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.
Filter resources
-
P2P Italian server administrator condemned for copyright infringement
As a result of the modification of the copyright law in Italy through Urbani Law, an administrator of an OpenNap server, « Soniknap5 » was condemned for illegal sharing of music files. The Italian Urbani law modified in March 2005, stipulates administrative penalties for those downloading copyrighted files from the Internet but penal sanctions for […]
Read more
-
France adopts anti-terrorism law
In November 23, the anti-terrorist draft law proposed by the Ministry on Internal Affairs of France, Nicolas Sarzoky was voted by a large majority of the deputies of the National Assembly. The law facilitates the surveillance of communications allowing the police to obtain communication data from telephone operators, Internet Services Providers, Internet cafes. ( see […]
Read more
-
Comparison between US and European anti-terror policies
In a report titled ” Threatening the Open Society: Comparing Anti-terror Policies and Strategies in the U.S. and Europe” and released on 13 December 2005, Privacy International compared the anti-terrorism approaches in the U.S. with those in Europe. The report finds that on every policy involving mass surveillance of its citizens, the EU is prepared […]
Read more
-
Evaluation of EU rules on databases
The Directive on the legal protection of Databases was adopted in February 1996. The Directive created a new exclusive ‘sui generis’ right for database producers, valid for 15 years, to protect their investment of time, money and effort, irrespective of whether the database is in itself innovative (“non-original” databases). The European Commission published on 12 […]
Read more
-
BEUC's Campaign on Consumers' Digital Rights
In November 2005 BEUC (the coalition of all consumers’ organisations in Europe) has launched a Campaign on Consumers’ Digital Rights. The campaign is meant to show consumers what their digital rights are. BEUC is supported by Zusana Roithova, Member of the European Parliament, Czech Republic. The campaign highlights the complex threats for consumers in today’s […]
Read more
-
UK ID card scheme – defeated in the House of Lords
On 17 January 2006, a full House of Lords debated at length the purposes, costs, and details of the proposed identity cards scheme. And in three votes serious obstacles were raised against the Government. The Government contends that the card is essential for combating crime, illegal immigration, and identity theft, and can be achieved for […]
Read more
-
NL Supreme court ends 10 year old Scientology case
Freedom of speech won in a battle that lasted for a decade between Karin Spaink, a Dutch writer and XS4ALL, her Internet service provider, on one side, and the Church of Scientology, on the other side, which was claiming copyright infringement. It all began in 1995 when the Church of Scientology attempted to seize the […]
Read more
-
Freedom of Information Act in Macedonia
The Civil Society in Macedonia is very much concerned about the quality of the proposed draft Law on Free Access to Information of Public Character as it does not meet international standards on access to information. Today (18.01.2006), it is expected that the Macedonian Parliament will adopt the Law. Nongovernmental organizations Article 19, Foundation Open […]
Read more
-
First Consultations on Establishment of Internet Governance Forum
Following the agenda of the WSIS (World Summit on the Information Society) in Tunis in November 2005, the stakeholders will attend a meeting in Geneva, on 16 and 17 February for consultations regarding the convening of an IGF ( Internet Governance Forum) for multi-stakeholder policy dialogue. The meeting in Geneva is meant to deal with […]
Read more
-
New editor EDRI-gram
The EDRI-gram fundraising campaign has been very successful. Thanks to the kind donations of both individuals and companies, EDRI is confident it will be able to afford 24 editions of EDRI-gram in 2006. Pledges for support will be collected in February 2006, after EDRI is sure it has guarantees for the full amount of 3.500 […]
Read more
-
End of 5 year struggle against data retention
After 5 years of fighting against plans for mandatary data retention, EDRI is deeply disappointed that a majority in the European Parliament has adopted a law decreeing very broad and long retention of telephony and internet traffic data, with access granted for all sorts of undefined crimes. Please visit the special [Campaign WIKI | http://wiki.dataretentionisnosolution.com] […]
Read more
-
Advocate General European Court rejects PNR deal
On 22 November 2005 the Advocate General of the European Court of Justice has advised to annul the EU-US agreement on the transfer of passenger data. The AG does not answer the privacy-questions raised by the European Parliament, but finds the agreement unacceptable under the subsidiarity rule of the European Union. Only the member states […]
Read more