Information democracy
Filter resources
-
EU Council legal services unclear about censorship filters
On 16 October 2017, Politico leaked the response from the Legal Services of the Council of the European Union (CLS) to the questions raised by six member states about the legality of the upload filter proposal in the Article 13 of the Copyright Directive proposal. As the censorship filter is about restricting fundamental rights, it […]
Read more
-
Civil society calls for the deletion of the #censorshipmachine
Today, 16 October, European Digital Rights (EDRi), together with 56 other civil society organisations, sent an open letter to EU decision makers. The letter calls for the deletion of the Article 13 of the Copyright Directive proposal, pointing out that monitoring and filtering of internet content that it proposes breach citizens’ fundamental rights.
Read more
-
EU’s plans on encryption: What is needed?
On 18 October 2017, the European Commission is expected to publish a Communication on counter-terrorism, which will include some lines on encryption. What is encryption? Why is it important? When we send an encrypted message (or store an encrypted document), no one else but the intended recipient can read it using a unique key. So […]
Read more
-
No justification for internet censorship during Catalan referendum
The ruthless efficiency with which the Spanish government censored the internet ahead of the referendum on Catalan independence foreshadowed the severity of its crackdown at polling places on 1 October. EDRi member Electronic Frontier Foundation previously wrote about one aspect of that censorship; the raid of the .cat top-level domain registry. But there was much […]
Read more
-
Commission’s position on tackling illegal content online is contradictory and dangerous for free speech
Today, on 28 September, the European Commission published its long-awaited Communication “Tackling Illegal Content Online”. This follows a leaked copy we previously analysed. The document puts virtually all its focus on internet companies monitoring online communications, in order to remove content that they decide might be illegal. It presents few safeguards for free speech, and […]
Read more
-
Letter to the FCC: The world is for net neutrality
Today, 26 September 2017, European Digital Rights (EDRi) and over 200 other civil society organisations and businesses joined forces to send a letter to the head of the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) with a clear message: the world is for net neutrality. In the letter, we express concerns about the negative impact the rollback […]
Read more
-
Leaked document: Does the EU Commission really plan to tackle illegal content online?
On 14 September, Politico published a leaked draft of the European Commission’s Communication “Tackling Illegal Content Online”. The Communication contains “guidelines” to tackle illegal content, while remaining coy in key areas. It is expected to be officially published on 28 September.
Read more
-
Did the EU Commission hide a study that did not suit their agenda?
In 2013, the European Commission announced a launch of a study on copyright – and never published its results. Julia Reda, a Member of the European Parliament (MEP), tabled a freedom of information request on this issue and was eventually granted access to the study.
Read more
-
EDRi.org: Best of 2016
One of EDRi's goals for 2016 was to reach a wider audience and raise awareness of the digital rights issues. As it turns out, with the help of our members and supporters, we were successful! Our blogposts and articles were read widely, and our most popular publication was downloaded more than 23 000 times. Here is a selection of the most read articles.
Read more
-
BREAKING: TTIP leaks confirm dangers for digital rights
Today, Greenpeace has unveiled documents on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), including the telecommunications chapter and EU’s Tactical State of Play of March 2016. The leaks show an ideological drive towards deregulation and law enforcement by private companies , said Joe McNamee, Executive Director of European Digital Rights (EDRi). This would sweep away […]
Read more
-
Leaked EU Communication – Part 2: Protecting Google at all costs
While the European Commission talks tough about supporting European industry, much of what is in the leaked Communication on online platforms appears to be designed to protect Google and other online giants, to the detriment of competition and European innovation. “Fair payments” for copyright The Communication refers obtusely to the notion of “fair” distribution of […]
Read more
-
Leaked EU Communication – Part 1: Privatised censorship and surveillance
EU Charter of Fundamental Rights: Subject to the principle of proportionality, limitations [to fundamental rights] may be made only if they are necessary and genuinely meet objectives of general interest recognised by the Union or the need to protect the rights and freedoms of others. A draft European Commission Communication on Platforms has been leaked. […]
Read more