Dr. Lex Zard
@lexzard.bsky.social
Online Ads Policy
Policy Director @ CheckMyAds
Opinions my own
Georgian, European, Dr.
Aleksandre Zardiashvili
Policy Director @ CheckMyAds
Opinions my own
Georgian, European, Dr.
Aleksandre Zardiashvili
Pinned
Dr. Lex Zard
@lexzard.bsky.social
Β· Nov 19
πͺπΊ π₯ Paper π₯ πͺπΊ
We can talk of AI, cloud, and chips, but the most imminent problem the EU faces is surveillance capitalism, at root of which are user agents making the Internet lawless - information ozone hole. We must fix this first!
π tinyurl.com/rvrknh94
#digitalsovereignty #eurostack #omnibus
We can talk of AI, cloud, and chips, but the most imminent problem the EU faces is surveillance capitalism, at root of which are user agents making the Internet lawless - information ozone hole. We must fix this first!
π tinyurl.com/rvrknh94
#digitalsovereignty #eurostack #omnibus
Who makes these decisions? Still, I donβt think she can win the Digital Omnibus. That would mean the EU digs its own grave.
π€― The MEP Aura Salla, a former Meta lobbyist, will be leading the Digital Omnibus.
The Digital Omnibus already closely mirrors Big Tech lobby demands.
Now a former Meta lobbyist will be in charge of the largest roll-back of digital rights in the EUβs history π³
corporateeurope.org/en/2026/01/a...
The Digital Omnibus already closely mirrors Big Tech lobby demands.
Now a former Meta lobbyist will be in charge of the largest roll-back of digital rights in the EUβs history π³
corporateeurope.org/en/2026/01/a...
Article by article, how Big Tech shaped the EUβs roll-back of digital rights | Corporate Europe Observatory
In a new analysis we trace Big Tech's fingerprints on the Digital Omnibus proposals - a major deregulation of EU digital laws including the GDPR and the AI Act. They are helped in this attempt by the ...
corporateeurope.org
February 12, 2026 at 11:49 AM
Who makes these decisions? Still, I donβt think she can win the Digital Omnibus. That would mean the EU digs its own grave.
Reposted by Dr. Lex Zard
"Just as the world watched courtrooms hold Big Tobacco and Big Pharma accountable, we will, for the first time, see Big Tech CEOs like Zuckerberg take the stand."
Meta Goes to Trial in a New Mexico Child Safety Case. Hereβs Whatβs at Stake
Attorney general RaΓΊl Torrez is accusing the tech giant of failing to protect minors on Facebook and Instagram.
www.wired.com
February 10, 2026 at 2:27 PM
"Just as the world watched courtrooms hold Big Tobacco and Big Pharma accountable, we will, for the first time, see Big Tech CEOs like Zuckerberg take the stand."
Yes, please.
Oh.
A group of states led by Colorado will appeal a federal judgeβs ruling that imposed only modest limits on Alphabet Inc.βs Google contracts related to its search engine and artificial intelligence apps.
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
A group of states led by Colorado will appeal a federal judgeβs ruling that imposed only modest limits on Alphabet Inc.βs Google contracts related to its search engine and artificial intelligence apps.
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Google Search Ruling to be Appealed by DOJ, States
A group of states led by Colorado will appeal a federal judgeβs ruling that imposed only modest limits on Alphabet Inc.βs Google contracts related to its search engine and artificial intelligence apps...
www.bloomberg.com
February 3, 2026 at 9:36 PM
Yes, please.
Great that the Dutch government is taking action.
Yet, we canβt deal with surveillance capitalism by only addressing the symptoms, like addictive algorithms. We must regulate the business model: break big tech and regulate adtech.
Yet, we canβt deal with surveillance capitalism by only addressing the symptoms, like addictive algorithms. We must regulate the business model: break big tech and regulate adtech.
January 30, 2026 at 1:31 PM
Great that the Dutch government is taking action.
Yet, we canβt deal with surveillance capitalism by only addressing the symptoms, like addictive algorithms. We must regulate the business model: break big tech and regulate adtech.
Yet, we canβt deal with surveillance capitalism by only addressing the symptoms, like addictive algorithms. We must regulate the business model: break big tech and regulate adtech.
Reposted by Dr. Lex Zard
"we're now exploring updates to our controls to let sites specifically opt out of Search generative AI features" - let's see. It would hardly be the first time Google has leveraged the CMA to obstruct genuine progress
UK watchdog pushes Google to give publishers a fairer deal on AI
UK watchdog pushes Google to give publishers a fairer deal on AI
Competition authority proposes tailored rules for Googleβs search and AI tools
dlvr.it
January 28, 2026 at 3:17 PM
"we're now exploring updates to our controls to let sites specifically opt out of Search generative AI features" - let's see. It would hardly be the first time Google has leveraged the CMA to obstruct genuine progress
Europe wanting to become sovereign and competitive by leading quantum tech and chips and doing nothing about online ecosystem and its monetization is a headless chicken running fast imo
#bruxconf2026 #sovereignty
#bruxconf2026 #sovereignty
January 28, 2026 at 11:58 AM
Europe wanting to become sovereign and competitive by leading quantum tech and chips and doing nothing about online ecosystem and its monetization is a headless chicken running fast imo
#bruxconf2026 #sovereignty
#bruxconf2026 #sovereignty
In Brussels today? Letβs catch up.
January 28, 2026 at 9:24 AM
In Brussels today? Letβs catch up.
Reposted by Dr. Lex Zard
Adtech is almost everything you do online. Theyβre using Adtech to track and investigate. Every little thing you do β shopping, browsing, checking health information, connecting on social, ChatGPT β is on Adtech.
New: Amid the escalating situation in Minneapolis, ICE posted in the Federal Register asking companies to provide info about βcommercial Big Data and Ad Techβ products that would βdirectly support investigations activitiesβ
www.wired.com/story/ice-as...
www.wired.com/story/ice-as...
ICE Asks Companies About βAd Tech and Big Dataβ Tools It Could Use in Investigations
A new federal filing from ICE demonstrates how commercial tools are increasingly being considered by the government for law enforcement and surveillance.
www.wired.com
January 25, 2026 at 3:01 AM
Adtech is almost everything you do online. Theyβre using Adtech to track and investigate. Every little thing you do β shopping, browsing, checking health information, connecting on social, ChatGPT β is on Adtech.
Can it become clear than this the dangers of this infrastructure? What else needs to happen?
January 25, 2026 at 9:47 AM
Can it become clear than this the dangers of this infrastructure? What else needs to happen?
Reposted by Dr. Lex Zard
New on @indicator.media: I found 4,431 new ads for AI nudifiers on Meta ran since my last audit in December.
I'm losing my mind here.
I'm losing my mind here.
Meta is *still* running thousands of ads for AI nudifiers
But hey, at least some of them appear to be scams that canβt be used to undress
indicator.media
January 21, 2026 at 2:29 PM
New on @indicator.media: I found 4,431 new ads for AI nudifiers on Meta ran since my last audit in December.
I'm losing my mind here.
I'm losing my mind here.
They donβt need to buy them to make them irrelevant.
January 21, 2026 at 2:13 PM
They donβt need to buy them to make them irrelevant.
They can say that because the donβt depend on selling ads in Gemini (vs OpenAI who does). They own the entire online ecosystem, so they can use Gemini to monetize Search and YouTube, no problem. Also, they lie. They will at some point put ads in Gemini
January 21, 2026 at 8:26 AM
They can say that because the donβt depend on selling ads in Gemini (vs OpenAI who does). They own the entire online ecosystem, so they can use Gemini to monetize Search and YouTube, no problem. Also, they lie. They will at some point put ads in Gemini
This can really be a turning point if you know what I mean
January 21, 2026 at 8:19 AM
This can really be a turning point if you know what I mean
Bubble is not maintained BECAUSE of people using AI, but because of investments in the ecosystem
January 21, 2026 at 8:09 AM
Bubble is not maintained BECAUSE of people using AI, but because of investments in the ecosystem
This FTC appeal is the right thing and they did it. Not sure what the judge will do though
January 21, 2026 at 8:07 AM
This FTC appeal is the right thing and they did it. Not sure what the judge will do though
Not sure about the ASML, sure about the digital enforcement, that is the pin in the bubble.
January 19, 2026 at 2:48 PM
Not sure about the ASML, sure about the digital enforcement, that is the pin in the bubble.
That's a surprise! Just kidding - OpenAI announces it will start selling ads for the US users:
openai.com/index/our-ap...
openai.com/index/our-ap...
Our approach to advertising and expanding access to ChatGPT
OpenAI plans to test advertising in the U.S. for ChatGPTβs free and Go tiers to expand affordable access to AI worldwide, while protecting privacy, trust, and answer quality.
openai.com
January 16, 2026 at 7:50 PM
That's a surprise! Just kidding - OpenAI announces it will start selling ads for the US users:
openai.com/index/our-ap...
openai.com/index/our-ap...
There is also a Google AdTech case. What are the chances that EC take tougher stance than US courts, maybe a new precedent?
January 15, 2026 at 9:38 AM
There is also a Google AdTech case. What are the chances that EC take tougher stance than US courts, maybe a new precedent?
Reposted by Dr. Lex Zard
"Open Letter Signed by Coalition of 28 Organizations Demands Apple, Google Remove Grok AI and X from App Stores" fairplayforkids.org/open-letter-...
Open Letter Signed by Coalition of 28 Organizations Demands Apple, Google Remove Grok AI and X from App Stores - Fairplay
Members of ParentsSOS, a coalition of 20 survivor families who have lost children to online harms, attended todayβs hearing of the House Subcommittee on Commerce,anufacturing, and Trade on a compendiu...
fairplayforkids.org
January 15, 2026 at 2:24 AM
"Open Letter Signed by Coalition of 28 Organizations Demands Apple, Google Remove Grok AI and X from App Stores" fairplayforkids.org/open-letter-...
Why does this make news? Itβs like a common sense phrase, at least for Eastern Europeans would not you say?
January 14, 2026 at 8:37 PM
Why does this make news? Itβs like a common sense phrase, at least for Eastern Europeans would not you say?
Could not agree more. Great leadership from @teresaribera.ec.europa.eu
Upholding the rule of law, human rights and multilateralism benefits all human beings.
Enforcing competition law strengthens a fair, stable and predictable economy.
That is part of our constitutional mission as the EC. 1/3
Enforcing competition law strengthens a fair, stable and predictable economy.
That is part of our constitutional mission as the EC. 1/3
January 14, 2026 at 12:50 PM
Could not agree more. Great leadership from @teresaribera.ec.europa.eu
Looks like a very timely confirmation. Enjoy!
January 11, 2026 at 4:46 PM
Looks like a very timely confirmation. Enjoy!