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Internet

Internet
The latest news, analysis and opinion on Internet. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
A Thai soldier walks near small booths lined with acoustic foam used to make scam calls inside a compound in Cambodia’s O’Smach border town on February 2. Photo: Reuters
Cambodia

Asia-Pacific cyberscam victims lost up to US$114 billion last year: UN

The losses from online scams, mostly investment fraud, are at least triple that from 2023, reflecting a ‘dramatic scaling’, the report says.

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South Korea

Beggar’s banquet: South Korea’s viral app helps youth find cheap meals

Crime

Influencers Andrew and Tristan Tate arrested in Miami as UK seeks extradition

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Japan

Video | Japanese company revs up Gen Z machismo with quirky antics

Business development firm Global Partners starts each workday with shouted mantras and motivational pep talks.

How one Japanese company is attracting unmotivated Gen Z workers
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Artificial intelligence

Is artificial intelligence causing a rise in natural human stupidity?

Recent studies suggest memory, decision-making and critical thinking are at risk if people rely too much on AI for cognitive tasks.

European Union

EU demands ‘youth mode’ to protect children from addictive social media features

The addictive features include infinite scroll, autoplay, push notifications and highly personalised recommender systems.

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Social media

Video | Japan’s viral property agents get weird

A Tokyo estate agent in a green-screen bodysuit has gone viral – but are the gags stealing the show?

Japanese property agents are finding new ways to promote themselves through social media, using visual gags, stunts and innovative hooks to find new audiences.
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E-commerce

China fines 4 internet celebrities US$1.9m for tax evasion

In some cases, popular live-streamers with online stores and millions of fans paid taxes as low as a few hundred yuan, authorities say.

Pokemon

Video | Pokemon cards are fuelling a global crime spree

A burglary at a trading-card shop in Niigata, Japan, saw 5,000 cards worth 10 million yen (US$62,000) stolen on Monday.

Indonesia

‘Grading own homework’: is Indonesia outsourcing online safety to tech giants?

Without a regulator, Indonesia’s child online safety rules require digital platforms to assess and remove underage accounts themselves.

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Boys use their mobile phone in Jakarta on April 29. Photo: AP
Sex and relationships

How do you get a girl to fall in love with you? Ask Emily Lin

Emily Lin’s dating advice – such as saying ‘tell me more’, shutting up and listening – on social media has gone viral with men.

Emily Lin became a full-time content creator in 2024. Her “School of Women” series on social media teaches straight men emotional literacy and how to develop healthy, fulfilling relationships with women. Photo: Instagram/therealemilylin
Hong Kong politics

Opinion | Anti-drug video fiasco not a vote of confidence in Hong Kong’s AI goals

If the authorities can’t use the technology appropriately for one video, one wonders how they can address other concerns posed by artificial intelligence.

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Wellness

What is ‘urge surfing’? How does it help with addiction and bad habits?

The technique manages cravings and compulsive behaviours like phone addiction by encouraging people to ride out their urges like waves.

Scams and swindles

Fake Dubai prince scam: how AI deepfakes love-bomb victims to steal hearts and money

Fraudsters use real-time face-swapping tech and the likeness of royal ‘Fazza’ to ensnare vulnerable targets.

A manipulated image from a Change.org petition called the 'STOP FAZZA SCAM'. Photo: Change.org
The Philippines

Philippine senator links fatal school shooting to 764 online extremist network

There are signs that the 764 network is targeting vulnerable Filipino children online, Senator Risa Hontiveros says at a hearing.

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The logo of the 764 violent extremist network. Photo: YouTube
India

India orders WhatsApp to halt username feature over anonymity concerns

The stand-off forces WhatsApp to weigh compliance against mounting concerns about government interference in its biggest market.

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Australia

Video | Australia falls for rowdy Neil the Seal

The 5-year-old elephant seal is a viral sensation in towns in southern Tasmania.

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South Korea

South Korea ‘fake news’ law triggers free speech, censorship fears

The scope extends beyond social media to malicious reviews and defamatory posts on online communities, delivery apps and shopping platforms.

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Men look at their smartphones while waiting in Seoul. Photo: AFP
E-commerce

China’s cooling, e-commerce giants see sales surge as Europe heat sizzles

Alibaba notes surge in retail and business-to-business orders, Midea reports sharp revenue rise, and Gree sales get bump in major European markets.

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Hong Kong

Video | Anti-drug video pulled over claims it promotes drug use

Internet users have been posting selfies, sticker packs and song parodies mocking the video’s AI-generated K-pop girl band.

Japan

Meet AIko: Japan’s AI police chief taking on a US$2 billion scam epidemic

Japan has a new police chief. Her name is AIko, she lives on YouTube and she’s coming for scammers.

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A screengrab of a social media video shows Osaka prefecture’s new virtual AI police chief “AIko”. Photo: YouTube/OsakaPrefecturalPolice
Education in Hong Kong

Pupils as young as 7 hooked on online games as expert warns of alarming trend

Boy took nearly HK$8,000 in cash from his mother and used her credit card, counselling psychologist tells workshop.

About 70 parents attended the workshop, titled “AI responsibilities, digital habits and hidden pitfalls”, on Sunday. Photo: Jonathan Wong
Australia

Australia PM: ‘too many children on social media’, ban too easy to avoid

According to a British ‌study, 85 per cent of Australians aged 12 to 15 were still using social media three months after the ban took effect.

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Hong Kong society

Hong Kong prison service pulls AI K-pop video after anti-drug message backfires

Beautiful AI-generated virtual K-pop girl group appears to be promoting use of illegal substances, not discouraging it, social media users say.

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Malaysia

Too young to ride, Malaysian teen pedals dream by building fake Yamaha motorbike

A viral video of the 13-year-old showing off his refurbished bicycle to police offices has won hearts on the internet.

A 13-year-old boy shows off his modified bicycle to police officers. Photo: Threads/hafizul.akmal
Crime in Hong Kong

Porn star Erena So arrested in Hong Kong for promoting overseas gambling website

Police discover illegal betting website hiring local personalities as brand ambassadors to attract gamblers.

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A screenshot of Erena So from a video promoting an overseas gambling website. Photo: Handout
The Future of Marketing in Asia

China’s digital platforms redefine global marketing strategies

The mainland’s app ecosystem integrates content, discovery and transaction into a single and seamless experience.

The Future of Marketing in Asia

The art of persuasion enters the AI era

Content creators have risen to eclipse traditional ad formats, but now, as AI takes centre stage, the battle for authenticity is on.

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