Alexandra Koch Skiba
Policy & Law

eco – Association of the Internet Industry on the Recommendations of the Prien Commission: Effectively Protecting Children, Enabling Digital Opportunities

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.
date 2026/06/24
press
Alexandra Koch Skiba
Policy & Law

Children are Not Content: eco Complaints Office Raises Awareness of the Dangers of Sharenting and AI Manipulation

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.
date 2026/06/22
press
eco on the Franco-German Sovereignty Criteria: The Right Impulse, but Practical Implementation Is Crucial
Policy & Law

eco on the Franco-German Sovereignty Criteria

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.
date 2026/06/17
press
eco Board Member Norbert Pohlmann on Log4J Security Vulnerability: Cyber crime hits new level – German federal government must continue to promote trust and security on the Internet
Policy & Law

eco Association Warns of Anthropic Embargo

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.
date 2026/06/16
press
eco Board Member Klaus Landefeld on the German Coalition Agreement: “A surveillance overview bill must not just be lip service”
Policy & Law

eco on IP Address Retention: The German Federal Council (Bundesrat) Must Not Provide a Blueprint for Digital Mass Surveillance

In light of the deliberations in the German Federal Council (Bundesrat), eco Association warns against a shift in security policy in digital domestic policy. In the association’s view, the planned IP address retention, expanded preservation orders, biometric Internet matching and cross-proceedings data analysis will result in more data retention, more data linking and a greater degree of intrusion.
date 2026/06/12
press
eco - Association of the Internet Industry 309
Policy & Law

eco on the Passing of the AI Act Implementation Act

With the AI Implementation Act, the German Bundestag is laying the groundwork for the national implementation of the European AI Regulation. eco Association welcomes the one-to-one transposition of the EU requirements and the central role of the German Federal Network Agency (BNetzA), but still sees a clear need for improvements in terms of coordination and enforceability. Without clear responsibilities and uniform enforcement practices, there is a risk of legal uncertainty, additional bureaucracy and barriers to investment for companies. It's now crucial that AI regulation is implemented in a practical, innovation-friendly and consistent manner across the country.
date 2026/06/12
press
eco Board Member Klaus Landefeld on the German Coalition Agreement: “A surveillance overview bill must not just be lip service”
Policy & Law

eco on the Amendment to the German Telecommunications Act (TKG)

The draft act to amend the German Telecommunications Act (TKG) contains important measures to accelerate the rollout of fibre optic and mobile communications networks, according to eco Association. The association welcomes, among other things, the simplification of road-related procedures, improved participation rules along railway lines and better access to energy infrastructure. At the same time, eco warns against new data obligations, unclear procedures and additional bureaucracy. To turn the draft into a genuine acceleration act, eco is calling for shorter deadlines, more practical rules and greater investment certainty.
date 2026/06/10
press