By BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Alphabet unit Google will contribute 25 million euros ($29.3 million) to the newly set up European Media and Information Fund to combat fake news, the company said on Wednesday, amid criticism tech giants are not doing enough to debunk online disinformation.The COVID-19 pandemic and the U.S. election last year spurred a massive spike in misinformation, with some blaming social media for not being more proactive in tackling the issue while regulators have indicated they may take action via heavy-handed restrictions.The European Media and Information Fund, launched by...…By BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Alphabet unit Google will contribute 25 million euros ($29.3 million) to the newly set up European Media and Information Fund to combat fake news, the company said on Wednesday, amid criticism tech giants are not doing enough to debunk online disinformation.The COVID-19 pandemic and the U.S. election last year spurred a massive spike in misinformation, with some blaming social media for not being more proactive in tackling the issue while regulators have indicated they may take action via heavy-handed restrictions.The European Media and Information Fund, launched by...WW…

By , PARIS (Reuters) - Apple was given a boost on Wednesday as France’s antitrust watchdog rejected advertisers’ requests to suspend the iPhone maker’s upcoming privacy feature, but it still faces a probe into whether it unfairly favours its own products and services.Apple’s new ‘App Tracking Transparency’ feature allows users to block advertisers from tracking them across different applications.The U.S. tech giant says it defends data privacy rights, but it faces criticism from Facebook, app developers and startups whose business models rely on advertising tracking.French groups IAB...…By , PARIS (Reuters) - Apple was given a boost on Wednesday as France’s antitrust watchdog rejected advertisers’ requests to suspend the iPhone maker’s upcoming privacy feature, but it still faces a probe into whether it unfairly favours its own products and services.Apple’s new ‘App Tracking Transparency’ feature allows users to block advertisers from tracking them across different applications.The U.S. tech giant says it defends data privacy rights, but it faces criticism from Facebook, app developers and startups whose business models rely on advertising tracking.French groups IAB...WW…

By BRUSSELS (Reuters) - France has supported its virus-hit companies to the tune of 155.36 billion euros ($185.5 billion), just over a quarter of the 544 billion euros spent by EU countries to prop up businesses, with Germany in third place, European Commission data showed.The EU approved 2.96 trillion euros in aid sought by governments to help farmers, the travel and tourism industry as well as companies in different sectors. But just 544 billion euros has been paid out, equivalent to 3.9% of the EU’s gross domestic product, the EU figures showed.The data covered the period from mid-March...…By BRUSSELS (Reuters) - France has supported its virus-hit companies to the tune of 155.36 billion euros ($185.5 billion), just over a quarter of the 544 billion euros spent by EU countries to prop up businesses, with Germany in third place, European Commission data showed.The EU approved 2.96 trillion euros in aid sought by governments to help farmers, the travel and tourism industry as well as companies in different sectors. But just 544 billion euros has been paid out, equivalent to 3.9% of the EU’s gross domestic product, the EU figures showed.The data covered the period from mid-March...WW…

Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comBRUSSELS, Feb 17 (Reuters) - Fortnite creator Epic Games has taken its fight against Apple to European Union antitrust regulators, escalating its dispute with the iPhone maker over its App Store payment system and control over app downloads.The two companies have been locked in a legal dispute since August, when the game maker tried to avoid Apple's 30% fee on some in-app purchases on the App Store by launching its own in-app payment system.That prompted Apple to kick Epic's Fortnite game off the App Store and threaten to terminate an...…Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comBRUSSELS, Feb 17 (Reuters) - Fortnite creator Epic Games has taken its fight against Apple to European Union antitrust regulators, escalating its dispute with the iPhone maker over its App Store payment system and control over app downloads.The two companies have been locked in a legal dispute since August, when the game maker tried to avoid Apple's 30% fee on some in-app purchases on the App Store by launching its own in-app payment system.That prompted Apple to kick Epic's Fortnite game off the App Store and threaten to terminate an...WW…

By BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Civil and digital rights groups on Wednesday launched a petition seeking the support of one million Europeans to help pressure the European Union to ban biometric mass surveillance ahead of laws on artificial intelligence (AI) due this year.Surveillance tools such as facial recognition systems have triggered concerns about risks to privacy and fundamental rights and that they could be exploited by repressive regimes to commit human rights violations.The EU executive plans to announce a legislative proposal on AI in the first quarter of the year, which is expected to...…By BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Civil and digital rights groups on Wednesday launched a petition seeking the support of one million Europeans to help pressure the European Union to ban biometric mass surveillance ahead of laws on artificial intelligence (AI) due this year.Surveillance tools such as facial recognition systems have triggered concerns about risks to privacy and fundamental rights and that they could be exploited by repressive regimes to commit human rights violations.The EU executive plans to announce a legislative proposal on AI in the first quarter of the year, which is expected to...WW…

By BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Fortnite creator Epic Games has taken its fight against Apple to European Union antitrust regulators, escalating its dispute with the iPhone maker over its App Store payment system and control over app downloads.The two companies have been in a dispute since August, when the game maker tried to avoid Apple’s 30% fee on some in-app purchases on the App Store by launching its own in-app payment system.That prompted Apple to kick Epic’s Fortnite game off the App Store and threaten to terminate an affiliated account that would have effectively blocked distribution of...…By BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Fortnite creator Epic Games has taken its fight against Apple to European Union antitrust regulators, escalating its dispute with the iPhone maker over its App Store payment system and control over app downloads.The two companies have been in a dispute since August, when the game maker tried to avoid Apple’s 30% fee on some in-app purchases on the App Store by launching its own in-app payment system.That prompted Apple to kick Epic’s Fortnite game off the App Store and threaten to terminate an affiliated account that would have effectively blocked distribution of...WW…

By BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Chinese-owned short video-sharing app TikTok was hit with multiple complaints from EU consumer groups on Tuesday for allegedly violating the bloc’s consumer laws and for failing to protect children from hidden advertising and inappropriate content.Owned by China’s ByteDance, TikTok has been rapidly growing in popularity around the world, particularly among teenagers. It faces growing criticism about its privacy and safety policies following a number of incidents.European consumer group BEUC cited several issues in its complaint, among them its terms of service.“They...…By BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Chinese-owned short video-sharing app TikTok was hit with multiple complaints from EU consumer groups on Tuesday for allegedly violating the bloc’s consumer laws and for failing to protect children from hidden advertising and inappropriate content.Owned by China’s ByteDance, TikTok has been rapidly growing in popularity around the world, particularly among teenagers. It faces growing criticism about its privacy and safety policies following a number of incidents.European consumer group BEUC cited several issues in its complaint, among them its terms of service.“They...WW…

By BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Europe’s antitrust chief, Margrethe Vestager, has warned Apple Inc to give equal treatment to all apps on its platform amid the iPhone maker’s privacy changes that have drawn charges of anti-competitive practices from rival Facebook Inc.Slideshow Apple will in the spring ask iPhone users for consent to track their data for personalized ads in what it says is a move to protect users’ privacy but which will limit apps’ ability to gather data from people’s phones that can be used for targeted advertising.Facebook has been among the most vocal of the critics which stand...…By BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Europe’s antitrust chief, Margrethe Vestager, has warned Apple Inc to give equal treatment to all apps on its platform amid the iPhone maker’s privacy changes that have drawn charges of anti-competitive practices from rival Facebook Inc.Slideshow Apple will in the spring ask iPhone users for consent to track their data for personalized ads in what it says is a move to protect users’ privacy but which will limit apps’ ability to gather data from people’s phones that can be used for targeted advertising.Facebook has been among the most vocal of the critics which stand...WW…

By BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Fiat Chrysler and French rival PSA gained EU antitrust approval on Monday for their $38 billion merger to create the world’s No.4 carmaker after pledging to boost Japanese rival Toyota Motor.The two carmakers are looking to the deal to help them tackle the industry’s dual challenges of funding cleaner vehicles and the global pandemic.The European Commission said PSA will extend its small van agreement with Toyota Motor by increasing capacity for Toyota and cutting transfer prices for the vehicles, spare parts and accessories to address EU competition concerns,...…By BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Fiat Chrysler and French rival PSA gained EU antitrust approval on Monday for their $38 billion merger to create the world’s No.4 carmaker after pledging to boost Japanese rival Toyota Motor.The two carmakers are looking to the deal to help them tackle the industry’s dual challenges of funding cleaner vehicles and the global pandemic.The European Commission said PSA will extend its small van agreement with Toyota Motor by increasing capacity for Toyota and cutting transfer prices for the vehicles, spare parts and accessories to address EU competition concerns,...WW…

Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comBRUSSELS, April 23 (Reuters) - Facial recognition should be banned in Europe because of its “deep and non-democratic intrusion” into people’s private lives, EU privacy watchdog the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) said on Friday.The comments come two days after the European Commission that would allow facial recognition to be used to search for missing children or criminals and in cases of terrorist attacks. The draft rules, which need to be thrashed out with EU countries and the European Parliament, are an attempt by the...…Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comBRUSSELS, April 23 (Reuters) - Facial recognition should be banned in Europe because of its “deep and non-democratic intrusion” into people’s private lives, EU privacy watchdog the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) said on Friday.The comments come two days after the European Commission that would allow facial recognition to be used to search for missing children or criminals and in cases of terrorist attacks. The draft rules, which need to be thrashed out with EU countries and the European Parliament, are an attempt by the...WW…