Recent events have multiplied concerns about potential fragmentation of the internet into a multitude of non-interoperable and disconnected 'splinternets'. Composed of thousands of compatible autonomous systems, the internet is by definition technically divided. Yet, the internet was also designed to be an open and global technical infrastructure. The unity and openness of the internet appear to be under great pressure from political, commercial and technological developments. This report explores the implications of the EU's recent policies in this field as well as the opportunities and challenges for EU Member States and institutions in addressing internet fragmentation. It underlines how recent EU legislative proposals – on the digital services act, digital markets act, artificial intelligence act, and NIS 2 Directive – could help to address patterns of fragmentation, but also have limitations and potentially unintended consequences.

EPRS Science and Technology Podcast - 'Splinternets': Addressing the renewed debate on internet fragmentation

&lt;p>The internet is a critical technology infrastructure for almost two thirds of the global population. We use the internet for personal, civic, commercial and professional activities. Failure of the internet would majorly impact how our societies, lives and work is organised. While a total global collapse of the internet is unlikely, major disruptions may arise. Three aspects are key in understanding of how this could materialise: the underlying technological infrastructures, which are evolving with time; the fact that tech companies are increasingly shaping the Internet architecture to seek new commercial strategies; and the increasing control of the digital sphere for political reasons.&lt;/p>

EPRS policy podcast - Future shocks 2023: Collapse of the Internet

Deepfakes (AI-manipulated media) are flooding the internet and altering reality. They influence the way certain events or statements are perceived and generate tensions by artificially creating misconceptions. Criminal offences have already been committed using this technique. Since the web operates worldwide, this creates challenges for local, national and supranational legal systems. Therefore, action is also required at the EU level.

Deepfakes - EN

Since its early development in the 1960s, Internet infrastructure has become almost as important as electricity and transport infrastructures in contemporary societies. More and more key services such as banking, food retail, and health care, rely on Internet connections. Despite its original resilient decentralised design, the increasing importance of a few central players and centralising developments have made the Internet more vulnerable to failure. What repercussions would that entail? Listen to our podcast to know more!

EPRS STOA podcast - What if the Internet failed?

The internet has changed the way many of us book our holidays. That’s why the EU decided to adapt the rules protecting package holiday makers. Here’s how you benefit from this!

This is what Europe does for package holiday makers

Are you tired of junk news? If so, you are certainly not alone. Here are three ways that Europe is helping people to become more informed users of the internet.

This is what Europe is doing for informed internet users

Do you shop online? If so, you’re among the 65 % of internet users in Europe who do. Shopping online is a growing phenomenon, especially among young people. But geo-blocking practices often prevent EU internet users from accessing the services they want. Here’s how the EU is making online shopping easier.

This is what Europe does for cross-border online shoppers

Perhaps you are one of the many people in Europe who use crowdfunding. This is a new internet-based tool to obtain funding for specific projects. It also allows investors to finance interesting projects.

This is what Europe does for crowdfunders

We live in a time when almost all jobs require some digital skills. As many as 44 % of adults in the EU have very few digital skills and around 20 % have never used the Internet. Here is what the EU is doing to improve those figures.

This is what Europe does for people wanting to gain digital skills

Around 70% of people in the EU rely on the internet every day. Are you one of them? Here’s how the EU protects you and the data that is collected about you online

This is what Europe does for internet users whose personal data is collected online

Did you know that 360 million Europeans use the internet every day? Phones and the internet are an essential part of our daily lives. Here’s how the European Union is helping to improve services

This is what Europe does for phone and internet users

Do you worry about your safety on the internet? Well, in some European countries, cybercrime accounts for half of all crimes committed! However the EU is taking measures to combat this type of crime. Let’s see how.

This is what Europe does for victims of cybercrime

You bought something on the internet but you have changed your mind? Is the product you bought defective? If so, here are three things the European Union does for you.

This is what Europe does for customers who are unhappy with their purchase

The internet is a great place for children to learn and play, but it can also expose them to dangers such as cyberbullying, harmful content or online predators.

This is what Europe does for parents of children who go online

Many children love using the internet. It can offer opportunities to learn and have fun but can also be a source of threats. Here are some examples of how the EU is trying to make the internet safer for children.

This is what Europe does for children going online

Do you avoid the news, perhaps because you feel you cannot rely on the news to be true? A March 2018 Eurobarometer poll suggested there is great concern among internet users in Europe about fake news: 85 % of respondents see fake news as a problem in their country and 83 % perceive it as a problem for democracy.

This is what Europe does people who worry about fake news

The rights of the child are part of human rights: rights that the EU and its Member States must respect, protect and fulfil. The Treaty on European Union establishes the objective for the EU to promote protection of the rights of the child. The Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU guarantees the protection of the rights of the child by the EU institutions and by EU countries when they implement EU law. Over the years the European Parliament has been instrumental in pushing children's rights to the core of European policies, particularly through its Intergroup on Children's Rights.

On 14 November 2023, the Civil Liberties Committee adopted its position on new measures to protect children online by preventing and stopping child sexual abuse. The draft Parliament position was adopted by the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs with 51 votes in favour, 2 against, and 1 abstaining. Inter-institutional negotiations were authorised with 48 in favour, 2 against, and 4 abstaining.

To protect children online, the new rules would mandate internet providers to assess whether there is a significant risk of their services being misused for online child sexual abuse and to solicit children, and to take measures to mitigate these risks. MEPs want mitigation measures to be targeted, proportionate and effective, and providers should be able to decide which ones to use.

They also want to ensure that pornographic sites have adequate age verification systems, flagging mechanisms for child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and human content moderation to process these reports. To stop minors being solicited online, MEPs propose that services targeting children should require by default user consent for unsolicited messages, have blocking and muting options, and boost parental control.

Children’s rights

The EU is under growing pressure from disinformation by countries, non-state actors and terrorist groups which promote violence and use pseudo-news agencies and internet trolls to challenge democratic values and divide Europe.

The EU has been increasingly hit by destabilising messagesamounting – in different forms and to different degrees – to coherent hostile ‘strategic communications’ campaigns, or the processes of infusing communications activities with an agenda or plan to impact the behaviour of a target audience.

Anti-EU propaganda - 8th Parliamentary term

A ban on "roaming" surcharges for using mobile phones abroad in the EU, to take effect from June 2017, and clear rules on the right to internet access, will become law when Parliament takes its final vote on the new telecoms package.

Roaming fees for calling, sending text messages and using mobile internet abroad in the EU will be banned from 15 June 2017.

Roaming - 8th parliamentary term

The end of May 2019 marked the first year since the full application of the General data protection regulation (GDPR).

The Parliament and the Commission have stressed that the full potential of data as a social good cannot be unlocked until citizens' lack of trust in technology and their sense of a loss of control of their personal data is properly addressed. Various matters are concerned: Artificial Intelligence (AI); Facial Recognition Technology (FRT); The Internet of Things (IoT); etc.

Data Protection

Tax policy, including the fight against tax fraud, has become a hot topic over the past decade due to journalistic investigations such as LuxLeaks, the Panama Papers, Football Leaks, Bahamas Leaks and the Paradise Papers, which revealed tax leaks and tax havens. The latest finacial data-leak revealed by the media is Pandora papers.

During October II plenary MEPs voted for a resolution on Pandora papers, where they identified what they see as the most urgent measures the EU needs to take to close loopholes that currently allow for tax avoidance, money laundering and tax evasion on a massive scale. They also called for legal action to be taken by the Commission against EU countries that do not properly execute existing laws. MEPs reserved particular criticism for present and former prime ministers and ministers of EU member states whose activities were revealed by the Pandora Papers.

Tax policy has remained EU countries' own responsibility since the EU’s beginning, but the fight against tax fraud is shared by EU countries and the EU.

In November MEPs gave their final green light to new rules obliging big multinationals to publicly declare the taxes they pay in each EU country, in order to undermine tax avoidance. Multinationals and their subsidiaries with annual revenues over €750 million - and which are active in more than one EU country - will now have to publish the amount of tax they pay in each member state. This information will also need to be made publically available on the internet, using a common template and in a machine-readable format.

Since September 2020, the Parliament has had a permanent sub-committee on tax matters. The committee was established to assist the economic and monetary affairs committee with taxation issues and deals with the fight against tax fraud, tax evasion and tax avoidance, as well as financial transparency in taxation.

Fight against tax avoidance

Internet use and the number of connected devices continue to increase, but so do cyber threats. Parliament has approved new legislation to improve your security.

Activities by cybercriminals are increasing in complexity and sophistication. On Tuesday 12 March 2019, MEPs voted in favour of the cybersecurity act which aims to improve the European response to the increasing number of cyber threats by strengthening the role of the European Agency for Network and Information Security (Enisa) and establishing a common cybersecurity certification framework.

Under the plans Enisa will get more staff and funding, while cybersecurity cooperation between EU countries will be intensified. There will be standardised certification for IT equipment across Europe. Initially certification is voluntary.

See more on this topic by visiting our <a href="https://multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/en/cybersecurity-8th-parliamentary-term_11301_pk">package</a> for the 8th parliamentary term. ​​​​​​​

Cybersecurity (2020)

The EU is under growing pressure from disinformation by countries, non-state actors and terrorist groups which promote violence and use pseudo-news agencies and internet trolls to challenge democratic values and divide Europe.

The EU has been increasingly hit by destabilising messagesamounting – in different forms and to different degrees – to coherent hostile ‘strategic communications’ campaigns, or the processes of infusing communications activities with an agenda or plan to impact the behaviour of a target audience.

Anti-EU propaganda

The proposed "Directive on copyright in the Digital Single Market" seeks to ensure that creatives and news publishers and journalists benefit from the online world and the internet as they do from the offline world.

n March 2019 MEPs adopted by 348 votes in favour, 274 against and 36 abstentions a new directive on Copyright. This marks the end of the legislative process for the European Parliament that began in 2016. The directive aims to ensure that the longstanding rights and obligations of copyright law also apply to the internet. YouTube, Facebook and Google News are some of the internet household names that will be most directly affected by this legislation. The directive also strives to ensure that the internet remains a space for freedom of expression.

Copyright directive

Creatives and news publishers will be empowered to negotiate with internet giants thanks to new copyright rules which also contain safeguards on freedom of expression.

In March 2019 MEPs adopted by 348 votes in favour, 274 against and 36 abstentions a new directive on Copyright. This marks the end of the legislative process for the European Parliament that began in 2016. The directive aims to ensure that the longstanding rights and obligations of copyright law also apply to the internet. YouTube, Facebook and Google News are some of the internet household names that will be most directly affected by this legislation. The directive also strives to ensure that the internet remains a space for freedom of expression.

#EUelections2019 - Copyright

Roaming fees for calling, sending text messages and using mobile internet abroad in the EU banned since 15 June 2017.

Since 2006, the European Commission has taken action to address the high roaming charges paid by consumers for using their mobile phones when travelling abroad in another EU Member State. In 2015, the European Parliament and the Council adopted a fourth Roaming Regulation, which entered into force on 29 November 2015. In January 2016, the European Parliament voted on its resolution 'Towards a single market act' for a timely wholesale review, to end roaming charges for all European consumers by 15 June 2017. During the third trilogue meeting on 31 January 2017, an agreement was reached between the Parliament and the Council. The Final Act was published in the Official Journal on 9 June 2017. As a result, since 15 June 2017 retail roaming charges have disappeared in the EU and EEA/EFTA countries (as they decided also to abolish them). The wholesale roaming charges were again reduced.

#EUelections2019 - Roaming

The Special Committee on Terrorism (TERR) was set up in July 2017 and started its work in September 2017 to evaluate how to better fight terrorism. The two co-rapporteurs Ms Monika HOHLMEIER (EPP, DE) and Ms Helga STEVENS (ECR, BE) together with the other TERR Members presented a final report to address the practical and legislative deficiencies in the fight against terrorism. Their recommendations show a way to overcome these deficiencies and to improve the fight against terrorism in the European Union. Meanwhile, the DALTON report asks Internet companies to remove terrorist content within one hour after receiving an order from the authorities to combat radicalisation and contribute to public security.

#EUelections2019 - Fight against terrorism

Internet use and the number of connected devices continue to increase, but so do cyber threats. Parliament has approved new legislation to improve your security.

Activities by cybercriminals are increasing in complexity and sophistication. On Tuesday 12 March 2019, MEPs voted in favour of the cybersecurity act which aims to improve the European response to the increasing number of cyber threats by strengthening the role of the European Agency for Network and Information Security (Enisa) and establishing a common cybersecurity certification framework.

#EUelections2019 - Network and information security / cybersecurity

EP Plenary session - Oral question - The new European strategy for a better internet for kids (BIK+)

Facebook & Other Social Dangers - The political, social and financial impactof the big internet monopolies

Data Protection Policy on Internet - General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

Internet privacy settings on a computer

The Internet of the Human Body: Towards a habeas data?

Plenary session week 37 2017 in Strasbourg - Promotion of internet connectivity in local communities

Lessons learned for Security and Liability in the Internet of Things

Sabine VERHEYEN promoting Internet and ICT Policy

Illustration for combating child pornography

Child abuse through the internet network. Child facing internet danger  through a computer.  A little girl is being offered candy by internet user sexual predator. Manipulation, abduction

Conference with the Internet Watch Foundation

Richard HOWITT meets visitor from the UK based Internet Watch Foundation

Woman playing on internet

Consumer Protection: e-commerce - Purchase on Internet

Woman making a purchase on internet on the Snap Store website

Amelia ANDERSDOTTER, Stephen CLARK, Isabelle DURANT

Festival of Europe. Open Day 2012 in Brussels - Public debate: Internet and social media - freedom without control?

Plenary Session week 11 2012 - Discrimination Internet sites and Government reactions

Internet / Information stands at the EP in Brussels.

Round table: Internet versus democratic deficit

Social networks, Computer, Communication, Internet

Internet access: a new human right

Promotion of internet connectivity in local communities (debate)

Internet connectivity for growth, competitiveness and cohesion: European gigabit society and 5G - Digitising European industry (debate)

Recent transition of the IANA stewardship to the global internet community in October 2016 and the upcoming Internet Governance Forum in Mexico (6-8 December 2016) (debate)

EYE 2016 – EYEtv Debates « The internet of inequality: next generation digital revolution » and « Dark shadows around the corner: climate change and future food »

UNKN

Fight against child sexual abuse on the Internet (debate)

Renewal of the mandate of the Internet Governance Forum (debate)

US Internet surveillance of EU citizens (NSA PRISM programme) (debate)

Card, Internet and mobile payments (short presentation)

Discriminatory Internet sites and government reactions (debate)

The open Internet and net neutrality in Europe (debate)

Internet governance: the next steps (short presentation)

Internet of Things (short presentation)

Strengthening security and fundamental freedoms on the Internet (debate)

Protecting children using the Internet and other communication technologies (debate)

MEPs vote on several texts: opening of negotiations on the Union Code on the rules governing the movement of persons across borders - Guillaume, Human rights situation in Afghanistan, in particular the persecution of former government officials - Motion for resolution, the case of Zarema Musaeva in Chechnya - Motion for resolution, Egypt, in particular the sentencing of Hisham Kassem - Motion for resolution, European green bonds - Tang, Scheme of generalised tariff preferences - Hautala, Financial services contracts concluded at a distance - Kokalari, Urban wastewater treatment. Recast - Torvalds, Situation in Nagorno-Karabakh after Azerbaijan’s attack - Motion for resolution, Taking stock of Moldova’s path to the EU - Motion for resolution, The new European strategy for a better internet for kids (BIK+) - Motion for resolution.

Voting session: Union Code on the rules governing the movement of persons across borders, the new European strategy for a better internet for kids (BIK+), taking stock of Moldova’s path to the EU

The data act establishes common rules governing the sharing of data generated by the use of connected products or related services (e.g. the internet of things, industrial machines) to ensure fairness in data sharing contracts. Closing statements by Thierry BRETON, European Commissioner for Internal Market and by Pilar del CASTILLO VERA (EPP, ES), Rapporteur.

Data Act: closing statements by Thierry BRETON, European Commissioner for Internal Market and by Pilar del CASTILLO VERA (EPP, ES), Rapporteur

The data act establishes common rules governing the sharing of data generated by the use of connected products or related services (e.g. the internet of things, industrial machines) to ensure fairness in data sharing contracts. Second part of the debate.

Data Act: MEPs debate (part 2)

The data act establishes common rules governing the sharing of data generated by the use of connected products or related services (e.g. the internet of things, industrial machines) to ensure fairness in data sharing contracts. First part of the debate.

Data Act: MEPs debate (part 1)

The data act establishes common rules governing the sharing of data generated by the use of connected products or related services (e.g. the internet of things, industrial machines) to ensure fairness in data sharing contracts. Opening statements by Pilar del CASTILLO VERA (EPP, ES), Rapporteur, Adam BIELAN (ECR, PL), IMCO; Ibán GARCÍA DEL BLANCO (S&D, ES), AFCO; Sergey LAGODINSKY (Greens/EFA, DE), LIBE and by Thierry BRETON, European Commissioner for Internal Market. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Data Act: opening statement by Pilar del CASTILLO VERA (EPP, ES), Rapporteur, Adam BIELAN (ECR, PL), Ibán GARCÍA DEL BLANCO (S&D, ES), Sergey LAGODINSKY (Greens/EFA, DE), and by Thierry BRETON, European Commissioner for Internal Market

The internet provides many opportunities for kids to learn and explore, to be creative or to interact with their friends and family, but it also entails many risks such as cyberbullying, age-inappropriate content, disinformation and sexual abuse. In May 2022, the European Commission published a new European strategy for a better internet for kids (BIK+). The new strategy contributes to the vision for the EU's digital transformation by 2030 and reflects the principle, 'Children and young people should be protected and empowered online'. Restrictions: ©The material may not be edited and must be shown entirely.

EPRS - Creating a better internet for kids

Our dependency on the internet is growing in step with our vulnerability to cyber threats. The number of countries hit by cyber-attacks increased by 150 % between 2017 and 2019. Cyber-attacks spiked further during the Covid-19 pandemic. Cyber attackers operate through espionage, sabotage or even warfare. They mostly target digital service providers, governments and critical infrastructures, harming them with ransomware, data breaches or the spread of disinformation. Restrictions: ©The material may not be edited and must be shown entirely.

EPRS - Peace and security: cyber threats

With internet and digital technologies playing an increasingly important role in our daily lives, the digitalisation of Europe has become one of the EU's priorities for the coming decade. But the progress made by the EU is uneven. There are clear differences across Europe as geographical conditions in some regions hinder the expansion of broadband internet or 5G. On the other side, older adults have also lagged behind the rest of the population in having the means and ability to use digital tools and the Internet. Closing this digital divide is of outmost importance to ensure a fair and efficient digital transition, and support Europe's approach to recovering from the Covid-19 pandemic.

EPRS - Bridging Europe's digital divide

Prázdninové plány zmařené přísnými lockdownovými pravidly, nedostatek kontaktu s jinými lidmi a dva teenageři doma – rodina Diaconescu si prožila své. Co je během pandemie drželo nad vodou? Celý příběh rodiny Diaconescu si můžete poslechnout v rozhovoru, který v červenci 2021 poskytli ve videu z cyklu „Spojeni v odloučení“.

Spojeni v odloučení | Příběh rodiny Diaconescu: „Naše děti se s kamarády mohly spojit jen přes internet“

Die Urlaubspläne zunichtegemacht, die sozialen Beziehungen auf Eis gelegt und zwei Teenager zuhause – die Coronapandemie und die damit verbundene Ausgangssperre stellte Familie Diaconescu auf eine harte Probe. Wie haben sie diese Herausforderung gemeistert? Familie Diaconescu erzählt ihre Geschichte in dem Video-Interview an, das sie im Juli 2021 für „Gemeinsam getrennt“ gab.

Gemeinsam getrennt | Familie Diaconescus Geschichte: „Unsere Kinder konnten nur übers Internet mit ihren Freunden in Verbindung bleiben“

Die Zwillingsschwestern Alexandra und Irina aus Rumänien freuten sich auf das neue Semester an der Universität. Doch das Studienjahr sollte ganz anders werden als erwartet. Nach Ausbruch der Pandemie fanden alle Vorlesungen im Internet statt, und die Zwillinge saßen zu Hause fest. Wie kamen sie mit den Online-Kursen zurecht? Alexandra und Irina erzählen ihre Geschichte in dem Video-Interview, das sie im Juni 2021 für „Gemeinsam getrennt“ gaben.

Gemeinsam getrennt | Alexandras und Irinas Geschichte: „Wir haben alle gelernt, uns anzupassen“

Dvojičky Alexandra a Irina z Rumunska sa už veľmi tešili na začiatok nového semestra na univerzite. Tento školský rok však bol však nakoniec úplne iný, ako očakávali. Po vypuknutí pandémie sa všetky prednášky konali online a sestry sa ocitli zavreté doma medzi štyrmi stenami. Ako si poradili s vyučovaním cez internet? Pozrite si Alexandrin a Irinin príbeh v rozhovore, ktorý nám poskytli v rámci projektu „Vzdialenosť nás nerozdelí“ v júni 2021.

Vzdialenosť nás nerozdelí | Alexandrin a Irinin príbeh: „Naučili sme sa prispôsobiť okolnostiam“

Während der Pandemie wurden viele Arbeitsplätze sozusagen ins Internet verlagert. Doch nicht Danielas Arbeitsplatz, denn die Rumänin ist Verkäuferin in einem Lebensmittelgeschäft. Sie musste weiterarbeiten wie bisher und die Kundschaft mit dem Nötigsten versorgen. Als die Einschränkungen verschärft wurden, konnte sie von ihrer Ladentheke aus die unterschiedlichen Reaktionen ihrer Mitbürgerinnen und Mitbürger beobachten. Was tat sie, um in dieser schwierigen Zeit für ihre Familie und ihre Gemeinde da zu sein? Daniela erzählt ihre Geschichte in dem Video-Interview, das sie im Juli 2021 für „Gemeinsam getrennt“ gab.

Gemeinsam getrennt | Danielas Geschichte: „Manchmal musste ich mit Tränen in den Augen weitermachen“

Alexandra a Irina jsou dvojčata z Rumunska. Obě se těšily na nový semestr na vysoké, vše ale dopadlo jinak, než si představovaly. Po vypuknutí pandemie se veškerá výuka přesunula na internet a sestry nesměly vycházet z domu. Jak se s vyučováním na dálku popasovaly? Celý Alexandřin a Irinin příběh si můžete poslechnout v rozhovoru, který v červnu 2021 poskytly ve videu z cyklu „Spojeni v odloučení“.

Spojeni v odloučení | Alexandřin a Irinin příběh: „Všichni jsme se naučili přizpůsobit se“

At the final plenary sitting of 2021, Parliament will award Alexei Navalny the 2021 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. MEPs will discuss how big online platforms should be more tightly regulated and vote on making 2022 the European Year of Youth. All that and more coming up in Strasbourg.

Coming up in Strasbourg: Sakharov Prize, ​internet giants and youth

As of May 2018, with the entry into application of the General Data Protection Regulation, there is one set of data protection rules for all companies operating in the EU, wherever they are based. This Infoclip illustrates people consulting websites on computer and smartphones, GDPR compliances on various websites, internet connections, rooters and servers.

Infoclip: General Data Protection Regulation two years after its application

The impact of disinformation and strategic political propaganda disseminated through online social media sites seriously threatens European democratic societies. This infoclip illustrates persons consulting videos and news of third country press agencies and media, servers, internet rooters and networks, people using social network applications on smartphones and computers.

Infoclip: Foreign Interference in Democratic Processes – Disinformation

David SASSOLI, EP President, gives a statement on "Internet as a human right" during a Video Hearing with the Senate of the Italian Republic (Extraordinry Committee for the protection and the promotion of Human Rights). Recorded statement. This transcription speech is the result of an automatic process. Check against delivery.

Showing 15 streaming results for ""