EURid’s commitment to combat online abuse

Online abuse is escalating worldwide, fueled by the rise of AI-generated harmful content and deepfake technologies. EURid remains steadfast in its mission to protect the .eu domain name space and ensure it remains secure and trustworthy. A key element of this approach is the Abuse Prevention and Early Warning System (APEWS), which uses artificial intelligence and curated incident lists to analyse domain name registrations and suspend potentially abusive domain names before they can be exploited.

Trust, however, relies not only on early detection of abuse but also on the accuracy of registrant data. Under the .eu legal framework, registrars are responsible for ensuring that the data in the registration database is correct. EURid complements this by operating systems and procedures to identify suspicious registrations through automated tools such and procedures such as the Know Your Customer (KYC) and APEWS and through external sources including complaints, third-party abuse lists and reports from relevant entities.

To reinforce these efforts, Philip Struyf joined EURid at the beginning of the year as Program Manager in Abuse Prevention. He leads the organisation’s work to detect, prevent and mitigate online abuse, and will be attending several industry events in the coming months to share insights and discuss prevention strategies with stakeholders. He will be present at:

• Dag van de Domeinnaam – 16 September 2025, Amsterdam | Panellist, sharing EURid’s KYC implementation: insights, experiences and future developments with the Dutch registrar community
• CENTR R&D Workshop – 1 and 2 October 2025, Stockholm
• ICANN84 AGM – 25 until 30 October 2025, Dublin

While EURid remains committed to proactive monitoring and close collaboration with industry partners to combat online abuse and maintain a trusted .eu environment, much work still lies ahead. Current tools and initiatives are making a difference, but keeping the internet safe is an ongoing effort. We warmly invite stakeholders to meet Philip at these events to exchange ideas, share experiences and explore how we can make a lasting impact together.