The EU supposedly has some of the world's toughest laws regulating big tech. So why does it still feel like Europeans are being sucked into increasingly polarised online communities, and manipulated during our elections? Can we do anything about it? This week's guest, the Irish internet campaigner Johnny Ryan, argues that a pretty radical solution is within the EU's reach. We're also talking about the Dutch government's collapse, and why bear meat may soon be on the menu in Slovakia.

Johnny is the Director of Enforce. You can follow him on Bluesky here and read his article calling on the EU to switch off social media's algorithms here in The Guardian. A longer version of our interview with Johnny is available on our YouTube channel. Thanks for listening! If you enjoy our podcasts, we'd love it if you'd consider supporting our work. You can chip in to help us cover the weekly research and production of The Europeans at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/europeanspodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (many currencies are available), or gift a donation to a super fan here. We'd also love it if you could tell two friends about this podcast! This podcast was brought to you in cooperation with Euranet Plus, the leading radio network for EU news. This week's Inspiration Station recommendations: Last One Laughing UK, LOL: Qui rit, sort, and 'The Mars House' by Natasha Pulley. Bonus: our interview in February with Jean Chalaby about the international TV format trade.

Other resources for this episode:

'Bears stray into political territory in Romania and Slovakia' - BalkanInsight, April 21, 2025
00:00:46 People, politics and peculiarities
00:02:45 Good Week: Dutch leftwing and centrist parties?
00:22:01 Bad Week: Bear meat on the menu in Slovakia
00:36:43 Interview: Johnny Ryan on why Europe's supposedly tough tech regulation isn't nearly tough enough
00:55:53 The Inspiration Station: Last One Laughing UK, Qui rit sort and 'The Mars House' by Natasha Pulley
01:00:52 Happy Ending: A condom masterpiece

Producers: Morgan Childs and Wojciech Oleksiak
Mixing and mastering: Wojciech Oleksiak
Music: Jim Barne and Mariska Martina

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Could Europe switch off big tech's algorithms?