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LinkedIn faces allegations over data access practices

Privacy rights group noyb has filed a complaint against LinkedIn, alleging that the platform restricts access to certain user data by placing it behind a paid Premium subscription.

The complaint centres on LinkedIn’s ‘Who’s viewed your profile’ feature, which shows users who have visited their profile. According to noyb, LinkedIn tracks profile visits and makes detailed visitor information available to Premium subscribers, while refusing to provide the same data free of charge when users submit an access request under Article 15 of the GDPR.

Noyb argues that users have the right to receive their own personal data free of charge under the EU data protection rules. The organisation claims that LinkedIn has cited data protection concerns when refusing access requests, despite making similar information available through its paid subscription service.

The complaint was lodged with the Austrian Data Protection Authority and seeks enforcement action requiring LinkedIn to provide the data requested, as well as potential penalties. Noyb also questions whether LinkedIn’s tracking of profile visits complies with the EU consent requirements.

LinkedIn has reportedly denied the allegations, saying it complies with applicable rules and provides relevant information in accordance with its privacy policies.

The case adds to ongoing scrutiny of how digital platforms handle data access rights in the EU, particularly when information collected about users is also used for paid services.

Why does it matter?

The complaint tests whether platforms can monetise access to information that may also fall under users’ GDPR right of access. If regulators side with noyb, the case could affect how subscription-based platforms structure premium features that involve personal data, especially when the same data is withheld from non-paying users who make formal access requests.

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OECD finds audit institutions are building AI capacity but struggling to scale

Public audit institutions are expanding their use of AI, but most remain at an early stage of adoption, with a significant gap between pilot projects and full operational deployment, according to a new OECD paper.

Drawing on consultations with 15 institutions across 14 countries and the European Union, the paper says AI is being explored to strengthen oversight and improve audit processes in areas such as anomaly detection, document processing, knowledge management and predictive risk assessment.

The OECD says institutional commitment is already visible across several indicators. Among the institutions consulted, 67% reported having a formal AI strategy, 80% had internal AI guidelines or policies, 87% offered AI-related staff training, and 87% had at least one AI tool in production.

However, the paper stresses that maturity levels vary widely and that many tools remain limited in scale or are still being tested. It identifies a gap between experimentation and scalable operational deployment, despite the growing integration of AI into broader digital transformation efforts.

The paper highlights several emerging audit use cases, including machine-learning systems for anomaly detection in procurement and financial records, predictive models to identify entities at higher risk of distress or non-compliance, intelligent document processing for extracting data from unstructured files, and generative AI tools for drafting, summarising and translating documents.

It also points to more specialised applications, such as semantic search, knowledge management, and visual or spatial analysis using satellite imagery, drones or other sensor-based systems.

Despite growing experimentation, the OECD says the main barriers to wider use remain structural. Fragmented data systems, weak interoperability, limited internal technical expertise and uneven digital infrastructure continue to slow progress.

The paper argues that robust data governance, secure and interoperable systems, and stronger in-house development capacity will be critical if public audit bodies are to scale AI responsibly while maintaining transparency, accountability and public trust.

It also stresses that AI is being positioned as a support tool rather than a substitute for auditors. Across the cases reviewed, human oversight remains central, both because of current limitations in explainability and reliability and because audit institutions are treating AI adoption cautiously in high-stakes oversight settings.

The OECD presents the current period as a transitional phase in which public audit institutions are building the foundations needed for broader and more trustworthy use of AI in oversight.

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EU reaches provisional deal on targeted AI Act changes

The Council presidency and European Parliament negotiators have reached a provisional agreement on targeted changes to the EU AI Act as part of the Omnibus VII package, which aims to simplify parts of the Union’s digital rulebook and ease implementation burdens.

According to the announcement, the deal broadly preserves the thrust of the Commission’s proposal on high-risk AI systems. The provisional agreement sets new application dates of 2 December 2027 for stand-alone high-risk AI systems and 2 August 2028 for high-risk AI systems embedded in products.

The agreement also extends certain simplification measures beyond SMEs to small mid-caps, while keeping some safeguards. It reinstates the obligation for providers to register AI systems in the EU database where they consider those systems exempt from high-risk classification, and restores the requirement of strict necessity for processing special categories of personal data for bias detection and correction.

At the same time, the co-legislators added a new prohibited AI practice covering the generation of non-consensual sexual and intimate content and child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The deal also postpones the deadline for national AI regulatory sandboxes to 2 August 2027 and shortens the grace period for transparency measures for AI-generated content from 6 months to 3 months, with a new deadline of 2 December 2026.

The provisional agreement further clarifies the division of supervisory powers between the AI Office and national authorities, particularly where general-purpose AI models and downstream AI systems are developed by the same provider, by listing exceptions where national authorities remain competent. It also addresses overlaps between the AI Act and sectoral legislation in areas such as medical devices, toys, machinery, lifts, and watercraft: if the sectoral law has similar AI-specific requirements to the AI Act, then the AI Act’s application is limited through implementing acts. A specific solution was found for machinery regulation by exempting it from the direct applicability of the AI Act, while the Commission is empowered to adopt delegated acts under the machinery regulation, which would add health and safety requirements in respect of AI systems that are classified as high-risk pursuant to the AI Act.

The text must still be endorsed by both the Council and the European Parliament before undergoing legal and linguistic revision and formal adoption. The proposal is part of the EU’s broader simplification agenda, which has been driven by calls from the European Council and followed by a series of Omnibus packages since early 2025.

Marilena Raouna, Deputy Minister for European Affairs of the Republic of Cyprus, elaborated: ‘Today’s agreement on the AI Act significantly supports our companies by reducing recurring administrative costs. It ensures legal certainty and a smoother and more harmonised implementation of the rules across the Union, strengthening EU’s digital sovereignty and overall competitiveness.’

Raouna added: ‘At the same time, we are stepping up the protection of children targeting risks linked to the AI systems. This agreement is clear evidence of our institutions’ ability to act swiftly and deliver on our commitments. It marks the first deliverable under the ‘One Europe, One Market’ roadmap agreed by the three institutions last week, well within the set deadline.’

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European Commission publishes first Digital Markets Act review

The European Commission has published its first formal review of the Digital Markets Act, assessing how the regulation is affecting the behaviour of large online platforms in the EU digital economy. According to the review, the law has produced visible changes in some areas, while also exposing continuing problems in implementation and enforcement.

The review points to changes in user choice since the DMA entered into force in March 2024. These include support for third-party app stores and prompts on devices to select browsers or search engines, alongside reported increases in usage and downloads of alternative services.

Enforcement action is also a central part of the assessment. In April 2025, Apple was fined €500 million for blocking developers from directing users to cheaper purchasing options, while Meta was fined €200 million over its ‘consent or pay’ model. Both companies are appealing the decisions.

At the same time, the review identifies clear implementation challenges. It says investigations are taking around twice as long as the 12-month target, while legal procedures are being used to slow compliance. It also raises broader questions about whether fast-growing areas such as AI tools and cloud platforms should eventually be brought within the scope of the regulation.

The Digital Markets Act is therefore presented less as a completed intervention than as an ongoing regulatory process. The review suggests that its long-term impact will depend not only on the rules already in force, but also on how consistently they are enforced and how the EU responds to changes in digital markets.

Why does it matter?

The review matters because it shows that the real test of the Digital Markets Act is no longer whether the EU can write rules for large platforms, but whether it can enforce them quickly and adapt them to new market realities. Early changes in user choice suggest the law is starting to affect platform behaviour. However, delays in investigations and questions around AI and cloud services show that the regulatory contest is still evolving.

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EU and Armenia deepen digital and security partnership in Yerevan

The EU and Armenia have signed a new connectivity partnership during their first bilateral summit in Yerevan, expanding cooperation across digital infrastructure, transport, energy, defence, and border management. The agreement forms part of the EU’s broader effort to strengthen political and economic ties in the South Caucasus while supporting regional stability.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the summit had taken EU-Armenia relations to a new level, with future cooperation focused on economic integration, political dialogue, and security. The partnership aligns the EU’s Cross-Regional Connectivity Agenda with Armenia’s ‘Crossroad of Peace’ initiative and introduces high-level dialogues on connectivity and transport.

The summit also launched new initiatives in digital infrastructure, semiconductor skills, innovation ecosystems, and private investment mobilisation. Brussels advanced Armenia’s visa liberalisation process, strengthened border cooperation through Frontex, and backed security cooperation through an EU Partnership Mission and €30 million in European Peace Facility assistance.

At the same time, Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez used the European Political Community meeting in Yerevan to call for stronger digital governance across Europe. Speaking at a roundtable on democratic resilience and hybrid threats, he warned that digital infrastructure and social media platforms are being used to exploit democratic vulnerabilities.

Sánchez called for action in three areas: implementing the European Democracy Shield, strengthening the European Centre for Democratic Resilience, and establishing a European-level digital age of majority. He also urged a review of platform obligations under the Digital Services framework and promoted coordinated action among countries committed to defending democracy.

Alongside the summit, Sánchez met Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to discuss peace efforts, EU-Armenia relations, multilateralism, energy cooperation, and digital sovereignty.

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UNESCO supports Western Balkans regulators on EU digital rules implementation

UNESCO organised a study visit for media regulators from the Western Balkans under an EU-funded project on journalism as a public good. The initiative aimed to support preparation for European rules affecting the information ecosystem.

Participants from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia examined implementation of the Digital Services Act (DSA) and the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA). The visit included exchanges with institutions in France and the Netherlands on regulatory approaches.

The Netherlands presented a model based on a risk-based regulatory culture, with separate roles for a Digital Services Coordinator and a media authority. France presented a more integrated structure within a central media regulator, supported by specialised bodies and legislation.

Meetings involved stakeholders, including the House of Representatives of the Netherlands, TikTok, Reporters Without Borders, and UNESCO. Discussions covered platform engagement, regulatory cooperation, and institutional practice.

Participants identified institutional cooperation, technical expertise, and engagement with platforms as key elements of effective implementation. Discussions with Mariya Gabriel also addressed public-interest journalism, platform governance, and regional cooperation to tackle digital risks while safeguarding freedom of expression.

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Greece and the EU discuss space strategy and digital infrastructure cooperation

The Minister of Digital Governance and Artificial Intelligence, Dimitris Papastergiou, met European Union Commissioner for Defence and Space, Andrius Kubilius, to discuss Greece’s expanding role in space technologies, digital infrastructure and European defence cooperation.

Talks focused on national space policy, including satellite programmes, telecommunications systems and quantum communications, alongside projects funded through the Recovery and Resilience Facility.

The meeting followed Greece’s recent launch of thermal satellites, which Greek authorities said support civil protection and climate monitoring capabilities.

Greek authorities said investments in satellite applications and digital infrastructure are intended to support public services, economic growth and technological development. They added that the country’s role as a connectivity hub, particularly through submarine fibre optic cables, is a strategic advantage for Europe.

Both sides said space technologies are important for advancing AI, Earth observation and secure communications. They also underlined the need for stronger European cooperation to enhance resilience, innovation and strategic autonomy.

The meeting also aligned with preparations for the upcoming Presidency of the Council of the EU for Greece, where space policy is expected to be among the priorities.

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Canada and partners welcome EU as strategic partner in telecom coalition

The Government of Canada and its international partners have announced that the European Union has joined the Global Coalition on Telecommunications as its first strategic partner, reinforcing cooperation on secure, resilient, and trusted next-generation telecom networks.

The coalition, established in 2023, brings together governments, including Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, and Australia, to promote secure supply chains, interoperable standards, and telecommunications innovation. More recent expansion has also brought in Finland and Sweden, widening the coalition’s international reach and its work on future telecom technologies, including 6G.

The EU’s inclusion reflects a shared interest in closer policy coordination, technical standards development, and telecom innovation. As a strategic partner, the EU is expected to contribute to discussions, support coalition workstreams, and collaborate on initiatives aligned with the group’s broader objectives. Strategic partnerships are designed to allow flexible cooperation while leaving governance control with the coalition’s core members.

Canadian officials described the step as a significant milestone in efforts to strengthen secure and trusted telecommunications networks through joint policy, research, and innovation. In practical terms, the move points to a broader effort among like-minded partners to shape the future of telecom infrastructure through coordinated international action rather than fragmented national approaches. This final sentence is an inference grounded in the coalition’s stated purpose and the new strategic partner model.

Why does it matter?

The significance of the move lies in the way telecom policy is increasingly being treated as a strategic coordination issue rather than just a domestic infrastructure question. By bringing the EU into the coalition as its first strategic partner, the group is widening its capacity to shape standards, supply chain resilience, and future network technologies across a broader transatlantic and Indo-Pacific policy space. That matters because the contest over telecom systems is no longer only about connectivity, but also about security, industrial policy, and influence over the technologies that will underpin future digital economies.

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EU partnership with global telecom coalition targets 6G and next-generation networks

The European Commission has joined the Global Coalition on Telecommunications as its first strategic partner, marking a further step in international cooperation on next-generation telecommunications infrastructure.

GCOT operates as an informal multilateral group focused on promoting telecommunications systems built around security, resilience, and international cooperation. With participation from countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, Canada, Australia, Finland, and Sweden, the coalition aims to strengthen global dialogue and align technological development across borders.

In its new role, the EU is expected to contribute expertise, participate in policy discussions, and support joint initiatives across key telecom workstreams. Strategic partnership status is designed to allow more flexible cooperation, while governance remains with the coalition’s core members.

Telecommunications remain central to European competitiveness, particularly as AI, cloud systems, sensing capabilities, and satellite networks begin to reshape the sector. The partnership is therefore likely to support the EU priorities such as supply chain diversification, infrastructure resilience, and the development of future technologies, including 6G.

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European Parliament set to push for faster Digital Markets Act compliance proceedings

Ahead of the review of the Digital Markets Act, the European Parliament is set to call for faster compliance proceedings and closer scrutiny of AI-driven search tools and cloud services.

In a draft resolution, MEPs are expected to urge the Commission to enforce the Digital Markets Act quickly and consistently, while adapting to technological change without reopening the law’s core objectives.

The text highlights the growing strategic importance of cloud computing services and the rising use of AI-driven search tools, arguing that both require closer scrutiny under the Digital Markets Act framework.

MEPs also warn against external political pressure aimed at weakening the law. They are expected to call on the Commission to make full use of its enforcement tools, including periodic penalty payments, to stop companies from bypassing it, regardless of where they are based.

The Digital M a rkets Act sets obligations for the largest digital companies providing key platform services in the EU, with the aim of supporting fair competition in digital markets. The draft resolution comes after the Commission’s first non-compliance decisions and fines under the law, including action against Meta over its ‘pay or consent’ advertising model and against Apple over anti-steering obligations.

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