Post

Robin Berjon
@robin.berjon.com

We all know that the GDPR et al. aren't working great. Alas, the current proposals to fix that — in what EU jargon calls an "omnibus" — make it way worse. This counter-proposal is: better for people, simpler for businesses, *much* stronger on security, competition, sovereignty, and online safety. 🧵

berjon.comA Real Digital Omnibus for European Competitiveness and SecurityThis document is offered as an expert contribution to ongoing discussions about the data aspects of the Digital Omnibus. Drawn from my experience in digital policy, technology strategy, and digital business, I find that the Commission's current Omnibus proposal contains a small number of provisions that achieve genuine simplification and strengthen the reliability of the regulatory environment, alongside a larger number of provisions that, however well-intentioned, would produce outcomes contrary to the legislative aims set out in the Commission's own framing. My purpose is to provide the framework and background information necessary for trilogue interlocutors to identify which provisions can be retained, which can be improved, and which should be reconsidered, so that the final Omnibus achieves the impact that its proponents seek.
Robin Berjon
@robin.berjon.com

Before diving in, just for giggles, Ireland currently holds the rotating Presidency of the Council but their proposed compromise text is so spectacularly bad that their own AI Minister won't even admit to it being their proposal. mu.social/profile/toni...

The Tonight Show@tonightvmtv.bsky.social

Ireland's AI Minister refutes claims that the Irish presidency had a hand in drafting legislation that would scrap GDPR protections for AI products.  #TonightVMTV

11 reposts21 likes

Robin Berjon
@robin.berjon.com

For context: Ireland is MAGA's primary beachhead in Europe. As indicated in the video, part of the proposal is that you would no longer need to consent to your personal data being used if it's for AI. The only companies this benefits are those with large existing surveillance systems: MAGA techs.

Robin Berjon
@robin.berjon.com

That's not the only issue: • The text is very favourable to tech monopolies and supports them against challengers. • It fails to simplify, even very obvious things. • The way in which it kills cookie banners is broken. • It directly undermines national security & online safety of vulnerable people.

Robin Berjon
@robin.berjon.com

I won't recap my entire proposal, but here are some highlights in presented in problem/solution pairs. PROBLEM: The omnibus has a broken theory of how the digital economy works. It follows the belief that there's a "data economy" and that the more data circulates, the more value is created.

Robin Berjon
@robin.berjon.com

SOLUTION: That's simply wrong. The value of circulating data depends on what the data refers to: • Gains from being shared (antirival): e.g. the rules of a game. • Neutral when shared (nonrival): e.g. a factoid. • Loses when shared (rival): e.g. purchase intentions, product behaviour.