The launch of the first website on 6 August 1991 laid the foundations for today’s e-commerce, digital platforms and other business models. Today, digital platform and transaction models alone generate 40 per cent of the Internet industry’s revenue.

A name, logo or plausible-looking sender address is not enough to reliably establish that an email really comes from a particular company. Nevertheless, 86 per cent of adults in Germany consider at least one of these visible features sufficient proof that an email can be trusted.

The ICANN86 Readout, hosted by eco – Association of the Internet Industry and ICANN, brought together representatives from ICANN’s Supporting Organisations and Advisory Committees to review the main outcomes of the ICANN86 Policy Forum in Seville.

Many companies are exploring AI and automation. What matters, however, is that solutions work effectively in day-to-day operations over the long term and deliver tangible relief. In this interview, Civan Erbay from SOTER.studio discusses successful AI and automation projects, areas of societal application and the responsible use of new technologies.

From 2 August, new transparency obligations will apply to AI applications and AI-generated content. eco calls for clear technical standards and consistent implementation of the AI Act across Europe.

Against the backdrop of the upcoming introduction of European Digital Identity Wallets (EUDI wallets), leading associations, federations, institutions and subject matter experts in Germany have come together in the voluntary “Wallet-ready?! Initiative.

The July issue of eco's dotmagazine explores how cables, clouds, and culture are being reshaped simultaneously – and why none of them can wait for the others to catch up.

Commenting on the announced appointment of Gitta Connemann as Parliamentary State Secretary at the German Federal Ministry for Digital Affairs and State Modernisation, Alexander Rabe, Managing Director of eco – Association of the Internet Industry, stated:

eco notes with concern that, despite indications to the contrary last week, France has now become the first European country to introduce a general minimum age of 15 for the use of social media.

The European Commission has published its final guidelines on transparency obligations under the AI Act only 13 days before they come into application − far too late. Companies now have to analyse complex requirements, adapt internal processes and implement technical solutions within a very short period of time.

The European Commission today published the final report of its expert group on the protection of minors in the digital environment. The report contains recommendations for the future design of the European legal framework, including a minimum age of 13 for the use of social media and risk-based, graduated access to digital services.

Artificial intelligence, cloud applications and data-intensive digital services are causing the energy demand of data centres to grow continuously. Stefan Bastian, Managing Director of ebm-papst neo, explains how intelligent air and cooling systems support the operation of modern data centres.

The European Commission is driving forward the implementation of the Trusted Flagger mechanism enshrined in the Digital Services Act (DSA). In a position paper published on 7 July 2026, eco – Association of the Internet Industry generally welcomes the draft guidelines, but calls for targeted improvements.

In an interview with eco, plusserver CEO Dr Marc Wilczek discusses cloud modernisation, practical AI applications, and the new requirements arising from regulation and IT security.

The ICANN85 Readout, hosted by eco – Association of the Internet Industry and ICANN, brought together Internet governance stakeholders to review the main outcomes of the ICANN85 Community Forum in Mumbai.

With a new position paper on current cybersecurity policy, eco – Association of the Internet Industry warns against the increasing tightening of security-policy interventions in the digital sphere.

At its meeting on 24 June 2026, the German Federal Cabinet confirmed Oliver Süme, eco Chair, as a member of the Board of Trustees of the German Foundation for International Legal Cooperation (IRZ) for a further term.

The Certified Senders Alliance (CSA) has further developed its IP platform certification. In this interview, Julia Janssen-Holldiek, Head of the CSA, explains why deliverability, authentication and quality standards are now crucial for successful email delivery.

Ahead of the Conference of Economic Ministers on 1 and 2 July in Konstanz, eco – Association of the Internet Industry – is calling for a clear commitment to expanding data centres, cloud and AI infrastructure in Germany.

The 2026 E-Evidence Workshop at Nordic Domain Days in Stockholm, hosted by eco’s topDNS Initiative and iQ Global, examined one of the most significant regulatory developments currently facing the European domain name, hosting and digital infrastructure community: the EU E-Evidence framework.

eco – Association of the Internet Industry welcomes the election of Prof. Dr Moritz Hennemann as the new Federal Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information.

The expert commission on “Protection of Children and Young People in the Digital World”, appointed by the German Federal Minister for Education, Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth, today presented recommendations on the use of social media by children and young people. eco – Association of the Internet Industry welcomes this in-depth examination of the issue.

The June issue of eco's dotmagazine looks at how DNS, domains, email authentication, TLS certificates and abuse response now define whether trust can scale.

A YouGov survey commissioned by the eco Alliance shows that the majority of the population supports the expansion of data centres in Germany. The Alliance is calling for clear policy guidelines, better site policy and transparent planning.

eco and the Alliance for the Strengthening of Digital Infrastructures in Germany have criticised the planned amendment to the German Energy Efficiency Act (EnEfG). They argue that a rigid operational PUE of 1.2 for data centres is impractical, jeopardises investment and weakens Germany as a digital business location.

What is intended as a harmless holiday memory can quickly become a risk: photos of children online can be saved, shared further and altered using AI for abusive purposes. In the “#ChildrenAreNotContent” webinar on 25 June 2026, the eco Complaints Office will explain what parents and professionals should bear in mind when sharing images.

At the latest meeting of the eco Security Competence Group, the focus was on cyber resilience, new regulatory requirements and the impact of increasingly professionalised cybercrime. Afterwards, we spoke to Merlin Stottmeister from Bechtle about current threats, AI-supported attacks and concrete measures towards greater digital resilience.

The 6th Data Centre Expert Summit 2026, held at area3 in Dreieich, brought together experts from the data centre industry, the energy sector, planning, network infrastructure, politics and public administration. The focus was on key questions relating to the further development of digital infrastructure. A review.

The Franco-German sovereignty criteria represent an important contribution for the European debate on the cloud, AI and digital infrastructures. From eco’s perspective, it is now crucial to closely align this initiative with the European Commission’s Tech Sovereignty Package and the planned Cloud and AI Development Act. Digital sovereignty must not be defined by blanket rules on country of origin or new barriers to market access, but must instead focus on security, data protection, transparency, the freedom to switch providers and high-performance infrastructure.

Following direct export controls imposed by the US government on AI software, Anthropic has blocked its Fable 5 and Mythos 5 models worldwide. The eco Association has warned of risks to Europe’s cybersecurity: powerful AI models are vital tools for analysing vulnerabilities, detecting attacks more quickly and strengthening IT systems. Europe must build up its own capabilities in developing, operating and auditing such models.