About: internet
US, EU and Western allies to subscribe to democratic principles of the internet
This article was updated with a correction on Hungary’s position. Washington is promoting a declaration on the future of the internet, outlining a series of democratic principles in an initiative set to receive the support of the EU and other...
We sanction the internet at our peril: Cutting off Russia will damage the global internet
Russia's attack on Ukraine has overturned norms that have guided European foreign policy for decades and pushed governments to consider previously unthinkable sweeping sanctions. But the breathtaking speed of action may have unintended consequences for our shared, global Internet, write David Frautschy and Constance Bommelaer.
Germany adopts new data protection and privacy law
German parliament this week adopted a law regulating data protection and privacy in telecommunications and telemedia. For the first time, the legislator transposed EU requirements on cookies from the bloc's e-privacy directive. EURACTIV Germany reports.
Millions of websites offline after fire at French cloud services firm
A fire at a French cloud services firm has disrupted millions of websites, knocking out government agencies' portals, banks, shops, news websites and taking out a chunk of the .FR web space, according to internet monitors.
French government launches platform to help parents protect kids from online porn
French authorities have launched a new platform to help parents protect their children from exposure to online pornography. EURACTIV France reports.
Sofia conference highlights internet’s role in fighting depopulation
A good internet connection is more important than motorways and can make depopulated places in Europe more attractive to young people, said participants at a webinar organised by EURACTIV Bulgaria.
Ericsson: 5G could ‘dramatically increase’ network energy consumption
It is the industry’s responsibility to roll-out the fifth generation (5G) of wireless communication networks without increasing energy consumption, Swedish telecoms giant Ericsson writes in a report outlining how this can be done. “Energy consumption is set to increase dramatically...
Rural broadband – Challenges and opportunities
The economic competitiveness of regions, and notably rural regions, depends on good connectivity. This means not just roads and railways, but also internet highways. Connectivity to fast internet in rural areas is still almost half of what it is on...
German-German dispute over fibre optic funding to be decided in Brussels
The European Commission is examining German plans to support the fibre optic industry. The Christian Democrat (CDU/CSU) parliamentary group asked for early approval, while the fixed network industry association BREKO is opposed to the measures. EURACTIV Germany has seen both letters.
Commission: Internet ‘under strain’ amid COVID-19 overuse
The EU's internet infrastructure is 'under strain' and a series of measures should be implemented by online streaming platforms as a means to mitigate the higher demand for bandwidth amid the current coronavirus quarantine period, the European Commission said on Wednesday evening (18 March).
COVID-19: Austria takes precautionary measures for internet use, despite ‘buffer’ in capacities
The spread of the coronavirus is becoming a stress test for Austria's internet infrastructure, as internet traffic exploded virtually overnight. To protect the country's capacities, the regulatory authority RTR has given the green light for certain online services, like video streaming, to be throttled.
‘New generation of disinformation’ awaits next Commission, says rights group
Disinformation campaigns are becoming increasingly sophisticated and are developing almost unregulated, according to civil rights activists who say the European Commission's relying on the self-regulation of social media platforms is no longer enough.
Germany wants to fine Facebook over hate speech reporting
Social media platforms in Germany are obliged to report hate speech and other illegal content. Germany's Federal Office of Justice is expected to slap a €2 million fine on Facebook for reporting only a fraction of such activity on its platform. EURACTIV Germany reports.
Christchurch Call: EU struggling to get anti-terror measures right
New Zealand and France gathered states and social media organisations around the same table on Wednesday (15 May) to take joint action against terror online. The EU has been negotiating a regulation on preventing the dissemination of terrorist content online for months, but critics find it too restrictive and fear censorship. EURACTIV Germany reports
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.
Thousands protest again law to create autonomous Russian internet
Thousands of people took to the streets of Moscow and two other cities on Sunday (10 March) to rally against tighter internet restrictions, in some of the biggest protests in the Russian capital in years.OpinionPromoted content
Web under censorship threat
If the European project of the Directive on Copyright Law in the Digital Single Market becomes reality in its current shape, the Internet will no longer remain a place of free access to information and democratic debate, writes Michal Kanownik.
European Parliament wants to stop rigged online reviews
MEPs have updated consumer protection rules, bringing greater transparency in how online offers are ranked and, particularly, in reviews left by customers about products. EURACTIV France reports.
Macron targets Russian fake news, moving ahead of Commission plans
French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Wednesday (3 January) that a law against fake news is in the making in France. The legislation is clearly aimed at Russian propaganda and should be completed by the end of 2018, government spokesman Benjamin Griveaux added on Thursday. VideoPromoted content
The YouTube Pop-up Space in Brussels
Last week, YouTube hosted a Pop-up Space in Belgium for the first time. The space was designed to give YouTubers the opportunity to learn, connect and create.
How the Cold War was replaced with fake news
The Cold War has faded into history but it was replaced by a media war which rages above all on the internet. Fake news play a major role now, argues Herbert Vytiska from EURACTIV Germany.
EU digital official: Cyber threats know no borders
Linda Cogruedo Steneberg, Director at the the European Commission's DG Connect , revealed how the EU executive is trying to extend broadband coverage and democratise the internet, as well as protecting our privacy as hacker attacks become more commonplace. EURACTIV Spain reports.
EU agrees to draft proposal to raise taxes on internet giants
A majority of member states agreed to start preparing a new levy on digital companies to compensate for low-tax regimes that cost billions of euros to European governments.