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

Doom-scrolling and addiction risk: EU Commission calls for changes at TikTok
EU Commission flags TikTok for Digital Services Act violations over addictive design. Brussels demands platform changes to curb harmful user engagement.

Digital Services Act: EU Commission wants to limit TikTok use
EU Commission finds TikTok insufficient in curbing addictive platform risks. A preliminary ruling under the Digital Services Act could lead to penalties, citing concerns over youth mental health impacts.

Brussels concludes that TikTok's "addictive design" violates EU law
Brussels finds TikTok's "addictive design" violates EU's Digital Services Act. This preliminary conclusion could lead to fines up to 6% of the platform's global revenue.

TikTok’s infinite scroll is too addictive, say EU regulators
EU regulators warn TikTok's addictive features may violate the Digital Services Act. A potential breach could force the platform to redesign its service to prevent harm.

Areas without network: ANACOM asks operators to activate national roaming
Portugal's ANACOM urges telcos to enable national roaming for areas hit by severe weather disruptions. The regulator seeks to restore essential communication services rapidly across affected regions.

Statement of solidarity with EDRi members and allies facing pressure for their work on platform regulation
EDRi network condemns US administration pressure on members over platform regulation. This highlights ongoing tensions between online speech advocacy and regulatory enforcement in Europe.

Interpretation Issue 152: Data Protection Economic Advantage?
Privacy debate intensifies: Does data protection stifle business or provide an economic edge? Podcast hosts discuss with Frederik Richter, exploring potential benefits and challenges for companies.

Colibri Project strengthens digital resilience in emergency scenarios
Portugal launches Projeto Colibri to bolster digital resilience against escalating emergency threats. The initiative aims to secure critical infrastructure and ensure service continuity during natural disasters.

Telefónica sought to lay off 4,525 employees with its ERE. Now it has a problem called 5,124 volunteers
Telefónica's Spanish ERE sees 5,124 volunteers, exceeding the 4,525 planned layoffs. Over 350 workers are now outside the voluntary redundancy plan due to the surge.

Russian hackers exploit Microsoft Office vulnerability to attack Ukraine and Poland
Russian state-backed hackers exploit Microsoft Office flaw to breach organizations in Ukraine and Poland. Dozens of diplomatic, maritime, and transport entities compromised across multiple countries.

Ten municipalities fined for illegal processing of information about Muslim people
Dutch municipalities fined €250K for illegally processing sensitive data on Islamic residents. This violation of the GDPR highlights privacy breaches and unauthorized handling of religious and political affiliations.

Our response to US pressure on the Digital Services Act
US lawmakers attack EU's Digital Services Act, labeling it censorship and targeting NGOs. Europe vows to uphold digital sovereignty and enforce its platform laws, despite US pressure.

Our reaction to US pressure on the Digital Services Act
US lawmakers label European Digital Services Act a censorship tool, attacking NGOs and pushing back on enforcement. Europe defends the DSA, calling US actions "coercion" and asserting digital sovereignty.

Europe has just realized an alarming scenario: that Russia has known all its moves from space for years
Russia is using decades-old, unencrypted European satellites for espionage, exploiting a critical blind spot. This reveals a major strategic vulnerability in Europe's space architecture, now a silent battlefield.

EDRi-gram, 4 February 2026
EDRi flags digital rights concerns over borders, biometrics, billionaires, and bots. The newsletter covers the latest tech policy debates across Europe.

AI boom helps Infineon through weak markets, purchase of part of ams Osram
Infineon reinvests €500M into AI chip production amid weak markets and a strong dollar. The tech giant pivots to capitalize on AI's booming demand.

Next target are VPNs? Blocking social media could bring this scenario
Europe's social media blockades hint at upcoming VPN restrictions, potentially limiting online freedom. This evolving digital policy landscape raises concerns for user privacy and access.

Open Letter: Civil society concerned about extensive and indiscriminate data retention regime in Switzerland
Swiss civil society warns against proposed data retention law, fearing privacy invasion. 19 groups urge alignment with top privacy standards, spotlighting concerns over indiscriminate data collection.

#DIDit: EDRi members spark movement for alternatives to Big Tech
EDRi members launch #DIDit movement for digital independence, sparking alternatives to Big Tech. 189 organizations now support monthly meet-ups exploring Big Tech alternatives.

The EU Commission is gutting net neutrality
EU Commission's new Digital Networks Act dismantles net neutrality protections, risking paid fast lanes and political control. This move threatens the open internet by weakening independent regulators and could empower biased traffic prioritization.
