We’re back after a summer break to a buzzing Brussels. Many were deservedly vacationing during this record-breaking scorching summer, but the news from the digital rights world took no breaks. The European Commission continued with it’s relentless push to unravel laws that protect people and the environment. Trump spent the season threatening to torpedo EU tech rules that, in his words,“attack our incredible American Tech Companies.” “And what did the EU do?” you might ask, well, let’s just say it hasn’t exactly pushed back as strongly as we would have liked.

During the last few months, the AI Act – an imperfect but landmark law designed to protect people from harms of AI – also turned one. However, the law’s landmark nature or the fact that it hasn’t even been fully implemented won’t shield it from the broader deregulation (or, as the Commission prefers to call it, “simplification”) agenda. In fact, the entire EU digital rulebook is under threat, including the GDPR, the Digital Services Act (DSA), the Digital Markets Act (DMA), and more.

It’s not all despair, and we are actively resisting the drive for deregulation. That is why we joined forces with 470 civil society organisations, trade unions, and public interest groups to demand the EU safeguard laws that protect labour and social rights, human rights, digital rights, and the environment, instead of gutting them.

This will also be a major theme for sessions and discussions during #PrivacyCamp25 on 30 September 2025 – building resilience and resistance in times of deregulation and authoritarianism. If you haven’t yet, make sure you register now to join us!

The Internet Made Me Do It

Tactical Tech

Dark patterns are design tricks used to provoke or manipulate people online into signing up for something, buying something, or giving away more personal information than they thought or intended. Common dark patterns may include the use of particular colours, placement of buttons, unclear texts, or incomplete information. Learn more about them and test your knowledge through a quiz.

Safeguarding Palestinian igital Rights in the EU Policy Framework

EDRi observer 7amleh, and RNW Media

Since the start of the war on Gaza, the digital rights of Palestinians have faced an unprecedented crackdown, with escalating restrictions on online expression,
increased surveillance, and heightened compliance by social media platforms with Israeli censorship demands. The position paper highlights how current EU policies fall short in protecting Palestinians online, often enabling censorship and discriminatory moderation in times of conflict. Read the full paper.

Silicon Valley Insider Exposes Cult-Like AI Companies

Novara Media

In an hour-long interview, Aaron Bastani speaks with Karen Hao about how AI is reshaping daily life and why the usual “boom or doom” framing misses the bigger picture. Drawing on her insider and journalistic experience, Hao debunks AI myths, revealing everything from cult-like CEOs to the hidden workers behind the tech. Watch this conversation.

Finding the joy in digital security

How to Fix the Internet, by EDRi member Electronic Frontier Foundation

Many people approach digital security training with furrowed brows, as an obstacle to overcome. But what if learning to keep your tech safe and secure was consistently playful and fun? EFF’s Cindy Cohn and Jason Kelley are joined by Helen Andromedon, a digital security trainer in East Africa. Together, they discuss making digital security less complicated, more relevant, and more joyful to real users, and encouraging all women and girls to take online safety into their own hands. Listen to the episode.