Making sure the tech is safe from attack.
While political agreement on online age verification has not been reached, the EU is now focusing on the technical implementation layer instead. This approach could backfire from both a technical standpoint and in terms of political optics.
EU DMA proposals could force Google to share sensitive search data with third parties in ways that may weaken privacy, cybersecurity, and consumer choice. As debate grows, the real question is whether competition can be increased without putting European users at risk.
The European Commission launched an age verification app this week. This is likely to serve as a start for a broader legislative initiative to legalise age-verification and subsequent restrictions on minors.
As politicians rush to impose blanket social media bans on minors, recent Council of Europe recommendations urge a smarter approach. They stress that online safety measures must protect children without sacrificing their freedom of expression or cutting off essential digital access
405 scientists from 30 countries warn teen social-media bans and age checks can backfire. In a Monday statement, they urge a moratorium until evidence is clearer, citing easy circumvention, migration to risky fringe sites, and years-long infrastructure hurdles.
The Commission’s revised Cybersecurity Act may face resistance from China-friendly Member States and telecom operators, who warn of high compliance and vendor-switch costs and seek public reimbursement.
Ukraine and SpaceX announced they have found a way to prevent Russian armed forces from using Starlink, while Russian propagandists reacted harshly - not only toward SpaceX, but toward Palantir too. Meanwhile, communications from two European satellites were intercepted by Russian spacecraft.
2026 is the EU’s digital “set-up” year: a time to simplify rules, set priorities, and brace for transatlantic spillovers as major legislative initiatives race toward 2027.
As the EU prepares to revise its Cybersecurity Act, the EU is quietly choking off funding for “high-risk” Chinese 5G vendors, pushing mobile operators and Member States toward European suppliers like Nokia and Ericsson.
Despite fierce criticism from privacy advocates, EU governments have backed a "compromise” Chat Control deal that still paves the way for mass scanning of encrypted messages and de facto digital ID checks for all users.
Consumer Choice Center Europe has joined a global statement defending strong encryption, warning that efforts to fight online crime must not weaken secure communication or end-to-end encryption as the EU debates the controversial Chat Control proposal.
Denmark’s EU Presidency has released a new, 203-page draft for Chat Control. Despite diplomatic tweaks, vague “risk mitigation” obligations could still require scanning of private messages, including those encrypted.
Analysis of EU innovation, consumer and tech policy
