May 31, 2017 · Blogs

EU Commission on FOI request: Incompetence or ill-intent?

In April 2017, we got a little curious about industry lobbying in Brussels surrounding the copyright reform. We therefore filed a freedom of information (FOI) request to access the correspondence that the Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology (DG CNECT) of the European Commission received by rightsholders shortly before the reform proposal was finalised […]

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October 19, 2016 · Blogs

“Follow the money” on copyright infringements

The European Commission is pushing forward energetically on privatised law enforcement projects for all manner of internet activities. This is the approach to terrorism, hate speech, copyright enforcement… whatever the question, the answer is that internet companies can solve the problem.

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November 30, 2016 · Blogs

Free flow of data – what is it?

The “think tank” European Centre for International Political Economy (ECIPE) recently produced a database of “restrictions on data”. The database lists laws which, in ECIPE’s opinion, are barriers to trade in 65 economies worldwide, including the European Union, and it was produced apparently due to influence from “the business community”. The database considers the EU […]

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January 14, 2015 · Blogs

EDRi’s work in 2014

EDRi continued to go to strength in 2014, with a hugely significant victory on net neutrality in the European Parliament and an innovative and successful campaign to raise the profile of our issues in the elections in May. Our successes last year built on a strong development of the organisation in recent years. Since 2009, […]

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February 26, 2019 · Press releases | Information democracy | Freedom of expression online

Press Release: SaveYourInternet.eu – Citizens set to prevent upload filters in the EU

On 26 February 2019, European Digital Rights and partner organisations from across Europe are re-launching the campaign SaveYourInternet.eu – with new items in the “toolbox”. Today, we add to our website the action prepared by our Austrian member epicenter.works: Pledge2019.eu. The campaign, managed by the EDRi network, has become the main platform for concerned citizens […]

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September 20, 2016 · Blogs

EU is now giving Google new monopolies

Originally published on The European Sting There is a lot of noise in the press and among lobbyists about an alleged hostility of the EU towards big American internet companies. Reality is more nuanced and more surprising – the policies appear to be hell-bent on giving Google new monopolies, to the detriment of European citizens […]

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July 13, 2011 · Blogs

Internet blocking stopped in Italy (for now)

This article is also available in: Deutsch: [Netzsperren in Italien gestoppt – vorerst! | http://www.unwatched.org/EDRigram_9.14_Netzsperren_in_Italien_gestoppt_vorerst?pk_campaign=edri&pk_kwd=20110721] After the reaction of several civil liberties activists, including Reporters Without Borders, the Italian telecommunication agency AGCOM decided to review its plans to pass a resolution giving it the power to block websites and remove online content allegedly violating copyright, […]

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June 19, 2013 · Blogs

The German Parliament urges the government to limit software patents

This article is also available in: Deutsch: [Deutscher Bundestag drängt auf Begrenzung von Software-Patenten | https://www.unwatched.org/EDRigram_11.12_Deutscher_Bundestag_draengt_auf_Begrenzung_von_Software-Patenten?pk_campaign=edri&pk_kwd=20130619] On 7 June 2013, the German Parliament unanimously decided upon a joint motion to limit software patents urging the government to take measures in this sense. In the German MPs’ opinion, supported by several SME associations, software should be […]

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July 18, 2012

German Federal Supreme Court rules in the RapidShare case

This article is also available in: Deutsch: [Deutscher Bundesgerichtshof: Entscheidung im Fall RapidShare | https://www.unwatched.org/EDRigram_10.14_Deutscher_Bundesgerichtshof_Entscheidung_im_Fall_RapidShare?pk_campaign=edri&pk_kwd=20120718] A file-hosting site could be partially liable for the content uploaded by others in Germany. In a case brought to court by video games company Atari which accused file-sharing site RapidShare of unlawfully providing access to one of its games, […]

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September 7, 2011

EP study on "Consumer Behaviour in a Digital Environment"

This article is also available in: Deutsch: [EP-Studie zum “Verbraucherverhalten im digitalen Umfeld” | http://www.unwatched.org/EDRigram_9.17_EP_Studie_zum_Verbraucherverhalten_im_digitalen_Umfeld?pk_campaign=edri&pk_kwd=20110907] The European Parliament (EP) has published a study on “Consumer Behaviour in a Digital environment” that it commissioned from London School of Economics (LSE). The study involved a limited stakeholder consultation, which included an extensive exchange of views with EDRi […]

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August 29, 2012

Websites with takedown notices are pushed down in Google Search

Google announced on 10 August 2012 that it would change the searching algorithms so as to lower the search rankings of websites that receive a high number of DMCA, European (Directive 2000/31/EC) or other similar local legislation takedown requests. “Starting next week, we will begin taking into account a new signal in our rankings: the […]

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June 7, 2006

Content flatrate is feasible according to French study

Nothing in the national law and international obligations prevents states from permitting file-sharing as long as they subject it to a levy. This is the conclusion of a legal feasibility study under the supervision of Prof. André Lucas, the most renowned copyright scholar in France. The study on the feasibility of compensation for peer-to-peer file-sharing, […]

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