Who chose your vacation?

The dangers and pitfalls of surveillance advertising

 Posted on September 30, 2021  |  4 minutes  |  693 words  |  Marcel Kolaja  • Other languages: cs

Had you been choosing where to go on vacation this year and since then, advertisement for the best vacation—whether in Europe or overseas—was popping up at you during every action on-line? That happens due to so-called targeted, surveillance advertising. Its advertisers and intermediaries know everything about you. How old you are, where you live, what your hobbies are, what pages you’re browsing, and also that you are planning your vacation. I consider widespread on-line surveillance unacceptable. [Read More]
Digital Services Act  Digital Markets Act  disinformation  surveillance advertising  transparency 

Greater benefits for users and a fairer digital market

Five main areas in which we need to amend the Digital Markets Act

 Posted on September 3, 2021  |  5 minutes  |  1016 words  |  Marcel Kolaja  • Other languages: cs

The fall has come and the negotiations of the Digital Markets Act (DMA) resume. As shadow rapporteur, I have put together a total of 139 amendments, which aim at filling the gaps in the Commission’s proposal. This important legislation should redress unequal market conditions, give smaller companies market space and introduce more options for users thanks to diverse competition. More about the Digital Markets Act, you can read in my previous blog post. [Read More]
Digital Markets Act  FOSS  Free Software  interoperability  Open Source 

Chatting with friends across platforms and the end of the solo game of big players

What will the Digital Markets Act bring?

 Posted on June 15, 2021  |  7 minutes  |  1314 words  |  Marcel Kolaja  • Other languages: cs

The case of WhatsApp’s new terms & conditions and the subsequent sharing of user’s data with Facebook has been trending in the on-line world during recent months. Many users were looking for a feasible solution and switched to alternative chat platforms. However, many of them also came back to stay in touch with friends who have chosen not to leave. WhatsApp’s story only emphasizes how dependent we are on dominant platforms. [Read More]
Digital Markets Act  interoperability  data combining 

The Internet needs a fundamental change

What will the new rules bring?

 Posted on March 10, 2021  |  3 minutes  |  432 words  |  Marcel Kolaja  • Other languages: cs

The digital space in Europe has remained the same since the beginning of the new millennium. In the meantime, a number of services have appeared to help us find information, watch videos, keep in touch with friends, or find the partner of our dreams. Words such as algorithms, targeted advertising, personal data protection, or communication encryption are increasingly seeping into public space. Politicians, experts, academics, and the public call for regulation of dominant platforms, such as Facebook, Google, and Twitter. [Read More]
censorship  content moderation  cyber security  Digital Services Act  Digital Markets Act