Our work
EDRi is the biggest European network defending rights and freedoms online. We work to to challenge private and state actors who abuse their power to control or manipulate the public. We do so by advocating for robust and enforced laws, informing and mobilising people, promoting a healthy and accountable technology market, and building a movement of organisations and individuals committed to digital rights and freedoms in a connected world.
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New European Commission confirmed: our takeaways on what to expect
On 1 December 2024, the new political leaders of one of the EU’s most powerful institutions – the European Commission – officially took office. As part of their nomination process, they shared their digital visions for the next five years. Spoiler alert: the fight for digital rights will be as important as ever, with data protection, encryption and privacy all on the chopping block.
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Free Software Foundation Europe intervenes in landmark Apple vs European Commission case
EDRi member Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) is taking a stand against Apple in a landmark case at the Court of Justice of the European Union, where the tech giant is challenging EU digital law. This intervention could help users and developers of Free Software.
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Italian DPA’s €5M fine against Glovo marks milestone for workers’ rights
The Italian data protection authority (DPA) recently fined Foodinhio, a subsidiary of Glovo, €5 million for serious breaches of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and labour law. This decision sets a milestone for the use of the GDPR to protect workers' rights across Europe.
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EDRi’s leadership transition: laying the ground for just digital futures
EDRi’s Executive Director, Claire Fernandez, reflects on her time leading the organisation through many milestones and obstacles, as she gets ready to step down in 2025. She also lays out the next steps for EDRi’s leadership transition.
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EU’s twin transition in crisis: green extractivism, militarisation and civil society’s role
In June 2024, technologists, advocates, researchers, designers, artists and funders. met at Mozfest, to dismantle the underlying assumptions behind the techno-solutionist paradigm of the "twin transition”. This article summarises the main points of debate, and lays out next steps by mapping examples of transnational solidarity among digital and climate justice groups that can inspire field-building moving forward.
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Centering public interest in EU technology policies and practices: A civil society call to the new European leadership
Read the joint statement of civil society organisations following the Tech & Society Summit (1st October, Brussels).
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EDRi-gram, 20 November 2024
For the last two weeks, we’ve been tuning in to the European Commissioner-designates’ hearings in the European Parliament to hear how would-be EU decision-makers in the Commission envision the role of technology in our future. Some hearings were riveting, while others deeply worrying. It was encouraging to hear that the enforcement of existing digital laws like the GDPR and DSA was high on some Commissioner-designates’ priorities. However, there were also many disturbing mentions of tech hype buzzwords, and no strong commitments to tackle surveillance or protect our right to safe and confidential communications online through encryption. This month, our neighbours across the Atlantic have been reeling from the results of their Presidential election. However, we’re worried about more than just that when it comes to the US. A decade after Snowden’s revelations, and despite continuing privacy concerns, surveillance and mass data collection continue under the EU-US Data Privacy Framework. And the EU appears to be willing to compromise our rights for geopolitical and economic gains.
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German petition calls for a fundamental right to ‘a life without digital coercion’
EDRi member Digitalcourage is calling for an amendment to the German constitution to establish a right to access basic services without being forced to use a digital solution. This was triggered by the observation that some essential service providers – Deutsche Post DHL Group (mail) and Deutsche Bahn (railways) – are increasingly forcing people to use their companies’ apps.
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Non-fitted devices in the UK Home Office’s surveillance arsenal: Investigating the technology behind GPS fingerprint scanners
Privacy International’s technical research on the so-called non-fitted devices (NFDs) used by the UK Home Office to track migrants shows that these devices are intrusive and stigmatising by design. The use of NFDs is an expansion beyond the use of GPS ankle tags of the UK’s surveillance of migrants who are on immigration bail and subject to electronic monitoring conditions.
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Building technology by, for, and of the people: A vision for our digital future
Together, we can protect human rights, strengthen democracy, and reshape societal systems. Read about our commitment to prioritising building technology by, for, and of the people, as part of our Vision for 2024 and beyond.
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A new registry empowers the Slovenian public to monitor the use of AI systems by public institutions
EDRi affiliate Danes je nov dan recently launched their Public Sector AI Registry. The platform provides insight into the use of AI systems by Slovenia’s public institutions and highlights the lack of transparency from officials.
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German federal health minister, Shein and Deutsche Bahn ‘awarded’ for worst privacy and data protection offences
In October 2024, EDRi member Digitalcourage held the annual gala for the German BigBrother Awards. The unfortunate “winners” included a minister in the federal government, the police and interior minister in one German state, two international online retailers, a fundamental infrastructure provider and a trend.
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