News - For Consumers
Daily digest of all European digital development news
SAP share price plummets – CEO Klein: "No matter what the market thinks"
SAP stock plunges as cloud revenue growth disappoints and AI narrative falters. The German software giant's shares tumble, reflecting investor concerns over its digital transformation pace.
EDPB and EDPS warn: simplification of AI rules must not come at the expense of fundamental rights
EU data watchdogs warn the AI Act's simplification risks fundamental rights. The "Digital Omnibus" proposal faces scrutiny from EDPB and EDPS over potential trade-offs.
The AP in 2026: focus on mass surveillance, AI, and digital resilience
Dutch Data Protection Authority prioritizes mass surveillance, AI, and digital resilience for 2026-2028. The agency aims to better protect citizens in an increasingly digital world.
Schwarz Group secures more power at Aleph Alpha
German retail giant Schwarz Gruppe significantly boosts its stake in AI firm Aleph Alpha, acquiring Bosch's shares. This move solidifies the group's control over a key European AI player.
Infrastructure-as-Code: formae offers multi-cloud support and developer SDK
Berlin-based formae expands its IaC platform with GCP, Azure, OCI, and OVHcloud support. A new plug-in SDK empowers developers with rapid, schema-secure extensions.
EU starts procedure against Google to fairly share AI access and search data
EU launches DMA probe into Google for fair AI access and search data sharing. Regulators scrutinize Google's compliance with new competition rules, impacting its digital services.
Digital Omnibus: "The EU Commission is shaking the cornerstones of data protection"
EU Commission proposes exempting pseudonymized data from GDPR, sparking backlash from German data protection authorities. Critics argue this undermines fundamental data protection pillars.
Berlin: Opaque health database plans temporarily halted after urgent letter
Berlin health database plans halted after privacy chief's sharp criticism. Data protection concerns stall the Charité project, leaving its future uncertain despite coalition backing.
Meike Kamp: "GDPR Changes Shake the Cornerstones of Data Protection"
Berlin experts warn upcoming GDPR changes weaken personal data definitions and pose new digital omnibus threats. This shake-up risks undermining fundamental data protection pillars across Europe.
European Data Protection Day: The term "anonymized" is often used misleadingly
Data privacy experts warn anonymization techniques are fragile and political shifts can endanger personal data. The EU Data Protection Day highlighted these risks, emphasizing crucial years ahead for digital rights.
Lithography Systems: Record Bookings for ASML Due to AI
ASML reports record orders for lithography systems fueled by AI demand. The Dutch chip equipment giant is nearing €10 billion in revenue as chipmakers invest heavily in advanced manufacturing.
Social welfare reform: Commission recommends reduction of fundamental rights
Germany's social welfare reform pushes for a "digital restart" using AI and automated processes. This plan could weaken data protection and risks discrimination for vulnerable groups.
We were guests in the House of Representatives to talk about the (intended) takeover of Solvinity for DigiD
Dutch parliamentarians debate Solvinity's potential US takeover, warning it could disrupt citizens' access to the DigiD digital identity. Concerns highlight risks to confidentiality, integrity, and availability of crucial government services.
Telefónica is converting its telephone exchanges into small data centers: the cloud will have a neighborhood version
Telefónica launches 17 mini data centers across Spain, bringing cloud and AI closer to users. This edge computing network reduces latency and enhances local data jurisdiction.
heise offer: iX-Workshop: IT Law for Admins – Paths to legally compliant IT practice
Berlin: iX workshop offers IT admins practical guidance on navigating CRA, NIS-2, and AI Act compliance. Learn to secure IT infrastructure and ensure legal adherence in everyday operations.
Europe has a plan for the next war on the continent: literally, to close the doors of space to the US
Germany plans a sovereign satellite network for its military, dubbed "Starlink for the German army." This initiative aims to cut dependence on US systems and taps into a €35 billion German military tech investment.
CCTV in public transport: drivers may not be permanently in view
Dutch data watchdog limits bus driver surveillance, banning permanent camera monitoring. Images can only be used for incident safety, not structural employee tracking.
Microsoft 365: Microsoft may no longer secretly track schoolchildren
Austria's data protection authority orders Microsoft to cease tracking school children via Microsoft 365 Education. The tech giant has four weeks to comply with the ruling.
Data Protection Day: 5 misconceptions about data protection, debunked
noyb debunks five common data protection myths on Data Protection Day. Misconceptions about consent and data transfers are clarified to inform Europeans of their digital rights.
Digital "Omnibus": European Parliament slows down Commission plans for data and AI
EU Parliament pushes back on Commission's data and AI plans, aiming for separate legislative paths. Lawmakers want to avoid combining diverse digital regulations into one omnibus bill.