Johnny Ryan
@johnnyryan.bsky.social
Director of ICCL Enforce https://iccl.ie/Enforce Previously Chief Policy Officer of Brave. FRHistS.
https://ie.linkedin.com/in/johnnyryan1
https://ie.linkedin.com/in/johnnyryan1
Good reporting by Irish Times’ Jack Power www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2025...
November 15, 2025 at 11:36 AM
Good reporting by Irish Times’ Jack Power www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2025...
European tech CEO warns that European Commission plan to gut the GDPR will harm European SMEs
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...
November 12, 2025 at 1:01 PM
European tech CEO warns that European Commission plan to gut the GDPR will harm European SMEs
Reposted by Johnny Ryan
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!
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...
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 7:28 AM
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...
We write in The Guardian this morning that the Commission’s plan to gut Europe’s digital rules will hurt European startups 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 7:11 AM
We write in The Guardian this morning that the Commission’s plan to gut Europe’s digital rules will hurt European startups 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...
Reposted by Johnny Ryan
> "We are saying that progress is moving faster than older forecasts suggested," the Commission said.
We're building a tower to the moon and they added loads of floors recently. We'll reach the moon faster than older forecasts. 🤡
Great work @krisshrishak.bsky.social
www.rte.ie/news/busines...
We're building a tower to the moon and they added loads of floors recently. We'll reach the moon faster than older forecasts. 🤡
Great work @krisshrishak.bsky.social
www.rte.ie/news/busines...
Scientists call on Von der Leyen to withdraw AI comment
More than 70 AI scientists from around the world have written to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen asking her to retract a statement she made in May that artificial intelligence is ex...
www.rte.ie
November 11, 2025 at 6:34 AM
> "We are saying that progress is moving faster than older forecasts suggested," the Commission said.
We're building a tower to the moon and they added loads of floors recently. We'll reach the moon faster than older forecasts. 🤡
Great work @krisshrishak.bsky.social
www.rte.ie/news/busines...
We're building a tower to the moon and they added loads of floors recently. We'll reach the moon faster than older forecasts. 🤡
Great work @krisshrishak.bsky.social
www.rte.ie/news/busines...
Note to political leaders - stop AI overhype.
Today's letter from 73 scientists led by my colleague @krisshrishak.bsky.social to Ursula von der Leyen demands that she retract her budget speech non-scientific AI statement that parroted tech CEO hype.
www.mlex.com/mlex/article...
Today's letter from 73 scientists led by my colleague @krisshrishak.bsky.social to Ursula von der Leyen demands that she retract her budget speech non-scientific AI statement that parroted tech CEO hype.
www.mlex.com/mlex/article...
European Commission asked by 73 scientists to withdraw 'AI hype' statement | MLex | Specialist news and analysis on legal risk and regulation
MLex Summary: Seventy-three scientists from Europe, the UK and North America asked the European Commission’s President Ursula von der Leyen to withdraw a statement claiming AI would reach human-level ...
www.mlex.com
November 10, 2025 at 12:16 PM
Note to political leaders - stop AI overhype.
Today's letter from 73 scientists led by my colleague @krisshrishak.bsky.social to Ursula von der Leyen demands that she retract her budget speech non-scientific AI statement that parroted tech CEO hype.
www.mlex.com/mlex/article...
Today's letter from 73 scientists led by my colleague @krisshrishak.bsky.social to Ursula von der Leyen demands that she retract her budget speech non-scientific AI statement that parroted tech CEO hype.
www.mlex.com/mlex/article...
European Commission considering big cuts to the GDPR to boost Europe's tech sector. This would a mistake, aiding U.S. and Chinese tech giants at EU firms' expense.
www.iccl.ie/digital-data...
www.iccl.ie/digital-data...
Cutting GDPR will harm EU tech competitiveness
Grave cuts to the GDPR would aid U.S. and Chinese tech giants at Europe’s expense
www.iccl.ie
November 7, 2025 at 2:05 PM
European Commission considering big cuts to the GDPR to boost Europe's tech sector. This would a mistake, aiding U.S. and Chinese tech giants at EU firms' expense.
www.iccl.ie/digital-data...
www.iccl.ie/digital-data...
European Commission considering big cuts to the GDPR to boost Europe's tech sector. This would a mistake, aiding U.S. and Chinese tech giants at EU firms' expense.
www.iccl.ie/digital-data...
www.iccl.ie/digital-data...
Cutting GDPR will harm EU tech competitiveness
Grave cuts to the GDPR would aid U.S. and Chinese tech giants at Europe’s expense
www.iccl.ie
November 7, 2025 at 1:43 PM
European Commission considering big cuts to the GDPR to boost Europe's tech sector. This would a mistake, aiding U.S. and Chinese tech giants at EU firms' expense.
www.iccl.ie/digital-data...
www.iccl.ie/digital-data...
Draghi handed U.S. tech giants a gift
November 6, 2025 at 3:34 PM
Draghi handed U.S. tech giants a gift
Big story from Sky news. It is a mistake to think the DSA alone is going to fix this. This requires more, including and most particularly enforcement of GDPR Art 9 news.sky.com/story/the-x-...
Elon Musk is boosting the British right - and this shows how
Elon Musk is boosting the British right - and this shows how
news.sky.com
November 6, 2025 at 8:22 AM
Big story from Sky news. It is a mistake to think the DSA alone is going to fix this. This requires more, including and most particularly enforcement of GDPR Art 9 news.sky.com/story/the-x-...
The latest news about the Commission's proposals on consent banners is all a distraction.
Consent notices are a form of compliance theatre.
Online advertising is largely a data free-for-all. The industry introduced consent notices in 2018 as a thin veneer to cover the vast underlying data breach.
Consent notices are a form of compliance theatre.
Online advertising is largely a data free-for-all. The industry introduced consent notices in 2018 as a thin veneer to cover the vast underlying data breach.
November 5, 2025 at 3:25 PM
The latest news about the Commission's proposals on consent banners is all a distraction.
Consent notices are a form of compliance theatre.
Online advertising is largely a data free-for-all. The industry introduced consent notices in 2018 as a thin veneer to cover the vast underlying data breach.
Consent notices are a form of compliance theatre.
Online advertising is largely a data free-for-all. The industry introduced consent notices in 2018 as a thin veneer to cover the vast underlying data breach.
Reposted by Johnny Ryan
Another chilling investigation results regarding data brokers and real-time bidding highlighting how real-time bidding is not only a general data protection issue, but also poses serious national security threats. netzpolitik.org/2025/databro...
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 4, 2025 at 12:48 PM
Another chilling investigation results regarding data brokers and real-time bidding highlighting how real-time bidding is not only a general data protection issue, but also poses serious national security threats. netzpolitik.org/2025/databro...
Reposted by Johnny Ryan
BREAKING: Yesterday Grand Theft Auto VI maker Rockstar Games fired dozens of people, all of whom were involved in union efforts. A British union calls it "blatant and ruthless" union-busting. Take-Two Interactive says it was due to misconduct.
Here's the scoop: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Here's the scoop: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
‘Grand Theft Auto’ Studio Accused of Union Busting After Firings
Union says 30 and 40 people were terminated. Rockstar Games’ parent company cites ‘gross misconduct’
www.bloomberg.com
October 31, 2025 at 7:44 PM
BREAKING: Yesterday Grand Theft Auto VI maker Rockstar Games fired dozens of people, all of whom were involved in union efforts. A British union calls it "blatant and ruthless" union-busting. Take-Two Interactive says it was due to misconduct.
Here's the scoop: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Here's the scoop: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
If you are a parent of a TikTok user under 16 we want to hear from you. Please DM.
November 3, 2025 at 12:26 PM
If you are a parent of a TikTok user under 16 we want to hear from you. Please DM.
Note to Clare O'Donoghue Velikic: I agree industry experience is valuable, and am an industry defector
But the DPC ex-Meta appointee is likely legally bound to make no criticism of Meta, like Sarah Wynn-Williams
Also the complaint is against the process, not the person
www.bbc.com/news/article...
But the DPC ex-Meta appointee is likely legally bound to make no criticism of Meta, like Sarah Wynn-Williams
Also the complaint is against the process, not the person
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Meta stops former Facebook director from promoting critical memoir
Social media company wins US emergency ruling preventing ex-director from publicising her book.
www.bbc.com
November 3, 2025 at 11:32 AM
Note to Clare O'Donoghue Velikic: I agree industry experience is valuable, and am an industry defector
But the DPC ex-Meta appointee is likely legally bound to make no criticism of Meta, like Sarah Wynn-Williams
Also the complaint is against the process, not the person
www.bbc.com/news/article...
But the DPC ex-Meta appointee is likely legally bound to make no criticism of Meta, like Sarah Wynn-Williams
Also the complaint is against the process, not the person
www.bbc.com/news/article...
This seems an u nreasonable request, no?
October 30, 2025 at 12:05 PM
This seems an u nreasonable request, no?
Lobbying for tech is booming corporateeurope.org/en/2025/10/b...
Big Tech lobby budgets hit record levels | Corporate Europe Observatory
New figures show that the digital industry as a whole is now spending €151 million a year on lobbying the EU, a major increase to what was already considerable firepower.
corporateeurope.org
October 29, 2025 at 9:30 AM
Lobbying for tech is booming corporateeurope.org/en/2025/10/b...
Euractiv's @claudiemoreau.bsky.social on our complaint to the European Commission against Ireland's appointing ex-Meta lobbyist as its new Data Protection Commissioner
www.euractiv.com/news/complai...
www.euractiv.com/news/complai...
Complaint targeting Ireland over privacy watchdog's independence sent to Commission | Euractiv
The Irish Council for Civil Liberties takes formal action questioning the process that led to an ex-Meta lobbyist landing a top privacy oversight job
www.euractiv.com
October 28, 2025 at 12:23 PM
Euractiv's @claudiemoreau.bsky.social on our complaint to the European Commission against Ireland's appointing ex-Meta lobbyist as its new Data Protection Commissioner
www.euractiv.com/news/complai...
www.euractiv.com/news/complai...
Coverage of our complaint to the European Commission v Ireland over appointment of ex-Meta lobbyist as data protection watchdog
www.rte.ie/news/busines...
www.rte.ie/news/busines...
ICCL submits complaint to EU over new Data Commissioner
The Irish Council for Civil Liberties has submitted a formal complaint against Ireland to the European Commission over the appointment of a third Commissioner of the Irish Data Protection Commission (...
www.rte.ie
October 28, 2025 at 9:43 AM
Coverage of our complaint to the European Commission v Ireland over appointment of ex-Meta lobbyist as data protection watchdog
www.rte.ie/news/busines...
www.rte.ie/news/busines...
Our complaint v Ireland is in the FT newsletter this morning
Details of complaint --> www.iccl.ie/digital-data...
Details of complaint --> www.iccl.ie/digital-data...
October 28, 2025 at 8:18 AM
Our complaint v Ireland is in the FT newsletter this morning
Details of complaint --> www.iccl.ie/digital-data...
Details of complaint --> www.iccl.ie/digital-data...
We filled a complaint against Ireland to the European Commission today.
Ireland has appointed an ex-Meta lobbyist as its new Data Protection Commissioner.
This will be interpreted by the tech industry as a signal of impunity.
The European Commission must intervene.
www.iccl.ie/digital-data...
Ireland has appointed an ex-Meta lobbyist as its new Data Protection Commissioner.
This will be interpreted by the tech industry as a signal of impunity.
The European Commission must intervene.
www.iccl.ie/digital-data...
Complaint v Ireland to European Commission re process appointing ex-Meta lobbyist as Data Protection Commissioner
Ireland's appointment process lacked procedural safeguards against conflicts of interest and political interference and may be interpreted by the tech industry as a signal of impunity
www.iccl.ie
October 28, 2025 at 7:12 AM
We filled a complaint against Ireland to the European Commission today.
Ireland has appointed an ex-Meta lobbyist as its new Data Protection Commissioner.
This will be interpreted by the tech industry as a signal of impunity.
The European Commission must intervene.
www.iccl.ie/digital-data...
Ireland has appointed an ex-Meta lobbyist as its new Data Protection Commissioner.
This will be interpreted by the tech industry as a signal of impunity.
The European Commission must intervene.
www.iccl.ie/digital-data...
The question of this moment is whether Europe will be a bastion of democratic resilience or a vassal.
My piece in Tech Policy Press.
www.techpolicy.press/europe-isnt-...
My piece in Tech Policy Press.
www.techpolicy.press/europe-isnt-...
Europe Isn’t Weak—It Just Pretends To Be. Here’s How to Fix That. | TechPolicy.Press
Europe must reclaim digital sovereignty through three levers: politics, policing, and procurement, writes Johnny Ryan.
www.techpolicy.press
October 24, 2025 at 6:53 AM
The question of this moment is whether Europe will be a bastion of democratic resilience or a vassal.
My piece in Tech Policy Press.
www.techpolicy.press/europe-isnt-...
My piece in Tech Policy Press.
www.techpolicy.press/europe-isnt-...