About: Julian King
Digital Brief: ‘No letting down the guard’
Welcome to EURACTIV’s Digital Brief, your weekly update on all things digital in the EU. You can subscribe to the newsletter here.
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.
EU lawmakers back one-hour deadline to remove online terrorist content
Lawmakers in the European Parliament's Justice Committee have backed measures to clamp down on the spread of online terrorist content, including an obligation for platforms to remove offending content within one hour of reporting or face fines of up to 4% of their global turnover.
Commission rolls out 5G recommendations, has ‘specific concerns’ about Huawei
The European Commission has laid out plans for a coordinated EU approach towards the next generation of mobile broadband networks, 5G, following concerns about China aired by member states during last week's European Council summit.
EU institutions at loggerheads over online terrorist content
MEPs are seeking to "delay and time-out" the adoption of the regulation against online terrorist content, the EU's security chief Julian King said on Wednesday (21 March). His comments came as the Commission criticised online platforms for dragging their feet in removing graphic video footage following the Christchurch attacks.
Up to 400 online platforms hosting terrorist content, Commission says
Between 200 and 400 online platforms are currently hosting content that could lead to terrorist radicalisation, the European Commission has said.
EU raps Facebook, Twitter and Google for inaction on fake news
Online platforms are failing to make sufficient progress in the fight against disinformation, the European Commission warned on Thursday (28 December). As the European elections draw closer, the EU cybersecurity agency ENISA has called for national legislation in the fight against fake news.
‘Digital gangsters’: UK parliament slams Facebook on data protection, disinformation
A UK Parliamentary report has singled out Facebook for failing to effectively protect user data and stem the spread of disinformation across its platform, saying that the tech giant "is unwilling to be accountable to regulators around the world."
EU Commission hits out at Facebook’s disinformation report
European Commission Security Chief Julian King criticised the "patchy, opaque and self-selecting" reporting provided by Facebook and other tech giants following their bids to comply with the EU's code of practice against disinformation on Tuesday (29 January).
Ansip uncovered: Commission Vice-President on disinformation, Huawei, copyright
EURACTIV's Digital Editor, Samuel Stolton, sat down with Vice-President of the European Commission, Andrus Ansip, to speak about his recent decision to stand as an MEP, disinformation, 'those' Huawei comments and the difficulties with the copyright directive.
Julian King: Russian info war preceded Ukrainian ship seizures
Russia launched a year-long fake news campaign about Kiev's and NATO's plans for the Azov Sea before seizing three Ukrainian ships and their crew there, EU security commissioner Julian King alleged Monday (10 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.
‘This is not censorship’ says King, amid online terrorist content crackdown
Security commissioner Julian King assured EU citizens on Thursday (13 September) that plans to tackle the spread of terrorist content online do not amount to "anywhere near censorship."
Commission to crack down on data misuse ahead of European Elections
The European Commission is set to announce plans to clamp down on the misuse of personal data retrieved from social networks in the run-up to the 2019 European Elections, the Financial Times reported on Sunday (26 August).
Justice ministers divided over proposal for police access to real-time data
National justice ministers are pushing to create new powers for law enforcement authorities to intercept communication data in real time as part of their criminal investigations.
First EU cybersecurity law takes effect—with new fines for misbehaving companies
The first EU cybersecurity law went into effect on Wednesday (9 March), as negotiators continue to hammer out details of a second bill that will create even more rules in the area.
Commission threatens to legislate on ‘fake news’ ahead of 2019 EU election
The European Commission has threatened to introduce legislation on so-called fake news by the end of the year as part of its strategy to clamp down on online disinformation before the 2019 EU elections.
MEPs call for better protection of journalists
MEPs have called for an independent investigation into the murder of Slovak journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancée and also demanded a better protection of investigative journalism. EURACTIV.fr reports.
Commission faces backlash for plan to fast-track tech platforms’ removal of illegal posts
Internet platforms are coming under more and more pressure in Europe, and now face a potential legal threat if they do not remove posts with terrorist content within one hour.
France eyes EU law to crack down on terrorists’ use of social media
France’s top diplomat in charge of technology policy said there could be a need for EU legislation to make sure social media firms remove content promoting terrorism.
EU adds pressure on online platforms with plan for fast removal of terrorist content
Online platforms should remove posts promoting terrorism within one hour after receiving complaints, according to a draft European Commission document that leaked on Tuesday (13 February).
Commission lobbies for police access to website owners list
The European Commission has suggested that law enforcement authorities could soon have restricted access to the WHOIS database that identifies website owners because the system is on a collision course with the EU’s strict new data protection law.
Five Commissioners team up to threaten internet platforms with EU legislation
Five EU Commissioners all wanted a piece of the action on Tuesday (9 January) at a meeting with CEOs from some of the biggest internet platforms.