May 4, 2022 · Blogs | Privacy and data protection | Freedom of expression online | Inclusive technologies

Copyright: European Court of Justice strictly limits the use of upload filters

“Today’s ruling sets an important precedent for the protection of freedom of expression online. Nevertheless, it does not go far enough. The European Court of Justice does not completely rule out the use of upload filters to enforce copyright on online platforms. At least, however, the court confirms what civil society has been emphasizing for years: upload filters are unable to reliably distinguish between copyright infringements and legitimate forms of free expression such as parodies or quotations. It is therefore right that the highest court limits the use of upload filters under Article 17 of the EU Copyright Directive to uploads that constitute manifest infringements, such as uploads of entire movies.”

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November 16, 2022 · Blogs | Privacy and data protection | Privacy and confidentiality | Surveillance and data retention

PEGA hearing about spyware and ePrivacy

Following the public revelations of the widespread use of Pegasus and other spyware, the European Parliament formed the Committee of Inquiry to investigate the use of Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware (PEGA) in March 2022.

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August 8, 2023 · Blogs | Privacy and data protection | Data protection standards | Online tracking industry / AdTech

Meta pledges to ask EU users for consent before showing behavioural ads

In a surprise announcement last Tuesday, Meta made the long overdue promise to finally ask its users for their consent before showing them behavioral ads – at least if they live in the European Union, EEA or Switzerland.

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December 7, 2022

MozFest House

MozFest House is a local extension of MozFest, the premiere gathering for activists, artists, technologists and educators in diverse global movements fighting for a more humane digital world.

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October 25, 2023 · Blogs | Privacy and data protection | Data protection standards | Online tracking industry / AdTech

Meta plans paid subscription for users who don’t want to be tracked

In a move to circumvent EU privacy law, Platform giant Meta reportedly plans to ask users to pay up to €228 a year to preserve their fundamental right to privacy on its platforms.

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May 8, 2024 · Blogs | Highlights | Position papers | Privacy and data protection | Data protection standards

Position paper: GDPR enforcement done right

There is an urgent need to enhance legal certainty and prevent actions that undermine the effectiveness of and trust in GDPR enforcement. EDRi and Access Now have co-drafted a position paper on the EU Proposal for additional procedural rules concerning the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

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September 22, 2021 · Blogs | EDRi-gram | Highlights | Information democracy | Open internet and inclusive technology | Privacy and data protection

EDRi-gram, 22 September 2021

In this EDRi-gram, we challenge the technical ‘debiasing’ as the main solution to AI-driven structural inequality and call on policymakers to tackle the root causes of the power imbalances caused by the pervasive use of AI systems. We also look at how Big Tech platforms are harming users and join forces with EDRi's member Panoptykon Foundation, along with 49 civil rights organisations, to urge the EU to empower users and ensure effective oversight of algorithms in their amendments to the Digital Services Act.

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October 18, 2017 · Blogs | Privacy and data protection | Privacy and confidentiality

Extending the use of eID to online platforms – risks to privacy?

On 10 October 2017, the European Commission published the “draft principles and guidance on eID interoperability for online platforms” on the electronic Identification And Trust Services (eIDAS) observatory. Building on the eIDAS Regulation, the Commission would like to extend the scope of use for the eIDs to online platforms, in addition to public services. This […]

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March 4, 2020 · Blogs | Privacy and data protection | Cross border access to data

E-evidence and human rights: The Parliament is not quite there yet

The European Parliament Committee on Civil Liberties (LIBE) is currently busy working out a compromise between its different political groups in order to establish a common position on the “e-evidence” Regulation.

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September 7, 2020

German BigBrotherAwards

The German BigBrotherAwards, organised by Digitalcourage, are negative” or “anti” awards to companies, institutions and persons who act in a prominent and sustained way to invade people's privacy or malhandle (personal) data. The event can be followed in German and English.

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January 19, 2022 · Blogs | Privacy and data protection | Cross border access to data | Data protection standards

Cross-border access to user data by law enforcement in 2021: A year in review

Law enforcement agencies around the world are getting their holiday wish list, thanks to the Council of Europe’s adoption of a flawed new protocol to the Budapest Convention, a treaty governing procedures for accessing digital evidence across borders in criminal investigations.

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August 2, 2021 · Blogs | Privacy and data protection | Data protection standards

Europe’s Data Retention Saga and its Risks for Digital Rights

It seems that despite several Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) decisions in this area, the data retention saga is unlikely to come to an end any time soon. After the invalidation of its previous instrument, the 2006 Data Retention Directive, the European Commission is currently trying to devise a new plan for the retention of traffic and location data for law enforcement and security purposes in the European Union (EU). The Commission stands at a crossroad: to intervene or not to intervene, that is the question.

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