News - For Consumers

Bavaria's government faces calls to ditch Microsoft contracts for digital sovereignty. Critics argue the proposed multi-million euro extension locks down critical digital infrastructure for years.

EU Parliament warns of dangerous tech dependencies and calls for digital sovereignty. Lawmakers highlight concentrated power over critical digital markets, urging the Commission and member states to implement solutions to reduce reliance on foreign technologies.

European filmmakers clash over Netflix's influence and audience engagement. A recent study reveals 40% of European directors fail to make a second film within a decade.

Spanish startup Fossa Systems launches 24 IoT satellites, aiming for 80 by year-end. The company focuses on global IoT connectivity solutions, positioning itself as a leader in the space.

Music giants and Spotify win lawsuit against Anna's Archive for massive data theft. Operators accused of illegally grabbing 86 million songs, impacting the digital music ecosystem.

Meta faces a court battle in 2026 after losing a case brought by Bits of Freedom regarding user autonomy on Facebook and Instagram. The initial ruling found Meta's practices violated the DSA by limiting user control over their feeds.

Brussels's Bits of Freedom guides users through severing ties with Big Tech cloud services, focusing on privacy-friendly European alternatives. The guide highlights the risks of using American cloud storage and offers secure options for file storage and sharing.

The European Commission is already planning further changes to the NIS2 directive, despite its recent implementation in German law. These updates will address key aspects of cybersecurity regulations.

Amsterdam's Top400 project faces scrutiny for using predictive policing, potentially violating children's rights and data protection laws. Bits of Freedom, along with a coalition, examines holding the municipality accountable for these alleged infringements.

EDRi launches a resource to document spyware abuses and bolster the push for a full EU ban. The document pool centralizes resources to track violations, responding to the European Commission's inaction.

Poland’s President vetoed the Digital Services Act implementation, forcing a restart of the process. This delay comes after two years of negotiations between the government and civil society, stalling progress on the EU’s digital regulation.

Snapchat's use of misleading notifications to manipulate users violates the Digital Services Act, according to a new study. The research will inform enforcement actions and support the inclusion of rules regarding attention-grabbing notifications in the upcoming Digital Fairness Act.

Brussels is cracking down on "high-risk providers" like Huawei, aiming to push them out of critical sectors. The Cybersecurity Act 2 seeks to protect companies from state-sponsored IT attacks, signaling a shift toward digital sovereignty.

French welfare system CNAF faces legal challenge from 10 organizations, including EDRi, over its discriminatory algorithms. The legal action pushes back against the potential rollback of fundamental rights protections.

Brussels is developing a new open-source strategy to boost digital sovereignty and reduce reliance on proprietary software. The EU Commission launched a consultation in January, aiming to strengthen the open-source ecosystem commercially....

Portugal may soon roll out electronic voting after years of delays, with a pilot phase planned. The system has yet to be implemented in national or local elections.

The European Union approved the AI Act, establishing the world's first comprehensive legal framework for artificial intelligence. This regulation aims to guarantee the safety and fundamental rights of citizens while fostering innovation in AI.

ASML, the Dutch semiconductor equipment maker, has surpassed $500 billion in market capitalization, buoyed by strong quarterly results from its client, TSMC. This marks the first time ASML has reached this milestone, driven by the AI boom.

French provider Free faces a €42 million fine from CNIL after a major data breach exposed user information. The regulatory action underscores growing scrutiny of data protection practices in Europe.

The French data protection authority, CNIL, fined Free Mobile and Free a total of €42 million following a 2024 cyberattack. The attack exposed the personal data of 24 million subscribers due to insufficient system security.