Artificial intelligence is not as artificial as you might think
AI systems involve a huge amount of human effort at the hands of millions of workers, often in Global South countries, working in precarious conditions. In this blog, EDRi member SUPERRR Lab dive into the lives of data workers, how they are exploited and undermined by tech companies, and how these workers are now collectively advocating for their rights.
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Artificial intelligence is not as artificial as you might think
AI systems involve a huge amount of human effort at the hands of millions of workers, often in Global South countries, working in precarious conditions. In this blog, EDRi member SUPERRR Lab dive into the lives of data workers, how they are exploited and undermined by tech companies, and how these workers are now collectively advocating for their rights.
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Press Release: Commission’s Digital Omnibus is a major rollback of EU digital protections
Today the European Commission has published two Digital Omnibus proposals, reopening the EU’s core protections against harm in the digital age. This step risks dismantling the rules-based system that was hard-won over decades, endangering the very foundation of human rights and tech policy in the EU.
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EU adopts Digital Trade Agreement with Singapore despite warnings: a setback for digital rights and democratic oversight
The European Parliament has approved the EU–Singapore Digital Trade Agreement, rejecting a motion to seek a Court of Justice opinion on its legality. This decision weakens the Union’s capacity to safeguard privacy, data protection, and accountability over software systems, at a time when deregulation pressures are increasing across Europe.
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The AI Act isn’t enough: closing the dangerous loopholes that enable rights violations
While the EU's AI Act aims to regulate high-risk AI systems, it is undermined by major loopholes that allow their unchecked use in the context of national security and law enforcement. These exemptions risk enabling, among others, mass surveillance of protests and discriminatory migration practices. To prevent this, EDRi affiliate Danes je nov dan has published recommendations for Slovenia to adopt stricter national safeguards and transparent oversight mechanisms.
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Czech police forced to turn off facial recognition cameras at the Prague airport thanks to the AI Act
The shutdown of the facial recognition cameras at the Václav Havel Airport in Prague came after years of criticism from EDRi member IuRe. The legitimacy of the criticism was confirmed by the Czech Office for Personal Data Protection. However, the Czech police continue to systematically violate the law in further processing of biometric data.
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The Commission must uphold the AI Act and fundamental freedoms in Hungary
ECNL, Liberties and the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union called on the EU to protect Pecs Pride participants from AI surveillance.
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A blueprint for success: How Danes je nov dan’s advocacy led to a commitment for a Public AI Registry in Slovenia
In Slovenia, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) by the public sector has been expanding without significant public oversight, creating the potential for harmful or even dangerous uses of AI systems. To close this gap, EDRi affiliate Danes je nov dan launched an advocacy campaign calling for a national AI registry to ensure transparency and accountability. Their efforts led the Ministry of Digital Transformation to commit to establishing such a registry, a model that can inspire AI transparency initiatives across Europe.
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Open Letter: The European Commission and Member States must keep AI Act national implementation on track
EDRi, along with a broad coalition of civil society organisations, demands urgent action from the European Commission and Member States to ensure that the rights enshrined in the AI Act do not remain hollow promises, but that the Commission and Member States act decisively and immediately to ensure the timely national implementation of the AI Act now.
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Deregulating digital rights: Why the EU’s war on ‘red tape’ should worry us all
The European Commission has made deregulation a top priority for the EU over the next four years. Under the banner of ‘simplifying’ EU rules, we risk seeing the entire digital rulebook – for which we have advocated for years – being stripped away. If the EU wants a healthy, competitive tech market that puts people at its center, then this deregulation push is not only bad for the protection of fundamental rights, but is also an act of self-sabotage which must be reversed.
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Open Letter: The EU weakens the rules that safeguard people and the environment
470 civil society society organisations, trade unions and public interest groups are making it clear to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Commissioners and EU Member States that our rights, planet, health and justice are not for sale. They call on EU lawmakers to protect and promote the rights enshrined in the EU Charter and international human rights law, instead of endangering them.
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One year of the AI Act: What’s the political and legal landscape now?
The EU Artificial Intelligence (AI) Act came into force on August 1, 2024. This blog takes stock of the political and legal landscape facing its implementation and enforcement one year on, especially efforts to delay or even gut the law which would have far-reaching effects on people’s rights, especially when it comes to migration and law enforcement use of AI.
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Open letter: European Commission must champion the AI Act amidst simplification pressure
52 civil society organisations, experts and academics have written to the European Commission to express their concerns about growing pressure to suspend or delay the implementation and enforcement of the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Act. Instead of unraveling the EU rulebook, which includes hard-won legal protections for people, the Commission should focus on the full implementation and proper enforcement of its rules, like the AI Act.
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