Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam awarded an honorary doctorate to Meredith Whittaker, president of the Signal Foundation and researcher, in recognition of her advocacy for AI ethics, privacy rights, and digital freedoms. The award, presented on November 19, 2026, honors her work exposing big tech's power over personal data and behavior while offering Signal as a privacy-focused alternative platform.
The U.S. Department of State announced that Americans will be able to apply for their first passport online starting in 2027, eliminating the need for printed forms, photos, appointments, or third-party intermediaries.
The Netherlands is developing DAWO, a government digital infrastructure initiative built on NixOS, to reduce dependence on U.S. software following ICC sanctions that cut off Microsoft services. The program aims to replace American operating systems, office software, and cloud services across Dutch government institutions, with eight municipalities currently running trial programs and a stable version expected by end of 2027.