All posts tagged: Big data

It’s still hooked – POLITICO

It’s still hooked – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

Unions and opposition politicians echo this sentiment: Labor union ver.di warned of a “high workload” and “insufficient training,” while Kianusch Stender, the Social Democratic Party’s regional spokesperson for digital affairs, argued the rollout was rushed and poorly prepped because of “time pressures,” technical shortcomings and a lack of consultation. “Employees, representatives from the justice and police departments reported limited workability, missing functions, incompatible specialist applications and a high level of additional effort in their daily work,” said Stender. For Schrödter, the lesson to be learned is this: “The challenge in making the switch is not that the solutions are not available, but mainly the question of political will to take responsibility,” he said, calling on Berlin to follow suit. Dutch Digital Minister Willemijn Aerdts, who said “the U.S. is still a valued ally, but we want to be able to make choices”, looks on during a debate in parliament in The Hague in February 2026. | John Beckmann/DeFodi Images/DeFodi via Getty Images Indeed, the German federal government also started trying sovereign alternatives to power its …

TikTok starts court battle to save China ties – POLITICO

TikTok starts court battle to save China ties – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

The company, which is owned by Chinese giant ByteDance, is challenging a €530 million fine by the Irish regulator last year, when officials found it had allowed Chinese staff to access Europeans’ data — but failed “to verify, guarantee and demonstrate” that the data was properly protected. The Irish regulator wants TikTok to shut off data flows to China, unless it can prove its user information is safe from Beijing’s invasive surveillance and intelligence laws. The case is a major test for Europe’s privacy rulebook, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and how it protects Europeans when their data is transferred to China. It comes as Europe is facing transatlantic pressure, forcing the bloc to revisit trade ties with Beijing, despite long-held security concerns over the Chinese government’s data snooping practices. Lawyers faced off Tuesday in Dublin’s top courts building, for the start of a grueling 10-day hearing, sparring over how to interpret the limits of Chinese laws and the merits of TikTok’s data practices. “The consequences of [the Irish regulator’s] decision are immense, even …

EU Parliament blocks AI tools over cyber, privacy fears – POLITICO

EU Parliament blocks AI tools over cyber, privacy fears – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

The European Union has beefed up its data security policies in recent years, in part due to concerns around foreign technology vendors. A group of lawmakers in November urged the Parliament to ditch internal use of Microsoft software in favor of a European alternative, POLITICO reported. The institution in 2023 also banned the use of social media app TikTok on staff devices and recommended that MEPs delete it from their phones. The latest move to switch off AI tools concerns built-in features like writing and summarizing assistants, enhanced virtual assistants and webpage summaries in both tablets and phones, an EU official said, granted anonymity to disclose details of the security policy. Apps, email, calendar, documents, and other day-to-day tools are not affected, the email to lawmakers said. In a written statement to POLITICO, the European Parliament press service said it “constantly monitor[s] cybersecurity threats and quickly deploys the necessary measures to prevent them,” but wouldn’t comment on specific security or cybersecurity matters due to their “sensitive nature.” The Parliament declined to clarify what exact built-in …

EU plan to share data with US border force sparks surveillance fears – POLITICO

EU plan to share data with US border force sparks surveillance fears – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

The Trump administration’s request for deeper access comes after the U.S. border agency in December proposed reviewing five years of social media history. Talks are happening as the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) service is under heavy scrutiny for its use of surveillance technology against protesters in cities such as Minneapolis. The negotiations should be “put on hold” until the security and privacy of citizens in the EU and U.S. can be guaranteed, liberal European Parliament member Raquel García Hermida-van der Walle said in an interview. Romain Lanneau, a legal researcher with surveillance watchdog Statewatch, said police databases in Europe could contain information on anyone from protesters to journalists who might be considered a “threat,” and that — under the deal being discussed — this information would be at the fingertips of U.S. border authorities who could refuse those people entry to the United States or even detain them. European regulators are “very cautiously looking at what’s happening in the United States,” Wojciech Wiewiórowski, the EU’s in-house data protection supervisor, told POLITICO. Europe “has to be careful” about how it allows the data of …