Balance-Brief

Balance Brief: 6 Nov to 19 Nov 2025

editor

19 Nov 2025 — 2 min read

The year is rushing to an end. And as the new year arrives, one thing is certain: tech has left a lasting mark. Our biweekly newsletter attempts to capture these impressions of tech.

This week, we see how digital infrastructures become political battlegrounds, governance races to keep pace with technological change, and communities, workers, and citizens continue to negotiate what power means in an AI-driven age.

If you too have thoughts on how digital power will look like in 2026, and how we can reimagine it, pitch your ideas for essays and long-form articles to the Balance new year special edition.

Covering 6th Nov 2025 to 19th Nov 2025...

News and views

Infrastructures of power

Local residents are burdened by the ethical and environmental concerns of an AI datacentre for nuclear scientists in their backyard. A Small Town Is Fighting a $1.2 Billion AI Datacenter for America's Nuclear Weapon Scientists (10th Nov, 404 Media)

The IndiaAI Mission treats AI not as a luxury or proprietary tool, but as a public good. India’s deep-tech democracy for inclusive AI - The Hindu (16th Nov, The Hindu)

Female journalists and activists in Indonesia report harassment from political ‘buzzers’ (paid online propagandists), ‘wibu’ (obsessive anime fans), K-pop fandoms, and people with opposing political views. Five years of fighting: The state of digital violence against female journalists and activists in Indonesia · Global Voices (15th Nov, GlobalVoices)

Apple and WhatsApp say they will keep warning users if their phones are targeted by governments using hacking software against them Tech giants vow to defend users in US as spyware companies make inroads with Trump administration | Apple | The Guardian (10th Nov, The Guardian)

Peter Thiel’s story. The Antichrist is Here: Story of Peter Thiel (5th Nov, Volksgeist)

In today’s world, the surveillance state runs on interlocking contracts. The age of AI surveillance is already here (13th Nov, Quartz)

AI, labour and displacement

A reflection on work, in the age of AI. Learning and retaining in the age of AI (5th Nov, Github)

Libraries are inundated with AI tools. AI Is Supercharging the War on Libraries, Education, and Human Knowledge (6th Nov, 404 Media)

Renegotiating truth in the age of AI. What’s True? Between Image and Illusion – Ars Electronica Blog (12th Nov, ARS Electronica)

Governance and geopolitics

The EU plans to reshape the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the AI Act, and the ePrivacy rules, long seen as global benchmarks for AI and privacy. EU Set the Global Standard on Privacy and AI. Now It’s Pulling Back | TechPolicy.Press (10th Nov, Tech Policy Press)

The European Commission may set up a dedicated intelligence cell to strengthen security amid geopolitical difficulties. European Commission weighs creation of intelligence arm amid global tensions | Reuters (11th Nov, Reuters)

The European Democracy Shield and the EU Strategy for Civil Society present measures to protect the key pillars of democratic systems: free people, free and fair elections, free and independent media, a vibrant civil society, and strong democratic institutions. European Democracy Shield and EU Strategy for Civil Society (12th Nov, European Commission)

Digital power reimagined

Instead of keeping children out of digital spaces, SinarProject asks whether platforms can be made safe by design, for everyone. Making digital spaces safer for everyone – not just children — Sinar Project