June 17, 2009

Stockholm programme – the new EU dangerous surveillance system

This article is also available in: Deutsch: [Das Stockholmprogramm – das neue gefährliche Überwachungssystem der EU | http://www.unwatched.org/node/1431] Civil rights groups are worried about a new EU proposal that would enhance a “dangerously authoritarian” European surveillance and security system that will include ID card register, Internet surveillance systems, satellite surveillance, automated exit-entry border systems operated […]

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December 6, 2006

Hungary's President says no to the PNR agreement

(Dieser Artikel ist auch in deutscher Sprache verfügbar) The Hungarian President Laszlo Solyom decided not to sign the national law regarding the promulgation of the EU-US PNR (Passenger Name Records) agreement and sent it back to the Parliament, considering that it can be improved. This is one of the few set-backs of the new EU-US […]

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December 17, 2008

Romanian Authority asks ISPs to block 40 pornographic websites

(Dieser Artikel ist auch in deutscher Sprache verfügbar) The Romanian Authority for Communication (ANC) requested ISPs last week to block the access to 40 websites hosted in Romania, considering they don’t meet the criteria imposed by article 7 of Law no.196/2003 on preventing and fighting pornography. Article 7 of the law states that “the natural […]

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December 17, 2008

Bulgarian Court annuls a vague article of the data retention law

(Dieser Artikel ist auch in deutscher Sprache verfügbar) On 11 December 2008, the Bulgarian Supreme Administrative Court (SAC) annulled article 5 of the national legislation that implements the Data retention Directive, following a lawsuit initiated by Access to Information Program(AIP). Article 5 of the Bulgarian Regulation # 40 that was issued by the State Agency […]

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December 6, 2006

Britain takes another step toward a new Bill of Rights

(Dieser Artikel ist auch in deutscher Sprache verfügbar) The London School of Economics has commenced a project to help pave the way for strengthened constitutional rights in Britain. The initiative is to be conducted over the next two years by the School’s newly formed Policy Engagement Research Group that was founded earlier this year by […]

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April 3, 2018 · Open letters | Privacy and data protection | Cross border access to data

Nearly 100 public interest organisations urge Council of Europe to ensure high transparency standards for cybercrime negotiations

In light of the passing of the CLOUD Act in the United States that undermines the rights to privacy and other rights, the forthcoming proposal of the European Union on e-evidence, and other initiatives, it is vitally important that the T-CY listens to and engages with civil society proactively and in a timely manner. Civil society wants to engage in this process to ensure the new protocol will uphold the highest human rights standards.

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November 4, 2021 · Blogs | Press mentions | Privacy and data protection | Biometrics | Online tracking industry / AdTech

Facebook deleting facial recognition: Five reasons to take it with a pinch of salt

Voluntary self-regulation from tech giants is superficial and no replacement for actual legislation

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February 10, 2016 · Blogs

David Kaye calls on companies to defend freedom of expression

The United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur David Kaye on freedom of opinion and expression is conducting a project on the “responsibilities of the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) sector to protect and promote freedom of expression in the digital age”. The UN Special Rapporteur made a call for input to help him identify actors with […]

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December 4, 2013 · Blogs

Bits of Freedom presents policy package against mass surveillance

On 4 December 2013 the EDRi member Dutch digital rights organisation Bits of Freedom launched a website petitioning the Dutch government to take numerous concrete measures to end mass surveillance. It officially presented the policy package to the Minister of Interior Affairs the day before. On the campaign website, bespied-ons-niet.nl (translated as: ‘don’t spy on […]

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December 18, 2013 · Blogs

France: Real-time interception of e-communications by security forces

The “loi de programmation militaire (LPM)”, the “military programming law”, was adopted on 10 December 2013 by the French Senate after having been approved in first reading by the Parliament. This law enables the French secret services to intercept any electronic communication, under the direct authorisation of Prime Minister or the President. All is not […]

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February 24, 2016 · Blogs

Data Protection Lobbyotomy Part 1: Influencing the Dutch government

The new European data protection regulation is the most lobbied piece of legislation in Europe because the subject is very important and touches upon almost every aspect of our daily lives. Therefore, Bits of Freedom used the Dutch freedom of information act to ask the government to publicise all the lobby documents they received on […]

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December 9, 2020 · Blogs | Information democracy | Open internet and inclusive technology | Privacy and data protection | Artificial intelligence (AI) | Biometrics | Data protection standards | Surveillance and data retention

Looking back at digital rights in the era of a surveillance pandemic

2020 started as a year to build momentum to tackle various digital rights issues, including mass surveillance and freedom of expression online. Needless to say, the global pandemic disrupted not only these efforts but also our health, personal relations, basic survival needs and ways to organise around human rights. After 9 months of living and working in a pandemic, we look back at what we achieved and the ways forward from here.

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