iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Reposted by Alexander Fanta

Hans-Martin Tillack @hmtillack.bsky.social · 15/10/2026

Seit heute ist der europaweite FOIA Guide online – mit detaillierten Informationen über den Zugang zu Informationen bei den Behörden von 39 europäischen Staaten von Albanien bis Zypern. Ich habe Informationen zum deutschen IFG beigesteuert journalismarena.eu/guide-cross-...

journalismarena.eu

Access Europe: A Journalist’s Guide to Making Cross-Border FOI Requests

Nearly every country in Europe has transparency, or ‘freedom of information access’ (FOI/FOIA), laws. Journalists tend to know their national laws well, but others’ less so. This guide is a starting…

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Alexander Fanta @alexfanta.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

What's the legal situation? As public company, til when do they have to do things like holding a shareholder meeting, and what's the consequences if they don't?

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Reposted by Alexander Fanta

Follow the Money EU @ftm.eu · 06/10/2026

MEPs could spend €80 million on travel next year, yet taxpayers can barely scrutinise the bill. After Nathan Gill was jailed for taking pro-Russian bribes, the European Parliament gave us a rare look into his expense records.

ftm.eu

A rare insight into European Parliament expenses, thanks to a criminal ex-member

The European Parliament has given Follow the Money a rare insight into the normally confidential travel expenses and daily allowances claimed by one of its former members. The reason for this sudden t...

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Alexander Fanta @alexfanta.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Also, worth noting that with once exception everyone has seemed to land at quite plummy jobs. So, while it was worth their while, what does the exodus tell us about the atmosphere in the Berlaymont?

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Alexander Fanta @alexfanta.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Remarkable: No less than seven senior figures have left Ursula von der Leyen's cabinet since last summer. (Sheet below lists their cabinet position, new job and time of departure.) Wonder if we should read this as a sign that not all is going to plan in the 13th floor?

Elisabetta Belloni Diplomatic adviser 07/2025
Olivier Smith Adviser on strategic agenda Principal advisor, DG COMM 11/2025
Anthony Whelan Digital adviser DG at DG Comp 04/2026
Charmaine Hili Migration and home affairs adviser Chief of Staff/Director of the Executive Office (UNDP) 04/2026
Peter Van Kemseke European Green Deal adviser EU Ambassador-designate to Norway 06/2026
Thomas Lunau Defence Adviser Danish military 06/2026
Jens Flosdorff Executive communication adviser DG COMM 09/2026

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Alexander Fanta @alexfanta.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

The inside view, rarely explicated, is that all this stuff is new legal ground for the Commission, and any misstep could mean creating a bad precedent. But yes, the look at this point isn't great.

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Alexander Fanta @alexfanta.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

How do you substantiate the claim that the EU is unwilling to throw the real force of the DSA at Musk? I don't necessarily disagree, but would like to hear that argument in more detail.

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Alexander Fanta @alexfanta.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

The Commission's reply to the Ombudsman is now online. Note the brazenness with which the Commission says it will not comply with the law, because... "cybersecurity". This has nothing to do with security, and everything with control. Full document here: www.ombudsman.europa.eu/en/doc/corre...

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Alexander Fanta @alexfanta.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

⚡ News update on VDL's secret texts: The European Commission openly defies the European Ombudsman's call to stop auto-deleting the Commission president's text messages with EU leaders. It claims deleting texts was a "necessary cybersecurity measure". New scoop by @ftm.eu: www.ftm.eu/articles/eur...

ftm.eu

EU executive will keep deleting von der Leyen’s texts, despite watchdog warnings

Follow the Money - Platform for investigative journalism

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Alexander Fanta @alexfanta.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Glückspielartige Mechanismen in Videospielen locken Gamer, darunter viele Minderjährige, Geld für virtuelle Objekte auszugaben. Die EU möchte der Spielebranche das Geschäft vermiesen - doch dagegen gibt es Lobbydruck in Brüssel. Koop @ftm.eu und @zeit.de: www.zeit.de/digital/game...

zeit.de

Lootboxen: Für einen Fußballstar wie Messi sparte sie sogar am Essen

Sie kaufen digitale Sammelkarten und verpulvern Tausende Euro. Viele Gamer verfallen den glücksspielartigen Mechanismen in Videospielen. Jetzt will die EU durchgreifen.

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Alexander Fanta @alexfanta.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

I think what happens is that you deposit your credit card information to buy the game, but then the kids can use same credit card for continuos purchases

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Alexander Fanta @alexfanta.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

All of this is playing out against the backdrop of a massive industry push to roll back Europe's tech rules, from GDPR to the AI Act. Shall the EU try to be a tough tech enforcer (the "Brussels effect") or a light-touch regulator who is optimising for growth rather than compliance.

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Alexander Fanta @alexfanta.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

This sets up the Commission for a power struggle this fall, as Nikolay and her department (tech regulation at DG Connect) will push back against the department for justice and consumers (DG Just), which is meant to write the new law. Who'll win out?

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Alexander Fanta @alexfanta.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Renate Nikolay, a powerful Commission official who rose to the top under Ursula von der Leyen, told the Danish government she wants to protect the "important and growing" gaming industry from too much regulation. That is according to a Danish government memo which we unearthed through FOI.

Ift. børn og unge fremhævede Nikolay netop igangsat DSA-undersøgelse af X vedr. seksuelledeepfakes på Grok (og at denne allerede sås at have en effekt), hvorfor man fortsat fandt det vigtigt atforankre indsatsen i eksisterende arkitektur med fokus på systemiske risici (DSA, AI Act og GDPR). Envis bekymring for manglende momentum under Cyperns formandskab, og Nikolay foreslog, at DK bødsig til ifm. f.eks. at hjælpe Cypern med at forberede en relevant ministerdrøftelse til uformelt TTE. FraKOM’s side også forventning om flere momentumbyggende tiltag over nærmeste fremtid, herunderstørre DSA-nyhed 11. februar, fokus på Snapchat, cyberbullying action plan og udrulning af tekniskwallet-løsning til aldersverifikation. Fsva. AVMS-direktivet lagde Nikolay vægt på, at reglerne i daghavde for stort fokus på de forkerte typer af skadeligt indhold og så behov for mere teknologineutraleog platformsomfattende regler. Men fortsat uafklaret internt, om det vil kunne omfatte aldersgrænserog aldersverifikationskrav. Hertil forventet tæt samspil med Digital Fairness Act (DFA), hvor de toforslag pt. fulgte samme tidslinje frem mod forelæggelse for KOM’s interne Regulatory Scrutiny Board.Forventning om, at DFA ville omfatte flere områder med overlap til DSA, AI Act og AVMSD, herunderdeep fakes, afhængighedsskabende designs, og det var vigtigt for CNECT, at skabe synergi, forenklingog ikke at skabe ny uklarhed ift. f.eks. eksisterende DSA-undersøgelser. Nikolay kastede sig hertil ud ien større opsang på gaming-området, hvor hun var skeptisk overfor dybderegulering i DFA men snarereså behov for at fremme en vigtig og faktisk voksende del af EU’s tech-sektor (og en industrifremmendevideospilsstrategi på vej fra KOM). Man overvejede i stedet løsninger med styrket samregulering i stilmed et ”beefed up PEGI” (eksisterende branchesystem til bl.a. aldersanbefalinger), hvorindustristandarder kunne bindes direkte ind i lovgivningen (f.eks. i stil med diverse DSA-kodekser)

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Alexander Fanta @alexfanta.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Lobbyists had more than 180 meetings in 18 months with the Commission over the DFA - more than 90% of these meetings were with industry, only 10 per cent with consumer groups and NGOs fighting to curb bad practices. And lobbyists have found a friend in the Commission.

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Alexander Fanta @alexfanta.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

The European Commission wants to do something about loot boxes. Later this year, a law called the Digital Fairness Act is meant to introduce consumer rules - including making streaming subscriptions fairer and, ta-da, a potential ban on loot boxes. You can guess how happy the gaming industry is.

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Alexander Fanta @alexfanta.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Loot boxes are virtual items in games that cost real money. A bit like a scratch card, they offer gamers a chance for gaining a cool character, or an advantage at winning the game. The industry earns billions 💶 💵 from loot boxes, much of it from kids. Cool feature, or shameless money grab?

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Alexander Fanta @alexfanta.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

You might not know what a loot box is, but there's teenagers out there who will spent thousands of euros on them from their parent's credit card. Welcome to the fiercest Brussels lobbying battle you have never heard about, but which could completely re-shape the world of online gaming. 🧵

Illustration of a kid climbing into a box

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Alexander Fanta @alexfanta.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

The EU is working on a law to curb some of the video gaming industry’s most controversial practices. But the sector’s lobbyists are fighting back against the proposed rules, and have found an influential ally within Brussels. New story with Yannic Hannebohn/Die Zeit: www.ftm.eu/articles/tec...

ftm.eu

Tech giants fight EU crackdown on video games that push children to spend

The EU is working on a law to curb some of the video gaming industry’s most controversial practices. Campaigners warn that children are especially vulnerable to gambling-like features designed to enco...

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Alexander Fanta @alexfanta.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Sadly, the minutes don't tell us much.

EUROPEAN COMMISSION
MEETING MINUTES
Date: 12 March 2026
Location: Brussels, Belgium
Names(s) and
function(s) of the
Commission
representative(s):
Thomas Schmitz, Cabinet Member, Cabinet Virkkunen
Name(s) of the
interest
representative(s)
WSocial
Subject matter: Social media platforms
Main points
raised and
position
expressed:
- Introduction and exchange on the new European
social media platform Wsocial
Conclusions: N/A

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Alexander Fanta @alexfanta.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

I get the point, will take it into consideration.

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Alexander Fanta @alexfanta.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

I get what you are saying and I know that we're talking federated networks here. The way I meant it is that W Social is a network, which federates with other networks. How else so describe W as a distinct entity?

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Alexander Fanta @alexfanta.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

From today's FTM newsletter: www.ftm.eu/newsletters/...

How to make Ursula join your socials

How did W Social, the new European social network, get the Commission president to join – and effectively endorse – it just months after its launch? W Social’s selling points are its built-in ID verification system and a strict “no bots” policy. According to documents we obtained, its founders pushed the Commission hard in lobby meetings.

And just like that, von der Leyen was on board, according to an internal memo. Yet, why W Social made the cut – while more established and comparable European decentralised networks such as Mastodon didn’t – is unclear from the files.

Alexander Fanta

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Alexander Fanta @alexfanta.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

This story will also make waves in Sweden days before an election in which Teodorescu Måwe's slated to stand. @alekspogo.bsky.social with @etc.se has all the details: www.etc.se/inrikes/parl...

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Alexander Fanta @alexfanta.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

She's been called "Israel’s most outspoken European ally". Now an EU watchdog is investigating the secrecy over Swedish MEP Alice Teodorescu Måwe's mystery donor after Follow the Money made a complaint. Full story (free to read): www.ftm.eu/newsletters/...

ftm.eu

EU watchdog probes secret donor behind pro-Israel MEP

Follow the Money - Platform for investigative journalism

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Alexander Fanta @alexfanta.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Nur noch eine Woche! Hier wird das erste Jahr der Informationsfreiheit in Österreich von Expert*innen besprochen, Input aus dem Publikum ausdrücklich erwünscht, wird sicher sehr spannend. Kommt zahlreich!

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Reposted by Alexander Fanta

Lina Paulitsch @linapaulitsch.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

Laut dem ungarischen Magyar-Medium "Kontroll" hat Sebastian Kurz 10.000 Euro pro Monat von der Modul Uni bekommen, die dem Fidesz-nahen MCC gehört. Kurz' Sprecher bestätigt eine "Kooperation mit dem MCC". www.falter.at/zeitung/2026...

falter.at

Geld aus Budapest für Sebastian Kurz: Wo woar sei’ Leistung?

Ein ungarisches Parteimedium berichtet von Honorarnoten, die Ex-Kanzler Sebastian Kurz über Umwege an ein Institut von Viktor Orbáns Fidesz-Partei gelegt haben soll. Was ist dran an der Info?

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Alexander Fanta @alexfanta.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

Die andere Frage, etwas schelmisch, wäre, ob nicht jegliche Aufzeichnungen mit dieser Brille unter das Informationsfreiheitsgesetz fallen.

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Alexander Fanta @alexfanta.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

Glasnost in Brussels? Last week, the Commission presented ideas to reform the EU's civil service, including the long-ailing transparency regime. But, while the paper acknowledged problems, it also made wild claims and used wrong figures: www.ftm.eu/articles/the...

ftm.eu

The Commission’s transparency problem, in its own words

Follow the Money - Platform for investigative journalism

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Alexander Fanta @alexfanta.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

The new Secrecy Tracker newsletter is out! 📄 Commission hides reports about Gaza destruction of EU-funded aid projects 👩‍⚖️ EU judges hide potential conflicts of interest 📱 Von der Leyen's texting under scrutiny - again! HT @investigate-europe.eu @euobserver.com Read: www.ftm.eu/newsletters/...

ftm.eu

Commission buries Gaza audits as EU top court faces transparency backlash

Follow the Money - Platform for investigative journalism

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Alexander Fanta @alexfanta.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

Der "Datenschutz" ist ein Allzeckargument geworden, auch dort, wo es überhaupt nicht um den persönlichen oder privaten Bereich geht, sondern um öffentliches Handeln. Wenn jemand für den Staat entscheidet, kann sich die Person nicht hinter Privatheit und "Datenschutz" verstecken.

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Alexander Fanta @alexfanta.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

Datenschutz ist ein Strohmannargument. Wenn führende Beamte, Konzernmanager oder Lobbyisten genannt werden, sind ihre Namen öffentlichkeitsrelevant und nicht zu schwarzen.

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Alexander Fanta @alexfanta.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

Das Argument, das Transparenz viel Aufwand/Geld kostet, ist Bullshit. Das Aufwändige, Mühsame, Teure ist das Aktenschwärzen und Anträgebekämpfen. Wer gut Akten führt und offenlegt, wird wenig Aufwand haben.

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Reposted by Alexander Fanta

Pascal Hansens @pascalhansens.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

Just out! Our investigation on the CJEU: more than 40% of judges have declared interests in big companies (such as Total, Boeing, Merck, etc.) Some have worked on cases involving sectors, sometimes even companies, where they hold interest. More here 👇 #CJEU www.investigate-europe.eu/posts/top-eu...

investigate-europe.eu

Top EU judges financial holdings raise troubling questions

More than 40 per cent of jurists at the Court of Justice have declared private financial interests, with some working on cases concerning industries where they hold shares. A new Investigate Europe in...

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Alexander Fanta @alexfanta.bsky.social · 23/06/2026

Here our news piece about the latest case: www.ftm.eu/articles/eur...

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Alexander Fanta @alexfanta.bsky.social · 23/06/2026

What’s more, journalists and NGOs complain that anyone asking the Commission for documents faces long delays - sometimes not months, but years. The structural neglect of transparency has made it harder, if not impossible, to hold an ever-more powerful European Commission to account.

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Alexander Fanta @alexfanta.bsky.social · 23/06/2026

The new Ombudsman inquiry adds pressure on the Commission to improve its transparency. Currently, the EU court is mulling two lawsuits by openness advocates against the Commission’s changes to its rules of procedure that make it harder to obtain official documents.

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Alexander Fanta @alexfanta.bsky.social · 23/06/2026

The Commission’s refusal rests on a dual claim, applied alternatingly. One, that VDL’s texts are too trivial to be kept. And two, that they’re too secret to be ever shown to the public. Which of these options is true is hard to tell - but the Commission has placed VDL’s text beyond accountability.

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Alexander Fanta @alexfanta.bsky.social · 23/06/2026

Why this matters? The Commission chief has been criticised in the past for losing texts exchanged with Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla during a pandemic-era Covid vaccines purchase. Despite losing a case against the New York Times in court last year, the Commission refuses to let the public see VDL’s texts

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Alexander Fanta @alexfanta.bsky.social · 23/06/2026

News alert: Ursula von der Leyen’s in hot water over text messages once again! Just earlier this month, the European Ombudsman told her not to auto-delete texts. Today, the watchdog is opening an inquiry into how VDL handled a confidential group chat with Starmer, Zelensky, Macron and other leaders.

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Alexander Fanta @alexfanta.bsky.social · 19/06/2026

This move baffled quite a few people, as there appears doubt as to whether W is really all that open source. I asked the Commission to explain their decision to join a new social network without significant usership (effectively an endorsement): www.asktheeu.org/request/deci...

asktheeu.org

Decision to join W social network - a Freedom of Information request to Communication

https://bsky.app/profile/vonderleyen.ec.europa.eu/post/3moiosz24yk2j I wish to obtain any document that explains this decision, such as internal communication explaining the advantages of W, or conta...

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Reposted by Alexander Fanta

Simon Van Dorpe @simonvandorpe.bsky.social · 16/06/2026

The big news of today's #Huaweigate vote was NOT that @europarl.europa.eu lifted the immunity of Fulvio #Martusciello ⚡ but that it refused to waive the immunity of 3 other MEPs, saying there could be "fumus persecutionis" meaning Belgian prosecutors would've tried to politically damage MEPs 🧵 ⤵️

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Alexander Fanta @alexfanta.bsky.social · 16/06/2026

This is an obvious error - you mean the DMA, not the DSA

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Reposted by Alexander Fanta

Follow the Money EU @ftm.eu · 05/06/2026

Ursula von der Leyen and her fellow commissioners shouldn’t auto-delete text messages, the European Ombudswoman has decided. Even after Pfizergate, the EC President kept using the disappearing messages function on Signal to communicate with EU leaders like Emmanuel Macron. And that needs to change.

ftm.eu

EU watchdog says von der Leyen must not auto-delete texts

Follow the Money - Platform for investigative journalism

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Alexander Fanta @alexfanta.bsky.social · 05/06/2026

⚡ EU watchdog warns against mass deletion of leaders' texts📱 Ursula von der Leyen is under fire once again over her texting. This time, the European Ombudsman told the Commission chief to stop auto-deleting her texts with EU leaders. Read the scoop (gift link): www.ftm.eu/articles/eu-...

ftm.eu

EU watchdog says von der Leyen must not auto-delete texts

Follow the Money - Platform for investigative journalism

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Alexander Fanta @alexfanta.bsky.social · 28/05/2026

You might think you are out of reach of German wrath. But even if you have flown many miles, and are somewhere else in Europe, Deutsche Bahn can still delay or cancel your train

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