GDPR is a failure

I made 20 GDPR data deletion requests in the past year. 2 complied immediately. 6 complied after I filed complaints with data protection offices. 12 still haven't. The regulation exists, the enforcement doesn't.

Operationalizing the Legal Principle of Data Minimization for...

Article 5(1)(c) of the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) requires that "personal data shall be [...] adequate, relevant, and limited to what is necessary in relation to...

In Russmedia Ruling, the GDPR Displaces Europe's Rules for Online Speech

The ruling shows the serious problems that can arise when European courts rely solely on the GDPR, writes Daphne Keller.

Digital Omnibus: What Would it Mean for Competition and Privacy in Advertising? - The Platform Law Blog

In November 2025, the European Commission (“Commission”) proposed a “Digital Omnibus” regulation to amend several EU legislations.[1] Although presented as a simplification exercise to strengthen Europe’s competitiveness, the proposal revisits key provisions of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the e-Privacy-Directive concerning the use of personal data, including for advertising purposes. The changes could […]

Swedish data brokers claim journalists’ legal protection to evade EU law

Thanks to a loophole in national law, data brokers can exempt their business from EU privacy law. This enables the uncontrolled sale of the personal data of millions of people in Sweden

European Age Verification Solution

The European Commission is developing a harmonized, EU-wide approach to age verification, accompanied by a comprehensive age verification blueprint that is intended to facilitate practical adoption across all Member States and can be customised to the national context. Built upon the robust European Digital Identity Wallet framework, this user-friendly and privacy-preserving age verification solution enables individuals to demonstrate their eligibility for age-restricted online services, such as those restricted to adults, without disclosing more personal information than absolutely necessary. By design, the solution addresses and supports compliance with Article 28 of the Digital Services Act, helping online service providers meet legal requirements for age checks while safeguarding user privacy.

I Asked 100 Companies for My Data. I Got Deletion Notices Instead

California residents have a legal right to access the data that companies collect about them. Actually exercising that right is a burdensome nightmare.

Throwing your rights under the Omnibus - how the EU's reform agenda threatens to erase a decade of digital rights

A spectre is haunting Europe—the spectre of bureaucracy. All the Powers of old Europe have entered into an unholy alliance to exorcise th...

Elena Rossini 🌈 (@_elena@mastodon.social)

Attached: 1 image This was definitely NOT on my bingo card for this year: European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen taking a moment between G7 meetings to promote the launch of the closed-source, for-profit network #WSocial. 🔗 : https://web.archive.org/web/20260617083436/https://www.linkedin.com/posts/rentzhog_kind-of-cool-to-see-ursula-von-der-leyen-ugcPost-7472769475885461504-hwct/ I fear this may be a harbinger of things to come: MANDATORY AGE VERIFICATION for social media across Europe. I hope I'm wrong on this. #privacy #SurveillanceCapitalism #EUBigTech

Nonrivalry and the Economics of Data

(September 2020) - Data is nonrival: a person's location history, medical records, and driving data can be used by many firms simultaneously. Nonrivalry leads to increasing returns. As a result, there may be social gains to data being used broadly across firms, even in the presence of privacy considerations. Fearing creative destruction, firms may choose to hoard their data, leading to the inefficient use of nonrival data. Giving data property rights to consumers can generate allocations that are close to optimal. Consumers balance their concerns for privacy against the economic gains that come from selling data broadly.

Age assurance across Europe: how countries are safeguarding minors online

In 2024, regulators and online service providers fully aligned around the Digital Services Act (DSA), a groundbreaking piece of legislation that regulates the provision of online services within the EU, regardless of whether the provider is based in Europe or not. This year, the focus has shifted to implementing these legislative principles in practice. In particular, measures aimed at safeguarding minors have gained significant momentum, with age verification being a key example.

Age Verification in the Context of the EUDI Wallet: Balancing Privacy and Security

As digital identity solutions become increasingly prevalent, the necessity for robust age verification mechanisms has emerged as a critical concern for a range of services, from online transactions to access to age-restricted content. Current age verification methods often fall short of accommodating the diverse standards across jurisdictions, leading to vulnerabilities and inconsistencies in user experience. One of the main objectives of this study is to identify and analyze in a systematic way existing age verification methods and the main relevant international regulatory frameworks. The Age Verification Profile by the European Commission is including and exploring Zero-Knowledge Proof-based solutions for age verification, which are also considered in the EUDI Wallet Architecture and Reference Framework. This approach not only minimizes data privacy risks but also facilitates seamless digital interactions across the European Union. This paper primarily aims to explore the critical role of the European Digital Identity Wallet Architecture and Reference Framework in age verification and demonstrate that the EUDI Wallet seeks to enhance the security and efficiency of online transactions by introducing robust age verification mechanisms that effectively balance user privacy, security, and compliance with various regulatory requirements while preventing unauthorized access to services with age restrictions, which is in line with the broader objectives of the European Digital Identity initiative. Furthermore, we examine the European Union's age verification approach via the EUDI Wallet and the U.S. framework approach, conducting a comparative analysis between them that highlights key differences in architectural design and legal underpinnings and emphasizes their advantages.

FR#162 – EU Regulation Won’t Save Open Social Networks

The European Commission has decided not to extend the Digital Markets Act's interoperability rules to social media, closing off a potential pathway for adoption for open social networks.

The EU’s age verification app has a privacy problem — and it may be more than just a 'bug in an app'

It's an improvement compared to existing solutions, but security experts still aren't convinced

Deleteme – Secure your privacy, now!

Check your public info and online reputation — 100% FREE scan — no commitment required. Discover & Control Your Digital Footprint (DF)