EU Launches Own DNS Service with Built-In Ad Blocker and Child Filter

By Netvora Tech News

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The European Union has launched its own DNS service, named DNS4EU, which offers various options, including the ability to automatically block ads. The service is an initiative of the European Commission, which claims that there is currently no European DNS service that meets the EU's vision. The EU argues that without its own DNS service, European citizens and organizations are increasingly relying on services offered by non-EU parties. While no specific examples are given, it is likely that the EU is referring to DNS resolvers from companies like Google, Cloudflare, and OpenDNS. DNS4EU offers five options for users, including an unfiltered option, a version that blocks known malicious and fraudulent websites, a version that blocks "inappropriate" websites for children, a version that blocks ads, and a version that combines the child filter and ad blocker. The website of DNS4EU emphasizes that the project does not provide the European Commission with a means to censor the internet of European citizens. "That would go against the goal of the project, which aims to strengthen digital sovereignty," the website says. Additionally, DNS4EU claims that users' IP addresses are fully anonymized before they have full access to the DNS resolvers, and no private data is stored. Besides the free DNS service for the public, there is also a DNS4EU version designed for governments and telecom companies.