💣 NEW: Denmark will drop its proposal for mandatory scanning of messaging apps under the EU’s child sexual abuse material law following a major backlash over privacy concerns, its justice minister said today. For pros: pro.politico.eu/news/207533

Denmark will take its proposed version of an EU law against child sexual abuse material to a ministerial meeting in October — now with French backing. Out now for Pros: pro.politico.eu/news/204618

The British government has dropped its demand for Apple to provide “backdoor” access to user data, U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said Tuesday. By my colleague Mizy Clifton, for Pros. pro.politico.eu/news/203287

Microsoft says it has seen two Chinese nation state hackers exploiting the big Share Point vulnerability. www.microsoft.com/en-us/securi...

OK in these troubled times, here is the diversion we all need. (Well, by “we all” I mean “me”) Sally Rooney is writing about Ronnie O’Sullivan in the New York Review of Books 👇 👊🚀🔥 www.nybooks.com/articles/202...

Pikachu was spotted amongst anti-Erdoğan protesters fleeing from police in Antalya, Turkey last night.

Baltics brace for cyberattacks as they depart Russian electricity grid, via @sgclark92.bsky.social and @victorjack.bsky.social www.politico.eu/article/balt...

How did we get here? February marks five years since Brexit became official. Here are some key developments since the EU-UK breakup. www.theparliamentmagazine.eu/news/article...

It was a rough week for European politicians last week, as Elon Musk took to X to set political fires across the continent. But is Musk really causing problems for European establishment parties, or is he just a symptom something is already deeply wrong? www.theparliamentmagazine.eu/news/article...

Q&A: In Herbert Kickl, Austria could get its first far-right chancellor since World War II. @laurenzennser.bsky.social told The Parliament Kickl would boost the EU's pro-Russian and Eurosceptic bloc, in a political turn that has Brussels on tenterhooks. www.theparliamentmagazine.eu/news/article...

EU lines up intel-sharing, cyber squads to stop hospital hacks, via @sgclark92.bsky.social www.politico.eu/article/eu-i...

Italian PM Giorgia Meloni visited US President-elect Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida this weekend. Her visit adds weight to the idea Meloni could be one of Europe's leading "Trump whisperers" as he re-enters the White House. www.theparliamentmagazine.eu/news/article...

As Russia's aggression in Ukraine almost enters its fourth year, a proposal by the Estonian government to ban Russians and Belarusians living in the country from voting in local elections has rehashed some complicated questions of belonging. My latest for The Parliament Magazine - link below!

To borrow a phrase: We hebben een serieus probleem.

Chinese government hackers are still in U.S. telecoms systems, despite the US government investigating them since spring — and there’s no end in sight, officials said today: www.politico.com/news/2024/12...

The real sign that the UK has gone to the dogs is not Elon Musk’s threat to buy Farage the election, but the waning standard of sub-editing. (Or maybe X really is still formally called Twitter?)

The ship (Cable Vigilance) that's repairing the C-Lion1 cable that was cut in the Baltic Sea is on location. Repairs due to be complete by the end of the month. www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/detai...

Touched down in Tallinn

Fascinating story by ProPublica on Microsoft. www.propublica.org/article/micr...

Is anybody in my network attending the Tallinn Digital Summit next week? I’ll be there - shout if you are.

In yesterday's Cyber Insights: - Quiet discontent over Virkkunen on cyber - Exclusive: The shortlist to be the new European Data Protection Supervisor - Lithuania bans China from (some) energy infrastructure - GDPR class actions incoming? - European Parliament meeting on UN Cybercrime Convention

I have suddenly and quite randomly got a few followers on here, so I’m giving it a go. I’m now at Politico, covering cybersecurity. Always keen to hear from experts and anyone involved in EU cyber policy. Also interested in Brussels curry houses, cycling routes, and improving my squash backhand.