It’s been well over two years since the UK’s data protection watchdog warned the behavioural advertising industry it’s wildly out of control. The ICO hasn’t done anything to stop the systematic unlawfulness of the tracking and targeting industry abusing Internet users’ personal data to try to manipulate their attention — not in terms of actually […]
French fishers to block Channel tunnel in Brexit licences row
Members of industry association say large number of vehicles will be used to block key artery between nationsFrench fishers are threatening to block access to the Eurotunnel and the ferry port in Calais on Friday as part of an ongoing dispute over acce…
Europe offers tepid set of political ads transparency rules
It’s been almost a year since the EU’s executive announced it would propose rules for political ads transparency in response to concern about online microtargeting and big data techniques making mincemeat of democratic integrity and accountability. Today it’s come out with its proposal. But frankly it doesn’t look like the wait was worth it. The […]
All options fraught with risk as Biden confronts Putin over Ukraine
Analysis: Moscow presents Washington with a no-win situation: capitulate on Ukrainian sovereignty or risk all-out warJoe Biden is preparing for a virtual summit with Vladimir Putin with the aim of fending off the threat of another Russian invasion of U…
Vauban, an AngelList-like platform for VCs and angels to run and raise funds, closes $6.3m
It’s always been a slight puzzle why AngelList never really properly took off in Europe, especially when, a few years ago, there was such a dearth of funding options for poorly served European startups. But the reasons are fairly simple when you look at them. For starters, the US tech industry boomed in the last […]
Uber to shutter most of its service in Belgium tomorrow after court ruling
Uber will halt its ride-hailing service in most of Belgium tomorrow following a court ruling Wednesday that extends a 2015 order banning its p2p UberPop service to also cover professional drivers providing its ride-hailing service. Uber told us that it is studying the detail of the ruling to decide whether to appeal the decision with […]
From energy prices to the new cold war, we were warned about 2021 – back in 1997 | Zoe Williams
Terrorism, tension between China and the US, an uncontrollable plague … Wired’s 24-year-old list of what could go wrong with the world is depressingly familiarIn 1997, when things could only get better, Wired magazine gave over an issue to the raw opti…
Russia accuses west of building up forces on its borders
Moscow, which has nearly 100,000 troops near Ukraine border, also criticises ‘provocative policy’ of US and EU towards KyivRussia has accused the west of building up forces on its borders as well as those of Belarus in remarks that appeared tailored to…
EU’s data protection adviser latest to call for ban on tracking ads
The European Data Protection Board (EDPB), an expert steering body which advises EU lawmakers on how to interpret rules wrapping citizen’s personal data, has warned the bloc’s legislators that a package of incoming digital regulations risks damaging people’s fundamental rights — without “decisive action” to amend the suite of proposals. The reference is to draft […]
Dark things are happening on Europe’s borders. Are they a sign of worse to come? | Daniel Trilling
With a disregard for people’s lives, countries from the UK to Poland are toughening up, as if in preparation for climate displacementIt is bad enough when states break their own rules and mistreat people – but it’s when they start to change the rules t…