Jan PenfratMay 20

I know there is #rp26 but I'm at #CPDP2026 in Brussels from now until the end of the week. Will post some thoughts about what I hear and see in this thread 🧵

Expect rants, celebrations and half-baked hot takes. (And PM me if you're here and think we should talk :)

Show threadJan Penfrat

And yes, let me start like every year by pointing out the problematic list of conference sponsors (similar to #rp26) : Sure it's cool to have a bling bling conference but at what price?

Of course that doesn't mean there can't be good debates here, I will try to contribute to that...

May 20 at 7:35amWeb
Show threadJan PenfratMay 20
So grateful for Clément Perarnaud of think tank #CEPS to emphasise that #DigitalSovereignty isn't about countries or the EU institutions but about the sovereignty of _people_ 🙏
Show threadJan PenfratMay 20
Okay, turns out I don't manage to participate in many panels after all, but still wanted to highlight @cdteurope's excellent panel "Beyond age gating" about how to _really_ protect minors online (hint: it's not by banning them from social media). 👏 #CPDP2026
Show threadJan PenfratMay 20
Rolling my eyes at #EU tech industry lobbyist claiming that what Europe needs is #simplification and a "data economy" because without it we can't train #AI and then we cannot do all those "amazing elements" AI can supposedly do. 🙄 #CPDP2026
Show threadJan PenfratMay 21
Yay, day 2 of #cpdp2026 starts with a fiery speech by @finnmyrstad at the Norwegian Consumer Council in favour of proper enforcement of tech regulations to create a "level playing field" for everyone: companies and consumers 🔥
Show threadJan PenfratMay 21
While the @EUCommission rep of course defends the #simplification agenda, Romain Robert from the @EDPS makes an important argument: if you wanted to "simplify" #GDPR, lawmakers could have clarified all the challenged items the law still has like #PayOrOK.
Show threadJan PenfratMay 21

Oh my, the @EUCommission really argues the #deregulation #Omnibus doesn't need an Impact Assessment (which the EU's own #BetterRegulation guidelines normally require), because they had "evidence" from internal Staff Documents, so documents the Commission has written itself. Oh and they had targeted (read: closed-door) conversations with industry.

This is not how independent evidence collection and analysis works!

Show threadJan PenfratMay 21

Here are my takeaways from day 2 (and my last one) of #CPDP2026 :

1. Everyone hates the #simplification and #deregulation #Omnibus but the @EUCommission defends it regardless.

2. Experts propose very nuanced approaches for how to best protect minors online. So much expertise that #VonDerLeyen and many other lawmakers simply ignore.

3. The state of #DSA / #DMA enforcement is so dire that even orgs with 1st hand evidence of noncompliance don't bother to send it to regulators anymore. /fin 🧵

Show threadnotsoloudMay 21
@ilumium
It's almost like the @EUCommission is under the influence of big tech
Show threadCloud68.coMay 20
@ilumium well said!
Show threadCloud68.coMay 20
@ilumium it has been an issue for years (decade+) and the more we talk about the issue the better. Our hope is that with more people moving from big tech more 'ethical' (for lack of finding a better word) companies/coopswill be able to sponsor and replace these corps. On our end, we aim to support events, the moment it is financially possible. Same with other companies and coops. Maybe that is one of the solutions, but 'our crowd' needs to talk more about the topic and gradually find a solution.