Open Letter: Reopening the GDPR is a threat to rights, accountability, and the future of EU digital policy
108 civil society organisations, academics, companies and other experts, including EDRi, are concerned about the proposals to reopen the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). They are calling on the European Commission to protect people’s rights and dignity in a data-driven world by reaffirming the GDPR as the cornerstone of EU’s digital law and supporting its rigorous enforcement.
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Open Letter: Reopening the GDPR is a threat to rights, accountability, and the future of EU digital policy
108 civil society organisations, academics, companies and other experts, including EDRi, are concerned about the proposals to reopen the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). They are calling on the European Commission to protect people’s rights and dignity in a data-driven world by reaffirming the GDPR as the cornerstone of EU’s digital law and supporting its rigorous enforcement.
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EDRi-gram, 7 May 2025
What has the EDRis network been up to over the past two weeks? Find out the latest digital rights news in our bi-weekly newsletter. In this edition: Apple & Meta fined for breaching DMA, civil society urges EU to act against Hungary’s pride ban, & more!
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The blanket collection of metadata on communications in the Czech Republic is illegal. Iuridicum Remedium wins data retention dispute.
The Municipal Court in Prague ruled in a dispute that lasted more than four years. EDRi member IuRe represented journalist Jan Cibulka in the case. He demanded an apology from the state for the Czech state collecting information about his whereabouts or with whom he calls and writes under the data retention regulation.
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When technology is the problem, not the solution: Lessons from harmful consequences of techno-solutionism in digital surveillance
AI-powered surveillance systems are being deployed globally - from Israel and Russia to EU member states. These systems target marginalised communities under the guise of improving security and efficiency. To rectify these harms, we must challenge techno-solutionist narratives and rethink why and how technology is used, and center human rights.
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Digital trade: the new frontline in the fight for our rights
The EU is signing digital trade deals that could undermine fundamental rights and block oversight of software systems shaping our lives. From data protection to algorithmic accountability, these agreements risk empowering opaque systems - used by both companies and governments - at the expense of the people most affected by them.
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Hungary’s new biometric surveillance laws violate the AI Act
This blog post is a legal analysis of new legislation in Hungary that uses facial recognition technology in a manner that violates the EU Artificial Intelligence Act. Such use of this technology risks discouraging people from exercising their fundamental rights undermining their trust in democracy.
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Technical experts call on Commissioner Virkkunen for a seat on the table of the European Commission’s Technology Roadmap on encryption
EDRi, in a group of 39 organisations and 43 experts, published an open letter today to call for a scientific evidence-based approach to encryption. We ask for meaningful participation to safeguard cybersecurity and fundamental rights in the process.
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‘ProtectEU’ security strategy: a step further towards a digital dystopian future
The European Commission presented an internal security strategy that would undermine digital rights and even increase security threats. We unpack what ‘ProtectEU’ means for the EU’s future digital policy, including on encryption, data retention, and border surveillance.
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Civil society to European Commission: Act now to defend fundamental rights from Hungary’s Pride ban and the use of facial recognition against protesters
EDRi, along with a broad coalition of civil society organisations, demands urgent action from the European Commission on Hungary’s new law banning Pride marches and permitting the use of live facial recognition technology targeting protesters.
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EDRi-gram, 16 April 2025
What has the EDRis network been up to over the past two weeks? Find out the latest digital rights news in our bi-weekly newsletter. In this edition: Challenging data retention regime in Poland, Ljubljana’s municipal surveillance, and more!
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Ljubljana’s municipal surveillance: Where trust trumps data
During a Ljubljana municipal council debate on CCTV transparency, several concerning points were raised regarding the Slovenian capital's network of over 500 surveillance cameras and the methods employed to assess their effectiveness in preventing crime. The discussion revealed that the entire system relies heavily on trust in the authorities, without any substantial data to support the cameras' effectiveness or a clear rationale for their widespread deployment.
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Avoiding regulation of biometric surveillance and loyalty applications: The 20th Big Brother Awards took place in the Czech Republic
For the twentieth time, the Czech organization and EDRi member IuRe (Iuridicum Remedium) awarded prizes to the greatest snoopers.
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