EDRi

Today, #Australia enforced a social media ban for kids under 16. The same debate is happening in Europe, where #AgeVerification measures are gaining traction, with the European Commission, the Council of the EU, and the European Parliament all endorsing similar approaches. ‼️ Reminder: age verification is not real protection. It’s a quick techno-fix that locks young people out of spaces while failing to address the root problems of broken platforms. More ➡️

European Digital Rights (EDRi)

Why age verification misses the mark and puts everyone at risk - European Digital Rights (EDRi)

Age verification is a short-sighted, ineffective and dangerous way to protect young people form online harms.

1/6📍#ChatControl: Yesterday, EU lawmakers entered the final stage of negotiations ('trilogues') on the controversial hashtag#CSARegulation, aka Chat Control. 📣 EDRi has been advocating for years to make sure that this law tackles the severe crime of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) online without resorting to #MassSurveillance, breaking #encryption or compelling people to undergo intrusive age checks, all of which would have harmful consequences for people and communities.

On Friday, the @European Commission hit X with a €120M fine for deceptive practices for violating the #DSA. Even if the fine comes late, Musk's reaction on social media and the US government's irresponsible threats against the EU show that we're on the right path. X's decision to terminate the EU Commission's account on the platform also highlights how critics are processed by the platform & how risky our dependency on Big Tech has become. Our press reaction ➡️

European Digital Rights (EDRi)

Press Release: EU stands up to Big Tech with €120 million fine to X - European Digital Rights (EDRi)

The European Commission took aim at X for breaking the DSA, proof that Europe’s landmark law can bite.

“Why should lawmakers reject the EU’s #DigitalOmnibus?”, you might ask. Say no more: here are 🔟 reasons. The Omnibus is being sold as a competitiveness boost but this framing misses what’s really at stake. These changes don’t simplify, don’t support SMEs & they don’t fix enforcement. What they do is erode accountability, fragment protections, & shift power further toward actors already shaping Europe’s digital ecosystem. More from @npub1z72c...cfx0 for @npub17r9c...w3z4

Tech Policy Press

The EU’s Digital Omnibus Must Be Rejected by Lawmakers. Here is Why. | TechPolicy.Press

The Omnibus leaves gaps that undermine a rights-centred approach and expand room for dominant actors, writes Itxaso Domínguez de Olazábal.

Behind the language of “simplification” in the #DigitalOmnibus lies a fast-track to reopening and weakening the #GDPR & #eprivacy Directive, the core safeguards that protect our daily lives. @npub1z72c...cfx0 examined the amendments article by article & what it means in real life for data protection (spoiler: more data harvesting, less control) Individually, these changes are worrying. Together, they amount to a structural weakening of Europe’s privacy framework. More ⤵️

European Digital Rights (EDRi)

Why the Digital Omnibus puts GDPR and ePrivacy at risk - European Digital Rights (EDRi)

On 19 November, the European Commission has published two Omnibus proposals: one that rewrites key parts of the GDPR and ePrivacy rules.