The Asia Pacific is the most dynamic digital landscape in the world, home to the fastest adopters of new technologies and the largest concentration of mobile and social media users. An escalation in online activism, changing cyber dynamics, developments in digital diplomacy and the exploitation of big data are shaping the region's engagement with the world.
- Google has overhauled its translation service using an AI-powered translator. Available now for Mandarin, Quartz journalists put the new AI method to the test.
- As Indonesia becomes an increasingly digital nation, opportunities abound to use new technologies to bring Australia and Indonesia closer.
- There has been no mobile internet in India-administered Kashmir for over two months.
- North Korea has accidentally revealed it hosts only these 28 websites (as a comparison Germany has 16 million, China 10 million).
- Hong Kong Chief Executive CY Leung received an online roasting via Facebook Live last week when his press briefing was flooded with angry emoticons.
- The NY Times reports on China's start-up boom.
- There is scepticism from all corners about India's preparedness for cyber attacks.
- Chinese cyber operations are shifting and it appears operators previously attacking US and western targets have been re-tasked to exploit targets in Asia.
- How social media is creating an alternative space for assembly, freedom of expression and a challenge to the political elite in Fiji.
- Xinhua, China's state news agency, is under fire for sexist tweeting via its sports-focused Twitter account.
- Silicon Valley investors are trying to disrupt India's seafood market with new delivery service freshtohome.com.
- China's most valuable company, internet giant Tencent (WeChat, QQ.com), tries to disrupt itself before it is forcibly disrupted. This style of 'intrapreneurship' involves enlisting multiple teams to work on the same products and problems (currently six teams are working on a new live-streaming service).
- North Korea's state broadcaster KCTV has introduced a basic Netflix style on-demand streaming service called 'Manbang'. In a very 90s fashion, KCTV explains how it works: