The future of our fight against biometric mass surveillance
The final AI Act is disappointingly full of holes when it comes to bans on different forms of biometric mass surveillance (BMS). Despite this, there are some silver linings in the form of opportunities to oppose BMS in public spaces and to push for better protection of people’s sensitive biometric data.
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The future of our fight against biometric mass surveillance
The final AI Act is disappointingly full of holes when it comes to bans on different forms of biometric mass surveillance (BMS). Despite this, there are some silver linings in the form of opportunities to oppose BMS in public spaces and to push for better protection of people’s sensitive biometric data.
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Open letter: Modernised ePrivacy legislation must protect fundamental rights
Today, 24 April, EDRi and 13 organisations call for robust legislation to complement and particularise the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and call upon the next European Commission to include comprehensive plans for reforming the European Union’s ePrivacy legislation.
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Open letter: European Commission’s decision to allow data flows to Israel alarms privacy experts
Today, 22 April, EDRi and Access Now coordinated an open letter supported by 11 civil society organisations that calls on the European Commissioner for Justice to provide further evidence and clarity on the decision to renew Israel’s status in the adequacy review.
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Privacy is not for sale: Meta must stop charging for people’s right to privacy
Ahead of a crucial opinion by the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) – a grouping of the EU’s chief privacy regulators - on Meta’s plan to charge for privacy, the European Commission has opened an investigation that we hope will cast light on the unlawfulness of Meta’s so-called ‘Pay or Okay’ model, which has become the ‘talk of the town’ in Brussels.
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The two sides of web scraping: When data collection becomes a double-edged sword
Emerging AI technology often relies on methods of data collection – such as web-scraping – which can become a double edged sword when not used with safeguards and transparency or in ways that are unlawful. These methods have been used to achieve several key victories for digital rights, but can also be exploitative.
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Greek Ministry of Asylum and Migration face a record-breaking €175,000 fine for the border management systems KENTAUROS & HYPERION
On 3 April, the Greek Data Protection Authority (DPA) slapped the Ministry of Asylum and Migration with a record-breaking €175,000 fine under the General Data Protection Regulation for the border management systems KENTAUROS and HYPERION. The DPA’s investigation started back in 2022, following a strategic complaint filed by the EDRi member Homo Digitalis and its partners in Greece.
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The colonial biometric legacy at heart of new EU asylum system
On Wednesday (10 April), the EU is set to vote on a new set of asylum and migration reforms. Among the many controversial changes proposed in the new migration pact, one went almost unnoticed — a seemingly innocent reform of the EU's asylum database, EURODAC. Although framed as purely technical adjustments, the reality is far more malicious. The changes to EURODAC will massively exacerbate violence against people on the move.
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Open letter: EU Data Protection Board must acknowledge the Commission’s additional concerns about ‘Consent or Pay’
On 15 April, EDRi, noyb, Access Now and 20 consumer and digital rights organisations sent an open letter to the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) ahead of the EDPB’s decision on Meta’s “Pay or Okay” model.
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Rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic: Belgium’s latest move doesn’t solve critical issues with EU CSA Regulation
The EDRi network has long-urged European Union (EU) lawmakers to ensure that efforts to combat OCSEA (online child sexual exploitation and abuse) are lawful, effective and technically feasible. The goal to protect children online is vital. This can only be done if the proposed measures work and are compatible with human rights, including privacy and the presumption of innocence.
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2023 Digital Rights Update: Eastern Partnership CSO Meter
Countries of the Eastern Partnership region continue digitalisation efforts and some implemented promising data protection legislation. However, the expansion of surveillance and spread of disinformation put digital rights under constant pressure in 2023.
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New EU health data law endangers medical secrecy
EU lawmakers have agreed on a compromise for the European Health Data Space (EHDS) which will expose everyone’s medical records to unnecessary security and privacy risks in the name of research and “innovation”.
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Europe’s highest court delivers landmark judgment against IAB Europe in GDPR consent spam pop-ups case
The Court of Justice of the European Union's landmark decision on March 7, 2023, against the auctioning of personal data for advertising purposes under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) challenges the legality of invasive tracking and profiling in the context of online advertising. It marks a significant victory for privacy advocates and sets a precedent for the protection of personal data in the digital era.
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