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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Commission approves contracts for international data transfers
The European Commission has approved of a new set of standard contractual clauses for international data transfers proposed by seven international business associations. The contracts are said to offer an adequate level of data protection under the EU’s data protection laws. Companies can use the clauses to provide a legal basis for transfers to data […]
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Answer to RFID consultation Italian privacy authority
The Italian data protection authority (Garante della Privacy) has opened a consultation on privacy issues related to RFID tags, loyalty cards, digital TV (pay per view etc.) and video-telephoning. The Italian Winston Smith project (defending e-privacy since 1999) has responded with a specific legal proposal to control the use of RFID-tags. These mini-chips are becoming […]
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EU plans database of visa applicants' biometrics
The EU Commission plans to store biometric data taken from visa applicants in the planned Visa Information System (VIS). This was decided as part of a proposed regulation, which was already due in late 2004, but was delayed until 7 January 2005. The delay seems to be due to technical problems with stacking multiple RFIDs […]
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INDICARE releases report on DRM and consumers
INDICARE has issued a report on consumer concerns with respect to DRM. INDICARE (the Informed Dialogue about Consumer Acceptability of DRM Solutions in Europe) is a consortium of 3 academic institutions and a company from Germany, Hungary and the Netherlands, funded with EU money under the E-Content Programme. The report was written by eight different […]
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Austrian and German courts protect identity file-sharers
The music industry has suffered a severe setback by two verdicts by courts in Munich and Vienna. Both courts ruled that internet service providers did not have to hand-over data about customers. In the Munich case, the Higher Regional Court squashed an earlier verdict that obliged providers to hand-over data about users suspected of operating […]
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New Council of Europe committee on human rights and internet
The Council of Europe is working on a new declaration or recommendation on human rights and internet. An ad-hoc committee of experts on the information society has been meeting for the first time in November 2004, and will have a second meeting in Strasbourg on 3 and 4 February 2005. The Council does not provide […]
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Austrian marketeer condemned by privacy authority
The Austrian data protection commission has condemned the marketing firm dm-plus. The firm created a CD-ROM for the company Herold with name and address data of over 4 million Austrian citizens. The disk also contained additional information about 2 million Austrians, such as date of birth, title, type of household, income and civil status. Herold […]
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Council of Europe insists on right of reply
The Council of Europe (46 member states) has issued a hotly debated recommendation on the right of reply on 15 December 2004. “Governments of the member states should examine and, if necessary, introduce in their domestic law or practice a right of reply or any other equivalent remedy, which allows a rapid correction of incorrect […]
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Freedom of information law in German Parliament
The German Parliament (Bundestag) has completed the first reading of a new freedom of information law on 17 December 2004. Germany and Switzerland are the only 2 major Western European member states of the Council of Europe without such a law on accessibility of governmental acts and decision making. Within the EU, only Cyprus, Malta […]
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First fines for Dutch spammers
For the first time since the spam-ban went into force in the Netherlands (19 May 2004) the Dutch regulatory authority OPTA has fined Dutch spammers. One spammer is accused of having sent 4 spam-runs and now faces a fine of 42.500 euro. Two of his spams advertised a CD-ROM with invoice-software, another one was directly […]
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Council of Europe outlines e-governance strategy
The Council of Europe has adopted a recommendation on e-governance on 15 December 2004. The Council recommends that member states “Work together with the appropriate international, national, regional and local stakeholders, to develop a shared vision of e-governance that upholds human rights, democracy and the rule of law.” Member states should use e-governance to strengthen […]
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EU Court confirms Commission's decision against Microsoft
The EU Court of First Instance has entirely dismissed Microsoft’s objections to a set of sanctions against the software giant by the EU Commission. The Court rules that the Commission’s decision does not “cause serious and irreparable damage” to Microsoft. Microsoft requested an interim measure from the Court that would hold up the Commission’s decision […]
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