Lawmakers are set to negotiate with EU member states to determine the next European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS), following the expiration of the current EDPS, Wojciech Wiewiórowski’s mandate in December. The decision on his successor is expected in March at the earliest, with both the European Parliament and member states backing different candidates. The Parliament’s Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee (LIBE) voted to appoint Bruno Gencarelli, an Italian Commission official, while member states are supporting Wiewiórowski for another term.
The European Parliament’s group leaders have recently backed the LIBE decision, but a joint committee with the Council of the EU needs to be set up to finalise the appointment. The configuration of the committee is still under discussion. Meanwhile, privacy experts have expressed concern over Gencarelli’s candidacy, arguing that the next EDPS should not come from within the Commission due to potential conflicts of interest, citing past decisions such as the EDPS ruling against Microsoft 365’s use by the EU executive.
The EDPS role, while unable to fine Big Tech companies directly, is significant in shaping EU privacy law, as it publishes opinions on legislative proposals. The new appointee will play a crucial role in overseeing the data protection practices of EU institutions and ensuring that privacy rights are upheld.
Gambling companies are under investigation for covertly sharing visitors’ data with Facebook’s parent company, Meta, without proper consent, breaching data protection laws. A hidden tracking tool embedded in numerous UK gambling websites has been sending data, such as the web pages users visit and the buttons they click, to Meta, which then uses this information to profile individuals as gamblers. This data is then used to target users with gambling-related ads, violating the legal requirement for explicit consent before sharing such information.
Testing of 150 gambling websites revealed that 52 automatically transmitted user data to Meta, including large brands like Hollywoodbets, Sporting Index, and Bet442. This data sharing occurred without users having the opportunity to consent, resulting in targeted ads for gambling websites shortly after visiting these sites. Experts have raised concerns about the industry’s unlawful practices and called for immediate regulatory action.
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is reviewing the use of tracking tools like Meta Pixel and has warned that enforcement action could be taken, including significant fines. Some gambling companies have updated their websites to prevent automatic data sharing, while others have removed the tracking tool altogether in response to the findings. However, the Gambling Commission has yet to address the issue of third-party profiling used to recruit new customers.
The misuse of data in this way highlights the risks of unregulated marketing, particularly for vulnerable individuals. Data privacy experts have stressed that these practices not only breach privacy laws but could also exacerbate gambling problems by targeting individuals who may already be at risk.
A German court has ruled that Elon Musk’s social media platform X must provide researchers with data to track the spread of misinformation ahead of the country’s national election on 23 February. The Berlin district court’s decision follows a legal challenge by civil rights groups, who argued that the platform had a duty under European law to make election-related engagement data more accessible.
The German ruling obliges X to disclose information such as post reach, shares, and likes, allowing researchers to monitor how misleading narratives circulate online. The court emphasised that immediate access to the data was crucial, as delays could undermine efforts to track election-related disinformation in real time. The company, which had failed to respond to a previous request for information, was also ordered to cover the €6,000 legal costs.
The case was brought forward by the German Society for Civil Rights (GFF) and Democracy Reporting International, who hailed the verdict as a major win for democratic integrity. Concerns over misinformation on X have intensified, particularly following Musk’s public endorsement of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), currently polling in second place. In January, Musk posted that ‘only the AfD can save Germany,’ sparking further scrutiny over the platform’s role in political discourse.
X has yet to respond to the ruling. The decision could set a precedent for how social media companies handle election-related transparency, particularly within the European Union’s regulatory framework.
Scotland’s Makar, Peter Mackay, has voiced concerns about the growing role of artificial intelligence in literature, warning that it could threaten the livelihoods of new writers. With AI tools capable of generating dialogue, plot ideas, and entire narratives, Mackay fears that competing with machine-created content may become increasingly difficult for human authors.
To address these challenges, he has proposed clearer distinctions between human and AI-generated work. Ideas discussed include a certification system similar to the Harris Tweed Orb, ensuring books are marked as ‘100% AI-free.’ Another suggestion is an ingredient-style label outlining an AI-generated book’s influences, listing percentages of various literary styles.
Mackay also believes literary prizes, such as the Highland Book Prize, can play a role in safeguarding human creativity by celebrating originality and unique writing styles and qualities that AI struggles to replicate. He warns of the day an AI-generated book wins a major award, questioning what it would mean for writers who spend years perfecting their craft.
South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) has raised concerns about the Chinese AI app DeepSeek, accusing it of excessively collecting personal data and using it for training purposes. The agency warned government bodies last week to take security measures, highlighting that unlike other AI services, DeepSeek collects sensitive data such as keyboard input patterns and transfers it to Chinese servers. Some South Korean government ministries have already blocked access to the app due to these security concerns.
The NIS also pointed out that DeepSeek grants advertisers unrestricted access to user data and stores South Korean users’ data in China, where it could be accessed by the Chinese government under local laws. The agency also noted discrepancies in the app’s responses to sensitive questions, such as the origin of kimchi, which DeepSeek claimed was Chinese when asked in Chinese, but Korean when asked in Korean.
DeepSeek has also been accused of censoring political topics, such as the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown, prompting the app to suggest changing the subject. In response to these concerns, China’s foreign ministry stated that the country values data privacy and security and complies with relevant laws, denying that it pressures companies to violate privacy. DeepSeek has not yet commented on the allegations.
Aiman Ezzat, CEO of Capgemini, has criticised the European Union’s AI regulations, claiming they are overly restrictive and hinder the ability of global companies to deploy AI technology in the region. His comments come ahead of the AI Action summit in Paris and reflect increasing frustration from private sector players with EU laws. Ezzat highlighted the complexity of navigating different regulations across countries, especially in the absence of global AI standards, and argued that the EU’s AI Act hailed as the most comprehensive worldwide, could stifle innovation.
As one of Europe’s largest IT services firms, Capgemini works with major players like Microsoft, Google Cloud, and Amazon Web Services. The company is concerned about the implementation of AI regulations in various countries and how they affect business operations. Ezzat is hopeful that the AI summit will provide an opportunity for regulators and industry leaders to align on AI policies moving forward.
Despite the regulatory challenges, Ezzat spoke positively about DeepSeek, a Chinese AI firm gaining traction by offering cost-effective, open-source models that compete with US tech giants. However, he pointed out that while DeepSeek shares its models, it is not entirely open source, as there is limited access to the data used for training the models. Capgemini is in the early stages of exploring the use of DeepSeek’s technology with clients.
As concerns about AI’s impact on privacy grow, European data protection authorities have begun investigating AI companies, including DeepSeek, to ensure compliance with privacy laws. Ezzat’s comments underscore the ongoing tension between innovation and regulation in the rapidly evolving AI landscape.
Britain’s security officials have reportedly ordered Apple to create a so-called ‘back door’ to access all content uploaded to the cloud by its users worldwide. The demand, revealed by The Washington Post, could force Apple to compromise its security promises to customers. Sources suggest the company may opt to stop offering encrypted storage in the UK rather than comply with the order.
Apple has not yet responded to requests for comment outside of regular business hours. The Home Office has served Apple with a technical capability notice, which would require the company to grant access to the requested data. However, a spokesperson from the Home Office declined to confirm or deny the existence of such a notice.
In January, Britain initiated an investigation into the operating systems of Apple and Google, as well as their app stores and browsers. The ongoing regulatory scrutiny highlights growing tensions between tech giants and governments over privacy and security concerns.
Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing will visit France from Sunday until February 12 to attend the AI Action Summit as a special representative of President Xi Jinping. The summit will bring together representatives from nearly 100 countries to discuss the safe development of AI.
A foreign ministry spokesperson, Lin Jian, said China is eager to strengthen communication and collaboration with other nations at the event. China also aims to foster consensus on AI cooperation and contribute to the implementation of the United Nations Global Digital Compact.
Vice President JD Vance is leading the US delegation to the summit, but reports suggest that the US team will not include technical staff from the AI Safety Institute.
Greece is taking steps to address the impact of AI on the labour market by strengthening its Labour Market Needs Assessment Mechanism and implementing retraining programs. Speaking at a conference in Brussels, Labour Minister Niki Kerameus highlighted the rapid pace of AI development and its transformative effects on the workforce. She emphasised the need for protective measures to ensure workers benefit fully from AI’s potential.
Kerameus outlined two key initiatives Greece is focusing on. The first involves mapping current and future labour market needs, especially for new skills and specialities driven by AI. The Ministry of Labour is enhancing its market needs with a diagnostic mechanism to track real-time employee skills and labour market demands.
The second initiative involves retraining programs to help workers adapt to the evolving job landscape. Kerameus reassured that while AI will continue to change how people work, it should not be feared. Greece is prioritising skills programs, particularly in digital and green sectors, and aims to involve 10% of the active workforce in these initiatives by 2026.
China’s antitrust regulator is reportedly preparing to investigate Apple’s App Store policies and fees, including its 30% commission on in-app purchases and restrictions on external payment services. The move follows recent measures targeting US businesses, including Google and fashion brand Calvin Klein, just as new US tariffs on Chinese goods emerged. Apple’s shares fell 2.6% in premarket trading following the news.
The investigation, led by the State Administration for Market Regulation, comes after ongoing discussions between Chinese regulators, Apple executives, and app developers over the past year. While neither Apple nor the Chinese antitrust regulator has commented on the matter, the move is seen as part of broader scrutiny of US companies operating in China.
In a separate development, Google was also accused of violating China’s anti-monopoly laws, with experts speculating the probe could be linked to Google’s Android operating system and its influence over Chinese mobile manufacturers. Additionally, China’s Commerce Ministry added PVH Corp, the owner of brands like Calvin Klein, to its “unreliable entity” list.
