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Our World in Data
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- 1Irish watchdog fines Google €403 million over GDPR breaches●Irish data protection watchdog fines Google €403M over GDPR breaches
Google has been fined €403 million by Ireland's Data Protection Commission for breaches of the EU's General Data Protection Regulation. The Irish Times reports the decision by the regulator, which oversees many major US tech firms because of their European headquarters in Ireland. The penalty is one of the largest GDPR fines issued to date, underlining continued EU scrutiny of how large technology companies handle users' personal data.
- 2Jury finds Facebook liable in Cambridge Analytica deception case●Jury finds Facebook liable for deceiving users in Cambridge Analytica case
A jury has found Facebook liable for deceiving users in the long-running Cambridge Analytica case, stemming from the scandal in which data from millions of users' profiles was harvested without proper consent and used for political targeting. The verdict marks a rare courtroom setback for Meta over its privacy practices. Observers are watching closely for the penalties the company now faces.
- 3Elon Musk Gives Wide-Ranging Interview to Chinese State Media●BREAKING: Elon Musk’s new full interview with CMG. 0:15 On Xi Jinping 1:03 Tesla Shanghai factory 2:27 Cybercab rollout
Elon Musk has given a new full interview to CMG, China's state broadcaster, covering a broad range of topics. The discussion touches on Xi Jinping, the Tesla Shanghai factory, the Cybercab rollout, the pace of AI breakthroughs, Grok, SpaceX and Tesla data for real-world AI, and Chinese AI models and the compute gap. The interview is drawing attention for Musk's engagement with Chinese leadership and industry at a moment of high US-China tech tensions.
- 4
Foreign aid contributions from nearly all of the world's top 10 donor countries declined in 2025, according to Our World in Data. The drop marks a broad retreat in development assistance among the largest donors, raising concerns about funding for humanitarian and development programmes in recipient countries.
- 5US Immigration in Historical Perspective Examined●How high is current immigration to the United States in historical perspective?
New analysis from Our World in Data examines how current immigration levels to the United States compare with earlier periods in the country's history. The piece places recent flows in long-term context, looking at foreign-born population shares over time and prompting debate about whether today's numbers are historically unprecedented or within past norms.
- 6Unmanned 'robust little' vessel sets off on 22,000km Antarctica climate mission●‘Robust little’ vessel begins treacherous 22,000km journey around # Antarctica in the name of # climate science https://
A saildrone, an unmanned, hurricane-proof research vessel, has begun a roughly 22,000km circumnavigation of Antarctica, departing from Hobart. The voyage aims to gather climate science data from some of the world's most dangerous waters, where few crewed ships can operate. Observers are sharing the story, impressed that a small robotic craft is attempting a route that has tested even experienced sailors.
- 7New Mexico jury finds Facebook liable over privacy deception●New Mexico jury finds Facebook liable of deceiving users about privacy protections
A jury in New Mexico has found Facebook liable for deceiving users about its privacy protections, according to PBS reporting. The verdict stems from claims that the company misled users about how their personal data and privacy settings were handled. It marks another legal setback for Meta's social network in the United States and could shape ongoing scrutiny of the platform's privacy practices nationwide.
- 8Google to Test AI Chips in Space with Project Suncatcher▼Google Plans First Test of AI Chips in Space under Project Suncatcher
Google has announced Project Suncatcher, an initiative to test its AI chips in space for the first time. The plan points to putting data-processing hardware aboard satellites, a step that could eventually move parts of AI computing off Earth. The announcement is drawing attention across the tech and semiconductor world, with observers weighing the engineering challenges of running chips in orbit and what it could mean for the future of data centers.
- 9WHO Africa pushes AI-assisted health emergency preparedness across borders▼Advancing Africa’s cross-border collaboration through AI-assisted health emergency preparedness
The World Health Organization's Africa regional office is highlighting efforts to strengthen cross-border collaboration on health emergency preparedness using artificial intelligence. The initiative aims to help African countries detect and respond to outbreaks and other health crises faster by sharing data and coordinating responses across national boundaries.
- 10Data and AI Can Speed Up Climate Responses, Experts Say▼Data And AI Tech Can Speed Up Our Responses To Climate Change, Not Replace Them
Food Tank argues that data and AI technologies can accelerate responses to climate change, but should support rather than replace existing climate action. The piece emphasizes that tools like data analytics and artificial intelligence are complements to established environmental strategies, helping speed up decision-making and implementation, not substitutes for the fundamental work of reducing emissions and adapting to a warming world.
- 11
Startup Midcentury has raised a $15 million seed round to build training data for physical AI systems such as robots and autonomous machines. The funding signals continued investor appetite for startups supplying high-quality data to the physical AI sector, where collecting real-world sensor and motion data is considered a key bottleneck for training capable models.
- 12Midcentury raises $15 million seed to tackle robotics data bottleneck●Midcentury emerged from stealth with a $15 million seed round to address the data bottleneck in robotics. Source: Ventur
Robotics startup Midcentury has come out of stealth with a $15 million seed round aimed at solving one of the field's biggest constraints: the shortage of usable training data for physical AI systems. The funding, reported by Ventureburn, positions the young company among a growing wave of startups betting that better data infrastructure will unlock progress in real-world robotics.