When internet regulation goes wrong, Roblox goes all-in on age verification and the real Zuck
Hello and welcome to Everything in Moderation's Week in Review, your need-to-know news and analysis about platform policy, content moderation and internet regulation. It's written by me, Ben Whitelaw and supported by members like you.
There’s a few spots left for the back-to-school/birthday drinks that I’m hosting in London in a few weeks’ time with Georgia Iacovou (Horrific/Terrific). Judging by the folks that have registered, you'll want to be there. And if you’re an organisation or company interested in teaming up for a future event, get in touch — I'd love to talk.
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Here's everything you you need to know this week — BW
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Policies
New and emerging internet policy and online speech regulation
This week’s Gen Z protests in Nepal — which have led to more than 50 deaths and more than 1300 injuries, according to Al Jazeera — show just what's at stake when it comes to government attempts to regulate the internet. Medianama has the best explainer on how an impromptu social media ban lit longstanding flames of discontent and led to widespread violence and the resignation of Prime Minster KP Sharma Oli.
It's also one of the main talking points in this week's Ctrl-Alt-Speech.
A significant and and long-in the-making milestone passed in Australia this week — six new industry codes designed to protect children from “lawful but awful content”. It takes the total number of online safety codes down under up to 15 and comes after months of back-and forth between industry associations and the eSafety Commission, which criticised its first version of the codes back in April (EiM #275).
Julie Inman Grant, the eSafety Commissioner highlighted the codes specific focus on AI chatbots — which have attracted significant media attention and will now be the subject of a US Federal Trade Commission probe — as well as “how a co-regulatory approach can be successful and deliver meaningful safety protections”. The codes come into effect March 2026.