EU hails ‘new dawn’ amid Biden swear-in, wants to toughen tech rules
January 20, 2021, 10:35 am

EU hails ‘new dawn’ amid Biden swear-in, wants to toughen tech rules

A flag of the European Union can be seen fluttering outside the European commission headquarters in Brussels. (AFP)

The European Union hailed Joe Biden’s inauguration later on Wednesday as US president as a “new dawn” for Europe and the United States, while insisting US technology companies should be regulated to stop the “dark forces” of hate speech online.

The EU and the United States are the world’s top trading powers, along with China, and have close cultural, historical, business and defense ties, but Donald Trump sought to sideline the EU, championing Britain’s departure from the bloc.

Expressing relief at the end of four years of Trump’s “America First” policy, the EU’s chief executive and chairman told the European Parliament that shaping new global digital regulation together was paramount.

“This new dawn in America is the moment we’ve been waiting for,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said.But she also cautioned: “This sense of relief ... should not lead us to making any illusions. Trump may be consigned to history in a few hours, but his followers remain.”

Von der Leyen said that while it might not be possible “to completely eliminate any of these dark forces” of the kind of incitement that led to the storming of the US Capitol on January 6, hate speech and fake news must not be allowed to circulate freely on the internet.

“This political power, unbridled power held by the big internet giants must be reined in,” Von der Leyen said.

EU lawmakers are debating new digital policy that would have implications for Google, Facebook and Apple , but without major technology companies of its own, the European Union’s digital privacy and antitrust regulation can only go so far.

Von der Leyen proposed in her speech setting up a EU-US Common Technology Council as a first step to draw up a template for global digital regulation that others around the world could follow.

From regulating artificial intelligence to complex algorithms based on vast amounts of data, the EU wants restrictions that would not at the same time limit the benefits of technology, such as self-driving cars or sharing data to fight diseases.

European Council President Charles Michel, who chairs EU summits in Brussels, said transatlantic priorities should also include combating COVID-19 and climate change.

“Together, we must stand as the bedrock of the rules-based international order, working for peace, security, prosperity, freedom, human rights and gender equity,” Michel said. “Let’s build a new founding pact for a stronger Europe, for a stronger America and for a better world,” he told EU lawmakers.

source: Reuters

Image source: AFP

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”