This is the first time Macron has retaliated so angrily against the provocations of his alleged "friend" Donald Trump. The policy of appeasement and flattery is breaking down.

Protecting the freedom of speech means protecting speech you disagree with as well. The Center for Countering Digital Hate, The Global Disinformation Index, and Hate Aid do important work protecting people and advancing the policy debate. Commissioner Breton led EU legislative work democratically.

In a move that seems to be designed to avoid scrutiny and the ire of the Trump administration, the Italian competition authority (AGCM) has concluded its competition investigation into Apple's privacy controls (ATT) with a nearly €100 million fine.

But we won't wait another 250 years.

Commission officials appear to be using public pressure to extract further concessions from Google, something we've seen in the past when it comes to DMA enforcement. Threat of fines and legal ambiguity used to extract commitments beyond the legal requirements.

The European Commission opened another front in its regulatory oversight of strategically significant digital markets. This time it's using competition tools to investigate Google's AI training. It's emblematic of the EC's unique approach to market power. bsky.app/profile/ec....

There are legitimate concerns with some of Europe's digital regulation, and its enforcement, some of it overextends and has unintended consequences, harming the European digital economy and making things worse for users. But Musk's attacks on the DSA are unwarranted.

European enforcers have a lot of tools to go after deceptive design, it's good to see them being used finally. ec.europa.eu/commission/p...

In further European antitrust news, EC Competition Commissioner Ribera warns that Google break-up is still on the table.

Europe competition authorities are going to war against privacy! Wait what? No, you didn't misread. Several competition authorities are deep into investigations against Apple's "App Tracking Transparency" (ATT) measures, designed to protect and empower users vs malicious apps

This one flew under the radar last week, but it's significant. Competition Commissioner hits back at Tech Companies for Negative Impacts of the DMA Now let me break it down 👇 (Reporting on Mlex)

The EU's trade-woes are heating up this week, as US/EU negotiators quarrelled over some familiar issues left unresolved from the summer's trade deal. The EU wants lower steel and aluminium tariffs, the US wants the EU to stop discriminating against US tech companies.

The EU's trade-woes are heating up this week, as US/EU negotiators quarrelled over some familiar issues left unresolved from the summer's trade deal. The EU wants lower steel and aluminium tariffs, the US wants the EU to stop discriminating against US tech companies.

New competition enforcement news out of Italy, but is it really competition enforcement? and why Italy? Just another example of how the DMA has failed

“The Commission’s focus on simplification will help consumers and businesses reap the benefits of the digital economy. This is great news." - @kayjebelli.bsky.social Read our full statement here >> progresschamber.org/europes-omni...

Potentially a big move from the EC to make Europe a bit more hospitable to AI, trying to put a stop to all the data protection authority investigations into AI model development and deployment in Europe

Canada’s new digital sovereignty paper cuts through the noise: -True autonomy is impossible -A homegrown tech stack won’t save us -Define what’s critical. Encrypt it Even “Canadian” clouds run on global code. The future is hybrid, secure, pragmatic. My latest: progresschamber.org/insights/rea...

🇪🇺🇳🇱💪“This is a historic election result because we’ve shown not only to the Netherlands but also to the world that it’s possible to beat populist and extreme-right movements” - pro-European liberal Rob Jetten who could be the next Dutch prime minister www.politico.eu/article/what...

🇪🇺 Europe’s consumers don't need more regulation that could limit digital services in Europe. @progresschamber.org we're committed to the consumer impact of digital regulation, so of course we had thoughts on the EC's ideas for a Digital Fairness Act (DFA) ec.europa.eu/info/law/be...

Saw this last week but didn't see much commentary, there should be more, because it's an example of how industry concerns about the workability of regulation are often shot down, but ultimately prove true. Solid reporting by @egreechee.bsky.social

Apple's new M5 silicon is a wonder, and a prime example of how vertical integration can allow for incredible technological advances, create new competitive pressure on incumbents to innovate, and ultimately, why the EU's DMA is bad for consumers. www.apple.com/newsroom/20...

Fantastic news for safety and accessibility of riders on London roads, Waymo has announced that they will start driving in the UK next year. Big thanks to the UK Government for their forward thinking approach and support for AVs in the UK bsky.app/profile/pro...

Big news from our partners at @waymo.bsky.social! In 2026, they will expand operations to London, adding more options to the city's transit network.

Fascinating case, and one to follow. Reporting by @pieterhaeck.bsky.social pro.politico.eu/news/206414

Competition enforcement news in the UK today, as the CMA designates Google under the DMCCA (ex-ante rules), for "strategic market status" (i.e. gatekeeper) in search and search advertising. This was expected, and a long time coming, so what's new? www.gov.uk/government/...

Welcome news this week as Germany decides not to support "Chat Control" (mandating scanning devices and messages for possible CSA materials, creating a continent wide surveillance state, and eliminating our digital freedoms). There was a vote coming up next week. @claudiemoreau.bsky.social

📣 Germany's close to reversing its opposition to mass surveillance & private message scanning, & backing the Chat Control bill. This could end private comms-& Signal-in the EU. Time's short and they're counting on obscurity: please let German politicians know how horrifying their reversal would be.

“It actually doesn’t take much to be considered a difficult woman. That’s why there are so many of us.” ― Jane Goodall 💙 RIP to a real one. My childhood hero

The war of words over the DMA has escalated over the last few days. I already wrote about Apple's recent blogpost suggesting the DMA should be repealed, but there's been a few more developments over the weekend, with Google and the US Government entering the fray

💥Apple is going public on the EU's Digital Markets Act💥 After years of trying to resolve compliance differences behind closed doors, Apple is spilling all the gory details of how the Commission's sausage is being made, and why European users are getting hurt in the process.

I kinda hope they do decide to exclude tech giants, just to see what happens next. Inviting US retaliation by explicitly discriminating against US tech companies, calling into question the legality of the DMA itself, and neutering open-banking all in one fell swoop.

Yea nah, given all the compliance risk and political pressure on this issue, I don't think they will rethink it. As usual, overregulation leads to services being pulled.

Today @chamberofprogress.bsky.social submitted our response to the European Commission’s review of the #DMA. One year in, it’s clear: enforcement is disproportionate, fragmented, and the process for compliance uncertain, leaving European users worse off.

Snake oil sellers gonna sell snake oil.

Big story in the battle between Brussels and Big Tech: The EU is poised to exclude Meta, Apple, Google and Amazon from a new system to share citizens’ financial data, in the face of Trump’s retaliation threats @bmoens.bsky.social & @paolatamma.bsky.social with the news on.ft.com/46tA9Yv

Today we are presenting our proposals to the Council to suspend trade concessions with Israel and to place sanctions on extremist ministers of the Israeli government and on violent settlers. The horrific events taking place in Gaza on a daily basis must stop. Press release: link.europa.eu/nx3DrG

🚨 Will Europe’s banks succeed in neutering open banking? In June 2023, the European Commission proposed the Financial Data Access Regulation (FiDA) — to give Europeans control over their financial data and unlock new services in payments, lending, and money management.

🚨 Will Europe’s banks succeed in neutering open banking? In June 2023, the European Commission proposed the Financial Data Access Regulation (FiDA) — to give Europeans control over their financial data and unlock new services in payments, lending, and money management.

Bad news for EU consumers. Apple just announced new AI features with AirPods, like real-time translation in your ear... Unfortunately, this feature won't be in the EU at launch. thedigitalcurtain.eu#european-use...

🚀Fantastic news for European AI🇪🇺this is a partnership that shouldn't be investigated and slowed down by competition authorities. These investments in AI startups will attract more investment to the sector, and help startups like Mistral scale and compete internationally🌍 www.asml.com/en/news/pres...

So apparently Trump's angry tweets about foreign digital regulations weren't aimed at Europe? Incredible scoop from Ari Hawkins @politico.com‬

Brussels weather doing everything it can right now to emphasise that summer is well and truly over

It's a pity that Macron has taken Trump's bait here, and I wonder if his domestic political situation has something to do with it. I don't think the EU should escalate tensions at this point. Better to address legitimate concerns and dismiss the others. www.politico.eu/article/emma...

Interesting op-ed from the CEO of Europe's leading tech company SAP (primarily enterprise software and increasingly cloud services) in the Economist, on the pitfalls of EU policymakers' approach to competitiveness and building homegrown champions www.economist.com/by-invitati...

U.S. FTC warns Big Tech: don’t weaken encryption or censor Americans to comply with foreign laws. Doing so may violate U.S. law if it breaks promises to users. FTC says that tech companies should ignore any such demands of EU or UK regulators. www.ftc.gov/news-events/...

“By the time you read this article, more newborn babies will have died from starvation in Gaza.” @fbhutto.bsky.social writes about Israel’s genocidal, starvation campaign killing Palestinian children, journalists and more. Read the full article: zeteo.com/p/gaza-starv...

Anyway, I know it's not news that Trump is hypocritical, but here's my story reminding people that MAGA world insisted that the Biden admin sending impolite notes to Facebook was the greatest threat to free speech, but are completely silent on Trump calling up Murdoch and demanding he kill a story

What's the future of search services in Europe? That's not being hashed out in engineering departments of big tech companies, it's going to be decided in the halls of power in Brussels, where regulators will pick what they want the European internet to look like.

Their no more words to find, we're now living in a world where the LIVE MASS MURDER OF CHILDREN, OF CIVILIANS IS USED AS APPETIZING FOR THE NEW AI MASS MURDER TOOLS❗🥶 #Gaza #Westbank #Palestine #Genocide #ZionistHolocaustinPalestine qudsnen.co/israeli-firm...