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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Privacy International complaint about GMail
EDRI member Privacy International has filed complaints about Google’s proposed new Gmail service with privacy and data protection regulators in 17 countries in Europe, Canada and Australia. The complaint identifies a large number of possible breaches of EU law. These include: stability of the contract, security of data, interception and disclosure of content, subject control […]
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EU Commission wants to RFID everything
EU COMMISSION WANTS TO RFID EVERYTHING The European Commission considers it to be part of the Lisbon Strategy – and therefore a top priority – ‘to have smart dust and tag everything’ with Radio Frequency Identification (RFID). The point was made by Rosalie Zobel, Director of the Information Society Technologies (IST) programme at the Commission, […]
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France to implement 1995 Privacy Directive
On 29 April 2004 the French National Assembly will examine in second reading the draft law implementing the 1995 Directive on the protection of privacy and personal data. The transposition process started in July 2001 under the previous government. France is the last EU country where the implementation has not been completed, far beyond the […]
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European Commission: More rules for Collecting Societies
The European Commission has issued a Communication on the Management of Copyright and Related Rights. In the period since 1991, 7 Directives have entered into force on copyright law, but none of these specifically addressed the role and functioning of the collecting societies. The Commission now recommends a Community framework instrument regulating the ‘establishment and […]
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Online map of cameras in Zürich, Switzerland
The organising committee of the Big Brother Awards Switzerland has published a map of more than 70 video surveillance cameras in a city district of Zurich (Switzerland). The map was presented on the occasion of a public camera-spotting walk on 10 April 2004, that was organised as part of the annual ‘Spring surveillance’ events. Most […]
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German ruling against violation of GPL software license
A district court in Munich, Germany granted a preliminary injunction against Sitecom Germany GmbH for violating a GNU General Public License (GPL). Sitecom is offering a wireless access router product based on software developed by the netfilter/iptables project and licensed under GPL. The GPL offers a free license to software, but requires any re-distributor to […]
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IPR Directive soon to be law
Adoption of the Directive on Measures and Procedures to Enforce Intellectual Property Rights – the infamous Fourtou Report – is a mere formality. The General Secretariat of the European Council has invited the Council’s Committee of Permanent Representatives (COREPER) to suggest to the Council, at one of its forthcoming meetings, to adopt the Directive as […]
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Recommended Reading: RFID research
LogicaCMG has published a study on the adoption of RFID in six European countries. The report gives an outline of the technology and issues behind RFID such as costs, standardisation and software integration. The focus of the study is returnable transport items, such as pallets, crates and roll containers. The number of RFID pilots has […]
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Dutch Spammer Bevelander fined 25.000 US Dollar
The Dutch spammer Martijn Bevelander has to pay 25.000 US Dollar to the US Federal Trade Commission, for unfair and deceptive acts of commerce. Bevelander and his company Maps Holding BV were accused by the FTC for misrepresenting the subject line, ‘spoofing’ (faking) the sender) and creating untrue opt-out possibilities in large amounts of unsolicited […]
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French Senate to vote on controversial Digital Economy Law
On 8 April the French Senate will vote about a controversial new law to translate the E-Commerce Directive (2000/31/EC). The law known as LEN (‘Loi sur la confiance dans l’economie numerique’), has been heavily opposed by EDRI-member IRIS, Reporters without Borders, several trade unions, internet user groups and the association of internet providers for undermining […]
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GMail raises concerns
An international coalition of privacy and civil liberty organisations have signed an open letter to Google urging the company to suspend its Gmail service until the privacy issues are adequately addressed. EDRI-members Privacy International, FIPR and Bits of Freedom have signed the letter. Gmail is a free web-mail service that will scan the contents of […]
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EU project on privacy and identity management
On 1 March 2004 the EU launched a new 4-year project on privacy and identity management. Its objective is the research and development of solutions to empower individuals in managing their privacy in cyberspace. The Commission contributes a budget of 10 million euro. Following a longtime focus on privacy enhancing technologies, the Commission feels that […]
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