News - For Consumers
Daily digest of all European digital development news

VPN and hacking: Spain tightens the grip but the legal battle is just beginning
Spanish court demands NordVPN and Proton VPN block pirate IP addresses to combat online piracy. This ruling signals a tougher stance on digital crime, escalating the judicial battle against illegal content distribution.

Claude Artifacts: what they are and how to use them to create web applications within artificial intelligence
Claude Artefacts empower AI to generate structured content, including web applications and code. This Anthropic feature allows direct creation and execution of web apps within the AI interface.

All the Big Tech are betting the money they have and the money they don't have on the future of AI. All but one: Apple
Big Tech pours $650B into AI data centers, but Apple bucks trend by cutting capital spending. Amazon leads with $200B projected spend, while Google also ramps up investments.

Password managers can sometimes indeed look inside your vault
Password managers aren't always secure, experts warn of potential access to user data. A Dutch report reveals some managers may have vulnerabilities, raising critical questions for digital security.

Anthropic releases Claude Sonnet 4.6 – this can do everything better
AI giant Anthropic launches Claude Sonnet 4. 6, boasting a massive one million token context window....

Companies can check their digital sovereignty with Red Hat tools
Red Hat launches a free online tool to help businesses assess and improve their digital sovereignty. The initiative empowers companies to understand their technological independence and identify areas for enhancement.

EDRi-gram, 18 February 2026
"EDRi-gram" newsletter highlights digital rights concerns. The latest edition covers how a "competitiveness feast" may impact user rights.

Czech ministry apologizes to journalist for blanket collection of mobile phone data
Czech court declares blanket mobile data collection illegal, a major blow to state surveillance. The ruling cites EU law violations, demanding an end to mass data retention by the government.

Europe’s digital sovereignty starts with open source
EDRi urges the EU to prioritize open source for digital sovereignty, calling it crucial for resilience and autonomy. The strategy shifts focus from niche tech to a foundational element for Europe's future.

US pressure on the Digital Services Act in the Netherlands
US pressure mounts on Dutch Digital Services Act implementation. American lawmakers label Dutch NGOs "censorous," raising concerns over content moderation rules.

Ensuring human rights-based, global perspectives in the DSA enforcement: the DSA Human Rights Alliance’s guidelines
DSA Human Rights Alliance issues guidelines to shape Digital Services Act enforcement globally. Recommendations focus on cross-border effects and empowering diverse groups to uphold user rights.

How recommender algorithms threaten election integrity
Romanian study reveals Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok algorithms amplified political content during elections. Platforms allegedly violated national laws and the EU's Digital Services Act.

European Commission’s plans will lead to worse regulations
EDRi warns EU Commission's "Better Regulation" reform risks weakening future laws. Recommendations push for balanced representation and stronger safeguards in EU lawmaking.

Tesla Robotaxis crash four times more often than human drivers
Tesla Robotaxis in Texas crash four times more often than human drivers, even with safety operators. This concerning data highlights ongoing challenges with autonomous vehicle safety and deployment.

Stock market crash and panic buying: Raspberry Pi caught in AI hype
Raspberry Pi stock surges 43% as new AI software OpenClaw runs efficiently on its mini-computers. This surge sparks fears of shortages due to a buying frenzy.

A16z: how does this immense investment fund discover the most promising startups (even in the depths of France)?
Venture capital giant Andreessen Horowitz expands global search for promising startups beyond Silicon Valley. The firm leverages local networks and AI to identify future unicorns in Europe and beyond.

A small Parisian startup has just been acquired by the giant Mistral AI
French AI champion Mistral AI acquires French cloud services startup Koyeb. The move accelerates Mistral's mission to build a European AI ecosystem.

Childlike sex dolls and addictive design: EU opens proceedings against Shein
EU probes Shein over potential Digital Services Act violations, citing risks to users and possibly selling illegal goods. The fast-fashion giant faces scrutiny for not sufficiently mitigating platform dangers for its 126 million EU users.

New escalation level: AI swarms threaten democratic discourse
AI swarm tactics threaten democratic discourse by manipulating public opinion through simulated consensus. Coordinated AI agents exploit social dynamics to engineer fake majorities, undermining public debate.

50 Million Times Correct: How the DSA Breaks Platform Arbitrariness
EU's Digital Services Act forces platforms to reverse 1 in 3 content removals and bans. Two years in, the law strengthens free speech and curtails arbitrary platform censorship across member states.
