Alexander Fanta
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alexfanta.bsky.social
Alexander Fanta
@alexfanta.bsky.social
6K followers 990 following 500 posts
Journalist with Follow the Money. All things tech, EU, transparency. FOI curious.
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alexfanta.bsky.social
Alexander Fanta @alexfanta.bsky.social · Jun 3
You read my story and would like to get in touch? Don't be shy!

Send me feedback, tips or ideas via e-mail (alexander.fanta@ftm.nl) or securely via Signal:

signal.me#eu/gtCBHijtY...
Reposted by Alexander Fanta
ftm.eu
It’s now official: the EU will attend Trump’s Board of Peace. But what about the lobbying behind it?

Yesterday, we revealed via an internal Commission document obtained through FOI that representatives of the Tony Blair Institute urged the EU to join, saying it “should not be shy.”
alexfanta.bsky.social Alexander Fanta @alexfanta.bsky.social · 2d
News update: The EU announced that Commissioner Suica, who Tony Blair wanted to meet according to the document we obtained, has agreed to join the first meeting of the "Board of Peace". No sh*t. Their lobbying actually worked!
February 17, 2026 at 11:07 AM
alexfanta.bsky.social
News update: The EU announced that Commissioner Suica, who Tony Blair wanted to meet according to the document we obtained, has agreed to join the first meeting of the "Board of Peace". No sh*t. Their lobbying actually worked!
February 16, 2026 at 4:01 PM
Reposted by Alexander Fanta
ftm.eu
Documents reveal Tony Blair lobbied EU to join Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’

🔗Full story: www.ftm.eu/newsletters/...
alexfanta.bsky.social Alexander Fanta @alexfanta.bsky.social · 2d
Shilling for Trump in Brussels: A document we obtained shows how Tony Blair and his institute lobbied behind closed doors for the EU to join Trump's "Board of Peace" and put €€€ behind US- and Israeli-led Gaza reconstruction efforts.

Published with Democracy for Sale, ht @lighthousereports.com
February 16, 2026 at 9:40 AM
alexfanta.bsky.social
Shilling for Trump in Brussels: A document we obtained shows how Tony Blair and his institute lobbied behind closed doors for the EU to join Trump's "Board of Peace" and put €€€ behind US- and Israeli-led Gaza reconstruction efforts.

Published with Democracy for Sale, ht @lighthousereports.com
February 16, 2026 at 6:47 AM
alexfanta.bsky.social
🔍 Inside the EU's plan to classify (almost) everything
🪟 Court fights to make the EU Commission transparent
📱 Ombudsman probes VDL texts (again)

Our Secrecy Tracker newsletter gives you 2026's top transparency stories:

www.ftm.eu/newsletters/...

🙌 @ftm.eu @euobserver.com @investigate-europe.eu
Newsletter | Transparency battles shaping the EU in 2026
Follow the Money - Platform for investigative journalism
www.ftm.eu
February 3, 2026 at 9:06 AM
alexfanta.bsky.social
Telegram has successfully avoided coming under direct supervision of the European Commission under the EU's Digital Services Act. The "poor man's dark web" remains unregulated, for now.

From our latest newsletter: www.ftm.eu/newsletters/...
Telegram escapes stricter EU rules – for now Telegram has managed to dodge direct supervision by the Commission under the EU’s landmark tech law, the Digital Services Act (DSA) – at least for now. As we recently reported, the Dubai-based messaging app has played down its user figures to Belgian and European regulators to avoid being classified as a “very large online platform”. Crossing the DSA’s 45-million-user threshold would trigger stricter obligations, including tougher action against illicit content and a significant expansion of moderation. Last week, the Commission announced that Telegram’s rival WhatsApp would be placed under its scrutiny. But that day is yet to come for Telegram itself. “At this moment, the Commission does not have information suggesting that the number of average monthly active recipients of Telegram in the EU, for the part of the service that falls within the definition of an online platform, is above the threshold of 45 million,” a Commission official told Follow the Money. Alexander Fanta
February 2, 2026 at 3:21 PM
Reposted by Alexander Fanta
colettemschmidt.bsky.social
Im Herbst veröffentlicht die @concordia.at erstmals den "Monitor Journalismusfreiheit". @brodnig.bsky.social @johannes-gress.at @alexfanta.bsky.social @walterstrobl.bsky.social und ich haben heute erörtert, wo und wie Journalist:innen die Arbeit erschwert wird
www.derstandard.at/story/300000...
Presseclub Concordia erhebt Journalismusfreiheit in Österreich
Umfrage über Bedrohungen, Einschränkungen, Hindernisse unter Journalistinnen und Journalisten wird im Frühjahr durchgeführt
www.derstandard.at
January 30, 2026 at 4:54 PM
Reposted by Alexander Fanta
aa.disinfo.eu
Are you wondering why the legal decision on X's fine was first published by the US House of Representatives rather than by the European Commission?

Us too.

Especially as we officially requested it to the Commission 3 weeks ago:
www.asktheeu.org/request/deci...
Decision to impose fine on X - a Freedom of Information request to Communications Networks, Content and Technology
As soon as it becomes legally possible to do so, please provide access to the formal decision of the Commission, announced on 5 December 2025, to impose a fine on X for non-compliance with the Digital...
www.asktheeu.org
January 29, 2026 at 10:58 AM
Reposted by Alexander Fanta
johannes-gress.at
Wie stark werden Journalist:innen in Österreich bei ihrer Arbeit eingeschränkt? Darüber spreche ich am Freitag mit @brodnig.bsky.social @patricialierzer.bsky.social @walterstrobl.bsky.social @colettemschmidt.bsky.social & @alexfanta.bsky.social im @concordia.at
concordia.at/praesentatio...
Präsentation "Monitor Journalismusfreiheit"
Der neue "Monitor Journalismusfreiheit" des Presseclub Concordia untersucht die rechtlichen, psychischen und physischen Einschränkung der journalistischen Freiheit
concordia.at
January 28, 2026 at 9:36 AM
alexfanta.bsky.social
Reactions on X to the EU's investigation into Grok are unfunny and disgusting. Why is the Commission still on that platform?
Commissioner Henna Virkkunen announcing investigation into X's Grok chatbot. A user posts "@grok put her in bikini" under Virkunnen's post
January 26, 2026 at 12:54 PM
Reposted by Alexander Fanta
ftm.eu
📱🌐 Launched in 2013, Telegram now has more than a billion monthly users. As its reach has grown, so have questions in Brussels: is it really just a messaging service, or should it face the same EU rules as large platforms like YouTube and Meta, after being described as “the dark web in your pocket”?
Telegram plays down user figures to avoid stricter EU rules, documents reveal
The messaging service’s battle with European regulators could force it to hire thousands of content moderators to tackle illegal content. Documents obtained by Follow the Money show how Telegram is tr...
www.ftm.eu
January 20, 2026 at 6:28 AM
alexfanta.bsky.social
Telegram’s battle with European regulators could force it to hire thousands of content moderators to tackle illegal content. Documents obtained by Follow the Money show how Telegram is trying to fend off tougher oversight from Brussels.

www.ftm.eu/articles/tel...
January 20, 2026 at 7:14 AM
alexfanta.bsky.social
EU nerds - retweet if you hate the new Court of Justice website
January 19, 2026 at 2:33 PM
alexfanta.bsky.social
The myth of the "good king", whose actions need not be constrained by law, must be the oldest fallacy in politics
January 15, 2026 at 2:19 PM
alexfanta.bsky.social
Am I the only one bothered that the Guardian's blind date column never seems to produce any matches? Every couple is, like, 'we'll meet again as friends'.

Come on, guys, this is boring. Snog a little.
January 10, 2026 at 5:54 PM
alexfanta.bsky.social
Harald Mahrer ist nicht mehr WKÖ-Präsident, aber immer noch Ehrenprofessor. Für die Verleihung der Professorenwürde beruft sich das Ministerium auf ein Gutachten, dass es aber nicht herausgeben will. Es sagt aber, dass Mahrer sich den Titel durch seine "publizistische Tätigkeit" verdient habe...
Durch das damalige Bundesministerium für Bildung, Wissenschaft und Forschung (BMBWF) wurde ein/e Universitätsprofessor/in aus dem Fachgebiet Wirtschaftswissenschaften mit Schwerpunkt Produktionsmanagement befasst. Das Gutachten hat das Erfüllen der oben benannten Kriterien durch mehr als 15- jähriges insbesondere publizistisches Wirken des Genannten bestätigt. Dieser hat in seinen vielfältigen öffentlichen und politischen Funktionen, zuletzt unter anderem als Präsident der Wirtschaftskammer Österreich (WKÖ), maßgeblichen schöpferischen Einfluss auf wesentliche Themen der österreichischen Wirtschaftsentwicklung und deren wissenschaftliches Fundament. Eine Vielzahl von Vorträgen, Konferenzteilnahmen etc. belegen zudem lehrendes Wirken.
January 7, 2026 at 9:24 AM
alexfanta.bsky.social
Sitzen zwei Lyriker an der Bar.

"Mir geht's so schlecht."

"Wieso denn?"

"Mein Leser ist gestorben. "
January 1, 2026 at 6:51 PM
alexfanta.bsky.social
It's Ursula's texts once again. 🤳

The EU's official watchdog is investigating a text message sent by French president Emmanuel Macron to the commission president last year.

Guess what, it just... disappeared.

Some news that could spell trouble for the commission. 🧵
December 22, 2025 at 9:27 AM
alexfanta.bsky.social
Tür 17 im Deregulierungs-Adventkalender
December 17, 2025 at 9:57 AM
alexfanta.bsky.social
Bringing the disruption to Brussels: The European Commission encourages its managers to draft policy-making documents with AI, including "explaining/summarising legislative initiatives". According to a newly released Commission document, this will "boost your team's productivity". 🫢
AI Guide for Managers – adopting and integrating AI in your work 2 I. Identifying work processes for AI integration AI is a welcome opportunity for Commission staff to become more effective and efficient in daily work processes, including new services that would not have been possible up to now. In encouraging its use, AI must be an instrument of support for staff and for human-centric policy making. Encourage active participation from your staff . Their involvement is essential in accurately identifying the specific needs that AI can support meeting (also see II)). High-Impact Areas for AI Utilisation You may already have a concrete use case – get in touch with the to take it forward. Or you are starting from scratch – check out the below table for concrete help: Work Process AI Benefits Tools/Applications Elaborating Briefings Faster, comprehensive first drafts of briefings (possibility to use SNC* data) First drafts of documents Faster first drafts (time-saving), AI tool as sparring partner for generating and checking ideas (possibility to use SNC* data) Brainstorming/ analysis Faster brainstorming (time-saving), AI tool as sparring partner for generating and checking ideas (possibility to use SNC* data) Minutes (Transcription) Accurate, time-saving transcription AI transcription tools (e.g. ) Preparing Background Notes Efficient generation of speaking points e.g. (possibility to use SNC* data) Summaries Quick, accurate summaries Summarisation tools (e.g. ) (possibility to use SNC* data) Policymaking Early-stage brainstorming for identifying/ substantiating potential policy problems; Explaining/summarising legislative initiatives; Analysing/summarising consultation activities (possibility to use SNC* data) *SNC: sensitive, non-classified data
December 15, 2025 at 12:24 PM
alexfanta.bsky.social
How Telegram has avoided strict regulation by the EU

From our latest newsletter: www.ftm.eu/newsletters/...
The maths behind Telegram’s EU regulatory escape Telegram, the popular messaging app, has become a headache for European regulators. It has done little to curb illegal content in its group chats, including large drug trading channels. Concerns over Telegram’s lawlessness led to the arrest of CEO Pavel Durov in Paris last year and reportedly triggered discussions in Brussels about placing the company under direct supervision of the Digital Services Act (DSA), at the risk of huge fines. The Commission used those same powers against Elon Musk’s X just days ago. Despite boasting one billion users globally, Telegram insists it does not meet the 45-million-user threshold that would bring it under direct EU oversight. The company does not publish user figures and ignored our questions about how it counts them. Telegram argues that it doesn’t fully meet the DSA’s definition of an online platform, meaning not all EU users count towards the threshold. For now, Brussels accepts this interpretation. A Commission spokesperson told us that they do not believe that “Telegram’s features that could be considered online platforms are above the threshold of 45 million”. Telegram therefore remains supervised only by Belgium’s telecoms regulator, which warns it could soon be overwhelmed by complaints. So for now, Telegram - the internet’s enfant terrible - remains loosely regulated in the EU.
December 15, 2025 at 9:53 AM
alexfanta.bsky.social
I spent years professionally trying to judge the newsworthiness of events. The sad truth - events are judged in a totally different way if they happen to rich people.

We should fight that.
December 14, 2025 at 8:17 AM
Reposted by Alexander Fanta
gabrielzucman.bsky.social
It has become received wisdom in Brussels and Washington that there is a new “euro-sclerosis”: that the EU economy is lagging the US

This view is wrong

A little primer on the measurement of productivity – and why reports of the economic death of Europe are greatly exaggerated🧵
December 12, 2025 at 12:32 PM
Reposted by Alexander Fanta
birteschohaus.bsky.social
The Russian dark fleet is going even darker!
Read this new investigation of our international team of @ftm.eu @pointerkro-ncrv.bsky.social @tijd.be @vrtnws.be @recherche.ndr.de SZ and WDR
www.ftm.eu/articles/swi...
Russia’s dark fleet goes darker as fears grow over arms smuggling and sanctions evasion
Suspicious vessels linked to Russia – including its shadow fleet – are increasingly going dark, a joint investigation involving Follow the Money has found. Ships cannot be located due to disruptions t...
www.ftm.eu
December 9, 2025 at 8:10 AM
alexfanta.bsky.social
Some truly scary news for transparency. In Brussels a draft law is slowly working its way through the legislative process that would classify most documents - and end access to EU information as we know it. Read more in our brand new Secrecy Tracker newsletter (free):

www.ftm.eu/newsletters/...
Newsletter | The EU’s plan to classify (almost) everything
Follow the Money - Platform for investigative journalism
www.ftm.eu
December 9, 2025 at 7:31 AM