News - For Consumers
Daily digest of all European digital development news
Borrowed Plumes? EU Reclaims Simple iOS-Android Switch for Itself
Brussels is claiming credit for Apple and Google's revamped tools to ease user migration between iOS and Android. The European Commission sees this as a win for the Digital Markets Act and its data portability demands.
Strategic AI Alliance: Telekom is working with OpenAI on an EU solution
Deutsche Telekom and OpenAI have partnered to develop AI products tailored for the European market. This multi-year agreement focuses on creating solutions specifically for the continent's needs.
Translate the web your way, plus choose the Firefox icon that suits your vibe
Mozilla is rolling out on-device web translations for iOS Firefox users, starting with German, French, Japanese, Spanish, and Portuguese. This new feature translates pages directly on the device, ensuring user privacy and offline access.
DMA: Meta gives EU users more choices regarding targeted advertising
Meta will offer EU users Facebook and Instagram services with fewer targeted ads, following approval from the EU Commission. This change comes after the company's commitment to comply with the Digital Markets Act (DMA).
Press Release: EU stands up to Big Tech with €120 million fine to X
The European Commission fined X €120 million for violating the Digital Services Act, a major win for digital regulation. This action underscores the EU's commitment to holding online platforms accountable for misleading users and undermining democracy.
In Finland, they already know how to deal with the excess heat from data centers: converting it into district heating
Helsinki is utilizing excess heat from data centers to warm homes, marking a shift in urban heating. This initiative, involving companies like Equinix, Telia, and Elisa, reuses heat from servers to warm tens of thousands of homes.
EU-Korea Digital Trade Agreement: Bridging digital markets for the benefit of consumers
The EU and Korea finalized a Digital Trade Agreement, aiming to strengthen consumer rights in online markets. The agreement focuses on consumer protection, data privacy, and product safety, creating a framework for cross-border digital trade.
The map of the planet's buildings that Google has not been able to find: an atlas that reveals what we had not seen before
A team from the Technical University of Munich launched the GlobalBuildingAtlas, mapping 2. 75 billion buildings worldwide in 3D using satellite imagery....
Data protection scandal & rip-off: 1N Telecom has to pay 300,000 euros
1N Telecom faces a €300,000 fine for violating GDPR rules due to misleading practices and ignoring deletion requests. The data protection authority penalized the company for severe breaches of data privacy regulations.
Europe fines X 120 million euros for lack of transparency
X faces a €120 million fine from the EU for violating the Digital Services Act's transparency rules. This marks the first penalty levied against a platform under the DSA.
DSA process: Tiktok agrees on advertising with the EU Commission
TikTok reached an agreement with the European Commission to improve advertising transparency under the Digital Services Act. The Commission accepted the proposed improvements, while other investigations continue.
We knew that Valve was betting on Linux, but it was hiding something bigger: a plan of years to bring Steam to all devices
Valve is secretly working on a plan to bring Steam to all devices, sidestepping the need for game developers to adapt their titles. This strategy involves Proton, a compatibility layer that translates Windows instructions for Linux, which was key to the success of the Steam Deck.
DSA: EU Commission imposes 120 million euro fine against X
Brussels slapped X with a €120 million fine for violating the Digital Services Act due to transparency failures. The platform, formerly known as Twitter, faces criticism over misleading blue checkmarks, inadequate advertising data, and insufficient data access for researchers.
DSA enforcement decision against X and TikTok commitments good news for consumers
The European Commission found that X violated key transparency obligations under the Digital Services Act. These include deceptive design and opaque advertising practices, which pose serious risks to consumers....
DSA: Million fine against X
The European Commission fined Elon Musk's X €120 million for violating the Digital Services Act. This marks the first penalty issued under the new regulations.
For St. Nicholas' Day: NIS2 Implementation Act comes into effect
The new Network and Information Security Directive (NIS2) implementation law goes into effect tomorrow. This law was quickly passed by institutions to enhance network and information security.
How Snapchat manipulates its users through notifications
The Dutch Authority for Consumer and Markets may take action against Snapchat for its misleading notifications, violating the EU's Digital Services Act. The research indicates that some notifications are attention-grabbing and potentially manipulative, prompting increased platform use.
Proton launched Sheets, the encrypted alternative to Excel and Google Sheets
Proton has launched Sheets, a new encrypted alternative to Excel and Google Sheets. The move aims to address growing concerns about user data privacy and offer a secure spreadsheet solution.
The European Commission is selling out on digital rights
The European Commission's digital omnibus proposals weaken human rights safeguards in crucial digital legislation, including the GDPR and AI Act. These revisions scrap consent requirements for online tracking and narrow the definition of personal data, potentially impacting citizen privacy.
When data relate to us?
The CJEU ruling reinforces the importance of GDPR in the age of AI and data spaces. The judgment clarifies what constitutes personal data, impacting how privacy-enhancing technologies will be governed.