May 5, 2021 · Blogs | EDRi-gram | Information democracy | Artificial intelligence (AI) | Biometrics | Surveillance and data retention

Initial wins in Italy just two months after the launch of Reclaim Your Face

Last week, the #ReclaimYourFace campaign reached two important milestones at the national level. On Friday April 16th the Italian Data Protection Authority (DPA) rejected the SARI Real Time facial recognition system acquired by the police saying that the system lacks a legal basis and, as designed, it would implement a form of mass surveillance.

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November 20, 2024 · Blogs | Privacy and data protection | Biometrics | Surveillance and data retention

Non-fitted devices in the UK Home Office’s surveillance arsenal: Investigating the technology behind GPS fingerprint scanners

Privacy International’s technical research on the so-called non-fitted devices (NFDs) used by the UK Home Office to track migrants shows that these devices are intrusive and stigmatising by design. The use of NFDs is an expansion beyond the use of GPS ankle tags of the UK’s surveillance of migrants who are on immigration bail and subject to electronic monitoring conditions.

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October 19, 2022 · Blogs | Campaigns | Highlights | Position papers | Privacy and data protection | Freedom of expression online | Inclusive technologies | Privacy and confidentiality | Surveillance and data retention

Position paper: A safe internet for all – Upholding private and secure communications

Despite the importance of its goals, the European Union’s proposed Child Sexual Abuse Regulation (CSAR) will not only fail in its aims to protect young people, but it will also even harm those it wants to protect.

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August 20, 2025 · Document pools | Privacy and data protection | Privacy and confidentiality | Surveillance and data retention

CSA Regulation Document Pool

This document pool contains updates and resources on the EU's proposed 'Regulation laying down rules to prevent and combat child sexual abuse' (CSA Regulation)

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November 30, 2022 · Blogs | Campaigns | Privacy and data protection | Biometrics | Privacy and confidentiality | Profiling practices | Surveillance and data retention

Reclaim Your Face movement gathered in Brussels

Between 6 and 9 November 2022, more than 20 activists from across Europe gathered in Brussels to celebrate the successes of the Reclaim You Face movement. We got to meet each other in real life after months of online organising, reflected on our wide range off decentralised actions, and learned from each other how to couple grassroots organising with EU advocacy aimed at specific events and EU institutions. Read on to see what we did.

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May 5, 2021 · Blogs | Privacy and data protection | Online tracking industry / AdTech | Platform regulation | Surveillance and data retention

AdTech is watching you!

The reality is that AdTech target mothers who just had stillbirths with baby ads, and serial gamblers who are trying to quit with gambling ads, or simply send creepy ads. 

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December 14, 2021 · Blogs | Press releases | Privacy and data protection | Data protection standards | Freedom of expression online | Surveillance and data retention

Has the Parliament effectively wielded the Digital Services Act to challenge platform power? The verdict is, somewhat.

Today, the European Parliament Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) has approved its much-anticipated report on the Digital Services Act (DSA). The DSA affects how intermediaries like Google and Amazon regulate and influence user activity on their platforms, including people's ability to exercise their rights and freedoms online. The DSA also aims at limiting the negative impact of the most powerful online platforms on people and puts limits on how EU Member States can interfere with people’s free expression online.

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September 13, 2023 · Blogs | Privacy and data protection | Artificial intelligence (AI) | Surveillance and data retention

Council of Europe must not water down their human rights standards in convention on AI

In a joint statement, civil society calls for a broad scope and definition of AI systems and no blanket exemptions for AI systems for national defence/national security.

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November 16, 2022 · Blogs | Privacy and data protection | Data protection standards

New Europol rules massively expand police powers and reduce rights protections

The new rules governing Europol, which came into force at the end of June, massively expand the tasks and powers of the EU’s policing agency whilst reducing external scrutiny of its data processing operations and rights protections for individuals.

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December 18, 2019 · Blogs | Privacy and data protection | Biometrics | Privacy and confidentiality | Surveillance and data retention

The many faces of facial recognition in the EU

In this second installment of EDRi's facial recognition and fundamental rights series, we look at how different EU Member States, institutions and other countries worldwide are responding to the use of this tech in public spaces.

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November 17, 2021 · Blogs | Privacy and data protection | Biometrics | Privacy and confidentiality | Surveillance and data retention

AI Regulation: The EU should not give in to the surveillance industry

Although it claims to protect our liberties, the recent European Commission’s legislative proposal on artificial intelligence (AI) promotes the accelerated development of all aspects of AI, in particular for security purposes.

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April 15, 2024 · Blogs | Privacy and data protection | Artificial intelligence (AI) | Digital sustainability | Surveillance and data retention

Locating climate justice in digital rights work at the EU level

A new study commissioned by EDRi acknowledges the complexities and environmental impacts of technological solutions, emphasising the need to bridge climate justice and digital rights. This is particularly relevant as the European Union views sustainability and digitalisation as twin and interconnected pillars.

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