United Nations
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United Nations report voices digital rights groups’ concerns over encryption in EU’s new rules
On 16 November 2022, the United Nations Human Rights Office published a report on the right to privacy in the digital age warning against the European Union’s plans to undermine encryption and the threat of mass surveillance in the proposed chat control legislation.
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UN Special Rapporteur analyses AI’s impact on human rights
In October 2018, the United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur for the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, David Kaye, released his report on the implications of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies for human rights. The report was submitted to the UN General Assembly on 29 August 2018 but has only been published recently.
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UN Security Council mandates worldwide air traveller profiling
In the name of “preventing, detecting and investigating terrorist offenses and related travel”, all United Nations (UN) Member States should develop systems for processing and analysing Passenger Name Record (PNR), Advance Passenger Information (API) and “fingerprints, photographs, facial recognition, and other relevant identifying biometric data”, according to a UN Security Council resolution (no. 2396) on […]
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EDRi’s input on violent extremism for UN Human Rights Commissioner
EDRi firmly condemns the Brussels terror attacks as well as other acts of violence and terrorism around the world. While acknowledging the importance of combating terrorism and violent extremism, EDRi is concerned about the disproportionate and misguided responses by certain UN countries in pursuit of this aim. In this context, the United Nations (UN) Resolution […]
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Copyright reform: Restoring the facade of a decrepit building
“The Special Rapporteur also proposes to expand copyright exceptions and limitations to empower new creativity, enhance rewards to authors, increase educational opportunities, preserve space for non-commercial culture and promote inclusion and access to cultural works.” These recommendations come from the 2014 report on Copyright policy and the right to science and culture, from the UN […]
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UN withdraws the report on cyber violence against women
On 24 September, United Nations (UN) Broadband Commission published a report that urged governments and industry to work more effectively together to better protect women and girls who are victims of “cyber violence”. The report claimed that 73% of women have suffered cyberviolence and that ”cyber violence” is as bad as real violence. Only a […]
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French Constitutional Council approves sweeping surveillance powers
On 23 July, the French Constitutional Council approved sweeping surveillance powers for intelligence agencies. In its decision, the Council declared almost all provisions constitutional, in contradiction to vehement opposition from civil rights groups, human rights experts, academia and the online business sector. The “Loi Renseignement” (also dubbed the “French Patriot Act”) was passed by the […]
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UN report on copyright – is the EU really a beacon of human rights?
Copyright has seen a spectacular rise in importance, both politically and legally, in recent decades. The digitisation of cultural and scientific goods has led many rights holders to see strengthened copyright protection as the only means of ensuring the survival of the cultural industry. To a large extent the rights holders’ quest for more legal […]
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Stakeholders welcome the European Parliament’s Resolution in support of the Internet Governance Forum
We the undersigned, representing civil society and the Internet industry community in Europe: The need for renewal of the Internet Governance Forum’s mandate Welcome the European Parliament’s call for a renewal of the mandate of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) and for the strengthening of its resources. Strongly support the call for the General Assembly of […]
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Irish ISP introduces child porn blocking – doesn’t know why
The Irish broadband provider UPC has introduced blocking for web addresses that are alleged to contain child abuse material. It chose an interesting moment to do this – with the total number of domains allegedly hosting abuse material half what it was ten years ago and with sites staying online for historically short periods of […]
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UN calls for balance between privacy and security
In a special discussion at the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Flavia Pansieri, the United Nations (UN) Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, expressed her concern about increasing mass surveillance programs conducted by states and private corporations. Ms. Pansieri highlighted the importance of demonstrating that interferences with an individual’s right to privacy are both necessary […]
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