Global Scans · Social · Weekly Summary

WHAT'S NEXT?: In the years to come, social commerce will become more widespread and the level of personalization will improve with advanced AI solutions & chatbots. The number of worldwide social media users is projected to grow from 2.1 billion in 2016 to 2.5 billion by 2018.

• [New] Activist investors or NGO groups could target Netflix over social or political issues (e.g. diversity, censorship). Risk Intelligence Service
• [New] Hailed as the great equalizer and foundation of better social and economic opportunities for generations, access to higher education in the United States is becoming increasingly out of reach in the current fraught political environment for a growing number of immigrants. American Sociological Association
• [New] The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency has warned of another dangerous flooding season in 2026, putting more than 14,000 communities at high risk and at least 15,000 at moderate risk. The Guardian
• [New] UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres recently called on AI firms to disclose the full carbon, water, and land footprint of their data centers, warning that communities should not be left bearing hidden costs they never agreed to. FTI Strategic Communications
• [New] Today, Muslims are increasingly being targeted under the disguise of fear, a fear of their beliefs and of the ethical framework that guides Muslim communities to live by values that are, in many respects, aligned with the principles rooted in the American Constitution. Bridge Initiative
• [New] For immigrant communities in Minnesota, especially Hispanic and Somali communities, for their leaders, for all who risk arrest and violence from ICE. I'm Listening
• [New] The UK's proposed social media ban, due to come into force in 2027, would block under-16s from accessing Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, X and Facebook and from livestreaming or communicating with strangers on gaming sites such as Roblox. The Guardian
• [New] Social commerce through TikTok Shop, Instagram Shop, and creator storefronts is growing rapidly for consumer products with strong visual appeal and impulse-purchase potential. Fratzke Consulting
• [New] 40% of Americans expect AI to negatively impact society, compared with 16% who predict a positive impact. Harvard Gazette
• [New] 40% of Americans expect AI to have a negative effect on society over the next two decades, compared with only 16% who expect a positive effect. Windows Forum
• [New] In Pew's numbers, 48% of adults aged 18 to 29 expect AI to have a negative impact on society. Windows Forum
• [New] With the Philippines becoming an increasingly important hub for Web3 adoption, digital communities, and emerging technology discussions, PBW provided ORCA with a valuable opportunity to connect with builders, investors, partners, and regional communities. TechBullion
• [New] The future of American socioeconomic mobility depends largely on people getting more support from their community and policymakers at varying levels of government, which all play a role in economic connectedness and expanding opportunity. CNBC
• [New] For rights groups and opposition figures, treating Turkey as a partner of necessity while muting public criticism risks normalizing a system in which courts are used against opposition politicians, journalists face pressure and civil society operates under threat of prosecution. Turkish Minute
• [New] Social Europe The answer to the excesses of an Elon Musk-style oligarchy is a sweeping left-wing populism that will tax the rich, break up corporations, and expand government power to redistribute wealth. Shaping Tomorrow
• [New] Social polarization may not remain a localized domestic issue but could become a global systemic risk. Shaping Tomorrow
• [New] In Europe, responses to security threats and political upheaval are pushing governments toward reinvestment in citizens-focusing on social equity rather than austerity - to counter the destabilizing effects of populist discontent. Shaping Tomorrow
• [New] Social polarization, driven by widening income inequality, political populism, and technological acceleration, is acting as a weak signal that could fundamentally disrupt global economic systems in the next 5 to 20 years. Shaping Tomorrow
• [New] Policing and immigration enforcement again showed how quickly Black, Native, Asian American, Pacific Islander, and Latinx communities can be placed at risk by state power. Race, Racism and the Law
• [New] Australia says it will double fines on social media companies that fail to keep children off their platforms, accusing Big Tech of dodging the spirit of its under-16 ban. Al Jazeera
• [New] Australia will grant its online safety watchdog more powers and increase the maximum penalty for breaches of its world-first social media ban, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese saying big tech companies are not doing enough to comply. financialpost

Last updated: 13 July 2026