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

Europe is dismantling its digital rights from within
Brussels weakens digital rights by introducing its new Digital Omnibus, dismantling key safeguards within the GDPR, ePrivacy rules, and the AI Act. This action makes accessing device data easier, lowers protections against discriminatory AI, and weakens limits on automated decision-making.

Profit: EU governments no longer want to force platforms to read along with the user
European Union member states have reached an agreement opposing mandatory platform surveillance of user messages on services like WhatsApp. This victory follows years of debate on a controversial proposal, though the compromise isn't perfect, it's a step forward.

Study - “The economic costs of weakening privacy and data protection” | Terms of Reference
Brussels is assessing the economic impact of weakened privacy and data protection regulations, prompted by proposed changes to GDPR. The study will consider the costs to consumers if privacy is inadequately protected.

Europe had been asking for a major statement. Revolut has just made it with an enormous valuation
Revolut, the London-based fintech, achieved a staggering $75 billion valuation, solidifying its position as Europe's most valuable startup. The valuation comes after a share sale involving major tech investment funds, and the company now has over 65 million global customers.

Digital Omnibus: The EU Parliament Is Heading for the Next Conflict
Brussels' "Digital Omnibus" proposal, which aims to simplify digital regulations, faces strong opposition over potential weakening of AI and data protection rules. Four parliamentary factions criticize the move, setting up a potential clash with conservatives who generally support it.

Talk on WhatsApp with other messaging apps: what this feature is, how it works, requirements and how to activate it
WhatsApp launches interoperability, enabling users to chat with other messaging apps within its platform. This feature rollout, driven by European regulations, allows users to communicate with other platforms directly from WhatsApp, despite not being available to all users yet.

Digital Omnibus: How Media Distort a Debate Out of Fear of Complexity
The EU's Digital Omnibus, designed to impact citizen rights, is being misrepresented in the media, focusing on cookie banner simplification. The actual law undermines data access, delays AI regulation, and broadens companies' data usage justifications.

FAQ on the "Digital Omnibus": What is the EU Commission planning regarding AI and data protection?
Brussels plans to delay rules for high-risk AI systems and weaken data protection with its "Digital Omnibus" package. Industry groups are applauding the move, but consumer advocates are sounding the alarm.

Justice condemns Meta to pay 479 million euros to Spanish media for unfair competition
Meta was ordered to pay 479 million euros to 87 Spanish news outlets for unfair competition by Madrid's Mercantile Court. The court found Meta used illicit personal data on Facebook and Instagram for behavioral advertising, violating GDPR.

Online proceedings in civil law: Digitalization in the judiciary disadvantages people
German lawmakers are pushing to accelerate court proceedings through digital transformation, aiming to ease citizen access to justice. However, critics claim the new law disadvantages defendants in civil cases....

Digital Omnibus: On a collision course with digital fundamental rights
Brussels’s digital omnibus regulation faces criticism, as it's seen as undermining fundamental digital rights rather than simplifying data protection. The planned revision of several digital laws, including the AI Act and GDPR, is widely viewed as a setback.

Press Release: Commission’s Digital Omnibus is a major rollback of EU digital protections
Brussels is rolling back core digital protections with its new Digital Omnibus proposals, threatening the EU's rules-based system. The changes endanger the foundation of human rights and tech policy.

Europe’s cookie nightmare is crumbling
The EU plans to overhaul its cookie consent policies, aiming to drastically reduce the number of annoying pop-ups users face. New rules will allow users to set browser-level cookie preferences, simplifying the online experience across all of Europe.

Why the Digital Omnibus puts GDPR and ePrivacy at risk
Brussels unveils its "Digital Omnibus" package, aiming to simplify digital rules, but risks weakening GDPR and ePrivacy. The package will amend the General Data Protection Regulation and the ePrivacy Directive.

Europe is scaling back its landmark privacy and AI laws
Brussels is scaling back GDPR and AI rules, bowing to industry and US pressure to revive economic growth. The revisions simplify cookie consent and extend grace periods for high-risk AI systems under the AI Act.

Digital Omnibus: EU Commission wants to wreck core GDPR principles
Brussels proposes changes to GDPR rules that would lower protections for Europeans, according to a new report. The "Digital Omnibus" is the focus of the EU Commission's plans, which aim to alter current data privacy regulations.

BEUC welcomes the EU court's decision to uphold Amazon's designation as a Very Large Online Platform
The EU General Court upheld Amazon's designation as a Very Large Online Platform under the Digital Services Act. This ruling ensures Amazon must comply with the DSA, mitigating risks and protecting consumers from fraud.

Court backs the EU: Amazon fails with lawsuit against DSA classification
Amazon lost its court challenge against the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA) designation. The ruling allows the EU to impose stricter obligations on tech companies with over 45 million users.

Brussels investigates Amazon and Microsoft cloud services, the consequences could be significant
Brussels probes Amazon and Microsoft's cloud services to determine if they violate the Digital Markets Act. The investigation could have major implications for the tech giants' operations within the European Union.

Summit on European Digital Sovereignty: Turning Point for "Innovation Leadership"
German and French leaders are shifting their digital sovereignty strategy towards "innovation leadership" at the EU summit. They aim to reduce economic dependence on non-European tech providers by dismantling existing regulations.
