica, Reuters, BBC, Politico, Telecompaper