Digital
Copyright could force us to pull out of EU, Google News boss says
A specific article in the controversial copyright directive may result in Google withdrawing their news aggregator service from the EU, EURACTIV has learnt. EU ministers are set to discuss the issue and reach an agreement on the file later this week.
EU negotiators reach agreement on cybersecurity act
Representatives from the European Commission, Council and Parliament on Monday (10 December) evening banded together to strengthen the bloc's Cybersecurity efforts, reaching agreement on the EU's cybersecurity act.
French ‘yellow vests’ caught up in social networks
As it enters its fourth week of protest, France’s ‘yellow vest’ movement continues to be active on Facebook. While the social network has allowed the movement to grow, Facebook is struggling to create a structure for the movement. EURACTIV France reports.
Council makes half-hearted agreement on e-Evidence
Ministers from across the EU backed plans on Friday (7 December) that will allow law enforcement authorities to bypass EU member states when making judicial orders for electronic evidence in criminal matters abroad. Germany, the Netherlands, Hungary, Sweden, Finland, Greece, Latvia, and the Czech Republic all voted down the plans.
How YouTube makes users lobby in-house against copyright directive
The #SaveYourInternet campaign is mobilising YouTubers against the European directive. But by defending a free Internet, the campaigners are, above all, protecting the platform’s profitability. EURACTIV France reports.
Commission says Europe should be ‘worried’ about Huawei
Europe should be “worried” about Huawei and other Chinese companies, given the mandatory cooperation they have to maintain with Chinese intelligence services, European Commission Vice-President for Digital Single Market Andrus Ansip said on Friday (7 December).
Ministers clamp down on online terrorist content despite wave of opposition
Ministers sitting on the EU Home Affairs Council adopted their negotiating position on the European Commission's proposed regulation against the spread of online terrorist content on Thursday (6 December), as those in the industry reacted with frustration to the plans.
MEPs back fair-play rules for platforms and operating systems
MEPs backed rules to force online platforms to be more transparent and fair to business clients on Thursday (6 December), with some members voicing frustration at the fact that operating systems are to be included in the scope of the regulation.
Facebook gave data on user’s friends to certain companies – documents
Facebook Inc offered some companies, including Netflix and Airbnb, access to data about users’ friends it did not make available to most other apps in 2015, according to documents released by a British lawmaker who said the social media company dodged questions about privacy practices and market dominance.
EU Commission takes aim at disinformation, admits funding deficit
A four-strong contingency of European Commissioners came out with fighting talk against fake news on Wednesday (5 December), as the EU's executive presented its action plan on disinformation. But the funding shortfall in this field somewhat dampened the spirit of the announcement.
A double failure for France in creating European taxes
In the middle of the “yellow vest” crisis, France has failed to unblock tax proposals on financial and digital transactions. These two measures for fiscal justice had been advocated by Paris for a long time. EURACTIV France reports.
E-Evidence: A threat to people’s fundamental rights?
EU justice ministers are set to approve a regulation this Friday (7 December) that will require EU-based tech companies to turn over electronic evidence within hours of a court order. The regulation, however, could pose a threat to people’s fundamental rights.
France and Germany backtrack on digital tax scope
France and Germany presented on Tuesday (4 December) revised plans for the EU's proposed digital tax reforms under which large firms would pay a levy only on advertising sales and not on total revenues, representing a significant reduction of the Commission's original scope.
France and Germany aim to keep digital tax alive with new proposal
France and Germany sought on Monday (3 December) to salvage a proposed EU tax on big digital firms by narrowing the focus to cover only companies' online advertising revenue, a European source said.
Czech security service says Russia behind cyber attacks on ministry
Russia’s intelligence services were behind cyber attacks targeting the Czech foreign ministry last year, the Czech security service said on Monday in its annual report.
‘God help us’: Khashoggi’s hacked WhatsApp messages provide clues about killing
Messages obtained from the WhatsApp account of murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi shine a light on the possible reasons behind his death, depicting the full extent of his animosity towards Saudi Arabia and his plans to establish an "electronic army" of activists against the regime.
Group of EU states rejects compromise on digital tax as deadline looms
A group of European Union countries rejected on Friday (30 November) a new compromise plan for the introduction of an EU-wide tax on digital revenues of large companies, diplomats said, making it increasingly difficult to meet a year-end deadline for a deal.
The Brief – E pur si muove
In 1633, the ‘father of modern physics,’ Galileo Galilei was found to be “vehemently suspect of heresy,” as the Roman Catholic Inquisition ordered the scientist to relinquish his alliance to heliocentricism – the theory that the Earth moves around the Sun.
Germany: Critical cyberattacks target government and military networks
German security services have revealed that critical national infrastructures such as government and military networks have been the target of a series of cyberattacks in November, raising broader concerns about their overall resilience.
UK intelligence services: We don’t disclose every cyber vulnerability
In a landmark move, the UK intelligence services unveiled on Thursday (29 November) the process by which they decide to disclose security vulnerabilities to technology firms. Not every weakness discovered in a system is always disclosed to the company in question, they revealed.
Ministers adopt position on P2B draft regulation as MEPs tussle over common approach
EU ministers adopted a common approach on the platform-to-business regulation on Thursday (29 November), with progress in the Council contrasting with internal divisions amongst MEPs in the European Parliament.
The Brief – A loss of Face
Facebook was in the line of fire again today, when parliamentarians from nine countries gathered at the “international grand committee session on fake news” in the UK’s House of Commons.
UK and Dutch data protection bodies fine Uber for breaches
Global ridesharing giant Uber has been hit with fines from both UK and Dutch data protection authorities after attackers gained access to the personal information of around 50 million users worldwide.