March 1, 2006

New Italian IT legislation limits civil rights

The Italian parliament has caused controversy by two new legislative acts. A newly adopted law against child abuse gives overly broad powers to the police, while a proposed new law on the protection of intellectual property gives too much leeway to organisations for collective rights management. On 23 January 2006 the Italian Parliament approved a […]

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June 19, 2013 · Blogs

Media Freedom and Pluralism in Europe

This article is also available in: Deutsch: [Medienfreiheit und Pluralismus in Europa | https://www.unwatched.org/EDRigram_11.12_Medienfreiheit_und_Pluralismus_in_Europa?pk_campaign=edri&pk_kwd=20130619] At the beginning of the year, the European Commission’s High Level Group on Media Freedom and Pluralism published a report and presented several recommendations to protect and promote a free and pluralistic media in Europe. In order to collect feedback on […]

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October 23, 2019 · Blogs | Information democracy | Privacy and data protection | Artificial intelligence (AI) | Cross border access to data | Disinformation and electoral interference | Surveillance and data retention | Transparency

EU Commissioners candidates spoke: State of play for digital rights

On 1 November 2019, the new College of European Commissioners – comprising 27 representatives (one from each EU Member State), rather than the usual 28, thanks to Brexit – are scheduled to take their seats for the next five years, led by incoming President-elect, Ursula von der Leyen.

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June 19, 2013 · Blogs

The EU PNR is delayed by MEPs, but the Russian PNR arrives

This article is also available in: Deutsch: [MEPs verzögern EU-PNR, aber EU-Russland PNR wird kommen | https://www.unwatched.org/EDRigram_11.12_MEPs_verzoegern_EU-PNR_aber_EU-Russland_PNR_wird_kommen?pk_campaign=edri&pk_kwd=20130619] On 10 June 2013, the MEPs were supposed to vote on the recommendation of EP LIBE Committee (Civil liberties committee) to reject an EU passenger data retention system (Passenger Name Records or PNR), proposed by the EU Commission. […]

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February 28, 2007 · Blogs

DRM debate continues in Europe

(Dieser Artikel ist auch in deutscher Sprache verfügbar) On 19 February 2007, the UK Government rejected an online petition initiated by blogger Neil Holmes and signed by 1,414 people asking for the interdiction of DRM (Digital Rights Management), arguing DRM systems deprive the consumers of their freedom of choice between competing products for CDs or […]

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September 8, 2010

Germany wants a new law to protect employees' privacy

This article is also available in: Deutsch: [Deutschland plant neues Gesetz zum Beschäftigtendatenschutz | http://www.unwatched.org/node/2166] Following several scandals during the last years related to the surveillance of employees in several companies, the German government has recently tabled a draft bill that would forbid employers to use hidden cameras or social networking websites to spy on […]

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March 25, 2015 · Blogs

Parliament’s work on copyright enforcement – not worth copying

The European Parliament’s Committee on Culture and Education (CULT) adopted an Opinion on Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) enforcement, in response to the European Commission’s Communication entitled “Towards a renewed consensus on the enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights: an EU Action Plan”. It starts by offering support for “the” “follow the money” approach. The only problem […]

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February 10, 2021 · Blogs | EDRi-gram | Privacy and data protection | Privacy and confidentiality | Surveillance and data retention

Wiretapping children’s private communications: Four sets of fundamental rights problems for children (and everyone else)

On 27 July 2020, the European Commission published a Communication on an EU strategy for a more effective fight against child sexual abuse material (CSAM). As a long-term proposal is expected to be released by this summer, we review some of the fundamental rights issues posed by the initiatives that push for the scan of all private communications.

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June 19, 2013 · Blogs

ENDitorial: #ResistSocialMedia in Turkey

The wave of resistance that started at Gezi Park on the 29 May 2013 in Istanbul and has since spread all over Turkey once again revealed a deep connection between real time communication on social media and social movements. Throughout the protests, social media platforms have become the primary news source in this environment where […]

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May 30, 2018 · Blogs | Information democracy | Freedom of expression online | Surveillance and data retention

Belgium Constitutional Court decision on the concept of incitement to terrorism

On the 15 March, the Constitutional Court of Belgium issued judgement 31/2018 on the action for the annulment of the law of 3 August 2016 containing various provisions in the fight against terrorism.

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June 7, 2018 · Blogs | Information democracy | Freedom of expression online | Platform regulation

LEAK: France & Germany demand more censorship from internet companies

Policy makers put pressure on the EU to enact legislation for online platforms like Facebook, but also for small companies, to be legally required to engage in more and quicker privatised and unaccountable censorship.

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August 12, 2003

Campaign against proposed IP Enforcement Directive

An international coalition of 39 civil liberties groups and consumer rights organisations sent a letter to the European Union on 11 August urging rejection of the proposed intellectual property enforcement directive. The coalition warns that the proposed Directive is over-broad and threatens civil liberties, innovation, and competition policy. The proposal requires EU Member States to […]

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