Digital
EU police plan massive facial recognition database
Police forces in the European Union are planning to establish an interconnected bloc-wide network of facial recognition databases, leaked documents reveal.
Is Germany’s digital ministry just a ‘phantom debate’?
The conservative CDU/CSU union is demanding a new digital ministry. While the discussion is not new, the union's coalition partner, the Socialist Party (SPD), is saying that institutes are already dealing with digital issues, they are just underfunded. EURACTIV Germany reports.
Digital Brief: The Digital Package Explained
Welcome to EURACTIV’s Digital Brief, your weekly update on all things digital in the EU. You can subscribe to the newsletter here. “In these data we collect…lies an enormous amount of precious ideas, potential innovation, untapped potential we have to unleash.”...
Google confirms plans to move UK users’ accounts outside EU jurisdiction
Google is planning to move its British users' accounts out of the control of European Union privacy regulators, placing them under US jurisdiction instead, the company confirmed late on Wednesday (19 February).
Von der Leyen opens the doors for an EU data revolution
The EU is set to exploit the "untapped potential" of vast troves of industrial and sectoral data, allowing public and private actors "easy access" to huge reserves of information, the European Commission announced on Wednesday (19 February).
Google users in UK to lose EU data protection – sources
Google is planning to move its British users’ accounts out of the control of European Union privacy regulators, placing them under U.S. jurisdiction instead, sources said.
High-risk Artificial Intelligence to be ‘certified, tested and controlled,’ Commission says
Artificial Intelligence technologies carrying a high-risk of abuse that could potentially lead to an erosion of fundamental rights will be subjected to a series of new requirements, the European Commission announced on Wednesday (19 February).
The commission‘s digital strategy: More competition, less emissions
In its digital strategy published on Wednesday (19 February), the European Commission committed itself to fostering 'Technology that works for the people' by increasing the digital prowess of European citizens and companies, doubling down on the market power of tech giants and tapping into ICT’s potential for sustainability.
Spain delays collection of ‘Google tax’ amid US pressure
The Spanish Council of Ministers approved on Tuesday (18 February) a national digital services tax known as the "Google tax", as well as financial transactions tax, EURACTIV’s partner EuroEFE reported.
Europe can win global battle for industrial data, Breton says
Europe may have lost the battle to create digital champions capable of taking on US and Chinese companies harvesting personal data, but it can win the war of industrial data, Europe's industry policy chief said on Saturday (15 February).
Vestager: Facial recognition tech breaches EU data protection rules
The European Commission will take some time before deciding on how to legislate facial recognition remotely, but will not prevent national initiatives from moving ahead on their own, Commission vice-president Margrethe Vestager has said.
Facebook’s Zuckerberg backs regulation of harmful online content
Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg on Saturday (15 February) said harmful online content should be regulated, adding that his company should be subject to a regulatory framework that is different from those used for existing media and telecoms companies.
LEAK: Commission outlines plan to create single EU data space by 2030
The EU wants to create by the end of the decade a genuine single market for data that corresponds to its economic power, prioritising nine "strategic sectors" including health, climate, agriculture and energy, and dedicating up to €6 billion to investment in data centres, according to the Commission’s data strategy seen by EURACTIV.com.
Facebook says it dismantles Russian intelligence operation targeting Ukraine
Facebook on Wednesday (12 February) said it had suspended a network of accounts used by Russian military intelligence to seed false narratives online targeting Ukraine and other countries in Eastern Europe.
Digital Brief: Clearview AI raises EU eyebrows
Welcome to EURACTIV’s Digital Brief, your weekly update on all things digital in the EU. You can subscribe to the newsletter here. “The Commission is aware of the press reports, we are following the dossier and remain in close contact with...
Huawei shouldn’t be getting its hopes up for German 5G expansion just yet
Although the CDU and CSU did not explicitly decide on the exclusion of Huawei, their position paper provided exclusion criteria that could nonetheless apply to the Chinese telecom giant. The ball is now in the court of the coalition partners, the Social Democratic Party (SPD). EURACTIV Germany reports.
Mobile World Congress in Barcelona cancelled over coronavirus fears
The Mobile World Congress (MWC), the annual telecoms industry gathering that draws more than 100,000 visitors to Barcelona, was cancelled on Wednesday (12 February) after a mass exodus by exhibitors due to fears over the coronavirus outbreak.
UK broadcasting watchdog proposed as online harms regulator
The UK government has announced plans to grant the country's broadcasting authority, Ofcom, broad new powers in regulating the spread of harmful content across social media platforms.
After Clearview AI scandal, Commission ‘in close contact’ with EU data authorities
The European Commission is in consultation with EU data protection authorities following the news that US technology firm Clearview AI has scraped more than three billion facial images from social media sites including YouTube, Facebook and Twitter, without obtaining the permission of users.
Google vs EU: a decade-long saga goes to court
Google and the EU have a big day in court Wednesday (12 February) as the search engine giant enters a new phase of a legal saga that began a decade ago.
German Conservatives vote ‘in unison’ against excluding Huawei from 5G network
After months of discussion, the Christian Democrats (CDU) and the Christian Social Union (CSU) voted against excluding Huawei from Germany's 5G network. Yet, strict criteria to minimise security risks will be imposed, EURACTIV Germany reports.
GSMA to decide on Mobile World Congress cancellation, amid coronavirus concerns
GSMA, the global mobile network industry group, is set to make a decision on Friday (14 February) as to whether this year's Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona will go ahead, amid concerns that the event may aggravate Europe's management of the deadly coronavirus.
Google’s holiday rental service under fire as 40 rivals urge EU antitrust action
Alphabet unit Google faces the risk of more EU antitrust problems after 40 rivals on both sides of the Atlantic accused it of favouring its own vacation rental service on its search engine and urged European Union enforcers to take action.