Digital
New Zealand and France plan bid to tackle extremism on social media
In the wake of the Christchurch attack, New Zealand said on Wednesday (24 April) that it would work with France in an effort to stop social media from being used to promote terrorism and violent extremism.
EU presents its collaborative AI platform with a strong French influence
Led by various French players, the latest European project on artificial intelligence, AI4EU, aims to create a collaborative platform for European researchers and companies. An article from our partner La Tribune.
Huawei redoubles efforts to rebuild trust as it enters critical period
Chinese telecom giant Huawei praised Europe’s handling of data and cybersecurity as it seeks to partner with the EU to set global standards to dispel concerns about espionage.
MEPs back plans to quell online terrorist content, but one-hour timeframe is criticised
The European Parliament has backed plans to force online hosting services to remove terrorist content within one hour of reporting, in a move aimed at quelling the spread of extremist propaganda online. However, there was no shortage of those in the industry criticising the timeframe.
Flagship study exposes decline of press freedom in Europe
Reporters Without Borders published their flagship annual ‘World Press Freedom Index’ on Thursday (18 April), revealing that worldwide, authoritarian regimes continue to tighten their grip on the media, while in Europe, decline of press freedom goes hand in hand with...
Connected cars: Licensing traffic jam drives automakers to turn to EU antitrust law
Antitrust complaints are like London buses. You don’t get one for ages then four come at once in the same industry. That’s what has happened this past month in the auto sector, writes Mike Sax, Chairman of ACT, The App Association.
Huawei CEO: EU doing a ‘great job’ in cybersecurity
Amid growing pressure from the US on European governments to reject Chinese tech firms, Huawei’s rotating CEO Ken Hu said on Tuesday (16 April) that the EU was doing “a great job” on cybersecurity.
Bulc urges 5G advocates to focus on autonomous driving, leave connected cars to WiFi
A European Commission plan to push WiFi as the technology of choice for connected cars over 5G is proving to be controversial. EU transport chief Violeta Bulc told EURACTIV in an interview that saving lives is the most important factor and WiFi is the only proven option.
European Parliament backs rules to protect whistleblowers
The European Parliament on Tuesday (17 April) overwhelmingly voted for rules aimed at protecting whistleblowers from reprisals following corporate scandals such as Dieselgate and Cambridge Analytica.
Emerging media policies for EU 2019-24
DISCLAIMER: All opinions in this dossier reflect the views of the author(s), not of EURACTIV.COM Ltd. “Healthy democracies depend on a healthy media sector,” Digital Commissioner Mariya Gabriel told a recent EURACTIV event. Yet, the media sector consistently faces multiple challenges, notably...
Belgian cybersecurity agency finds no threat from Huawei, as US increase pressure
Belgium’s centre for cybersecurity has found no evidence that telecoms equipment supplied by Huawei Technology could be used for spying. The news comes as US authorities renew their campaign in Europe against the Chinese telecoms giant.
German bosses urge government to stop EU proposal on connected cars
The bosses of BMW and Deutsche Telekom have urged the German government to take action to block a European Commission proposal that would set a Wi-Fi-based standard for connected cars.
Censorship fears linger as copyright directive overcomes final hurdle
A "censorship of the internet" could be in store as a direct result of the EU's new rules on Copyright protection, a Polish government minister said on Monday (15 April), as EU member states approved the controversial plans after more than two years.
Commission warns of connected cars delay if draft EU rules are rejected
Plans to get connected cars on Europe's roads could face a setback of "two or three years" should the Delegated Act on Cooperative Intelligent Transport Systems (C-ITS) be rejected by MEPs this week, Commission officials have said.
US issue extradition request as Assange is arrested after seven-year asylum
The US justice department has issued an extradition request for the indictment of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, after he was arrested by British authorities on Thursday (11 April). The arrest followed a decision by the Ecuadorean embassy to revoke his seven-year asylum status.
Huawei admit Chinese law obliges companies to work with government, under conditions
Chinese State Security Law forces companies based in the country to "provide assistance with work relating to State Security," a senior Huawei official in Brussels has said, in comments likely to heighten cybersecurity concerns about the Chinese tech giant.
Austria plans to force social media to identify users as bar to hate speech
Austria’s right-wing government plans to force large social and traditional media to verify their users’ identity so that individuals can be tracked down if they post hate speech online anonymously, it said on Wednesday. The measure, part of a bill...
EU Parliament failed to address sexual harassment, says outgoing Pirate Party star
Last week, Julia Reda of the Germany Pirate Party and most known critic of the controversial EU copyright directive, left politics altogether. The reason: allegations of sexual harassment against her former colleague and current candidate of the Pirate party for the 2019 EU elections. In an interview with EURACTIV Germany, Reda spoke of sexual harassment in the EU Parliament and the implementation of the copyright reform.
Yet another awful pinnacle in the recent history of journalism
Violent attacks against journalists do not happen in a vacuum, their ground is prepared by the prevailing political and social environment. Harlem Désir explains how we have reached yet another milestone in the mistreatment of journalists.
‘Five Star’ guru bets on blockchain to fix party’s e-voting platform
Blockchain technologies could help to ensure transparency on the controversial voting platform where Five Star Movement's activists make decisions, said the software owner's Davide Casaleggio in Brussels on Tuesday (9 April).
Mobile network security: Bothorel defends new powers of French executive
In an interview with our partner La Tribune, Eric Bothorel, MP from Macron’s En Marche, discusses a bill to strengthen mobile network security in the context of 5G, which arrived in France's National Assembly last week and will be debated on Wednesday.
Copyright rules will turn the EU into a French digital colony
France, with its strict regulations of digital markets and its industries, has been allowed to drive the oppressive changes in copyright that are now about to be European law, writes Amelia Andersdotter, a former MEP for the Swedish Pirate Party.
EU, China agree on joint statement as Beijing makes last-ditch concessions
EU leaders were set to sign a joint declaration with Chinese leadership on Tuesday (9 April), after Beijing made last-minute concessions to bolster the rules-based international order and to tackle industrial subsidies, European officials told EURACTIV.com.