When the European Commission violates its personal guidelines | EUROtoday
Get real time updates directly on you device, subscribe now.
CIt’s the everlasting gag of the watered sprinkler. The European Commission has been singled out by its personal private knowledge policeman (EDPS). His fault? Having carried out an promoting marketing campaign on X (previously Twitter) in flagrant violation of the European knowledge safety regulation.
The fairly comical affair went unnoticed in mid-December. DG HOME (dwelling affairs), which pilots the EU’s digital coverage, deployed a media offensive from September 15 to twenty-eight, 2023 to advertise its draft regulation on the prevention of on-line sexual abuse of youngsters. Noble trigger. So far, nothing uncommon. Except that Brussels has fallen into the lure of promoting microtargeting. The marketing campaign focused eight member states, together with the Netherlands the place the criticism got here from.
Very political focusing on
In the sights of the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS): the usage of political and spiritual standards to filter the recipients of stated ads. The Commission had thus drawn up a blacklist of 44 exclusion classes. If you had pursuits much like these of events just like the German AfD, Vox in Spain or Sinn Féin, you have been excluded. Including for those who had pursuits near the accounts of personalities like Viktor Orban, Marine Le Pen and Giorgia Meloni. Also excluded have been accounts utilizing the phrases “Brexit”, “nexit” or “#EUCorruption”. Without forgetting six segments which consult with faith (“Christianity, Islam or anti-Christian beliefs”). In distinction, inclusion phrases correlated with “pro-EU” sentiments and included events just like the VVD (liberal occasion) and specific politicians.
In its protection, the Commission explains that this focusing on was meant to maximise the impression of the marketing campaign given its restricted funds. In different phrases, it boasts an environment friendly use of the EU’s monetary assets. Keyword focusing on is the principle device out there on Twitter for useful impression. Certain key phrases have been designed to achieve the target market whereas the record of excluded key phrases aimed to “not mix with debates that are not related to the scope of the campaign”. But on the identical time, the Commission is abdicating its accountability for the social community. An argument swept apart by the EDPS.
A criticism from the Netherlands
The message from the Commission was: “ The attackers hide behind their screens. While children suffer in silence, it is high time to end online child sexual abuse. The majority of citizens support the #EUproposal against child sexual abuse. And you ? » A 47-second video ends with a poll affirming that 95% of Dutch people support this text. The ad was shown more than 600,000 times.
ALSO READ Europeans 2024: online political advertising soon to be controlledThe complaint was filed, on behalf of a Dutch citizen, by NOYB (European Center for Digital Rights), a non-profit organization based in Austria which works in the field of personal data protection. According to NOYB, the Commission used sensitive data without prior authorization, thus violating Article 10 of the European Regulation on the processing of personal data by European institutions. This regulation is the counterpart of the famous “GDPR”, however duplicated within the EU establishments.
Elon Musk, evil genius of the Commission
To Discover
Kangaroo of the day
Answer
The EDPS didn’t settle for the Commission’s protection arguments. She reprimanded him for “violation of articles 4 and 10” of the European regulation. In quick: the Commission processed delicate knowledge with no authorized foundation. A apply that she usually criticizes the Gafa…
The irony of the story will escape nobody: whereas the Commission is at the moment investigating the moderation practices of X through the Musk period, right here it’s discovered wanting on this identical platform. So even the police can generally get caught dashing.
https://www.lepoint.fr/monde/quand-la-commission-europeenne-viole-ses-propres-regles-03-01-2025-2579145_24.php