Your Ultimate Guide To Global Digital Policy In September 2025

Global Policy Highlights

Welcome to the September 2025 edition of the Global Digital Policy Roundup, brought to you by Digital Policy Alert. This monthly digest keeps you clued in on key developments affecting the digital economy worldwide. From dramatic shifts in content moderation to pioneering AI regulations, here's what made headlines this month.

Digital Policy Alert is your go-to source for tracking policy changes globally. Their resources allow you to dive deeper into specific areas of interest, offering customizable updates and tools to interact with complex policy texts. As you read through this roundup, remember that every highlight links back to official sources for reliable information.

Content Moderation Overhauls

Europe Steps Up

Europe is beefing up its content moderation efforts as the European Commission closed its consultations on guidelines to support transparency in political advertising. The General Court also made headlines by ruling on Zalando's status as a major online platform, emphasizing third-party content exposure. Meanwhile, the UK is amending its Online Safety Act to prioritize serious self-harm content as a criminal offense.

Russia and Italy are also shaking things up. Russia is taking a hard stance against undesirable advertising and VPN use, whereas Italy is expanding dynamic injunctions for better piracy control. Add in the European Commission's inquiries into Google and Microsoft's scam detection measures, and it's clear that Europe is setting a strict tone for digital safety.

Asia and Australia's Moves

Australia's eSafety Commissioner is rolling out new industry codes to protect minors, targeting platforms from social media to high-risk AI services. Identity verification features are becoming a staple, backed by national identity proofing guidelines. Over in China, the Cyberspace Administration is consulting on measures for platforms impacting minors, aiming for rigorous age verification and content control.

Even in enforcement, there's a buzz: Australia is investigating AI services enabling non-consensual image creation, while South Korea is laying down standards for children's smart devices. It's a busy time for Asia and Australia as they strengthen frameworks for online safety.

AI Regulation Evolution

Europe Leads the Way

Europe's march towards robust AI governance continues. The European Commission is actively consulting on the AI Act, offering draft guidelines for serious AI incidents. The UK is also digging into AI's role in finance, scrutinizing giants like Google and Amazon for algorithmic transparency.

“AI governance frameworks must prioritize user safety and transparency,” remarked a spokesperson from the European AI Office.

Italy's new AI governance law is another landmark, setting national standards to complement EU directives, especially in sectors like healthcare and public administration. Meanwhile, the EU's joint venture approvals and draft guidelines for privacy in AI applications underline the region's comprehensive approach to AI policy.

Asia and America's Contributions

In Asia, China's TC260 released updates to its AI Safety Governance Framework, setting the stage for more stringent AI risk management. South Korea is also pushing AI legislation with its new draft enforcement decree, focusing on design requirements and user rights.

Across the pond, Canada and Brazil are developing their AI strategies, with Canada looking to coordinate policy across federal agencies and Brazil focusing on ethical AI use in government procurement. These measures highlight a global shift towards responsible AI use and regulation.

Competition Policies and Data Governance

Keeping the Digital Markets in Check

The European Union is taking a close look at digital competition, from fining Google for monopolistic practices to reviewing merger guidelines. The Digital Markets Act's effectiveness in promoting fair digital markets is under review, and Microsoft's commitments to unbundle services offer a glimpse of regulatory impacts.

Meanwhile, in Asia, China is actively monitoring pricing practices and enforcing rules against algorithmic discrimination. Even India is on the radar, with ongoing legal proceedings against major tech firms like WhatsApp and Meta for data dominance accusations.

Data Protection in the Spotlight

Data governance is also at the forefront, notably with the EU's Data Act now in force. Guidelines are shaping up to address data access, protection, and transfer standards, establishing a resilient framework for data governance.

In Asia, China's new cybersecurity reporting measures and South Korea's data portability rules are setting benchmarks for data protection. Brazil and Canada are also making strides in privacy regulations, tightening controls on data collection and cross-border transfers.