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BEREC to present Digital Networks Act assessment

The Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC) will hold a public debriefing on 10 June 2026 in Brussels to present its final assessment of the Digital Networks Act proposal and the outcomes of its latest plenary meetings.

The event will take place at the IRG Secretariat and will be held in a hybrid format, allowing both in-person and online participation. BEREC Chair Marko Mismas of AKOS Slovenia will present the assessment with Working Group Co-Chairs and take questions from stakeholders.

The debriefing will also cover key outcomes from BEREC’s 67th plenary meetings, including updates on ongoing work and upcoming initiatives. The full agenda will be published on BEREC’s website after the plenary meetings.

BEREC experts will also introduce a newly launched public consultation on further draft guidance on 5G network slicing, prepared by the Open Internet Working Group.

The event is aimed at policymakers, industry stakeholders, and other interested parties following the evolving EU regulatory framework for electronic communications. Participants can submit questions in advance via the registration form, while online participants will be able to use a Q&A chat function during the livestream.

Why does it matter?

BEREC’s assessment will feed into the debate over the EU’s future telecoms framework, including how regulators approach network investment, competition, open internet rules, and emerging technical practices such as 5G network slicing. The debriefing also offers stakeholders an opportunity to engage directly with regulators before the Digital Networks Act debate advances further.

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NSW privacy survey highlights concern over AI and data breaches

Australia’s NSW Privacy Commissioner has published the latest biennial survey on community attitudes towards privacy, highlighting strong public concern over data breaches and the use of AI and automated decision-making by government agencies.

The Information and Privacy Commission’s 2026 Community Attitudes Survey provides an indicative picture of public views in New South Wales on privacy rights, data breaches, access to personal information, and government use of emerging technologies. For the first time, the survey also includes findings on AI and automated decision-making.

The survey found that 70% of respondents were concerned about the NSW government’s use of AI and automated decision-making technologies in public decisions. It also found that 99% of respondents considered the NSW Government’s protection of personal information important, the highest result recorded in the survey. Just under 75% were aware that they could access and amend their personal information, apply for a review, or make a complaint with a NSW Government agency.

Concern about data breaches was also high, with 84% to 91% of respondents worried about deliberate hacking, inappropriate sharing, accidental release, and unauthorised access to personal information. Among respondents affected by a breach, 53% had contact information compromised, while 44% had identification information compromised.

Privacy Commissioner Sonia Minutillo said the findings showed that the public places a high value on privacy and is concerned about the risks posed by data breaches and new technologies. She said NSW public sector agencies could strengthen trust by implementing robust governance frameworks for the use of personal information and maintaining strong privacy practices.

The IPC said it will use the results to identify ways to support agencies and the community, and to inform its forward work under the Privacy Proactive Regulatory Initiatives Program.

Why does it matter?

The findings point to a growing trust challenge for public-sector AI deployment. As governments expand the use of AI and automated decision-making, public confidence will depend not only on technical safeguards but also on privacy governance, transparency, and clear avenues for people to access, amend, or challenge the use of their personal information.

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EU and Mexico strengthen cooperation against crypto-related money laundering

Mexico and the European Union have agreed to expand cooperation on addressing money laundering involving cryptocurrencies and digital assets. The announcement was made during the 8th EU-Mexico summit, where both sides also advanced discussions on a modernised trade agreement.

Officials highlighted concerns regarding the use of digital assets in cross-border illicit financial activities linked to organised crime. The discussions focused on improving coordination related to identifying and disrupting suspected illicit financial flows.

The cooperation forms part of broader EU-Mexico engagement covering trade, investment, security, and digital policy. Both parties said they intend to continue dialogue and cooperation on evolving financial crime risks linked to the digital economy.

Why does it matter?

The agreement reflects a broader shift towards coordinated international enforcement against crypto-enabled financial crime, where illicit flows are increasingly moving across multiple jurisdictions with limited friction.

Strengthened cooperation between major regions like the EU and Mexico is intended to reduce enforcement gaps that criminal networks have been able to exploit.

It also signals how digital assets are becoming a central focus in global security and trade diplomacy, not just financial regulation. By linking anti-money laundering efforts with wider economic and strategic agreements, both sides are treating crypto-related crime as part of the broader challenge of safeguarding the integrity of the digital financial system.

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New Zealand child agencies urge rights-based approach to online safety

Children’s organisations in New Zealand have called for online safety debates to focus on children’s rights, evidence, and young people’s experiences online.

The recommendations were outlined in a joint resource published by the Children’s Monitoring Group, ‘Making the online world safe for children’, which sets out how Aotearoa New Zealand could respond to online harm without relying solely on access restrictions.

The resource acknowledges concerns related to online harms, including bullying, exploitation, violence, and misinformation. The organisations argued that access restrictions alone may not address broader online safety challenges and could shift responsibility toward children and families instead of platforms.

The document recommends stronger platform accountability measures involving prevention, reporting, and removal of harmful content.

Additional recommendations include reviewing online safety legislation, establishing an independent regulator, and expanding digital citizenship education.

Children’s Commissioner Dr Claire Achmad said online safety discussions should consider children’s rights to participation, protection, and access. She also noted that online spaces can play an important role for children seeking community participation and social connection.

Save the Children New Zealand’s Jacqui Southey argued that platform accountability and evidence-based policy approaches should remain central to online safety efforts. She called for child-centred legislation based on platform accountability, independent oversight, and evidence of what works.

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Consumer groups file DSA complaints against Meta, TikTok and Google

Consumer organisations have filed complaints against Meta, TikTok, and Google over alleged failures to address financial scam advertising on their platforms.

The complaints were submitted by the European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) and partner organisations to the European Commission and national authorities under the Digital Services Act. According to research cited by the organisations, nearly 900 suspected fraudulent advertisements were identified across 13 countries between December 2025 and March 2026.

The groups said a relatively small proportion of reported content was removed, while many notices were allegedly rejected or received no response. Consumer organisations argued that the reported moderation response may leave users exposed to large volumes of potentially fraudulent advertising content.

BEUC and partner organisations are calling for investigations into whether the platforms are complying with Digital Services Act obligations related to systemic risks and harmful content.

The organisations also urged regulators to consider enforcement measures if non-compliance is identified, arguing that current moderation efforts are insufficient to mitigate systemic risks linked to online financial fraud.

Why does it matter?

The case highlights a broader issue of how effectively large online platforms can be held accountable for systemic risks such as financial scams. When reported fraudulent ads remain online at scale, it raises questions about whether existing regulatory tools are strong enough to protect consumers in practice.

It also puts pressure on enforcement bodies to move beyond complaint handling and ensure meaningful, consistent compliance across the digital advertising ecosystem.

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United Kingdom and Australia tighten alliance on AI security risks

The United Kingdom and Australia are deepening cooperation on AI security through a new partnership between the UK AI Security Institute and the Australian AI Safety Institute.

Under a Memorandum of Understanding, the two institutes will share information on frontier AI capabilities, collaborate on AI evaluation practices and exchange research findings. The UK government said the partnership will focus partly on how advanced AI systems could be used in cyberattacks, as well as how they can strengthen defensive capabilities.

The agreement will also support staff exchanges between the two institutes, strengthening day-to-day collaboration. UK officials said the partnership reflects the need for trusted international cooperation as AI systems evolve quickly and create new security and safety risks.

The UK’s AI Minister Kanishka Narayan is expected to sign the agreement with Australia’s Assistant Minister for Science, Technology and the Digital Economy, Andrew Charlton, during a meeting in Canberra. Narayan said no country can address fast-moving AI risks alone, particularly in cybersecurity.

The announcement follows research from the UK AI Security Institute showing that advanced AI systems are rapidly improving their ability to carry out complex cyberattacks, creating opportunities for both attackers and defenders. The UK said the institute’s frontier AI research continues to inform policymaking to protect businesses, critical infrastructure, and the public.

Why does it matter?

The partnership shows how AI security is becoming a matter of international coordination, especially as frontier models develop stronger cyber capabilities. By sharing research, evaluation methods and staff expertise, the UK and Australia are trying to reduce blind spots in oversight and develop more consistent approaches to testing fast-moving AI systems.

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European Commission marks 10 years of GDPR

The European Commission has marked ten years since the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) entered into force across the European Union.

The GDPR entered into force on 24 May 2016 and established a common data protection framework across EU member states, and introduced rules governing the collection and processing of personal data. According to the European Commission, the regulation strengthened individuals’ rights regarding how personal data is collected, processed, corrected, deleted, and shared.

The framework applies to organisations ranging from small businesses to multinational technology companies. Authorities across the EU have also issued significant penalties in cases involving non-compliance with the regulation.

The GDPR has influenced privacy and data protection discussions internationally and contributed to wider adoption of similar regulatory approaches.

The Commission linked the GDPR to broader EU digital regulation efforts, including the Digital Services Act, the Digital Markets Act, and the AI Act. According to the Commission, these measures address issues including platform accountability, competition, and AI governance.

The Commission also referenced online child protection initiatives, including work on age verification and cyberbullying prevention. It said the EU’s approach reflects the principle that the online world should serve people.

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Apple introduces formal verification framework for post-quantum cryptography

Apple has introduced a formal verification framework for its corecrypto library as part of broader efforts related to post-quantum cryptography. The framework focuses on validating implementations of ML-KEM and ML-DSA, algorithms standardised for quantum-resistant encryption and digital signatures.

Apple said the corecrypto library supports encryption and security functions across its operating systems and device ecosystem. The company stated that the scale and security importance of the library increase the need for reliable cryptographic implementations.

Apple said it used formal verification tools, including Cryptol, SAW, and Isabelle, to validate alignment with FIPS 203 and FIPS 204 standards. According to the company, the verification process covers both C implementations and ARM64 assembly code used across Apple silicon architectures.

Apple also published verification tools and proofs alongside the updated corecrypto release for independent review. The company said the approach is intended to strengthen confidence in the correctness of its post-quantum cryptography implementations.

Why does it matter?

The significance lies in the shift from conventional testing to mathematically proven correctness for cryptographic systems that protect billions of devices. As quantum computing threatens to weaken traditional encryption methods, ensuring that post-quantum algorithms are implemented without subtle errors becomes critical to maintaining long-term digital security.

Apple’s approach also raises the bar for how large-scale software systems can be audited and trusted, potentially influencing broader industry standards for secure system design.

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Anthropic says AI system identified thousands of critical software flaws

Anthropic has published an update on Project Glasswing, a cybersecurity initiative focused on identifying software vulnerabilities using AI systems.

According to Anthropic, partner organisations used Claude Mythos Preview to identify thousands of high- and critical-severity vulnerabilities across software platforms and infrastructure systems.

The company said the initiative demonstrated how AI systems are increasing the speed and scale of vulnerability discovery processes. Anthropic reported that participating organisations observed substantial increases in software vulnerability detection capabilities during testing.

Evaluations cited by Anthropic suggested the system performed strongly in vulnerability identification and exploit-detection tasks compared with earlier AI cybersecurity models.

Anthropic also said the model analysed more than 1,000 open-source projects and identified vulnerabilities affecting widely used software components. The company highlighted a vulnerability identified in the open-source cryptography library wolfSSL as one example from the project.

According to Anthropic, the vulnerability was patched after disclosure.

Anthropic said AI-assisted vulnerability discovery may increasingly shift cybersecurity challenges toward verification, disclosure, and remediation processes. The company also said similar AI cybersecurity capabilities are likely to become more widely available across the industry.

Why does it matter?

The rapid growth of AI-driven cybersecurity is becoming increasingly important as AI is fundamentally changing the balance between cyber defence and cyber threats. Systems such as Anthropic’s Project Glasswing demonstrate that advanced AI models can identify software vulnerabilities at a speed far beyond traditional human-led security testing, potentially making critical infrastructure, financial systems, cloud platforms, and open-source software both safer and more exposed at the same time.

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Europol concludes major operation targeting criminal assets and crypto laundering

Europol has concluded the third operational phase of Project A.S.S.E.T., an international initiative focused on criminal asset tracing and money laundering investigations.

The operational phase took place between 19 and 22 May 2026 at Europol headquarters in The Hague and involved law enforcement agencies from 31 countries. More than 40 law enforcement agencies participated, including Asset Recovery Offices, Financial Intelligence Units, and specialised anti-money laundering teams from 31 countries.

The initiative also involved cooperation with Eurojust, INTERPOL, the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, and private-sector financial and cryptocurrency partners.

According to Europol, investigators identified bank accounts, cryptocurrency wallets, companies, vehicles, and real estate assets allegedly linked to criminal activities. Authorities additionally located two suspected criminals, with one arrested through the European Network of Fugitive Active Search Teams.

Europol said the operation generated intelligence related to emerging money laundering techniques and cross-border financial structures associated with organised crime networks. Investigators also reported identifying operational patterns involving cryptocurrencies and international asset concealment practices.

The operation followed an earlier cryptocurrency-focused enforcement phase conducted in October 2025.

European Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner said online fraud and crypto-related crime have become increasingly significant revenue sources for organised criminal groups. Europol officials additionally emphasised that international cooperation and financial intelligence increasingly play a central role in disrupting organised crime ecosystems and recovering illicit proceeds.

Europol said investigations are ongoing and that the full value of identified assets remains under assessment. Follow-up investigations are continuing across participating jurisdictions.

Why does it matter?

The operation reflects growing international focus on financial intelligence, cryptocurrency tracing, and cross-border asset recovery as organised crime groups increasingly rely on digital financial infrastructures. Furthermore, it demonstrates how law enforcement agencies and private-sector financial actors are strengthening cooperation to combat money laundering, online fraud, and illicit cryptocurrency operations across multiple jurisdictions simultaneously.

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