Erik Bugge
@erikbugge.bsky.social
CEO and founder of privacy adtech company Kobler (kobler.no/en).
Building adtech and policy for (in all senses) sustainable digital advertising.
Building adtech and policy for (in all senses) sustainable digital advertising.
Pinned
As we write in The Guardian this morning, the Commission’s plan to gut EU digital rules will hurt Europe’s startups and give U.S. tech an unassailable advantage, confirming Europe as a digital vassal.
Piece by George Riekeles and I.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Piece by George Riekeles and I.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
The EU has let US tech giants run riot. Diluting our data law will only entrench their power | Johnny Ryan and Georg Riekeles
The GDPR is Europe’s defence against digital oligarchy and child harm. Deregulation plans are misguided, say Johnny Ryan and Georg Riekeles
www.theguardian.com
I don't think the Commission understands how much this attack on the GDPR will hurt innovation done by European companies, and instead cement Google's and Meta's position as the inescapable middle-men and turn our SMEs into their cash-cows. WAKE UP!
Reposted by Erik Bugge
Watch Ireland side with the tech industry against the victims of scammers. www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2025...
![In an earlier email, Department of Enterprise officials said they opposed reforms that would create uncertainty for businesses.
The November 28th, 2024, email said the fact Ireland is responsible for enforcing EU digital and data rules for
multinational companies with European headquarters in the country is "greatly valued" by tech firms "due to the regulatory certainty it provides".
[ Irish people among international scammers' most sought-after targets ]
The enterprise official said that is an important part of the value Ireland offers when attracting foreign direct investment.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:idd5adskstkxy3fzsmer6dtn/bafkreiekemvu5zi2aznvioteesl22owf72regfais323egfnxpgvxvhuu4@jpeg)
November 15, 2025 at 12:18 PM
Watch Ireland side with the tech industry against the victims of scammers. www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2025...
Reposted by Erik Bugge
November 16, 2025 at 2:46 PM
Reposted by Erik Bugge
New map produced by RTVE, Spanish national TV, of the 6000 mass graves in Spain. In the last 25 years some 17,000 bodies of men, women and children have been exhumed out of the ~120,000 dumped in mass unmarked graves by the Franco regime.
www.rtve.es/noticias/fos...
www.rtve.es/noticias/fos...
November 15, 2025 at 11:40 AM
New map produced by RTVE, Spanish national TV, of the 6000 mass graves in Spain. In the last 25 years some 17,000 bodies of men, women and children have been exhumed out of the ~120,000 dumped in mass unmarked graves by the Franco regime.
www.rtve.es/noticias/fos...
www.rtve.es/noticias/fos...
Reposted by Erik Bugge
As anyone could have predicted, Google’s adtech “solution” - consisting of minor behavioural fixes - falls far short of what is needed.
As the European Commission has repeatedly made clear, the only workable solution is a breakup. Google’s offer must be rejected.
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
As the European Commission has repeatedly made clear, the only workable solution is a breakup. Google’s offer must be rejected.
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Google Offers Ad Tech Tweaks in €3 Billion EU Antitrust Fight
Google has offered to tweak its ad tech products to settle a European Union order after a near-€3 billion ($3.4 billion) antitrust penalty, stopping short of a partial breakup watchdogs favor.
www.bloomberg.com
November 14, 2025 at 11:23 AM
As anyone could have predicted, Google’s adtech “solution” - consisting of minor behavioural fixes - falls far short of what is needed.
As the European Commission has repeatedly made clear, the only workable solution is a breakup. Google’s offer must be rejected.
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
As the European Commission has repeatedly made clear, the only workable solution is a breakup. Google’s offer must be rejected.
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Reposted by Erik Bugge
🛑 TACD, a coalition of 70+ leading consumer and digital rights groups from the US & Europe, is deeply concerned about the European Commission’s upcoming “Digital Omnibus Package.” Urging the Commission to change course: tacd.org/streamlining...
tacd.org
November 14, 2025 at 1:37 PM
🛑 TACD, a coalition of 70+ leading consumer and digital rights groups from the US & Europe, is deeply concerned about the European Commission’s upcoming “Digital Omnibus Package.” Urging the Commission to change course: tacd.org/streamlining...
Reposted by Erik Bugge
• Can the same be done in Europe? Yes! 🎉 netzpolitik.org/2025/databro...
• Can the American authorities do that to European citizens and businesses? Yes! 🥳
• Does @hennavirkkunen.bsky.social's Digital Omnibus make that espionage easier? Yes again! 🥂
• Can the American authorities do that to European citizens and businesses? Yes! 🥳
• Does @hennavirkkunen.bsky.social's Digital Omnibus make that espionage easier? Yes again! 🥂
Databroker Files: Targeting the EU
Precise locations and revealing movement patterns: the mobile phone location data of millions of people in the EU is up for sale. Collected supposedly only for advertising purposes, this data can also...
netzpolitik.org
November 13, 2025 at 4:16 PM
• Can the same be done in Europe? Yes! 🎉 netzpolitik.org/2025/databro...
• Can the American authorities do that to European citizens and businesses? Yes! 🥳
• Does @hennavirkkunen.bsky.social's Digital Omnibus make that espionage easier? Yes again! 🥂
• Can the American authorities do that to European citizens and businesses? Yes! 🥳
• Does @hennavirkkunen.bsky.social's Digital Omnibus make that espionage easier? Yes again! 🥂
Reposted by Erik Bugge
Of course, there's only limited need for the app to broadcast any kind of data because Apple and Google have done the work to make tracking hundreds of millions off-the-shelf trivial while pretending to keep their hands clean.
www.404media.co/email/0ba0f6...
www.404media.co/email/0ba0f6...
ICE to Buy Tool that Tracks Locations of Hundreds of Millions of Phones Every Day
Documents show that ICE has gone back on its decision to not use location data remotely harvested from peoples' phones. The database is updated every day with billions of pieces of location data.
www.404media.co
November 13, 2025 at 4:16 PM
Of course, there's only limited need for the app to broadcast any kind of data because Apple and Google have done the work to make tracking hundreds of millions off-the-shelf trivial while pretending to keep their hands clean.
www.404media.co/email/0ba0f6...
www.404media.co/email/0ba0f6...
Reposted by Erik Bugge
NEW: Google is hosting a CBP app that uses facial recognition to identify immigrants, and tell local cops whether to contact ICE about the person, while also removing apps designed to warn communities about ICE officials.
“Google wanted to ‘not be evil’ back in the day. Well, they're evil now."
“Google wanted to ‘not be evil’ back in the day. Well, they're evil now."
Google Has Chosen a Side in Trump's Mass Deportation Effort
Google is hosting a CBP app that uses facial recognition to identify immigrants, while simultaneously removing apps that report the location of ICE officials because Google sees ICE as a vulnerable gr...
www.404media.co
November 13, 2025 at 2:47 PM
NEW: Google is hosting a CBP app that uses facial recognition to identify immigrants, and tell local cops whether to contact ICE about the person, while also removing apps designed to warn communities about ICE officials.
“Google wanted to ‘not be evil’ back in the day. Well, they're evil now."
“Google wanted to ‘not be evil’ back in the day. Well, they're evil now."
Reposted by Erik Bugge
On November 19th, we will join @eurosky.social in Berlin for #EuroskyLive, a conference on digital sovereignty, media independence, startup opportunities, and the future of social technology being built and governed in Europe.
www.eurosky.social/eurosky-live
www.eurosky.social/eurosky-live
Eurosky Live - 19 November, Berlin — eurosky
Our first Eurosky Live conference will take place in Berlin on 19 November 2025, showcasing a public interest social media ecosystem built and governed in Europe.
www.eurosky.social
November 13, 2025 at 1:54 PM
On November 19th, we will join @eurosky.social in Berlin for #EuroskyLive, a conference on digital sovereignty, media independence, startup opportunities, and the future of social technology being built and governed in Europe.
www.eurosky.social/eurosky-live
www.eurosky.social/eurosky-live
Reposted by Erik Bugge
Bekymret for at de digitale reglene i EU nå svekkes? Vi jobber med et brev til regjeringen hvor vi vil oppfordre dem for dem til å stå opp for våre digitale rettigheter. Interessert i å signere? Ta kontakt, så deler jeg lenke til dokument. Frist fredag ettermiddag.
www.politico.eu/article/brus...
www.politico.eu/article/brus...
Brussels knifes privacy to feed the AI boom
Draft proposals obtained by POLITICO show EU is breaking sacred privacy regime to placate industry.
www.politico.eu
November 13, 2025 at 3:39 PM
Bekymret for at de digitale reglene i EU nå svekkes? Vi jobber med et brev til regjeringen hvor vi vil oppfordre dem for dem til å stå opp for våre digitale rettigheter. Interessert i å signere? Ta kontakt, så deler jeg lenke til dokument. Frist fredag ettermiddag.
www.politico.eu/article/brus...
www.politico.eu/article/brus...
Reposted by Erik Bugge
We were promised that simplification was not going to lead to deregulation. Recent reports on the digital omnibus show otherwise. BEUC urged @michaelmcgratheu.bsky.social and @hennavirkkunen.bsky.social to keep protections under the GDPR and uphold the AI Act. Read our full letter: shorturl.at/zIfji
BEUC concerns on Digital Omnibus - keep protections under GDPR and uphold the AI Act
In this letter to Executive Vice-President Virkkunen and Commissioner McGrath, BEUC expressed its concerns with the recent public reports that the European Commission, in the upcoming Digital Omnibus ...
www.beuc.eu
November 13, 2025 at 8:16 AM
We were promised that simplification was not going to lead to deregulation. Recent reports on the digital omnibus show otherwise. BEUC urged @michaelmcgratheu.bsky.social and @hennavirkkunen.bsky.social to keep protections under the GDPR and uphold the AI Act. Read our full letter: shorturl.at/zIfji
I don't think the Commission understands how much this attack on the GDPR will hurt innovation done by European companies, and instead cement Google's and Meta's position as the inescapable middle-men and turn our SMEs into their cash-cows. WAKE UP!
As we write in The Guardian this morning, the Commission’s plan to gut EU digital rules will hurt Europe’s startups and give U.S. tech an unassailable advantage, confirming Europe as a digital vassal.
Piece by George Riekeles and I.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Piece by George Riekeles and I.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
The EU has let US tech giants run riot. Diluting our data law will only entrench their power | Johnny Ryan and Georg Riekeles
The GDPR is Europe’s defence against digital oligarchy and child harm. Deregulation plans are misguided, say Johnny Ryan and Georg Riekeles
www.theguardian.com
November 12, 2025 at 12:56 PM
I don't think the Commission understands how much this attack on the GDPR will hurt innovation done by European companies, and instead cement Google's and Meta's position as the inescapable middle-men and turn our SMEs into their cash-cows. WAKE UP!
Reposted by Erik Bugge
Germany’s Tech Betrayal: How We’re Selling Our Sovereignty to US Giants www.linkedin.com/posts/berndk... indeed, I heard it from Arte Journal yesterday and was 🤔
US-Tech-Riese Google kündigt Milliarden-Investition in Deutschland an | Bernd Korz
Germany’s Tech Betrayal: How We’re Selling Our Sovereignty to US Giants
The facts speak for themselves:
1. Bavaria’s €1B Microsoft Deal – No Tender, No Accountability The Bavarian government handed M...
www.linkedin.com
November 12, 2025 at 8:13 AM
Germany’s Tech Betrayal: How We’re Selling Our Sovereignty to US Giants www.linkedin.com/posts/berndk... indeed, I heard it from Arte Journal yesterday and was 🤔
Reposted by Erik Bugge
Europes Democracy Shield: We needed to see both new measures that would protect democracy against US social media algorithms.
Justice Commissioner Michael McGrath did not deliver them.
Europe remains largely defenceless. This will cost us.
Pic from www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Justice Commissioner Michael McGrath did not deliver them.
Europe remains largely defenceless. This will cost us.
Pic from www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
November 12, 2025 at 9:41 AM
Europes Democracy Shield: We needed to see both new measures that would protect democracy against US social media algorithms.
Justice Commissioner Michael McGrath did not deliver them.
Europe remains largely defenceless. This will cost us.
Pic from www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Justice Commissioner Michael McGrath did not deliver them.
Europe remains largely defenceless. This will cost us.
Pic from www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Reposted by Erik Bugge
S&D Group is speaking out with clarity and conviction against the content of the digital omnibus leak. @brandobenifei. www.linkedin.com/posts/anja-w...
November 11, 2025 at 7:22 PM
S&D Group is speaking out with clarity and conviction against the content of the digital omnibus leak. @brandobenifei. www.linkedin.com/posts/anja-w...
Reposted by Erik Bugge
It's hard to explain just how bad the leaked "Digital Omnibus" is, but this short video does a good job of it.
Imagine if someone so thoroughly lacquered from snorting slop while praying to Sam Altman were asked to edit a privacy law.
Imagine if someone so thoroughly lacquered from snorting slop while praying to Sam Altman were asked to edit a privacy law.
November 11, 2025 at 5:18 PM
It's hard to explain just how bad the leaked "Digital Omnibus" is, but this short video does a good job of it.
Imagine if someone so thoroughly lacquered from snorting slop while praying to Sam Altman were asked to edit a privacy law.
Imagine if someone so thoroughly lacquered from snorting slop while praying to Sam Altman were asked to edit a privacy law.
Reposted by Erik Bugge
Battle stations! youtu.be/KkbHsS83Vw4
Europe’s LEAKED privacy threat: Digital Omnibus vs the GDPR
YouTube video by Tech Gets Real
youtu.be
November 11, 2025 at 4:53 PM
Battle stations! youtu.be/KkbHsS83Vw4
Reposted by Erik Bugge
Stripping the „Social“ from Social Media one step at a time.
"If an ad does not reach the 95% threshold but the warning system still marks it as suspicious, Meta charges the marketers higher rates as a penalty.“
"If an ad does not reach the 95% threshold but the warning system still marks it as suspicious, Meta charges the marketers higher rates as a penalty.“
Meta projected 10% of its 2024 revenue would come from scam ads: Report
Meta, the owner of Facebook and Instagram, projected that 10% of its revenue in 2024 would come from ads for scams and banned goods.
san.com
November 10, 2025 at 3:28 PM
Stripping the „Social“ from Social Media one step at a time.
"If an ad does not reach the 95% threshold but the warning system still marks it as suspicious, Meta charges the marketers higher rates as a penalty.“
"If an ad does not reach the 95% threshold but the warning system still marks it as suspicious, Meta charges the marketers higher rates as a penalty.“
Reposted by Erik Bugge
I wrote about how law defines personal data, and why - in context of multi-party supply chain architectures and the information economy - CJEU decisions (incl EDPS v SRB) mark a major misstep with bad(!) effects for data protection law's purpose and framework
Link: papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
Link: papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
A relative mess: Identifying data subjects in multi-party processing
Data about people has become a key form of capital in information economies. The legal definition of personal data-as any information relating to an identified
papers.ssrn.com
November 10, 2025 at 2:59 PM
I wrote about how law defines personal data, and why - in context of multi-party supply chain architectures and the information economy - CJEU decisions (incl EDPS v SRB) mark a major misstep with bad(!) effects for data protection law's purpose and framework
Link: papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
Link: papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
Reposted by Erik Bugge
GDPR has its problems but privacy is good actually for business that aren't cancerous middleman operations that sticks like a tic to the bidstream and executes data enrichment of unproven providence, usefulness, or accuracy.
November 10, 2025 at 1:40 PM
GDPR has its problems but privacy is good actually for business that aren't cancerous middleman operations that sticks like a tic to the bidstream and executes data enrichment of unproven providence, usefulness, or accuracy.
Reposted by Erik Bugge
This would be funny if it weren't so tragic.
I've only looked at the "simplification" rules for data protection and they seem to be written by someone who doesn't understand the regulations in the first place.
It's not about disagreeing, irrespective of goals they're incompetent. 🧵
I've only looked at the "simplification" rules for data protection and they seem to be written by someone who doesn't understand the regulations in the first place.
It's not about disagreeing, irrespective of goals they're incompetent. 🧵
In 2026 will continue simplifying ↓
Over a half of our legislative proposals will focus on making EU laws easier to apply and implement faster.
Over a half of our legislative proposals will focus on making EU laws easier to apply and implement faster.
November 9, 2025 at 1:59 PM
This would be funny if it weren't so tragic.
I've only looked at the "simplification" rules for data protection and they seem to be written by someone who doesn't understand the regulations in the first place.
It's not about disagreeing, irrespective of goals they're incompetent. 🧵
I've only looked at the "simplification" rules for data protection and they seem to be written by someone who doesn't understand the regulations in the first place.
It's not about disagreeing, irrespective of goals they're incompetent. 🧵
Reposted by Erik Bugge
“The Omnibus fails to meet the constitutional standards the EU’s own legal order demands”.
That’s the conclusion reached by legal opinion endorsed by 100+ academics warning the Parliament about this dangerous precedent.
Read the opinion 👇 #Omnibus #CSRD #CSDDD
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
That’s the conclusion reached by legal opinion endorsed by 100+ academics warning the Parliament about this dangerous precedent.
Read the opinion 👇 #Omnibus #CSRD #CSDDD
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
November 10, 2025 at 6:33 AM
“The Omnibus fails to meet the constitutional standards the EU’s own legal order demands”.
That’s the conclusion reached by legal opinion endorsed by 100+ academics warning the Parliament about this dangerous precedent.
Read the opinion 👇 #Omnibus #CSRD #CSDDD
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
That’s the conclusion reached by legal opinion endorsed by 100+ academics warning the Parliament about this dangerous precedent.
Read the opinion 👇 #Omnibus #CSRD #CSDDD
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
Reposted by Erik Bugge
Be clear, the American far right are coming for British democracy.
November 9, 2025 at 8:45 PM
Be clear, the American far right are coming for British democracy.
Reposted by Erik Bugge
"The government’s communication machine was also adversely affected by the fact that targeted political advertising has disappeared from Facebook, Instagram, Google, and YouTube starting this fall."
A ringing endorsement of the Political Advertising Regulation!
telex.hu/direkt36/202...
A ringing endorsement of the Political Advertising Regulation!
telex.hu/direkt36/202...
‘The situation is tense’ – How Orbán has tried to overcome Fidesz’ internal crisis
Fidesz underestimated opposition leader Péter Magyar so much that they realized too late that he posed a real threat to them. Direkt36 reveals how Viktor Orbán launched his spring offensive against Ma...
telex.hu
November 9, 2025 at 7:55 AM
"The government’s communication machine was also adversely affected by the fact that targeted political advertising has disappeared from Facebook, Instagram, Google, and YouTube starting this fall."
A ringing endorsement of the Political Advertising Regulation!
telex.hu/direkt36/202...
A ringing endorsement of the Political Advertising Regulation!
telex.hu/direkt36/202...