News
Daily digest of all European digital development news
The map of the planet's buildings that Google has not been able to find: an atlas that reveals what we had not seen before
A team from the Technical University of Munich launched the GlobalBuildingAtlas, mapping 2. 75 billion buildings worldwide in 3D using satellite imagery....
Data protection scandal & rip-off: 1N Telecom has to pay 300,000 euros
1N Telecom faces a €300,000 fine for violating GDPR rules due to misleading practices and ignoring deletion requests. The data protection authority penalized the company for severe breaches of data privacy regulations.
Europe fines X 120 million euros for lack of transparency
X faces a €120 million fine from the EU for violating the Digital Services Act's transparency rules. This marks the first penalty levied against a platform under the DSA.
EU metes out first-ever Digital Services Act fine, dings X for blue check deception
X (formerly Twitter) faces its first Digital Services Act fine from the EU for deceptive practices on its platform. The fine is due to misleading users about verified accounts.
DSA process: Tiktok agrees on advertising with the EU Commission
TikTok reached an agreement with the European Commission to improve advertising transparency under the Digital Services Act. The Commission accepted the proposed improvements, while other investigations continue.
Brevo becomes unicorn after a €500M round, Bending Spoons acquires EventBrite, and Europe's biggest H1 edtech deals
French CRM firm Brevo achieved unicorn status after securing a €500M funding round. Italian firm Bending Spoons acquired Eventbrite in a $500M all-cash deal, expanding its portfolio.
We knew that Valve was betting on Linux, but it was hiding something bigger: a plan of years to bring Steam to all devices
Valve is secretly working on a plan to bring Steam to all devices, sidestepping the need for game developers to adapt their titles. This strategy involves Proton, a compatibility layer that translates Windows instructions for Linux, which was key to the success of the Steam Deck.
Lovable-built Lumoo gets funding from Lovable CEO
Swedish AI platform Lumoo, built on vibe coding startup Lovable, secures approximately €550,000 in angel investment to reduce clothing returns with AI. The funding will fuel international expansion and platform development, with a goal of hitting €1M ARR within its first year.
DSA: EU Commission imposes 120 million euro fine against X
Brussels slapped X with a €120 million fine for violating the Digital Services Act due to transparency failures. The platform, formerly known as Twitter, faces criticism over misleading blue checkmarks, inadequate advertising data, and insufficient data access for researchers.
DSA enforcement decision against X and TikTok commitments good news for consumers
The European Commission found that X violated key transparency obligations under the Digital Services Act. These include deceptive design and opaque advertising practices, which pose serious risks to consumers....
DSA: Million fine against X
The European Commission fined Elon Musk's X €120 million for violating the Digital Services Act. This marks the first penalty issued under the new regulations.
Commission fines X €120 million under the Digital Services Act
The European Commission slapped X with a €120 million fine for violating transparency rules under the Digital Services Act. The platform's deceptive "blue checkmark," advertising repository failures, and lack of data access for researchers led to the penalty.
For St. Nicholas' Day: NIS2 Implementation Act comes into effect
The new Network and Information Security Directive (NIS2) implementation law goes into effect tomorrow. This law was quickly passed by institutions to enhance network and information security.
UK FinTech Coremont gains €34 million growth funding to accelerate institutional analytics platform
UK-based FinTech Coremont secured €34 million to expand its real-time portfolio management software and analytics platform. The investment will focus on using AI to broaden access to advanced analytics and strengthen risk management capabilities.
How Snapchat manipulates its users through notifications
The Dutch Authority for Consumer and Markets may take action against Snapchat for its misleading notifications, violating the EU's Digital Services Act. The research indicates that some notifications are attention-grabbing and potentially manipulative, prompting increased platform use.
Proton launched Sheets, the encrypted alternative to Excel and Google Sheets
Proton has launched Sheets, a new encrypted alternative to Excel and Google Sheets. The move aims to address growing concerns about user data privacy and offer a secure spreadsheet solution.
The European Commission is selling out on digital rights
The European Commission's digital omnibus proposals weaken human rights safeguards in crucial digital legislation, including the GDPR and AI Act. These revisions scrap consent requirements for online tracking and narrow the definition of personal data, potentially impacting citizen privacy.
Commission accepts TikTok's commitments on advertising transparency under the Digital Services Act
The European Commission secured TikTok's commitment to boost advertising transparency under the Digital Services Act (DSA). The platform must provide full ad content, update repositories within 24 hours, and offer detailed targeting criteria.
Having set a Dragons’ Den record, London’s yuv attracts €10 million to accelerate salon-focused tech
London-based beauty tech firm yuv secured €10 million in Series A funding to expand its smart hair color lab system. This investment allows yuv to grow its salon-focused technology across the UK and into the US market.
When data relate to us?
The CJEU ruling reinforces the importance of GDPR in the age of AI and data spaces. The judgment clarifies what constitutes personal data, impacting how privacy-enhancing technologies will be governed.