Policy & Law

eco Criticises France’s Social Media Ban: European Solutions Rather Than a National Patchwork

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.

date 2026/07/23

press

Events

IGF-D 2026: Freedom and Responsibility in a Connected World

IGF-D 2026, under the title "Freedom and Responsibility in a Connected World," will take place on 9 September 2026 at the Auditorium Friedrichstraße in Berlin and online.

date 2026/09/09 placeBerlin

Event

Policy & Law

Only 13 Days Until They Apply: eco Warns Against Flying Blind on AI Transparency Obligations

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.

date 2026/07/21

press

iStock.com/towfiqu ahamed

Policy & Law

European Solutions Instead of National Patchworks: eco Calls for Coherent Youth Media Protection

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.

date 2026/07/15

press

Stefan Bastian, Managing Director ebm-papst neo

Datacenter

Interview: No Powerful Data Centres Without Efficient Cooling

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.

date 2026/07/14

News

Policy & Law

Trusted Flagger: eco – Association of the Internet Industry Calls for Practical EU Guidelines in the Fight Against Illegal Online Content

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.

date 2026/07/13

press

eco

The Infrastructure Behind Intelligence: IT and Cloud Landscapes in Transition

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.

date 2026/07/10

News

nicmanager

date 2026/07/09

News

Policy & Law

eco on German Cybersecurity Policy: Association Warns of Attack on Digital Civil Liberties

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.

date 2026/07/08

press

Policy & Law

Guidelines on the Trusted Flagger Mechanism

On 29 May 2026, the EU Commission published its draft guidelines on the trusted flagger mechanism for a targeted public consultation. eco comments on the draft guidelines, taking into account experiences of the association’s members as well as eco’s own experience as the operator of a hotline for reporting illegal content...

date 2026/07/06

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