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EuroDIG: balancing regulations and innovation

The event was held in the European Parliament building in Strasbourg, which brought a focus on rules and laws. It's clear that new technology affects democracy, the economy, and our values. But it’s important to remember that technology should not control these things on its own. We need smart rules that protect our rights and safety but also allow new ideas and innovation to grow.

Some say that Europe is too strict with rules and sometimes stops itself from moving forward. Still, many people agree that the current political and social situation means we need to look closely at our systems and ask: Can we handle a crisis?

That’s why there were talks about improving infrastructure and cybersecurity, including the new NIS2 Cybersecurity Directive. While most people supported its goals, some worried that the technical community wasn’t included enough in the planning. Others said the rules might be too hard for small businesses, and some may even be forced to close. This could lead to big companies taking over, reducing competition—especially in smaller countries, where only a few companies might be left to offer services like domain registration. But in the end, Europe’s cybersecurity is only as strong as its weakest link, so some sacrifices may be needed to keep the internet safe.

The conference also talked about the WSIS+20 process, which reviews how the internet is governed and what comes next. Many believe that including people from different levels of the community has been a success, and it should continue. There’s also a push to involve the private sector more, since businesses have useful experience. People agreed that the results of these discussions should reach decision-makers more effectively to make a bigger impact.

As expected, AI was a big topic. But this time, the focus was on how AI affects other technologies, especially neurotechnology—a field that connects computers and the human brain. This kind of tech brings both exciting possibilities and serious privacy concerns, since it can collect a lot of sensitive personal data. Many people are just starting to talk about AI, but in some cases, human testing has already begun. Once again, technology is moving faster than the laws that regulate it.

Experts say neurotechnology shows why we need human-centered laws—rules that focus on how people use technology, not just the technology itself. This means thinking about real-life examples and possible future situations. It helps us prepare for risks we might not even know yet. This may be the best way to answer the question: How do we regulate something we don’t fully understand yet?

This year, EuroDIG gave us a fresh look at old internet issues. Even though the topics were similar to past years, it's clear that things have changed very quickly in just the past 12 months. The pressure is growing to make faster decisions and agreements before technology gets ahead of us. Every country has its own problems, but it’s helpful to share our experiences with our European partners so we can learn from each other and build a better digital future together.

EuroDIGi programe, messages and discussion overwies can be found at: https://www.eurodig.org/get-involved/