News - For Consumers

G7 digital ministers agreed on principles for a safer internet at their Paris summit. However, no consensus was reached on the energy consumption of AI.

The EU is mandating user-replaceable batteries in portable tech products. New regulations aim to improve device longevity, repairability, and recyclability, with specific rules for smartphones and tablets taking effect soon.

Euro-Office, the new European open-source alternative to Microsoft 365 and Google Docs, is launching soon. This office suite promises digital sovereignty but is already overshadowed by a significant license dispute.

Brussels accelerates critical infrastructure cybersecurity with NIS2, but space and transport sectors face growing digital threats. A new Enisa report highlights progress alongside escalating risks.

EU fines Chinese marketplace Temu €200 million under the Digital Services Act. The penalty stems from a deficient risk assessment, highlighting enforcement of the DSA.

The EU fined Temu €200 million for failing to prevent illegal product sales, marking a significant enforcement of the Digital Services Act. This penalty serves as a strong warning to all Chinese e-commerce platforms operating within the bloc.

EU Commission imposes €200M fine on Temu for Digital Services Act violations. The platform is accused of offering unsafe and illegal products, posing a high risk to EU consumers.

The EU's digitalisation push prioritises surveillance and control over citizen rights, according to EDRI. This political choice normalises exclusion of marginalised groups within the digital welfare state.

Czech football clubs face public pushback over plans for stadium facial recognition. Digital rights groups oppose the biometric surveillance, citing illegality, as officials consider implementation.

The European Data Protection Board issued new guidelines on using personal data in scientific research. Public consultation is now open for feedback on the proposed regulations.

Germany contracts SAP and Telekom for a €250M "AI Cloud" to host public administration software. Digital Minister Karsten Wildberger hails it as sovereign infrastructure, but critics warn of new IT dependencies.

GDPR: Almost three-quarters of companies find German data protection excessive After 10 years, the GDPR is well established, but many German companies now consider the effort excessive.

The EU is set to fine Google a record amount for favoring its own services, leveraging the Digital Markets Act. Brussels is deploying its most potent antitrust weapon against the tech giant's persistent practices.

BEUC warns AI companion chatbots pose risks to EU consumers under current laws. A new report examines digital rights and potential harms from synthetic empathy technologies.

The EU prepares a record fine for Google over Digital Markets Act violations. A decision is expected before summer 2026 as Google warns of impacts on European users.

French startup Lipstip launches AI platform to protect brands across Europe. This sovereign deeptech solution offers significantly faster and more accurate trademark analysis compared to generalist models.

The European Galileo satellite navigation system is already widely used by smartphones across Europe. Millions of devices now depend on Galileo for location services, not just GPS.

"Digital sovereignty" is a myth, according to researchers Julia Pohle and Marielle-Sophie Düh. They argue for an alternative to the buzzword at re:publica, a conference discussing German media houses' use of US software.

AI Forensics helps the European Commission enforce digital regulation by analyzing platform algorithms. The NGO director discusses the need for funding and legal protection for their work, highlighting the reliance on external expertise for evidence gathering.

Civil society experts gather in Brussels to champion a public-interest vision for EU tech policy. The event advocates for protecting people, democracy, and fundamental rights against deregulation pressures.