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
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Conference report: 683 patents on the ethernet plug
On 9 and 10 November 2004, the Foundation for a Free Information Infrastructure (FFII) and MERIT, sponsored by OSI, CEA-PME and the Greens/EFA, organised a conference in Brussels on the topic of ‘Regulating Knowledge: Costs, Risks, and Models of Innovation’. Its main theme was the economic consequences of software patents, focussing on economic dynamics, insurance […]
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UK NO2ID e-petition
A large group of UK-based rights organisations, including EDRI-member FIPR and Privacy International, has launched a formal e-petition against governmental plans to introduce ID-cards. The petition (open to UK residents only) closes at 19 November, timed to precede the speech of the Queen on 23 November 2004. Almost 1.000 individuals have endorsed the petition, that […]
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European geographical data at a very high price?
Advocates of open source tools that use geographical data (GIS) are concerned about a new directive proposed by the European Commission on the use of governmental geospatial data. The INSPIRE Directive, adopted by the Commission in July 2004, aims to establish a spatial information infrastructure in Europe. It covers 30 broad types of data, such […]
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Privacy International warns against phone camera's
Privacy International is calling on all manufacturers of phone camera’s to equip the devices with a default flash, to alert people that their picture is taken. PI believes this measure is necessary to avoid endemic privacy abuse. Camera phones are increasingly used to take intimate and private images without consent, often resulting in embarrassment and […]
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Comments on Unesco convention on cultural diversity
The Unesco is working on a draft convention on cultural diversity, the Convention on the Protection of the Diversity of Cultural Contents and Artistic Expressions. The draft contains many references to copyright, intellectual property rights and access to information. On 15 November 2004 the campaign for Communication Rights in the Information Society (CRIS) has presented […]
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No take-down website Turkish consulate
On 15 November a Paris court (Tribunal de Grand Instance) rejected a demand from the Comité de Défense de la Cause Arménienne (CDCA) to take-down a website from the Turkish consulate in France. The Turkish consul was accused by the CDCA of denying the 1915 genocide on Armenians. Both the complaint against hosting provider Wanadoo […]
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German parliament debates filtering or blocking
On 12 November, the German Lower House (Bundestag) debated in plenary on the merits of individual filtering or state-ordered blocking of illegal and harmful content. Germany is the only country in Western Europe (besides Switzerland) were governmental blocking-orders were issued to providers to prevent internet users from accessing information deemed illegal or indecent. Over 80 […]
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ECJ: no legal protection for spin-off databases
The European Court of Justice has decided to diminish the legal protection of so called ‘spin-off’ databases under the Database Directive 1996/9/EC. In order to claim ‘sui generis’ database protection, a substantial investment must be made “in seeking, collecting, verifying and presenting existing materials”. The resources used to create the materials which make up the […]
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Recommended reading: CCTV in Europe
The magazine ‘Surveillance & Society’ has a special double issue online about the politics and practice of CCTV. Under the title ‘The Politics of CCTV in Europe and Beyond’ the magazine examines the extraordinarily fast growth of closed circuit television (CCTV) in western societies. Papers on regulation and governance and a large number of case […]
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Privacy International condemns compulsory ID in NL
Privacy International has expressed grave concern about new Dutch legislation for extended compulsory identification. From 1 January 2005 every Dutchman (and tourist) 14 years and older will have to wear ID, and can be fined up to 2.250 euro for not immediately showing ID when asked to do so by any police official, or related […]
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Armenian group demands take down website Turkish consulate
On 15 November 2004 a Paris court (Tribunal de Grand Instance) is scheduled to decide about a request from an Armenian group to take-down part of the website of the Turkish consulate in France. The Armenian group, the Comité de défense de la cause arménienne, CDCA, accuses the Turkish consul of spreading ‘denial propaganda’, denying […]
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Call for participation: consultation on fundamental rights
The European Commission has opened a consultation on the establishment of an EU Fundamental Rights Agency. This consultation follows the decision taken by the European Council in December 2003 to extend the mandate of the European Union Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia, based in Vienna, to become a Fundamental Rights Agency. The consultation addresses […]
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