January 16, 2023 · Blogs | Information democracy and participation | Just and open internet and technologies | Privacy and surveillance

Looking back at 2022: Protecting and advancing digital rights in times of crisis

In moments where we should be urgently tackling the climate crisis and working towards peace and justice worldwide, state funds and efforts seem to reinforce militarisation, fuel the climate crises and injustice. In response to increased surveillance and control practices coming from governments and private companies, EDRi members and partners have put forward a vision in which people live with dignity and vitality. What have we collectively achieved in 2022?

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June 28, 2023 · Blogs | Privacy and surveillance | Privacy and confidentiality | Surveillance and data retention

Warnings from the UK: 24/7 racialised GPS surveillance

Campaigners assembled outside Capita PLC’s Annual General Meeting in the City of London on Thursday 11 May are contesting the outsourcing company’s £114m contract to deliver 24/7 GPS monitoring services, used by the Home Office to surveil people without British citizenship.

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December 4, 2019 · Blogs | Privacy and surveillance | Biometrics | Surveillance and data retention

Serbia: Unlawful facial recognition video surveillance in Belgrade

On 3 December 2019, EDRi member SHARE Foundation, together with two other organisations, published a policy brief concerning a new “smart video-surveillance system” in Belgrade. The brief highlights that the impact assessment of video surveillance on human rights, conducted by the Serbian Ministry of Interior did not meet the legal requirements, and the installation of […]

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September 7, 2023 · Blogs | Privacy and surveillance | Surveillance and data retention

European Parliament’s CULT committee set to greenlight controversial amendment to the EMFA in today’s vote

The European Parliament’s CULT committee is set to vote on the EMFA. The committee is likely to approve the contentious 24-hour must-carry amendment that could make it harder to fight disinformation, and would undermine the Digital Services Act.

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August 26, 2025 · Blogs | Privacy and surveillance | Privacy and confidentiality | Surveillance and data retention

Denmark wants to break the Council deadlock on the CSA Regulation, but are they genuinely trying?

Denmark made the widely-criticised CSA Regulation a priority on the very first day of their Council presidency, but show little willingness to actually find a compromise that will break the three-year long deadlock on this law. The Danish text recycles previous failed attempts and does nothing to assuage the valid concerns about mass surveillance and encryption. Not only is Denmark unlikely to be able to broker a deal, it also stands in the way of EU countries finding an alternative, meaningful, rights-respecting solution to tackling CSA online.

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May 28, 2026 · Blogs | Privacy and surveillance | Surveillance and data retention

Inside Italy’s low-cost spyware economy

Commercial spyware in Europe has recently made headlines with the now notorious names of Pegasus and Graphite, the expensive, exploitation-driven products at the top end of the market. Much less known is the wide underworld ecosystem of low-cost spyware vendors, often targeting citizens via their smartphones. EDRi member Osservatorio Nessuno has investigated and analysed two separate products, Spyrtacus and Morpheus.

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October 6, 2021 · Blogs | Privacy and surveillance | Online tracking industry / AdTech | Platform regulation | Surveillance and data retention

Why you shouldn’t buy Facebook Ray-Ban smart glasses

Imagine that you are strolling along a tranquil beach in your swimsuit. Suddenly, a stranger walking toward you takes out their phone and starts recording you. You might work up the courage to ask how they dared to invade your privacy, and demand they delete the footage.

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December 15, 2021 · Blogs | Privacy and surveillance | Biometrics | Privacy and confidentiality | Surveillance and data retention

Italy introduces a moratorium on video surveillance systems that use facial recognition

On 1 December 2021, the Italian Parliament introduced a moratorium on video surveillance systems that use facial recognition technologies. This law introduces, for the first time in an EU Member State, a temporary ban for private entities to use these systems in public places or places accessible to the public. This moratorium is an important achievement: it recognises the dangers posed by technologies such as facial recognition to people's rights and freedoms. The moratorium will be in force until 31 December 2023 at the latest, unless a new law is introduced on the subject of biometric surveillance before that date.

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October 16, 2023 · Blogs | Privacy and surveillance | Data protection standards | Privacy and confidentiality | Surveillance and data retention

Activists come to Brussels to tell MEPs to ensure everyone’s digital security amid mass surveillance measures in CSA Regulation

Between 9 and 11 October, 23 Stop Scanning Me activists from 13 European countries travelled to Brussels. They were students, parents, lawyers, young activists, human rights defenders and technologists. They came on behalf of the 200,000 people who signed the movement petition to tell their EU representatives in the European Parliament that the CSA Regulation proposal must be rejected to prevent mass surveillance.

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April 6, 2022 · Blogs | Campaigns | Privacy and surveillance | 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 surveillance | 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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July 11, 2018 · Blogs | Information democracy and participation | 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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