About: internet
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...
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
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.
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.
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.
After London attack, Facebook says aims to be ‘hostile environment’ for terrorists
Facebook said it wanted to make its social media platform a "hostile environment" for terrorists in a statement issued after attackers killed seven people in London and prompted Prime Minister Theresa May to demand action from internet firms.
Ukraine accuses Russia of attack on president’s website after sanctions decision
Ukraine accused Russia yesterday (16 May) of carrying out an organized cyber-attack on President Petro Poroshenko's website in response to Kyiv's decision to impose sanctions against a number of major Russian internet businesses.
Lisbon dreams of ‘Europe’s Silicon Valley’ tag
Lisbon is betting that hosting the Web Summit, Europe's largest tech event, will spur the growth of startups and draw foreign investors, helping it compete with the continent's main innovation hubs.
Commission: Russian propaganda has deeply penetrated EU countries
A European Commission official has said that Russian propaganda was now powerful in all EU member states – but in some of them Moscow barely needed to make the effort, as local politicians were delivering its messages.
Brexit could raise online prices for UK shoppers
British consumers could be hit by a devalued Pound, and higher import taxes, if the UK leaves the EU, following the 23 June referendum, according to an international shopping website.
Internet takes Himalayan village from potato age to modernity
When a landslide created a huge, turquoise lake that cut them off the world, the farmers of Gulmit were left destitute and unable to sell their potatoes. Their solution: to drag their Himalayan valley in Pakistan's far north into the Internet age.
Germany’s digital security disparity ‘remains striking’
Germany shows significant discrepancies among private users with regard to protection against cyber attacks, a recent study shows, with internet users growing increasingly uneasy despite an improved security situation. EURACTIV Germany reports.
Telecoms increase pressure on Brussels
Orange, Deutsche Telekom and Telefonica have launched a new demand for reform in the EU telecommunications sector. They want new regulations to be extended to the Internet providers that piggyback on their services. EURACTIV France and La Tribune report.