Privacy and confidentiality
Privacy is a crucial element of our personal security, enabling free speech and democratic participation. The absolute and fundamental human right to privacy guarantees people respect for their private life and freedom from snooping and unlawful interference. It gives everyone the freedom to be themselves, to express and develop their opinions and ideas with dignity, and to practice their religion, as well as giving journalists and civil society the ability to report on violations of rights by states or businesses. Without sufficient privacy, people’s private interactions are exposed, which can be used to target or discriminate against them.
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Deregulating digital rights: Why the EU’s war on ‘red tape’ should worry us all
The European Commission has made deregulation a top priority for the EU over the next four years. Under the banner of ‘simplifying’ EU rules, we risk seeing the entire digital rulebook – for which we have advocated for years – being stripped away. If the EU wants a healthy, competitive tech market that puts people at its center, then this deregulation push is not only bad for the protection of fundamental rights, but is also an act of self-sabotage which must be reversed.
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Open Letter: The EU weakens the rules that safeguard people and the environment
470 civil society society organisations, trade unions and public interest groups are making it clear to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Commissioners and EU Member States that our rights, planet, health and justice are not for sale. They call on EU lawmakers to protect and promote the rights enshrined in the EU Charter and international human rights law, instead of endangering them.
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Denmark wants to break the Council deadlock on the CSA Regulation, but are they genuinely trying?
Denmark made the widely-criticised CSA Regulation a priority on the very first day of their Council presidency, but show little willingness to actually find a compromise that will break the three-year long deadlock on this law. The Danish text recycles previous failed attempts and does nothing to assuage the valid concerns about mass surveillance and encryption. Not only is Denmark unlikely to be able to broker a deal, it also stands in the way of EU countries finding an alternative, meaningful, rights-respecting solution to tackling CSA online.
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16 countries burned Poland’s bridges on the CSA Regulation: What now?
Poland’s surprising compromise to ease the deadlock on the CSA Regulation – which has been stuck in the Council of EU Member States for the past three years – met with failure. This blog recaps the Polish compromise, the positions of the Member States on the proposal, and what it could mean for the future of one of the most criticised EU laws of all time.
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CSA Regulation Document Pool
This document pool contains updates and resources on the EU's proposed 'Regulation laying down rules to prevent and combat child sexual abuse' (CSA Regulation)
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A missed opportunity for enforcement: what the final GDPR Procedural Regulation could cost us
After years of debate, the GDPR Procedural Regulation has been finalised. Despite some improvements, the final text may entrench old problems and create new ones, undermining people’s rights and potentially opening the door to weakening the GDPR itself.
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All Eyes on my Period? Period tracking apps and the future of privacy in a post-Roe world
Privacy International investigated eight of the most popular period-tracking apps to analyse how they function and process users’ reproductive health data. Their findings raised concerns for users’ privacy, given the sensitive nature of the health data involved. These findings come within the context of the global roll back on reproductive rights and fears over law enforcement forcing apps to hand over data.
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UK data adequacy under scrutiny: civil society warns EU not to reward deregulation disguised as ‘simplification’
Civil society organisations, including EDRi and EDRi members Open Rights Group and Privacy International, are urging the European Commission not to re-adopt the UK’s data adequacy decisions without meaningful reform. The UK’s rollback of protections under the guise of ‘simplification’ puts the level of protection required by the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) case law at risk and exposes the Commission’s decisions to legal challenge.
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Sweden further cracks down on sex workers: What it means for digital rights
Despite overwhelming opposition from civil society, academic experts, and sex workers, the Swedish Parliament voted to adopt a law that expand the criminalisation of sex work. This will have have a chilling effect nationally and internationally, and affect digital rights.
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When data never dies: How better GDPR enforcement could minimise hate and harm
Lax enforcement of the GDPR has had far-reaching consequences for many people and collectives in the EU, especially those most vulnerable. Through a story based on real life experiences of people, this blog highlights the gap between the GDPR’s promise of protection and its current reality of weak enforcement, and the opportunity EU lawmakers have with the ongoing GDPR Procedural Regulations to take bold steps to protect our data rights.
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The Security Playbook
EDRi affiliate SUPERRR is challenging “Security Theater” as a societal maneuver.
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Apple and the long secret arm of the UK Government
Apple disabled their 'advanced data protection' service for UK customers following a secret UK Government order demanding access to global user data. EDRi member Privacy International criticises this weakening of security standards for users in the United Kingdom.
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