Today’s ESG Updates
- EU Calls for Privacy-Preserving Age Verification Systems: The investigation highlights growing concerns over child safety under the Digital Services Act.
- Second Strait at Risk as Iran Escalation Threatens Global Supply: A potential blockade of the Bab el-Mandeb strait could disrupt 10% of global energy supplies.
- Conflict in Iran Both Accelerates and Threatens Green Transition: The Iran war is accelerating calls for renewables while strengthening fossil fuel demand.
- New Micro Implant Uses Light to Read Brain Signals: Researchers have developed a grain-sized neural implant that can wirelessly monitor brain activity for over a year, marking a major step in minimally invasive brain technology.
Platforms accused of prioritising reputation over child protection
The European Commission has charged major adult content platforms, including Pornhub, Stripchat, XNXX, and XVideos, with breaching rules under the Digital Services Act for failing to protect minors. Following a 10-month investigation, regulators found that children are still able to easily access explicit content due to weak safeguards.
EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen warned that “children are accessing adult content at increasingly younger ages” and stressed the need for “robust, privacy-preserving and effective measures.” The Commission criticised platforms for relying on basic self-declaration tools, noting that a simple click confirming users are over 18 is insufficient. It also accused the companies of prioritising reputation over “societal risks to minors.” If violations are confirmed, the platforms could face fines of up to 6% of their global annual turnover.
Pornhub’s parent company Aylo responded that current age-verification methods “often fail,” raising privacy concerns and potentially pushing users toward “unregulated sites with little or no safety infrastructure.”
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Further reading: Pornhub, Stripchat, XNXX, XVideos charged with breaching EU tech rules, risk fines
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Iran threatens second oil chokepoint as Red Sea tensions rise
Fears are growing that the Bab el-Mandeb Strait could become the next major flashpoint in the ongoing Iran–U.S.–Israel tensions, adding to disruptions already linked to the Strait of Hormuz. The Red Sea route carries roughly 10% of global oil and gas, and analysts warn any closure could send prices soaring to $150 per barrel.
An Iranian official has already hinted at escalation, warning of “insecurity in other straits,” while experts believe the Iran-backed Houthis could step in. As one analyst put it, “I have no doubt… the Houthis will… block the Bab el-Mandeb strait,” and even limited attacks could make tanker operations “impossible.” Although negotiations are ongoing, the situation remains tense. “We are not in a situation where the Iranians are capitulating,” one expert said, highlighting just how uncertain things still are.
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Further reading: Trump faces new oil shock threat as Iran eyes second strait
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Energy crisis spurs renewables push but boosts fossil fuels
The ongoing conflict involving Iran is having a mixed impact on the global energy transition. Disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, which carries about 20% of the world’s oil, have helped trigger what the International Energy Agency describes as the “worst oil crisis in history.
On the one hand, the situation is reinforcing the value of renewables. As one expert put it, “electricity generated from wind and solar is largely insulated from fossil fuel price volatility,” and countries with stronger clean energy systems are feeling less pressure. But the picture isn’t straightforward. Supply chain disruptions and rising costs are making it harder to expand renewables quickly. At the same time, fossil fuels are seeing a short-term boost. “Renewables are winners here, but so is coal,” one analyst said, as countries fall back on coal and expand gas projects to meet demand.
There’s also a longer-term concern that high prices will drive more investment into fossil fuels, locking in “exploration, extraction and export infrastructure” for years to come.
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Further reading: What does the Iran war mean for clean energy transition?
Tiny brain implant the size of a grain of salt tracks neural activity
Researchers at Cornell University have developed an ultra-miniature neural implant capable of wirelessly tracking brain activity. The device, called MOTE (microscale optoelectronic tetherless electrode), is small enough to sit on a grain of salt, yet it can transmit data for more than a year. The implant uses red and infrared laser light to power itself and send signals, eliminating the need for wires. According to researcher Alyosha Molnar, “this is the smallest neural implant that will measure electrical activity in the brain and then report it out wirelessly.”
By using optical communication, the device requires very little power while maintaining reliable data transmission. Researchers say the technology could enable new ways to study the brain and may even allow monitoring during MRI scans, something current implants struggle to achieve.
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Further reading: This tiny implant, smaller than a grain of salt, can read your brain
Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed here by the authors are their own, not those of impakter.com — In the Cover Photo: EU Regulators Say Porn Sites Prioritised Reputation Over Child Safety. Cover Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons / Håkan Dahlström
