EU countries are preparing to allow the US to access national biometric databases – holding sensitive personal data like fingerprints and facial scans – to maintain visa-free travel to the US. The latest on the deal w/ @maximilian-henning.bsky.social

"[It] now follows about 80 podcasts [..] When one of the shows publishes a new episode, the tool automatically downloads it, transcribes it, and summarizes the transcript. Every 24 hours the tool collates those summaries and generates a meta-summary" www.niemanlab.org/2026/02/how-...

Meta tells Ireland to use its EU presidency to advocate scrapping a law to crack down on addictive social media features. They also want landmark EU legislation on artificial intelligence (AI) to be "paused and rethought." www.irishtimes.com/politics/202...

"These results suggest that initial exposure to X’s algorithm has persistent effects on users’ current political attitudes and account-following behaviour, even in the absence of a detectable effect on partisanship." www.nature.com/articles/s41...

The US State Department is developing an online portal that will enable people in Europe and elsewhere to see content banned by their governments including alleged hate speech and terrorist propaganda, a move Washington views as a way to counter censorship, three sources familiar with the plan said.

“Meta is preparing to spend $65 million this year to boost state politicians who are friendly to the artificial intelligence industry, beginning this week in Texas and Illinois, according to company representatives.” www.nytimes.com/2026/02/18/t...

"For now, though, Europe still outsources the machinery and plumbing of its democracy, commerce and military to US tech firms. This has, in effect, handed Trump a kill switch that Europeans should fear."

"Law makers in Portugal have approved a bill banning the use of social media by under-16s. The ban primarily affects Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok, which will only be accislbe with parental consent." www.techcentral.ie/portugal-joi...

“A staggering 74% of claims about AI’s climate benefits are unproven, serving the profits of tech and fossil fuel industries, while downplaying the major climate harms of generative AI. The research looks at 154 “statements claiming AI will serve as a net climate benefit” stand.earth/press-releas...

“Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said he is using special public-interest powers to ask the country’s prosecutor office to investigate X, TikTok and Meta Platforms Inc. over alleged publication of child sexual abuse material.” www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

“[The European Commission] will assess the risks linked to the addictive design of the service, including giving consumers points or rewards for engagement, as well as the systems Shein has in place to mitigate such risks.” www.rte.ie/news/busines...

“GenAI as well as design features and “connected risks” will be key issues for the enforcement of the Digital Services Act in 2026 [..] Prabhat Agarwal [..] said the “GenAI revolution” is sweeping across the platform ecosystem and changing its risk landscape.” www.mlex.com/mlex/technol...

“The DPC said the investigation concerns the apparent creation, and publication on the X platform, of potentially harmful, non-consensual intimate and/or sexualised images containing or otherwise involving the processing of personal data.” www.rte.ie/news/busines...

A Haaretz investigation has found that at least three Israeli cyber companies are currently operating in #CARINT; one has developed an "offensive" tool that can potentially tap into your 🚗car's microphones and cameras. www.haaretz.com/israel-news/...

NEW: David Greene was the voice of NPR's "Morning Edition." Is he also secretly the voice of Google's popular AI podcast tool, NotebookLM? Google says no. Greene thinks they're lying. My story today breaks the news of his lawsuit and compares the two voices. Listen for yourself: wapo.st/3ZHRvho

"A review of the published documents reveals a pronounced double standard: tech platform employees’ names are systematically redacted, while civil society participants and commission officials remain fully identified"

He speaks English. She speaks Mandarin. David Duda and Hong Liang, a married couple, rely on A.I. translation and external battery packs. If their phones die, so does their ability to communicate.

Meta said it planned to add facial recognition to its smart glasses. In an internal memo last year, Meta said the political tumult in the U.S. would distract critics from the feature’s release. nyti.ms/4qyZZlK

“One YouTube presentation showed how the company courted children under the age of 4, comparing itself to a babysitter. Another document showed that YouTube’s parent company referred to some products as “slot machines” and included an image of a casino.” www.nytimes.com/2026/02/09/t...

Scoop: Google, the target for billions of euros in European Union antitrust fines, has been hit by a fresh EU probe over concerns it’s illegally rigging the cost of advertising on search, according to documents seen by Bloomberg: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

“Whether use was a problem was "a personal thing," Mosseri said, explaining that one person could use Instagram "more than you and feel good about it." [..] "It's important to differentiate between clinical addiction and problematic use," he added.” www.bbc.com/news/article...

Discord recently announced that many more users will need to scan their face or upload ID, verifying their age so they can continue to access parts of the platform. Someone quickly made a tool that they say bypasses it with a simple 3D model you control www.404media.co/free-tool-sa...

"The consultation, which closes on May 1, focuses on streamlining advertising rules, improving the level playing field between traditional and new digital players, and strengthening the protections of minors on video-sharing platforms" www.mlex.com/mlex/technol...

"Social media age limits would be better set at a European level — rather than nationally — the EU’s digital chief [Henna Virkkunen] said on Tuesday. The European Commission aims to present a proposal before the summer." www.mlex.com/mlex/technol...

Expected at 15:30 CET: "Press conference by European Commission Executive Vice-President Henna VIRKKUNEN and Commissioner Glen MICALLEF on the action plan against cyberbullying" audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/ebs/grid?...

"[Media Regulator Coimisiún na Meán] is currently facing 12 legal challenges – more than half of these involve the social media platform X [..] The regulator said that separately Elon Musk, who controls X Holdings Corp “had issued proceedings against An Coimisiún”" www.irishtimes.com/technology/b...

📍Today, the EC informed Meta that blocking third-party AI assistants from WhatsApp may breach EU competition rules. ec.europa.eu/commission/p...

Starting next month, all Discord users will have limited access to features and servers until they verify their age and identity.

“The European Commission said on Monday that it has sent a statement of objections, or charges, to Meta over violation of the bloc's rules and intends to impose interim measures to prevent serious and irreparable harm to rivals” www.reuters.com/world/eu-thr...

Interesting: The key Digital Affairs official in the new Dutch government was just announced. Academic Willemijn Aerdts, author of books on the intelligence services, will oversee Digital Economy & Sovereignty 👇

"As robotaxis and other AI-based technologies proliferate, so does the myth that these systems are fully autonomous. During a recent Senate hearing, industry leader Waymo provided the latest reminder that AI relies on human labor – often low-paid" www.techspot.com/news/111233-...

“The European Commission said TikTok, which has more than 1 billion users worldwide, had not adequately assessed how its design could harm the physical and mental wellbeing of users including children and vulnerable adults.” www.theguardian.com/technology/2...

Dutch government tests French alternative to Teams, Zoom and Webex <good tweakers.net/nieuws/24430... France www.zdnet.com/article/fran...

“Spain will ban social media platforms for children under the age of 16 [..] Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Tuesday [..] his government would also introduce a new bill next week to hold social media executives accountable for illegal and hateful content.” www.euronews.com/next/2026/02...

“Offices belonging to Elon Musk’s widely-used social media platform, X, in France are being raided by the Paris prosecutor’s office. [..] The raid is linked to a year-long investigation into alleged abuse of algorithms and fraudulent data extraction by X” www.theguardian.com/world/live/2...

"Alexander Sabar [..] said the ban is only being lifted “conditionally” and could be reinstated if “further violations are discovered.” Malaysia and the Philippines lifted their bans on January 23." techcrunch.com/2026/02/01/i...

“According to its new privacy policy, TikTok [US] now collects more data on its users, including their precise location, after majority ownership officially switched to a group based in the US.” www.wired.com/story/tiktok...

Interesting news: The just-published Dutch government agreement includes a list of measures on age verification, content moderation, and bans on certain types of algorithms. Source (in Dutch): www.kabinetsformatie2025.nl/documenten/2...

“[ACM] launches an investigation into online game platform Roblox in connection with possible risks that minors in the EU face on the platform. In its investigation, ACM will assess whether the game platform takes sufficient measures to protect minors on its service.” www.acm.nl/en/publicati...

“[MRF] said online networks linked to a global ecosystem labelled the Com were carrying out extreme exploitation, cyberbullying, violence and abuse – and called for a coordinated global response from governments, regulators, law enforcement and tech companies.” www.theguardian.com/society/2026...

““We are the most Microsoft-loving country of the whole world,” said Bert Hubert, a Dutch cybersecurity expert and former intelligence watchdog. “The Dutch government uses more Microsoft than the U.S. government.”” www.politico.eu/article/neth...

“The Institute for Public Policy Research [..] recommended standardised labels for AI-generated news, showing what information had been used to create those answers, including peer-reviewed studies and articles from professional news organisations.” www.theguardian.com/technology/2...

"The interim head of the country’s cyber defense agency uploaded sensitive contracting documents into a public version of ChatGPT last summer, triggering multiple automated security warnings that are meant to stop [..] unintentional disclosure of government material" www.politico.com/news/2026/01...

"Ireland is facing a wave of disruption and disinformation from hostile states as it prepares to take over the EU presidency [..] The most likely threat comes from attempted hack-and-leak operations." www.independent.ie/irish-news/i...

"Over the last few months of 2025, Meta spent $6.4 million on an ad campaign running in cities across the country, from Sacramento to Washington, with a clear mission: win over viewers on the construction of new data centers." www.theverge.com/news/869008/...

After CNBC and @ttp-updates.bsky.social contacted Apple and Google about dozens of nudify apps on their respective app stores, the two companies removed dozens of these services from their platforms, but several remain www.cnbc.com/2026/01/27/a... Check out this report by @lolavkm.bsky.social

“Meta Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg approved allowing minors to access AI chatbot companions that safety staffers warned were capable of sexual interactions, according to internal Meta documents filed in a New Mexico state court case and made public Monday.”

BREAKING: Aylo, the parent company of Pornhub and many of the most popular adult sites in the world, announced today that starting February 2 it will restrict people visiting the site from the UK.

Government coalition negotiations just completed in the Netherlands. First (almost) real minority government in its parliamentary history in the make. Led by… D66 (libdem) VVD (liberals) CDA (Christian Democrats)

"With today’s proceedings we want to help Google by explaining in more detail how it should comply with its interoperability and online search data sharing obligations under the Digital Markets Act.” ec.europa.eu/commission/p...