Somewhere on Earth: The Global Tech Podcast

16m X users in EU unmonitored and How Sudan’s WhatsApp Ban Is Cutting Off Survival


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🌐 Crisis of Social Media Moderation - 16m in EU without checks online

14% of EU based X users have no human content moderators in their languages, according to new research from the Oxford Internet Institute. 16 million EU-based users of X don’t have moderators for their national language.  Hate speech in English is often flagged and removed quickly. But in many other languages - including Italian, Portuguese, Arabic and Spanish - especially on smaller platforms, dangerous content stays online unchecked. This moderation gap leaves entire communities exposed to harassment and disinformation.  The study also found gaps on LinkedIn. The lead author of the study, Manuel Tonneau speaks to Gareth.

 

📵 Sudan’s WhatsApp Ban: A Lifeline Cut Off

Sudan has blocked WhatsApp voice and video calls, citing vague security concerns. For families separated by war, aid workers, and journalists, this was a vital lifeline. The Keep It On coalition say the ban is less about safety
and more about control, worsening isolation and disrupting humanitarian relief. In conflict zones, connectivity isn’t optional - it’s survival.  They are calling for the ban to be lifted immediately.



The programme is presented by Gareth Mitchell and the studio expert is Ania Lichtarowicz.

 

More on this week's stories:

Language
Disparities in Moderation Workforce Allocation by Social Media Platform

#KeepItOn: Time to end Sudan’s isolation; lift the WhatsApp block now

 

Production Manager: Liz Tuohy

Editor: Ania Lichtarowicz



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