Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the role and effect of disclaimer dimensions in digital communication specifically in enhancing user engagement, perceived credibility and fostering innovation in digital communication. The study is motivated by the ongoing debate on whether disclaimers operate primarily through central or peripheral processing routes in the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) framework and how these effects interact with digital literacy. Design/methodology/approach Survey was conducted to collect data from 2,980 participants within eight major cities, who have recently encountered a digital disclaimer. The results were obtained through a covariance-based structural equation modelling (CB-SEM) with SPSS AMOS and moderation analysis with the PROCESS macro. Findings The analytical results reveal that if disclaimers are clearly visible, comprehensive and culturally sensitive they lead to better user engagement and trustworthiness. Moderation analysis reveals the role of digital literacy and concludes that higher digital literacy helps online content users to understand the disclaimer. Originality/value This study is one of its own kind that focuses on the role of disclaimers in leading towards innovation in digital communication. This research is helpful for the policy makers to develop digital literacy initiatives and the design of effective disclaimers as it empirically tested both central and peripheral processing routes of disclaimers in a high-usage digital content environment.

The publisher wishes to retract the article Agus Hermanto, Solimun Solimun, Adji Achmad Rinaldo Fernandes, Wahyono Wahyono, Zulkarnain Zulkarnain, (2018) “The importance of open government data for the private sector and NGOs in Indonesia”, Digital Policy, Regulation and Governance, Vol. 20 No. 4, pp. 293-309, Link to the cited article.. This is because a substantial portion of the article is taken, without attribution, from other sources.These sources are:The Digital Policy, Regulation and Governance guidelines make it clear that articles must be original and must not infringe on any existing copyright. The journal sincerely apologises to its readers.

Purpose This study aims to examine the unintended consequences of the Digital Markets Act (DMA). It focuses on the impact of the DMA on new entry and the investment environment in Europe, beyond the global Big Tech companies directly regulated by the law. Design/methodology/approach Using a difference-in-differences model, the analysis is based on a data set comprising 1,034 startup and investment records from 27 EU member countries spanning 2020–2024. This design enables a robust estimation of the DMA’s causal effects on DMA-related industries. Findings Empirical analysis shows that the DMA negatively impacted market new entry and investment in DMA-related industries. Contrary to its original intent to promote competition, the DMA has reduced the attractiveness of startups and created a less favorable investment environment. Originality/value This study provides important insights into the unintended policy side effects of the DMA. It highlights the need for regulators to consider the broader impact on entrepreneurship and market dynamics.

Purpose Gender disparities in financial inclusion hinder women’s economic empowerment and constrain global economic growth. This study examines the evolution of financial inclusion gaps between men and women across G20 countries from 2017 to 2021, investigating gender disparities in seven key segments: financial institution account ownership, saving and borrowing behavior, debit/credit card ownership, digital payments and online financial activities. By leveraging data from the Global Findex Database 2021 and employing descriptive statistics and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests, this study aims to determine whether significant gender gaps exist in financial access and usage. Design/methodology/approach This study analyzes gender disparities in financial inclusion across G20 countries. Utilizing data from the Global Findex Database 2021 and employing descriptive statistics and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests, the study found no statistically significant gender differences across the examined variables in the G20 sample, contrasting with global trends indicating persistent gender gaps. However, country-level analysis revealed notable disparities, particularly in Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Brazil. Findings The findings highlight the necessity of targeted measures to close the gender gap, such as financial literacy initiatives, broader digital access, trust-building efforts and the development of gender-responsive financial products. The study supports the policy approaches of the World Economic Forum and the Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion, stressing the critical role of regulatory reforms, digital financial services and collaborative partnerships in advancing women’s financial inclusion. Practical implications The study underscores the urgent need for policy-driven actions to close gender gaps in financial inclusion. Governments and financial institutions should expand digital access, improve financial literacy and develop gender-sensitive products to empower women. Strengthening regulations, fostering public–private partnerships and using gender-disaggregated data—especially in Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Brazil—can create inclusive financial ecosystems. Trust-building initiatives and fintech innovations are also key to ensuring women’s equitable access to digital payments, credit and other services. By addressing these areas, G20 countries can advance gender equality in digital finance, economically empower women and support sustainable development aligned with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 5. Originality/value This study offers a unique contribution by analyzing gender disparities in financial inclusion exclusively within G20 countries from 2017 to 2021, using Global Findex Database 2021. Unlike prior research that highlights persistent global gender gaps, this study finds no significant disparities at the G20 level, while uncovering country-specific differences in Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Brazil. The study employs a Wilcoxon rank-sum test, providing a robust statistical approach. Furthermore, it aligns with the World Economic Forum and the Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion frameworks, offering policy-relevant insights and practical recommendations. These findings contribute to the evolving discourse on digital financial inclusion and gender equity in high-impact economies.

Purpose This study aims to examine the impact of digital literacy as a major component of digital inequality on the total income of individuals (a major component of economic inequality) in Sri Lanka, emphasizing the variations observed due to several demographic and geographical factors. Design/methodology/approach A baseline regression analysis using ordinary least squares was conducted, followed by an instrumental variable approach to address potential endogeneity. Variables such as age, education, gender, sector and employment status were included alongside digital literacy to examine their combined effect on total income. A logit model assessed digital literacy’s impact across income levels, while heterogeneity analysis explored how digital literacy influenced total income in diverse groups with distinct attributes. Findings This study reveals that digital literacy significantly increases total income for individuals in Sri Lanka, as affirmed by various analyses used in the study. Results further indicate that demographic characteristics, such as age, gender, level of education, location, employment status and digital literacy, significantly affect individuals’ total income. Originality/value This study contributes to the literature in multiple ways by exploring the impact of digital literacy on income inequalities by concentrating on different strata of society without focusing on one segment of society, focusing on individuals in a developing country in South Asia to investigate the income inequalities based on their level of digital literacy and using Labour Force Survey data to conduct research on digital inclusion and digital inequality.

Purpose This article aims to examine the tension between freedom of expression and personal data protection, focusing on criminal conviction and offence data under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). It analyses how legal frameworks, particularly Article 85 of the GDPR, attempt to reconcile public access to information with individual data privacy rights harmoniously. Design/methodology/approach Using a legal doctrinal approach primarily, this study examines GDPR provisions, especially Article 85, alongside relevant case law. The principle of proportionality serves as a key analytical tool to assess the necessity and justification of legal restrictions on data processing. Findings The research underscores the delicate balance between freedom of expression and data protection concerning criminal records. Article 85 plays a crucial role in establishing journalistic exemptions while ensuring data privacy. The principle of proportionality is vital in preventing disproportionate restrictions, requiring case-by-case evaluations. The study highlights the evolving nature of privacy-publicity conflicts, with the right to be forgotten serving as a safeguard against undue harm from outdated or minor convictions. Research limitations/implications This study has limitations, including its reliance on case-specific analyses, which overlook the broader impacts of the evolving digital media landscape, particularly social media and user-generated content. The focus on European legal frameworks (e.g. GDPR) restricts generalisability to non-EU jurisdictions with differing standards. Additionally, the analysis emphasises journalistic exemptions, neglecting other forms of expression – such as academic, artistic and literary – that also require balancing against personal data protection rights. Practical implications The research provides practical guidance for balancing data protection and freedom of expression, particularly under GDPR Article 85. It underscores the need for case-by-case assessments, ensuring proportionality and necessity when handling criminal conviction data. Policymakers and legal practitioners can use these insights to refine journalistic exemptions and prevent data misuse, especially in digital media contexts. Organisations, including media platforms, are encouraged to adopt responsible data-handling practices to safeguard privacy while enabling public interest reporting. Finally, the findings stress the importance of dynamic frameworks that adapt to evolving societal and technological contexts, supporting fair outcomes for both data protection and expression rights. Social implications This research highlights the delicate balance between individual data protection rights and freedom of expression, particularly regarding criminal conviction data. Its implications extend to societal concerns over data privacy, the potential misuse of personal information and the long-term impact on individuals, especially those with minor or outdated offences. As digital media evolves, these issues become more pressing, with the rise of social media and user-generated content complicating the legal landscape. Ensuring that privacy is upheld without stifling public access to essential information is crucial for maintaining both rights and societal transparency in an increasingly interconnected world. Originality/value This study enriches the debate on data protection and freedom of expression in crime-related data processing. By addressing journalistic exemptions and the evolving media landscape, it provides a nuanced perspective on safeguarding privacy while maintaining transparency in an era of digital accessibility.

Purpose In mission to assess the results of public policies about governance, planning and management operations, Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) stand out as institutions with powers and duties directly attributed to them by the Federal Constitution. This paper aims to discuss the main requirements of public policies for implementing sixth-generation (6G) in Brazil and a control strategy carried out by the Federal Court of Accounts (TCU) to ensure the quality, efficiency and effectiveness of the future mobile service to be provided in the country. Design/methodology/approach This paper uses qualitative research based on previous literature and analysis of the Brazilian mobile communications scenario. This leads to a strategy to inform future research and auditing practices. Findings The 6G technology will require policymakers to develop a new regulatory agenda capable of providing equality of service to the population, optimizing investments and meeting the technological criteria required by the next mobile generation. Therefore, it is vitally important that the SAI, through new oversight strategies, has a holistic understanding of the development and deployment of 6G in the national territory, the coordination of the various stakeholders, efficiency in the application of public resources and the promotion of digital inclusion. Research limitations/implications Given policymakers’ lack of strategic planning for the dissemination of 6G, it is difficult to accurately predict all the issues in the proposed auditing strategy. Practical implications 6G mobile network technology will set new standards to meet performance requirements currently unattainable by fifth-generation networks. This is due to the need for a more robust, intelligent, ultra-low latency network with extreme data rates and support for a wide range of interconnected applications. Originality/value This study contributes to the literature by providing an approach to the main auditing parameters from the perspective of external control for the successful deployment of 6G technology in Brazil. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, it is the first work in this area.

Purpose This study aims to analyze public discourse on decentralized finance (DeFi) and central bank digital currencies (CBDC) using advanced natural language processing (NLP) techniques to uncover key insights that can guide financial policy and innovation. This research seeks to fill the gap in the existing literature by applying state-of-the-art NLP models like BERT and RoBERTa to understand the evolving online discourse around DeFi and CBDC. Design/methodology/approach This study uses a multilabel classification using BERT and RoBERTa models alongside BERTopic for topic modeling. Data is collected from social media platforms, including Twitter and LinkedIn, as well as relevant documents, to analyze public sentiment and discourse. Model performance is evaluated based on accuracy, precision, recall and F1-scores. Findings RoBERTa outperforms BERT in classification accuracy and precision across all metrics, making it more effective in categorizing public discourse on DeFi and CBDC. BERTopic identifies five key topics frequently discussed, such as financial inclusion, competition and growth in DeFi, with important implications for policymakers. Practical implications The insights derived from this study provide valuable information for financial regulators and policymakers to develop more informed, data-driven strategies for implementing and regulating DeFi and CBDC. Public discourse analysis enables policymakers to understand emerging concerns and trends critical for crafting effective financial policies. Originality/value This study is among the first to use advanced NLP models, including RoBERTa and BERTopic, to analyze public discourse on DeFi and CBDC. It offers novel insights into the potential challenges and opportunities these innovations present. It contributes to the growing body of research on the intersection of digital financial technologies and public sentiment.

Purpose Central banks globally are actively investigating the issuance of central bank digital currencies, a digital form of fiat money. In this light, this study aims to explore and empirically validate the factors that enable or inhibit user behavioral intentions to adopt the digital rupee in India. Design/methodology/approach The study employed dual-factor theory (DFT) to capture the users’ perceptions of both enablers and inhibitors of the digital rupee. The authors gathered survey data from 351 individuals in India through online questionnaires. The authors used partial least squares structural equation modeling and multigroup analysis (MGA) to evaluate the proposed conceptual model. Findings The findings reveal that enablers such as perceived government support, trialability and similarity positively influence users’ attitudes toward the digital rupee. In contrast, inhibitors such as usage, value and risk barriers increase users’ resistance. Attitude has a significant positive impact on the intention to use the digital rupee, while resistance significantly reduces the intention to adopt it. MGA results highlight the importance of gender and income status in understanding intention to use the digital rupee. Originality/value By applying DFT, the study identifies a set of enablers and inhibitors that influence the behavioral intention to use the digital rupee in India. It provides actionable insights for governments and central bankers to devise effective policies, design considerations and targeted interventions, ensuring a sustainable environment for the successful implementation of the digital rupee.

PurposeThis study aims to investigate the impact of ex-ante regulatory interventions on emerging digital markets related to data sharing and combination practices. Specifically, it evaluates how such interventions influence market contestability by considering data network effects and the economic value of data.Design/methodology/approachThe research uses agent-based modeling and simulations to analyze the dynamics of value generation and market competition related to the regulatory obligations on data sharing and combination practices.FindingsResults show that while the promotion of data sharing through data portability and interoperability has a positive impact on the market, restricting data combination may damage value generation or, at best, have no positive impact even when it is imposed only on those platforms with very large market shares. More generally, the results emphasize the role of regulators in enabling the market through interoperability and service multihoming. Data sharing through portability fosters competition, while the usage of complementary data enhances platform value without necessarily harming the market. Service provider multihoming complements these efforts.Research limitations/implicationsAlthough agent-based modeling and simulations describe the dynamics of data markets and platform competition, they do not provide accurate forecasts of possible market outcomes.Originality/valueThis paper presents a novel approach to understanding the dynamics of data value generation and the effects of related regulatory interventions. In the absence of real-world data, agent-based modeling provides a means to understand the general dynamics of data markets under different regulatory decisions that have yet to be implemented. This analysis is timely given the emergence of regulatory concerns on how to stimulate a competitive digital market and a shift toward ex-ante regulation, such as the regulatory obligations to large gatekeepers set in the Digital Markets Act.