Information democracy
Powerful companies and governments control the way the internet and new technologies are deployed. These actors blur the lines on corporate power in ways that have tremendous impact on people and democracies. The dominant business model of ‘Big tech’ platforms is based on surveillance, polarization and power imbalances. This ‘surveillance capitalism’ has had a global impact on democracy. For example, state and private actors can use the internet and technologies to spread political disinformation, to manipulate electoral results, to attack human rights defenders and to limit civic space.
Filter resources
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The Facebook breach – a GDPR test-case
On 28 September, Facebook notified the Irish Data Protection Commissioner (DPC) about a massive data breach affecting more than 50 million of its users.
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Openness Index: Decrease of openness in Western Balkans
Openness of institutions of executive power from the Western Balkans (WB) region is not at a satisfactory level.
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What’s next for Europe’s internet censorship plan?
Existing copyright filters (like YouTube's ContentID system) are set up to block people who attract too many copyright complaints, but what about people who make false copyright claims? The platforms must be allowed to terminate access to the copyright filter system for those who repeatedly make false or inaccurate claims about which copyright works are theirs.
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UK counter-terrorism law would restrict freedom of expression
Freedom of expression campaigners, human rights groups and legal experts are raising concerns that proposed new counter-terrorism legislation in the United Kingdom would restrict freedom of expression and limit access to information online.
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Press Release: EU Parliament flip-flops backwards on copyright
The Parliament’s today vote represents a backwards flip-flop to supporting measures which it had previously dismissed.
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Media reforms in Macedonia delayed due to more pressing security issues
Recent political developments have affected the implementation of the reforms in the area of freedom of expression in Macedonia. The focus of government institutions on overcoming political obstacles to joining NATO and the EU had put most other reforms on the backburner.
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Joint Press Release: EU Terrorism Regulation – an EU election tactic
The European Commission's apparently endless stream of “solutions” to stop the spread of online terrorist content has today been complemented by yet another regulatory measure.
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Deconstructing an MEP’s support for the Copyright Directive
After the European Parliament voted against the negotiating mandate for the Copyright Directive, the assistant of a Member of the European Parliament,one of its supporters, wrote to a voter to explain why she supports the proposal.
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Anatomy of a Commission press campaign. Case study: Terrorist Content Regulation
On 12 September, the European Commission will propose a new legislative tool: the Regulation on preventing dissemination of “terrorist content”
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Censorship Machines or citizens? EU Parliament decides on Wednesday
The best option for dealing with a bad proposal is to delete it, so this is what MEPs should be asked to vote for.
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Copyright: Compulsory filtering instead of obligatory filtering – a compromise?
Tomorrow, 5 September 2018 at 12h CEST, is the deadline to table amendments to the proposed Copyright Directive. T
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Action Week against Upload Filters
We are in a crucial moment in the fight against upload filters. On 12 September the Plenary of the EP will be voting on new versions of the texts, and we need to make clear that upload filters have no place there.
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