In this edition
Ian Richards on Digital Government
WHO: Economic Impact of Ageism
FAO Increases Emergency Aid
European Commission Fines Apple and Meta
WTO: Dispute Settlement Body Stalled
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WHO Ageism Scale
A new way to measure ageism
Get your teams on-board for this webinar, as it is most of the time unconscious bias. Particularly in environments where the young treat people above the age of 50 as deaf or clueless. :-) Particularly when it comes to knowing how to use new technologies. A myth “perpetrated” by none other than Mark Zuckerberg, when he said he only hired young people because “they knew how to use tech”.
One of his many clueless statements, in his long career of misappropriating concepts to suit his greed. Move fast and break things? He broke things alright. Starting with Democracy, with a capital letter. His obsession with Roman Emperors? Odd.
See the latest Facebook/Meta whistleblower Senate hearings for more.
Starts at 42:06
Meta whistleblower, at her US Senate hearing, Sarah Wynn-Williams, a former Facebook high-ranking policy advisor, and former New Zealand diplomat, is very specific naming the evidence of Facebook’s willful nefarious behavior, one being that not one of Facebook or Instagram executives let their children use these tools.
She speaks about the use of research by Facebook on the emotional vulnerability of young mothers, and adolescents, to serve them ads that further eroded their psychological stability, leading to suicide and bodily harms. And also allowing children and adolescents on the social media platforms owned by Meta, Facebook and Instagram, to be groomed by sexual predators, who asked for nude pictures, which then blackmailed these children with publishing these pictures, and that led to these children and adolescents killing themselves. Just one of the many examples of the disgraceful outcomes from Facebook’s negligence.
If there was ever a clear argument to not let your children and adolescents be on these social media platforms that is it. No tech executive in Silicon Valley lets their kids near Facebook, TikTok, Snapchat, or Instagram. These tools are for the illiterate.
There is also the business of doing business with China. But that is another chapter on the saga of Facebook dishonesty and other geopolitical negative influence that led to the killing of the Rohingya and the largest refugee camp in Southeast Asia.
Knowing how to use new tech depends on socio-economic factors, the youth that has access to the latest phones and computers and have schools connected have a clear advantage over the child that has no access at all to the Internet.
The same applies to older persons. The higher your income bracket greater are the chances that you have, use, and is very at ease using new technologies.
Enough said.
Have you 20 and 30 years-old watch this webinar. End ageism for all.
Because I hear that the young also suffer from ageism, of being told that they lack “experience”. But they cannot get experience if they are not given opportunities.
Monday 28 April - online.
Join this webinar from 14:30 – 15:45 CEST on the new WHO Ageism Scale: a set of metrics designed to monitor ageism levels worldwide, illuminate its drivers and consequences, and evaluate the impact of interventions to reduce ageism. Register for the webinar.
This first-of-its-kind tool, developed for the WHO Global Campaign to Combat Ageism, marks a significant step forward in our global effort to take action to combat ageism and create #AWorld4AllAges.
Ageism is how we think (stereotypes), feel (prejudices), and act (discrimination) towards others or ourselves based on age, and is harmful to our health and well-being. Source: WHO
European Commission Fines Apple and Meta for Violating the Digital Markets Act
By Agostina Cerisoli
The European Commission imposed a 500 million euro fine on Apple and a 200 million fine on Meta, as Apple’s rules for its App Store and Meta’s ‘pay or consent’ advertising model both violate the Digital Markets Act (DMA), while threatening consumer’s rights.
Despite earlier warnings made by the European Commission on the 24th of June 2024 and on the first of July 2024, Apple and Meta still managed to be in breach of the DMA. Now, the Commission has put on a tighter grip: giving Apple and Meta 60 days to comply with their decisions- where failure to do so could result in additional penalties.
“The DMA is a crucial instrument to unlock potential, choice, and growth by ensuring digital players can operate in contestable and fair markets: protecting European consumers and levels in the playing field,” said Teresa Ribera- the EC Executive Vice-President for Clean, Just and Competitive Transition.
It does not only protect the business, but its consumers, ensuring that citizens have full control of how and when their data is used online. “The decisions adopted today find that both Apple and Meta have taken away this free choice from their users and are required to change their behaviour,” noted Henna Virkkunnen - the Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy.
It is a regulatory tool which establishes a set of clearly defined criteria which digital platforms must comply- these include, obligations and prohibitions- the European Commission is its sole enforcer.
While Apple has been found breaching its anti-steering obligation under the DMA, Meta breached the DMA obligation to give consumers the choice of a service that uses less of their personal data.
For Apple, the violation was thus found in their App Store, as they found that instead of informing their customers- free of charge- of alternative offers outside the App Store, Apple has set a number of restrictions on these. This causes app developers not to be fully able to benefit from the advantages of alternative distribution channels outside the App Store. Additionally, consumers cannot fully benefit from alternative and cheaper offers as Apple prevents app developers from directly informing consumers of such offers.
Because Apple has failed to demonstrate that these restrictions are objectively necessary and proportionate, the Commission has ordered Apple to remove the technical and commercial restrictions on steering.
While for Meta, their ‘Consent or Pay’ advertising model, was found not to be compliant with the DMA. Introduced in 2023, this advertising model gives EU users of Facebook and Instagram a choice between consenting to personal data combination for personalised advertising or paying a monthly subscription for an ad-free service.
WTO
At the latest Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) Meeting, on Friday 25 th April, Ambassador Clare Kelly (New Zealand), presided over a charged agenda. Tariffs, trade in information technology, all happening, and a new push for appointments that were stalled.
European Union
Definitive Countervailing Duties on New Battery Electric Vehicles from China
China submitted its second request for the establishment of a dispute panel regarding the EU's countervailing duties on new battery electric vehicles from China. China considers the EU measures inconsistent with WTO law.
The EU maintains its measures are justified and consistent with WTO rules. The DSB agreed to establish the panel. Australia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, India, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Mexico, Norway, the Russian Federation, Singapore, Switzerland, Thailand, Türkiye, the UK and the US reserved their third-party rights.
Appellate Body appointments proposal
Colombia, on behalf of 130 members, reintroduced the proposal to start the selection processes for filling Appellate Body vacancies.
The United States reiterated its concerns with WTO dispute settlement and did not support the proposal. Twenty-five members reiterated their support and the need to restore a fully functioning dispute settlement system.
Colombia regretted the continued blocking of the selection processes. Australia, Canada, China, the EU (27), Hong Kong China, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, and Singapore urged members to consider joining the Multi-party interim appeal arrangement (MPIA).
India
Tariff Treatment in the ICT Sector
Chinese Taipei and India requested additional time for the DSB to consider the panel rulings. The DSB agreed to delay consideration of the reports until 24 October 2025.
The next regular DSB meeting will take place on 23 May.
FAO Increases Emergency Aid in Myanmar Following the Aftermath of the Earthquake
By Agostina Cerisoli
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has called for emergency aid following the aftermath of the earthquake on March 28th, requiring $8.3 million to reach nearly 71 000 people - approximately 14,400 households.
OHCHR reports that as of April 2025, more than 19.9 million people in Myanmar- over a third of the population- are currently in need of humanitarian assistance.
The earthquake severely affected and destroyed livelihoods, infrastructure, agricultural equipment and inputs, and food production. Many farmers lost their homes and are now facing critical shortages.
“The United Nations preliminary analysis shows that over nine million people were affected by this earthquake,” said FAO Representative in Myanmar Yuka Makino. “Farmers lost their fields. Families are without homes and entire communities are struggling to rebuild.”
Farmers are now facing shortages on seeds, fertilizers, and other inputs, making this issue ever so pressing and FAO’s mission urgent since the monsoon planting season is coming ahead, in June 2025.
FAO is scaling up aid to support and help their rural communities recover between April and September 2025. Providing agricultural inputs, and financial and infrastructure support to rural families, their goals are to restore food production, provide rapid income support, and rebuild essential infrastructure.
Its vision is to protect lives, the economy, heritage, and environment, through inclusive approach, towards sustainable development in Myanmar.
To add, the disaster caused widespread destruction across Myanmar’s key agricultural regions, such as Sagaing, Mandalay, Magway, and Shan. Specifically, over 3.7 million hectares of croplands in these regions were exposed to the earthquake and suffered from its effects. This destruction severely affects Myanmar's food production as these regions account for a significant share of the country’s livestock, and produces one-third of Myanmar’s cereals and nearly 80% of its maize.
The earthquake also triggered landslides, tremors and cracks, hitting townships such as Tanguoo, Sagaing, Shwebo, Oktwin, and Nyaungshwe. These destroyed and wiped out rice, oilseeds, and vegetables standing crops. Livestock shelters, feedstock supplies, and fishponds were also severely destroyed.
Among other purposes, they outline response plans under the Flash Appeal- a rapid request for humanitarian response after a sudden crisis. These include; distribution of seeds and fertilizers for monsoon and winter planting, providing vegetable kits for quick food access within 4-6 weeks, and cash-for-work schemes to rebuild infrastructures such as irrigation canals, farm roads, and markets.
Makino further notes that these issues related to food insecurity are exacerbated with the compound crises that Myanmar has been facing - regarding challenges from ongoing instability, disrupted supply chains, limited labour, and difficulties in accessing agricultural inputs. These overlapping challenges and issues make FAO’s mission even more critical.
“No farmer must be left behind in the recovery process,” highlights FAO. Their response aims to reach 400,000 people and is part of the broader Humanitarian efforts under the UN Myanmar Earthquake Flash Appeal and the 2025 Humanitarian Needs Response Plan, in which they require $28.5 million in total funding.
UN in New York
Key Meetings of UN Governance Mechanisms
The second resumed session of the UN General Assembly's Fifth Committee is scheduled for 5-30 May and will focus on funding for 12 peacekeeping operations for 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026.
A leaked US memo about State Department budget cuts indicates a desire to eliminate American contributions for international peacekeeping.
The Fifth Committee session will also include further discussions on the Secretariat's liquidity crisis which was deferred from the first resumed session.
The same leaked memo indicates a desire to reduce contributions to all international organizations from $1.5 billion to $169 million.
All of this will make it particularly challenging for the Fifth Committee to negotiate a meaningful consensus at the upcoming session.
The World Health Assembly, WHO's governing body, will meet from 19-27 May in Geneva and also discuss late payments and arrears by member states, including $215 million of arrears for 2024 assessed funds. 25% of those 2024 arrears stem from the United States, indicating there is also a significant lack of payment by other member states.
Check out UN Governance News page to learn more.
