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] 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
• [New] The FDA announcement comes as the WHO warns that nicotine pouches are spreading so rapidly that regulation is struggling to keep pace in many countries, and that brands are increasingly using social media, influencers, and youth-oriented marketing to promote them. Wired
• [New] Social media platforms that fail to comply risk heavy fines of $50 million. Psychiatric Times
• [New] President Trump threatened in a social media post to supersede existing trade deals by imposing 100% tariffs on European nations if they pursue digital services taxes on U.S. tech companies. National Law Review
• [New] Threats to press freedom in the United States have sharpened in 2026 amid civil strife at home and a new US-led war in the Middle East, with President Donald Trump threatening to prosecute reporters for treason. Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism
• [New] For schools in the US, the upcoming Federal Education Tax Credit presents an unprecedented opportunity to attract millions of dollars to tackle day school access and affordability, if we generate mass support from the entire Jewish community. The Jerusalem Post
• [New] As opposed to email marketing, which may involve receiving a hundred different emails in a minute's time, or social media platforms where content might not get shared with some users, WhatsApp marketing allows personal and direct communication with customers. Tiju's Academy
• [New] Between 2026 and 2029, the Internet Society and the Internet Society Foundation will direct more than USD $40 million to safer Internet programs, combining organizational resources with contributions from donor partners. NextBigFuture.com
• [New] Japanese residents have responded to their precarious circumstances by developing a unique culture of disaster preparedness, equipping the island nation to plan for future emergencies and to greatly reduce their impact. MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• [New] For many fishing communities, of which there are many in the Indonesia archipelago, rising fuel costs can threaten livelihoods. UN News
• [New] Climate threats now affect more than 40% of natural World Heritage Sites, some of the most outstanding places on Earth that support climate regulation and provide cultural and economic benefits to communities around the world. IUCN
• [New] A new UNAIDS report finds that ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030 remains within reach if countries, communities, and global partners act decisively. George W. Bush Presidential Center
• [New] New commentary published in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine warns that current risk-based regulatory approaches to Artificial Intelligence in healthcare fall short in protecting patients, potentially leading to over - and undertreatment as well as discrimination against patient groups. News-Medical
• [New] The new Explorer Scout badges, part of the Scout movement's first major overhaul in almost 25 years, will require 14 - to 18-year olds to explore how digital communities shape opinion, create online campaigns, investigate digital footprints and design toolkits to help others stay safe online. The Guardian

Last updated: 06 July 2026