(he/him) antifascist, law prof in Amsterdam (IViR); platform regulation, law and digital infrastructure, quantum technology, fundamental rights. @ivir-uva.bsky.social
I am not saying the ruling is a good ruling. It has a lot of issues, it doesn't discuss freedom of expression for instance, which makes it easy to misinterpret. It's giving plenty of space for corrections, though, like many of the rulings in this space in the last 10 years.
December 5, 2025 at 5:40 PM
I am not saying the ruling is a good ruling. It has a lot of issues, it doesn't discuss freedom of expression for instance, which makes it easy to misinterpret. It's giving plenty of space for corrections, though, like many of the rulings in this space in the last 10 years.
You can organize it in a way that puts the advertiser in the lead (and make them liable for damages, i would assume). This is not general monitoring in my book.
December 5, 2025 at 5:40 PM
You can organize it in a way that puts the advertiser in the lead (and make them liable for damages, i would assume). This is not general monitoring in my book.
Back to Russmedia, and GDPR compliance, as a host you can add some stuff to the interfacing with advertisers, asking if they are posting personal data, if it is sensitive data, and then organize compliance (consent, or legitimate ground).
December 5, 2025 at 5:40 PM
Back to Russmedia, and GDPR compliance, as a host you can add some stuff to the interfacing with advertisers, asking if they are posting personal data, if it is sensitive data, and then organize compliance (consent, or legitimate ground).
And do a good job, there are plenty ways in which stuff can be improved in terms of ensuring that you are not basically a channel for garbage or scams. I am not going to review the evidence here, but there is plenty.
December 5, 2025 at 5:40 PM
And do a good job, there are plenty ways in which stuff can be improved in terms of ensuring that you are not basically a channel for garbage or scams. I am not going to review the evidence here, but there is plenty.
Now what is important is that because we have the EU Charter and ECHR, you do not have to take draconian measures, like scanning all the content for all possible liability issues (See Sabam and fair balance cases).
December 5, 2025 at 5:40 PM
Now what is important is that because we have the EU Charter and ECHR, you do not have to take draconian measures, like scanning all the content for all possible liability issues (See Sabam and fair balance cases).
Specifically in this case, it is clear that some compliance would need to be organized for sites that allow ads, and which do so in ways that are not fully under the control of the advertisers. This is a subset of hosting activity.
December 5, 2025 at 5:40 PM
Specifically in this case, it is clear that some compliance would need to be organized for sites that allow ads, and which do so in ways that are not fully under the control of the advertisers. This is a subset of hosting activity.
The GDPR is a law that tries to ensure that personal data is processed fairly, lawfully, and transparently, and it offers very broad standing on rights for people, but it's not that there is no personal data processing in Europe, it has room for interpretation and is a human rights based instrument.
December 5, 2025 at 5:40 PM
The GDPR is a law that tries to ensure that personal data is processed fairly, lawfully, and transparently, and it offers very broad standing on rights for people, but it's not that there is no personal data processing in Europe, it has room for interpretation and is a human rights based instrument.
It is a different thing to be responsible under data protection law than to be liable for content/communication/information like in the situation of copyright infringement or defamation law.
December 5, 2025 at 5:40 PM
It is a different thing to be responsible under data protection law than to be liable for content/communication/information like in the situation of copyright infringement or defamation law.
This is not new, Facebook is clearly joint controller for a lot of personal data on their site. They explicitly invite and offer tools to manage the posting of personal data, like group foto's.
December 5, 2025 at 5:40 PM
This is not new, Facebook is clearly joint controller for a lot of personal data on their site. They explicitly invite and offer tools to manage the posting of personal data, like group foto's.
Here I disagree with some of the analysis that is going around. The ruling means that some hosting intermediaries, under some circumstances are considered joint controllers under the GDPR for what is posted on their services.
December 5, 2025 at 5:40 PM
Here I disagree with some of the analysis that is going around. The ruling means that some hosting intermediaries, under some circumstances are considered joint controllers under the GDPR for what is posted on their services.
The piece is here, and it will be read by many in US circles that are expert in this area but don't have the time themselves to read the full ruling or do not understand the GDPR bsky.app/profile/mmas...
Finally had a chance to write up the CJEU's Russmedia ruling which appears to make it literally *impossible* to run a website in the EU that allows any user content. I just don't see how compliance is possible. At all. Hat tip to @daphnek.bsky.social for calling it to my attention.
EU’s Top Court Just Made It Literally Impossible To Run A User-Generated Content Platform Legally
The Court of Justice of the EU—likely without realizing it—just completely shit the bed and made it effectively impossible to run any website in the entirety of the EU that hosts user-generated…
December 5, 2025 at 5:40 PM
The piece is here, and it will be read by many in US circles that are expert in this area but don't have the time themselves to read the full ruling or do not understand the GDPR bsky.app/profile/mmas...