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☆ Sweeping EU rules for tech giants take effect today. Here’s what’s changing
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-07 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

The new EU regulations force sweeping changes on some of the world’s most widely used tech products, including Apple’s app store, Google search and messaging platforms, including Meta’s WhatsApp. Its broad obligations affect six of the world’s largest tech companies: Amazon, Apple, Google, Meta, Microsoft and ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok. While the law could increase demand for tech companies to extend EU-specific features to other markets, few platforms have shown signs they plan to do so. Tech pushes backBut some tech companies have pushed back on the DMA, warning that it could lead to unintended consequences. “The changes the DMA requires will inevitably cause a gap” between EU users’ security and the security Apple users enjoy outside the EU, it added.

Persons: Meta’s, Apple, Bing, Elon Musk’s, “ Fortnite, ”, Agustin Reyna, “, Apple’s, ” Apple, Reyna, ” BEUC, Tim Sweeney, Meta —, Daniel Friedlaender, CCIA, Friedlaender, Olesya Dmitracova Organizations: Washington CNN, Apple, Google, Union citizens, Big Tech, Spotify, Netflix, Digital Markets, Meta, Microsoft, European Commission, EU, YouTube, Epic, Consumer, Tech, Games, CNN, Computer, Communications Industry Association Locations: United States, Europe

☆ Meta accused of ‘massive, illegal’ data collection operation by European consumer rights groups
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-29 | by ( Anna Cooban | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

London CNN —European consumer rights groups have accused Meta, the owner of Facebook and Instagram, of carrying out a “massive” and “illegal” operation of collecting data from hundreds of millions of users in the region. The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC), an umbrella body for 45 consumer groups, said eight of the groups were filing complaints with their respective national data protection authorities Thursday. The company’s practices, the groups argue, breach parts of the European Union’s signature data privacy law, the General Data Protection Regulation or GDPR. Several days later, Meta launched a subscription service allowing its European users to pay up to €12.99 ($14) a month to use ad-free versions of Facebook and Instagram. The organization filed a complaint with European consumer protection authorities in November, arguing that this “pay-or-consent” approach was an example of an unfair and “aggressive” commercial practice prohibited under EU law.

Persons: Meta, “, Ursula Pachl, Brian Fung Organizations: London CNN, Facebook, European Consumer Organisation, General Data, CNN, Meta Locations: Europe, United States

☆ Outside the US, teens’ social media experiences are more tightly controlled
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-13 | by ( Samantha Murphy Kelly | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Here’s a closer look at how child safety is regulated on social media platforms in other parts of the world. “It will take a couple of years until the first round of the audits of social media companies mandated in the DSA are published,” he said. Can social media companies be sued in the EU? At the same time, however, China’s government also largely blocks access to social media platforms as part of its efforts to monitor and censor the internet. And in Brazil, a data protection law includes special protections for children’s data, including consent to share personal data.

Persons: Here’s, Apple –, what’s, haven’t, Fernando Hortal Foronda, ”, “, Asha Allen, Brian Fung, Clare Duffy Organizations: CNN, European, Meta, Apple, Digital Services, Companies, Big Tech, EU, European Consumer Organisation, DSA, ” Tech, European Commission, EU’s Digital Service, Centre of Democracy and Technology, Justice, European Union, Minor Protection Locations: EU, Centre of Democracy and Technology Europe, China, India, Brazil

REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBRUSSELS, Nov 30 (Reuters) - Meta Platforms' (META.O) paid no-ads subscription service, which it rolled out in Europe this month, breaches EU consumer laws, Europe's largest consumer group said on Thursday as it took its grievance to consumer protection authorities. Meta has said it launched the paid no-ads subscription service, which applies to Facebook and Instagram, to comply with EU rules requiring companies to give users a choice on whether their data can be collected and used for targeted ads. It also took issue with the "very high subscription fee for ad-free services" which could deter users. The ad-free service cost 9.99 euros ($10.96) monthly for Web users and 12.99 euros for iOS and Android users. Meta has said these prices are in line with Google's (GOOGL.O) YouTube and Spotify's (SPOT.N) premium services and with Netflix (NFLX.O).

Persons: Dado Ruvic, NOYB, Meta, BEUC, Ursula Pachl, Pachl, Foo Yun Chee, Matthew Lewis Organizations: Meta, REUTERS, Rights, European Consumer Organisation, CPC, Facebook, EU, YouTube, Netflix, Thomson Locations: Rights BRUSSELS, Europe, Austrian, Brussels

"The only way to fly responsibly right now is not to fly," said Hiske Arts, who is leading the campaign by Fossil Free Netherlands. In preliminary hearings, its lawyers argued "fly responsibly" ads were well-intentioned. KLM says it has already discontinued 19 communications it says form the core of the Fossil Free suit. Its "fly responsibly" web page now re-routes customers to a message that reads: "Air travel is currently not sustainable. While advertising authorities have banned some ads, they say airlines should be allowed to discuss improvements in order to prevent "greenhushing", or allowing the issue to disappear from discussion.

Persons: BEUC, Dimitri Vergne, Laurent Donceel, Lucas Boudet, Toby Sterling, Joanna Plucinska, Mark Potter Organizations: Hiske, Fossielvrij, Dutch, KLM, Fossil, Hiske Arts, Fossil Free Netherlands, European Commission, Air France, Schiphol Airport, Airlines, Advertising Standards Association, Thomson Locations: Netherlands, Amsterdam, Europe, AMSTERDAM, LONDON, Brussels, London

☆ Large US tech companies face new EU regulations
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-25 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Although the European Union’s Digital Services Act (DSA) passed last year, companies have had until now to prepare for its enforcement. Friday marks the arrival of a key compliance deadline — after which tech platforms with more than 45 million EU users will have to meet the obligations laid out in the law. But the list finalized in April includes the most powerful tech companies in the world, and, for those firms, violations can be expensive. The DSA permits EU officials to issue fines worth up to 6% of a very large platform’s global annual revenue. In a statement, a Microsoft spokesperson told CNN the DSA deadline “is an important milestone in the fight against illegal content online.

Persons: “, TikTok, “ We’ve, ”, Nick Clegg, Meta, Snap, Apple, Pinterest, Robert Grosvenor, Alvarez, ” Grosvenor, Thierry Breton, Breton, X, Agustin Reyna, Court’s, ” TikTok Organizations: CNN, Amazon, Apple, Google, Meta, Microsoft, Union’s Digital Services, EU, DSA, Companies, Facebook, European Commission, X Locations: Europe, London, “, BEUC

☆ Meta could become even more dominant in social media with Threads
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-07 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Washington CNN —In less than 48 hours, Meta’s Twitter rival Threads has surpassed 70 million sign-ups, upended the social media landscape and appears to have rattled Twitter enough that it is now threatening legal action against Meta. By promoting Threads through Instagram, and by sharing Instagram user data with Threads to let people instantly recreate their social networks, Meta has significantly greased the onboarding process. The issue isn’t limited to the realm of social media. Rather than viewing it through the lens of a social media market, one helpful way to look at the issue is from the perspective of the advertising market, he said. That could lead to further antitrust scrutiny for Meta even if the question about competition in social media is ambiguous.

Persons: Elon, Meta, Mark Zuckerberg, ”, Instagram, Musk, ” Reddit, Alexis Ohanian, Ohanian, Agustin Reyna, Reyna, Adam Mosseri, Geoffrey Manne, ” Manne, Zuckerberg, Manne, Jeff Blattner, Mosseri, Charlotte Slaiman, “ Organizations: Washington CNN, Meta, Twitter, EU, Google, Center for Law Locations: Europe, Brussels, Portland , Oregon, Washington

☆ Businesses criticise new EU data rules, consumer group sees missed opportunity
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-28 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BRUSSELS, June 28 (Reuters) - Businesses and Big Tech on Wednesday criticised European Union data rules agreed between EU countries and lawmakers, saying they could hinder data flow and contractual freedom, while a pan-European consumer group said they did little for Europeans. The Data Act, agreed on Tuesday, sets out rights and obligations for how Big Tech and companies use European consumer and corporate data, focusing on that generated in smart devices, machinery and consumer products. Revelations by former U.S. intelligence contractor Edward Snowden in 2013 of mass U.S. surveillance have led to EU concerns about data transfers. Tech lobbying group Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA) said the new rules disadvantage Big Tech -labelled as large online platforms under separate newly adopted EU tech legislation - and hence limits consumers' choice. The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) lamented the agreement as a missed opportunity to do more for users.

Persons: Edward Snowden, Cecilia Bonefeld, Dahl, CCIA, Ursula Pachl, Foo Yun Chee, Alex Richardson Organizations: Big Tech, European Union, EU, Airbus, Google, Nokia, Qualcomm, Philips, SAP, Siemens, Sony, Tech, Computer & Communications Industry Association, Digital Markets, European Consumer Organisation, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, EU

☆ Factbox: Governments race to regulate AI tools
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

CHINA* Planning regulationsThe Chinese government will seek to initiate AI regulations in its country, billionaire Elon Musk said on June 5 after meeting with officials during his recent trip to China. ITALY* Investigating possible breachesItaly's data protection authority plans to review other artificial intelligence platforms and hire AI experts, a top official said in May. ChatGPT became available again to users in Italy in April after being temporarily banned over concerns by the national data protection authority in March. SPAIN* Investigating possible breachesSpain's data protection agency said in April it was launching a preliminary investigation into potential data breaches by ChatGPT. The Biden administration earlier in April said it was seeking public comments on potential accountability measures for AI systems.

Persons: Alan Turing, Elon Musk, Margrethe Vestager, Vestager, CNIL, Dado Ruvic, Ziv Katzir, Israel, ChatGPT, OpenAI, Antonio Guterres, Guterres, Michael Bennet, Biden, Alessandro Parodi, Amir Orusov, Jason Neely, Kirsten Donovan, Milla Nissi Organizations: Microsoft, Authority, Reuters, EU, Key, European Consumer Organisation, Seven, REUTERS, Israel Innovation Authority, UNITED, International Atomic Energy Agency, United Nations, U.S . Federal Trade Commission's, Thomson Locations: AUSTRALIA, BRITAIN, Britain, CHINA, China, Beijing, U.S, FRANCE, Italy, Hiroshima, Japan, IRELAND, ISRAEL, Israel, ITALY, JAPAN, SPAIN, Gdansk

☆ Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Twitter target of EU crypto advertising complaint
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-08 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BRUSSELS, June 8 (Reuters) - Meta Platforms' (META.O) Instagram, Alphabet's (GOOGL.O) YouTube, TikTok and Twitter could face regulatory action after European consumer group BEUC complained to the European Commission and consumer authorities that the online platforms allegedly facilitate the misleading promotion of crypto assets. U.S. regulators suing crypto platforms Coinbase COIN.O and Binance, along with last year's collapse of FTX, have sparked concerns over consumer protection related to crypto assets such as bitcoin and ether. It urged the Consumer Protection Cooperation Network to require the online platforms to adopt stricter advertising policies on crypto and take measures to prevent influencers from misleading consumers. The group called on European consumer authorities to cooperate with European Supervisory Authorities for financial services to ensure the platforms adapt their advertising policies to prevent the misleading promotion of crypto. "This is why we are turning to the authorities in charge of protecting consumers to ensure Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and Twitter fulfil their duty to protect consumers against crypto scams and false promises," she said.

Persons: BEUC, Monique Goyens, Foo Yun Chee, Lisa Shumaker Organizations: YouTube, Twitter, European Commission, European Union, Consumer Protection Cooperation Network, Commission, European, Authorities, Crypto, Consumer, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, Denmark, France, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain

☆ Consumer protection bodies urged to investigate ChatGPT, others
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BRUSSELS, April 24 (Reuters) - The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) has joined the chorus of concern about ChatGPT and other artificial intelligence chatbots, calling on EU consumer protection agencies to investigate the technology and the potential harm to individuals. BEUC, the umbrella group for 46 consumer organisations from 32 countries, set out its worries in separate letters earlier this month to the network of consumer safety authorities (CSN network) and to the network of consumer protection authorities (CPC network). It said younger consumers and children are more vulnerable to such risks. The group also called on the Consumer Safety Network to start an exchange of information and an investigation into the safety risks of these products. Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; Editing by Kirsten DonovanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Strikes have rolled through France, Portugal, Britain and Germany in recent weeks and could cause air travel disruption in parts of Europe through the Easter holidays, officials at airlines, airports and air traffic authorities told Reuters. There's no doubt about it," said Steven Moore, who is in charge of air traffic management operations at Eurocontrol. Airlines say they have to pay compensation without themselves getting compensated for air traffic delays. Consumer groups say air traffic control strikes are not new and airlines should be quicker to react and pay compensation. He called last week on the European Commission to do more to stop such strikes hitting overflights, by introducing minimum service rules, though industry experts say strikes are a national issue.

☆ Nintendo to repair for free unresponsive game controllers, EU says
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BRUSSELS, April 4 (Reuters) - Japanese gaming company Nintendo (7974.T) has agreed to repair for free beyond the legal guarantee period unresponsive console controllers following complaints from European consumer groups, the European Commission said on Tuesday. Nintendo found itself in the EU spotlight after the European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) and nine national consumer groups in 2021 complained to the EU executive about its Nintendo Switch console, saying they deteriorate too quickly. This technical problem known as the 'Joy-Con drift' affected both Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch Lite consoles. "This is only a short-term fix that will allow consumers to have their defective products repaired for free. Yet Nintendo can still sell the console with the potential bug," BEUC Deputy Director General Ursula Pachl said in a statement.

The rules would apply to fridges, vacuum cleaners, televisions, washing machines and other goods that are deemed "repairable" under EU law. The EU is negotiating rules that would extend the requirement to smartphones and tablets. Under the EU rules, companies would have to repair a defective product for free within the two-year legal guarantee period, if the cost of repair is cheaper or equal to replacing the product. After that date, companies must still offer repairs, either for free or for a charge. A second law, proposed by Brussels on Wednesday, would force companies to verify claims that their products are "green" or "eco-friendly".

BRUSSELS, March 6 (Reuters) - Meta Platforms' (META.O) WhatsApp has agreed to be more transparent about changes to its privacy policy introduced in 2021, the European Commission said on Monday, following complaints from consumer bodies across Europe. The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) and the European Network of consumer authorities told WhatsApp last year that it had not clarified the changes in plain and intelligible language, violating the bloc's laws. WhatsApp has now agreed to explain changes to EU users' contracts and how these could affect their rights, and has agreed to display prominently the possibility for users to accept or reject the changes and ensure that users can easily close pop-up notifications on updates. The company also confirmed that users' personal data is not shared with third parties or other Meta companies, including Facebook, for advertising purposes. Reporting by Foo Yun Chee in Brussels and Charlotte Van Campenhout in Amsterdam; Editing by Susan FentonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ EU lawmakers' body agrees on safeguards against illegal data transfers
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BRUSSELS, Feb 9 (Reuters) - A key committee at the European Parliament on Thursday agreed to stringent safeguards to prevent non-EU governments from gaining illegal access to EU data, drawing criticism from a tech lobbying group. EU concerns about data transfers have grown since former U.S. intelligence contractor Edward Snowden in 2013 revealed mass U.S. surveillance. The committee introduced safeguards against unlawful international data transfer by cloud service providers and set stricter conditions on business-to-government data requests. Tech trade association ITI said lawmakers may be going too far with provisions restricting transfers of non-personal data that exceed those set out under EU privacy rules for personal data. "Data flows are the backbone of the digital economy and allow companies to reach consumers and access new markets.

☆ EU considers ban on 'forever chemicals', urges search for alternatives
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Ludwig Burger | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

"A ban on PFAS would reduce quantities of PFAS in the environment over the long term. Once the ban is in force, companies will be given between 18 months and 12 years to introduce alternatives to the more than 10,000 PFAS affected, depending on the availability of alternatives, according to the draft proposal. The FPP4EU group of 14 companies that make and use PFAS has said that finding alternatives is a long and difficult process. Within the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), two scientific committees for Risk Assessment and for Socio-Economic Analysis will now review whether the proposal to ban PFAS conforms with wider EU regulation of chemicals known as REACH, followed by a scientific evaluation and consultation with the industry. In August, the United States government said it will propose designating certain forever chemicals as hazardous substances under the U.S. Superfund programme.

☆ Exclusive: European telecoms' advertising venture set for EU approval -sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BRUSSELS, Feb 1 (Reuters) - Deutsche Telekom (DTEGn.DE), Orange (ORAN.PA), Telefonica (TEF.MC) and Vodafone's (VOD.L) plan to take on Big Tech with their own advertising joint venture is set to win unconditional EU antitrust approval, people familiar with the matter said. The joint venture marks the telecoms sector's first attempt to take on Meta (META.O) and Alphabet'S (GOOGL.O) Google in the lucrative online advertising sector and diversify their revenue streams. Google is the world's leading seller of online advertising, well ahead of Meta, with the business generating about 80% of its revenue. The EU competition enforcer describes the joint venture as a privacy-led, digital identification solution to support the digital marketing and advertising activities of brands and publishers. Earlier this week, pan-European consumer lobbying group BEUC voiced concerns over how data would be collected by the joint venture and how the partners aim to get users' consent.

☆ EU countries' stance on AI rules draws criticism from lawmaker, consumer group
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BRUSSELS, Dec 6 (Reuters) - EU countries on Tuesday agreed a common position on draft artificial intelligence rules ahead of negotiations with EU lawmakers to thrash out the details, but drew criticism for not adequately addressing the issue of facial recognition. The European Commission proposed the AI rules last year, seeking to catch up with China and the United States in a technology used in smartphones, computers, self-driving cars, online shopping and advertising, and factories. The draft rules need to be hashed out with EU countries and EU lawmakers next year before they can be implemented. EU lawmakers have yet to reach agreement on their common position. The countries agreed to exclude national security, defence and military purposes from the AI rules, according to a statement from the Council of the European Union.

REUTERS/Francois LenoirWASHINGTON/BRUSSELS, Oct 7 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday signed an executive order to implement a European Union-United States data transfer framework announced in March that adopts new American intelligence gathering privacy safeguards. Judges with experience in data privacy and national security will be appointed from outside the U.S. government. European privacy activists have threatened to challenge the framework if they did not think it adequately protects privacy. Austrian Max Schrems, whose legal challenges have brought down the previous two EU-U.S. data flow systems, said he still needed to analyze the package. "At first sight it seems that the core issues were not solved and it will be back to the CJEU (EU court) sooner or later," he said.

☆ Google says shared network costs is 10-year-old idea, bad for consumers
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-26 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

FILE PHOTO: The logo for Google LLC is seen at the Google Store Chelsea in Manhattan, New York City, U.S., November 17, 2021. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly/BRUSSELS, Sept 26 (Reuters) - Alphabet (GOOGL.O) unit Google on Monday rebuffed a push by European telecoms operators to get Big Tech to help fund network costs, saying it was a 10-year-old idea that was bad for consumers and that the company was already investing millions in internet infrastructure. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterThe idea, floated more than 10 years ago, could disrupt Europe's net neutrality or open internet access, Brittin said. "In 2021, we invested over 23 billion euros in capital expenditure - much of which is infrastructure," Brittin said. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Foo Yun Chee; Editing by Alex RichardsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Siguranța copiilor pe TikTok, pusă în pericol; Mii de părinţi olandezi cer despăgubiri pentru copiii lor
▼ + stars: | 2021-06-03 | by ( ) www.jurnal.md time to read: +2 min

Sursa foto: s.iw.roSiguranța copiilor pe TikTok, pusă în pericol; Mii de părinţi olandezi cer despăgubiri pentru copiii lorÎn total, solicitările pentru despăgubiri se ridică la peste 1,4 miliarde de euro (1,7 miliarde de dolari), a anunţat miercuri Fundaţia olandeză pentru Informaţii de Piaţă şi Cercetare (SOMI). Operatorul platformei a declarat anterior că a luat măsuri pentru a asigura siguranţa tinerilor utilizatori. La sfârşitul lunii mai, Comisia Europeană a anunţat o revizuire a practicilor comerciale ale TikTok. În urma unui avertisment din partea Organizaţiei Europene a Consumatorilor (BEUC) privind încălcările drepturilor consumatorilor din UE, a fost lansat un dialog formal cu TikTok, a anunţat Comisia pe 28 mai. Printre altele, Comisia a menţionat „tehnici de publicitate agresive care îi vizează pe copii” ca fiind „practici îngrijorătoare” ale TikTok.

Organizations: olandeză, Comisia Europeană Locations: TikTok, Olanda, UE

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