EDRi-gram, 16 October 2025

What has the EDRi network been up to over the summer? Find out the latest digital rights news in our bi-weekly newsletter. In this edition: Digital protection at stakes – and how we are fighting back.

By EDRi · October 16, 2025

When democracy, rights, and public trust are on the line, solidarity and collective action are non-negotiable. That’s exactly what we saw at our flagship annual event #PrivacyCamp25 earlier this month: together with civil society, activists, researchers, lawyers, technologists and experts, we built a space to question, debate, and resist deregulation and authoritarianism. A huge thanks to everyone who made it happen: your energy proves that resistance is not just possible, it’s essential.

This spirit of resistance could not be more needed. Recently, European Commission President von der Leyen finally took the masks off, openly calling her “simplification” agenda what it truly is: deregulation. The forthcoming Digital Omnibus is part of this broader political project, one that threatens to dismantle decades of hard-won protections under the banner of ‘competitiveness’. EDRi and its network responded to the Commission’s call for evidence, warning that this agenda risks undermining the EU’s digital rulebook – from privacy and data protection to AI accountability – while amplifying corporate influence. Across Europe, the same pattern repeats: attempts to weaken accountability in the name of ‘efficiency’, from the implementation of the AI Act to the expansion of Frontex’s surveillance powers.

Meanwhile, revolving doors keep spinning. In Ireland, the new Data Protection Commissioner was appointed just months after she left a senior position at Meta. This is a stark reminder of how blurred the line between the regulator and regulated has become. EU law requires independence, but without enforcement, public trust in data protection and democracy are on the line.

It’s not all doom and gloom. Across Europe, civil society is showing what resistance looks like in action.

RECOMMENDED

Do

NGI Taler 10th open call: privacy-preserving digital payments

NGI Taler

The 10th NGI Taler open call is now live. The consortium is looking for proposals that will improve the digital payment system and contribute to an open, trustworthy and reliable internet for all. Opened on 1 October, the call offers between €5,000 and €50,000 to projects that advance free software and privacy-preserving technologies. Deadline for application is 1 December, 12:00 CET. More information on this open call are available here, while instructions for application and requirements can be found here.

 

Read

Interdisciplinary knowledge base on digital democracy

INNOVADE

This report provides an interdisciplinary look at digital democracy, exploring how digital media can both advance and challenge democratic participation. It examines online deliberation, civic engagement, open governance, digital activism, e-voting, global trends, and foreign interference, offering a clear picture of how democracy works in the digital age. Read the report.

 

watch

The EU Data Retention zombie

EDRi member, Digitale Gesellschaft

Data retention is back on the agenda. EDRi’s senior policy advisor Chloé Berthélémy joined the monthly Digital Rights Salon by EDRi member Digitale Gesellschaft to explain what the EU is cooking up on data retention at the moment. She explains the history and meaning of data retention and what to expect from the European Commission’s proposal next year. Watch the talk.

 

Listen

Storytelling is how you win in politics now

Garys Economics

In times of crisis, people look for stories to explain why their lives are getting worse. In this episode, Gary Stevenson explains why storytelling is crucial, yet neglected, in politics right now. Can we, progressive forces, come up with a better stories? Listen to the episode here.

 

EVENTS

JOBS