March 26, 2014 · Blogs

Extensive surveillance in the draft Finnish cyber intelligence law

Finnish government is in process of preparing of a new law on cyber intelligence. The draft by the Ministry of Defence working group preparing the law suggests giving the authorities such as Security Intelligence Service, National Bureau of Investigation, Communications Regulatory Authority and Defence Forces a mandate for a wide surveillance of online communications, including […]

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April 6, 2022 · Blogs | Campaigns | On the ground | Privacy and data protection | Artificial intelligence (AI) | Biometrics | Surveillance and data retention

About ClearviewAI’s mockery of human rights, those fighting it, and the need for EU to intervene

Clearview AI describes itself as ‘The World’s Largest Facial Network’. However, a quick search online would reveal that the company has been involved in several scandals, covering the front page of many publications for all the wrong reasons. In fact, since New York Times broke the story about Clearview AI in 2020, the company has been constantly criticised by activists, politicians, and data protection authorities around the world. Read below a summary of the many actions taken against the company that hoarded 10 billion images of our faces.

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June 28, 2023 · Blogs | Privacy and data protection | Online tracking industry / AdTech | Surveillance and data retention

Spotify gets fine of € 5 Million for GDPR violations

Following an EDRi member noyb complaint and litigation over inactivity, the Swedish Data Protection Authoirty (IMY) has issued a fine of 58 Mln Swedish Crown (about € 5 Million) against Spotify.

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April 12, 2006

Changes in the Slovenian Intelligence Agency Act

The proposed changes of Slovenian Intelligence Agency Act (ZSOVA) raised questions about its unconstitutionality. The government would like to exclude the current 6-month limitation for use of special operative methods, e.g. mail monitoring, recording of telephone conversations etc. The Government invoked cooperation with EU and NATO in the fight against terrorism as the reason for […]

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September 25, 2003

New directive on privacy in the workplace

The European Commission is planning a new Directive on privacy in the workplace, in 2004 or 2005. After two consultations with the social partners, in August 2001 and October 2002, the Commission is convinced of the necessity of such a new directive. 3 main grounds for the new legislatory framework are: technological advances that increasingly […]

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September 7, 2011

EP committee supports the introduction of body scanners in EU airports

This article is also available in: Deutsch: [EP-Ausschuss für die Einführung von Nacktscannern in Europa | http://www.unwatched.org/EDRigram_9.17_EP-Ausschuss_unterstuetzt_Einfuehrung_von_Nacktscannern_an_europaeischen_Flughaefen?pk_campaign=edri&pk_kwd=20110907] To the dismay of liberal groups, the European Parliament’s Transport Committee decided on 31 August 2011 to back up the European Commission in the introduction of body scanners in EU airports. Although imposing certain conditions such as excluding […]

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August 1, 2012

Google still holds data unlawfully obtained by StreetView

This article is also available in: Deutsch: [Google noch immer in Besitz unrechtmäßig gesammelter Street-View-Daten | https://www.unwatched.org/EDRigram_10.15_Google_noch_immer_in_Besitz_unrechtmaessig_gesammelter_Street-View-Daten?pk_campaign=twun&pk_kwd=20120801] Google admitted, in a letter addressed on 27 July 2012 to UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) as well as to the Irish Data Protection Commission office that it had not yet deleted all the data unlawfully obtained in […]

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April 12, 2006

Lie detectors in Russian airports

Lie detectors will be used in Russian airports as part of the security measures starting with July 2006. Meant to identify terrorists or other types of criminals, a lie-detecting device developed in Israel, known as “truth verifier,” will be first introduced in Moscow’s Domodedovo airport as early as July. The technology, already used by UK […]

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July 31, 2013 · Blogs

Over 100 global groups make a principled stand against surveillance

For some time now there has been a need to update understandings of existing human rights law to reflect modern surveillance technologies and techniques. Nothing could demonstrate the urgency of this situation more than the recent revelations confirming the mass surveillance of innocent individuals around the world. To move toward that goal, today we’re pleased […]

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July 11, 2018 · Blogs | Information democracy | Freedom of expression online | Surveillance and data retention

German police raids privacy group’s premises

In the early morning of 20 June 2018, German police forces raided several locations – the headquarters of the privacy group Zwiebelfreunde, and the homes of three of its board members, as well as the association OpenLab, which is part of EDRi member Chaos Computer Club (CCC) in Augsburg.

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July 14, 2021 · Blogs | Campaigns | Information democracy | Artificial intelligence (AI) | Biometrics | Surveillance and data retention

No place for emotion recognition technologies in Italian museums

An Italian museum trials emotion recognition systems, despite the practice being heavily criticised by data protection authorities, scholars and civil society. The ShareArt system collects, among others, age, gender and emotions of people. EDRi member Hermes Center called the DPA for an investigation.

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April 12, 2006

UK teachers are spied in classrooms

Teachers protest against the installation of 50 CCTV systems with microphones in UK schools, used as surveillance measures by the school management. While observation in class was supposed to help teachers in improving their performances, the headmasters, who have also used two-way mirrors to survey the teachers, grade them according to the way they perform […]

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