Natasha Lomas
Senior Reporter
The Latest from Natasha Lomas
Don’t expect competition authorities to wade into the Microsoft-OpenAI power-play — yet
As the tech world watches Microsoft suck in top execs and AI engineering talent from OpenAI, the generative AI giant in which it already holds a minority stake worth several billion dollars, one quest
Signal details costs of keeping its private messaging service alive
What price privacy? End-to-end encrypted (E2EE) messaging app Signal has put out an interesting overview of the costs required to develop and maintain its pro-privacy systems which shield user data fr
France’s Mistral dials up call for EU AI rules to fix rules for apps, not model makers
Divisions over how to set rules for applying artificial intelligence are complicating talks between European Union lawmakers trying to secure a political deal on draft legislation in the next few week
EU faces privacy complaint over CSAM microtargeting ads it ran on X
A microtargeted advertising controversy which has implicated European Union lawmakers in privacy-hostile practices banned by laws they had a hand in passing is the subject of a new complaint by privac
Amazon next in line for EU scrutiny over product risks and user rights
E-commerce behemoth Amazon has joined the growing list of tech giants getting formal requests for information (RFIs) from European Union regulators overseeing the bloc’s rebooted digital ruleboo
Europe’s AI Act talks head for crunch point
Negotiations between European Union lawmakers tasked with reaching a compromise on a risk-based framework for regulating applications of artificial intelligence appear to be on a tricky knife edge. Sp
Meta and Snap latest to get EU request for info on child safety, as bloc shoots for ‘unprecedented’ transparency
Meta and Snap are the latest tech firms to get formal requests for information (RFI) from the European Commission about the steps they’re taking to safeguard minors on their platforms in line wi
EU asks TikTok and YouTube for more info on how they’re safeguarding kids
The European Commission has sent another couple of formal requests for information to major platforms subject to the bloc’s rebooted online governance and content moderation rulebook, the Digital Se
Secure messaging app Signal moves a step closer to launching usernames
End-to-end encrypted messaging app, Signal, is getting closer to launching a much anticipated feature that will allow users to share only a username in order to connect with other users, rather than h
UK’s online safety regulator puts out draft guidance on illegal content, saying child safety is priority
The U.K.’s newly empowered Internet content regulator has published the first set of draft Codes of Practice under the Online Safety Act (OSA) which became law late last month. More codes will
Apple says it ‘expects to make’ App Store policy changes due to EU DMA
Apple has bowed to the inevitable and said it “expects to make” App Store policy changes to comply with EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA). The pan-EU DMA came into application across th
Withings Body Scan review: A smart scale that tracks cardio health, body comp and more
French health tech brand Withings has been around the block and some. These days it offers a range of fitness wearables and monitors. It was also an early mover in smart scales and is continuing to pu
The 20 best STEM toys to gift coders-in-training
There’s no doubt the STEM toys category has lost a bit of its magic. The hype that started about a decade ago, powering a wave of startups to launch creative and experimental products — pitchi
Daye now offers tampon-based STI screening — starting in the UK
U.K. femcare-turned-gynaecological-health startup, Daye, has expanded its tampon-based home screening service to add STI testing. The startup is billing this “non-invasive screening” servi
Dreamfarm, a startup out of Italy’s Food Valley, is setting its sights on the perfect vegan mozzarella
Vegan cheese isn’t usually anything to write home about, in terms of taste and texture. Dreamfarm, a startup based in Parma, in the Food Valley of Italy, is hoping to change that. It’s coo
Meta’s latest privacy rip-off will test the EU’s mettle for reining in Big Tech
This week Europe was treated to another show of the mutability of tech after Meta, the microtargeting ad empire formerly known as Facebook, announced it would be launching an ad-free subscription R
Meta to offer ad-free subscription in Europe in bid to keep tracking other users
Meta is to offer an ad-free subscription version of Facebook and Instagram in the European Union, EEA (European Economic Area) and Switzerland, confirming the core of a report in the WSJ earlier this
Web Summit names ex-Wikimedia CEO, Katherine Maher, to take over in wake of Cosgrave controversy
Web Summit has named a new CEO: Katherine Maher — previously CEO and executive director of the Wikimedia Foundation (between 2019 and 2021). Maher is also chair of the board of the foundation be
EU lawmakers agree on key detection limits in controversial CSAM-scanning file
Key negotiators in the European Parliament have announced making a breakthrough in talks to set MEPs’ position on a controversial legislative proposal aimed at regulating how platforms should re
EU commissioner sidesteps MEPs’ questions about CSAM proposal microtargeting
The European Union’s home affairs commissioner, Ylva Johansson, has confirmed the Commission is investigating whether or not it broke recently updated digital governance rules when her departmen