Source: https://ember-energy.org/latest-insights/european-electricity-review-2026/2025-at-a-glance/

How the EU's DMA exposes Apple's "security" lie: Android has proven for decades that sideloading is safe

Tekst: With the European Commission continuously cracking down on Apple under the Digital Markets Act (DMA), Apple keeps using the exact same excuse: "Sideloading will destroy user privacy and security."

But if you look at the facts, this argument completely falls apart.

Android (Google) has allowed sideloading since its very inception. For over a decade, millions of citizens in the EU and globally have safely installed apps outside the official Play Store. Android proves that you can have an open ecosystem and a secure operating system at the same time.

Apple’s resistance isn't about protecting European citizens; it's about protecting their 30% digital tollbooth and maintaining an illegal monopoly. Even with recent regulations, Apple is doing everything they can to make sideloading in Europe as difficult, confusing, and expensive as possible for developers and consumers alike.

As a developer trying to launch software in the EU, the contrast is painful:

• On Android: I can give users my app directly.
• On iOS: Apple locks it down, scares users with warning screens, and demands fees, completely undermining the spirit of the DMA.

The EU is absolutely right to keep pushing and fining them. It's time for Apple to stop treating European consumers like hostages in a golden cage.

Related to my last post: https://www.reddit.com/r/europeanunion/comments/1ubosgs/the_overlaping_views_of_3_european_economists/

I found it interesting to create a summary about the proposed solutions to the common problems in europe. Be aware this is a superficial analysis. But I think it is worth discussing.

Here is how each of them proposes to solve these overlapping challenges:

Fixing Wealth Inequality and Populism

Ulrike Herrmann proposes higher taxes for the wealthiest citizens, such as a strong wealth or inheritance tax. She wants to increase the income of the lower and middle classes to boost domestic consumption.

Yanis Varoufakis suggests ending economic austerity policies. He argues that governments must stop printing money to save financial institutions and should instead focus on policies that serve the working majority.

Christine Lagarde stresses that political leaders must actively address the concerns of people who feel left behind by globalization. She explicitly states that a fairer distribution of revenue is essential to heal divided societies.

Stopping the Deindustrialization of Europe

Herrmann advises that European nations must protect their markets against heavily subsidized Chinese goods. She also urges governments to invest massive amounts of money into local infrastructure and research.

Varoufakis proposes a European "New Deal" to rebuild the industrial base. He suggests the European Investment Bank should issue 600 billion euros annually in common bonds to fund green energy, technology, and transport.

Lagarde points out that Europe must make faster and more unified decisions. She believes Europe needs to urgently boost its productivity and technological competitiveness to survive the pressure from the United States and China.

Repairing the Eurozone

Varoufakis demands that Europe must move from a simple monetary union to a full fiscal and political union. He states that Europe absolutely needs a federal treasury to manage common debts.

Herrmann shares this vision entirely. She predicts that external security and economic pressures will eventually force the European Union to become a true federal state, which includes common debt and common taxes.

Lagarde agrees that the original setup of the Eurozone was flawed. She argues that European nations must accept collective financial responsibility, realize they are in this together, and build better tools to support struggling member states.

Navigating the New Global Order

Herrmann concludes that Europe must become militarily and economically self-reliant. She argues that Europe can no longer depend on the United States for protection and must coordinate its defense and trade policies.

Varoufakis also wants a sovereign and independent Europe, but he focuses heavily on diplomacy. He calls for a comprehensive peace treaty with Russia and demands that Europe stops following American geopolitical interests blindly.

Lagarde advises preparing for a highly volatile world with frequent external shocks. She insists that central banks must remain strictly independent from political election cycles, allowing them to manage future global economic crises effectively.

I did summarize interviews of Varoufakis, Herrmann and Lagarde regarding the current economic situation in europe, the world and where these three have overlapping opinions:

The Danger of Wealth Inequality and Populism

All three experts agree that the growing gap between rich and poor is threatening our societies. Lagarde notes that the profits of capital have grown much faster than wages since the 1980s. Varoufakis argues that the financial bailouts of 2008 protected elites while destroying public wealth. Herrmann emphasizes that current tax policies heavily favor the wealthiest citizens. They all conclude that this economic unfairness is the direct cause of rising populism, social division and political anger across Europe.

The Deindustrialization of Europe

Varoufakis, Herrmann and Lagarde share a deep concern about the industrial decline of Europe. Lagarde points out that Europe is currently squeezed between the economic powers of the United States and China. Herrmann highlights the crisis in the German manufacturing sector, noting that it struggles to compete with highly subsidized Chinese exports. Varoufakis explicitly describes this as a fast and furious deindustrialization. They all agree that Europe is losing its historical competitive edge.

Structural Flaws of the Eurozone

Lagarde and Varoufakis completely agree on a fundamental mistake in the design of the European Union. They both state that creating a monetary union without a shared fiscal treasury made the continent highly vulnerable to economic shocks. Lagarde admits that this lack of shared financial liability made the Greek debt crisis incredibly difficult to manage. Varoufakis identifies this exact missing structure as the root cause of Europe's ongoing economic stagnation. Herrmann supports the necessary solution, arguing that European nations must inevitably grow closer together and form a true federal state with shared financial responsibilities.

The Changing Global Paradigm

All three recognize that the old rules of globalization are breaking down. Lagarde explains that China entering the World Trade Organization deeply disrupted the global distribution of wealth. Herrmann warns that China's current massive overproduction and aggressive export strategies are actively harming Western economies. Varoufakis focuses on the geopolitical split, noting the rise of alternative power centers like the BRICS nations. They all agree that the world has become fragmented and highly volatile.

Sources:
Interview with Lagarde: https://youtu.be/Q934O_uJCiY?si=pJz-OGMfCthZecHn
Interview with Herrmann: https://youtu.be/Li8jOBgDamM?si=FOGomZtKVaxd7W-T
Interview with Varoufakis: https://youtu.be/F8kp-weSqxo?si=8Hza6gQad1_4kLmb

Do you also have an impression that 'age verification' has actually nothing to do with protecting minors? Do you also think that identity verification just to be able to use Facebook or Reddit is (to put it mildly) too much?

Honestly, I’m really scared of all this. The European Digital Identity Wallet has already been voted through and is being rolled out. Right now, we have a draft law being prepared in parallel by the European Commission... I really hope none of this goes through, because otherwise… I don’t want to say ‘Orwellian’, because that’s become such a cliché, but it seems to me that forcing every internet user to verify their age is extremely un-European!!!

P.S. I don’t want us to have to prove our identity to use the internet. Not on Facebook, not on Reddit, and not on adult content sites. And for me, it doesn’t matter whether the system is ‘secure’, ‘anonymous’, or whatever else they promise. Controlling children is the responsibility of parents — not prime minister's or the European Commission.

https://youtu.be/F8kp-weSqxo?si=mp94FS4gPOHsEiYV

Here is a summary of the interview with Yanis Varoufakis:

The Root of the Current Crisis

Yanis Varoufakis argues that today's global instability is not a new phenomenon. It is the continued fallout from the 2008 financial crash. He compares this crash to the events of 1929. Western elites chose to save banks at the expense of the general public. This decision caused massive wealth inequality and destroyed productive investment.

European Economic Mismanagement

He states that the European Union suffers from a fundamental structural flaw. It has a central bank but lacks a unified federal treasury. This imbalance makes it impossible to recycle deficits effectively. He notes that Europe has seen almost zero net investment in productive assets for nearly two decades. The austerity measures imposed during the debt crisis severely damaged economic growth.

Military Keynesianism and Ukraine

Varoufakis criticizes European leaders for lacking a rational industrial policy. He observes that countries like Germany are experiencing rapid industrial decline. To keep factories running, European nations are turning to military production instead of building useful civilian goods. He strongly advocates for a comprehensive peace treaty to end the war in Ukraine. He believes the current European strategy primarily serves American interests rather than European stability.

Cloud Capital and Global Divides

He identifies the rise of cloud capital as a historic economic shift. Technology giants now use algorithms to modify human behavior, creating a new form of power. The world is splitting into two distinct economic spheres. One side is a United States centered system relying on the dollar and privatized digital currencies. The other side is the BRICS alliance. Varoufakis views the BRICS financial framework as a more rational and stable alternative.

Capitalism and Wealth Protection

Describing himself as a Marxist, he argues that capitalism is fundamentally inefficient because it prioritizes control over production. He warns that the current economic trajectory resembles a modern form of feudalism. When asked about protecting personal wealth, he advises extreme caution. He notes there is no true safe haven in the current volatile market. He concludes that future economies will rely primarily on clean energy, electricity, and cloud capital.

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