August 29, 2023 · Blogs | Privacy and data protection | Platform regulation | Privacy and confidentiality | Surveillance and data retention

Is this the most criticised draft EU law of all time?

An unprecedentedly broad range of stakeholders have raised concerns that despite its important aims, the measures proposed in the draft EU Child Sexual Abuse Regulation are fundamentally incompatible with human rights.

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February 17, 2021 · Highlights | Press releases | Privacy and data protection | Artificial intelligence (AI) | Biometrics | Data protection standards | Privacy and confidentiality | Profiling practices | Surveillance and data retention

New ECI calls Europeans to stand together for a future free from harmful biometric mass surveillance

The Reclaim Your Face coalition launches a European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) today to ban biometric mass surveillance. The ECI represents the voice of those who oppose a dystopian future and instead want a future in which choices are made by us, not by algorithms. The initiative needs to collect 1 million signatures in at least 7 EU countries during the next year.

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May 19, 2021 · Blogs | Privacy and data protection | Biometrics | Privacy and confidentiality | Surveillance and data retention

Washed in blue: living lab Digital Perimeter in Amsterdam

An increasing amount of Dutch government agencies seem to resort to so-called ‘living labs’ and ‘field labs’ in order to test and experiment with technological innovations in a realistic setting. In recent years, these live laboratories have proven to be a useful stepping stone to introduce new technologies into public space. In the last several weeks, EDRi's member Bits of Freedom took a closer look at one of those living labs – the so-called Digital Perimeter surrounding the Johan Cruijff ArenA in Amsterdam – and were not pleased with what they saw.

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October 6, 2021 · Blogs | Highlights | Privacy and data protection | Artificial intelligence (AI) | Biometrics | Surveillance and data retention

Celebrating a strong European Parliament stance on AI in law enforcement

On 5 October, following a significant push from across civil society, the European Parliament voted to adopt an important new report on Artificial intelligence in criminal law and its use by the police and judicial authorities in criminal matters by a promising majority of 377 votes in favour, to 248 against. This followed a tense vote earlier as a majority of MEPs opposed all four attempts from the European People's Party (EPP) to remove key fundamental rights provisions from the report.

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September 25, 2023 · Blogs | Highlights | Press releases | Privacy and data protection | Data protection standards | Privacy and confidentiality | Surveillance and data retention

Press Release (CSA Regulation): Who benefits from the EU Commission’s mass surveillance law?

A newly-published independent investigation uncovered that the European Commission has been promoting industry interests in its proposed law to regulate the spread of child sexual abuse material online. 

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November 19, 2003

EU court of justices rules against personal data on website

Pointing to different persons on a website and making them recognisable by naming them or in any other manner is an act of processing of personal data and must therefore be dealt with under EU Directive 95/46/EC. That’s the substance of a recent judgement of the European Court of Justice (reference number C-101/01; case Bodil […]

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January 15, 2020 · Blogs | On the ground | Privacy and data protection | Surveillance and data retention

ECtHR demands explanations on Polish intelligence agency surveillance

The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has demanded the Polish government to provide an explanation on surveillance by its intelligence agencies. This is a result of complaints filed with the Strasbourg court in late 2017 and early 2018 by activists from EDRi member Panoptykon Foundation and Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights as well as […]

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November 22, 2022 · Blogs | Information democracy | Privacy and data protection | Cross border access to data | Surveillance and data retention

“e-Evidence” trilogues: what’s left of fundamental rights safeguards?

In an open letter addressed to policymakers, an EDRi-led coalition of digital rights, lawyers, journalists, media organisations and internet service providers associations are ringing the alarm bell. We warn against the foreseen framework that could seriously endanger freedom of expression, privacy rights and the right to a fair trial.

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May 21, 2008

Google StreetView might breach EU laws

(Dieser Artikel ist auch in deutscher Sprache verfügbar) The European Data Protection Supervisor warned that the StreetView feature of the Google Maps service could breach the EU data protection laws, if they show the pictures taken from the European cities. The StreetView service makes it possible for users of GoogleMaps to see several photos that […]

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May 21, 2014 · Blogs

ENDitorial: Google Spain vs AEPD – the cup is half full

Judgements from the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) are typically meant to settle debates about European law, not to stir them up. Last week’s judgement on Google versus Spain falls short of this goal. It is definitely groundbreaking and parts of its analysis have a beautiful logic. That Google is a data […]

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December 14, 2020 · Blogs | Highlights | Open internet and inclusive technology | Privacy and data protection | Biometrics | Freedom of expression online | Privacy and confidentiality | Surveillance and data retention

Statement: civil society challenges EU plans to expand biometric mass surveillance

On 9 December, the European Commission presented its new Security Union package, composed of the Counter-Terrorism Agenda and a proposal to strengthen the mandate of Europol. Originally intended for next year, the release of the Counter-Terrorism was accelerated due to recent attacks in France and Austria. When it comes to protecting fundamental rights from intrusive biometric surveillance, the proposals fall seriously short.

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October 10, 2012

“CLEAN IT”: the secret EU surveillance plan that wasn’t

This article is also available in: Deutsch: [“CLEAN IT”: Der geheime Überwachungsplan, der keiner war | https://www.unwatched.org/EDRigram_10.19_CLEAN_IT_Der_geheime_Ueberwachungsplan_der_keiner_war?pk_campaign=edri&pk_kwd=20121010] There was a lot of interest among EU policy wonks and digital rights people last week about an initiative called CLEAN IT, following the leak of its “confidential” draft recommendations. “Police to ‘patrol’ Facebook and Twitter for terrorists […]

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