The DSA fails to reign in the most harmful digital platform businesses – but it is still useful
The Digital Services Act (DSA) adopted by the European Parliament on 5 July 2022 was lauded by some as creating a “constitution for the internet” and a European response to the “digital wild west” created by Silicon Valley. But the DSA is far from perfect and much will depend on how well the new regulation is going to be implemented and enforced.
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The DSA fails to reign in the most harmful digital platform businesses – but it is still useful
The Digital Services Act (DSA) adopted by the European Parliament on 5 July 2022 was lauded by some as creating a “constitution for the internet” and a European response to the “digital wild west” created by Silicon Valley. But the DSA is far from perfect and much will depend on how well the new regulation is going to be implemented and enforced.
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Gmail creates “Spam Emails”, despite CJEU judgment
On 24 August, EDRi member noyb.eu filed a complaint against Google with the French Data Protection Authority (CNIL). The tech giant has repeatedly ignored the European Court of Justice (CJEU) ruling on direct marketing emails and used its email platform Gmail to send unsolicited advertising emails without valid consent of the users.
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EU Digital Services Act brings us closer to an inclusive, equitable internet
Strong enforcement of the DSA can bring human rights improvements, but real alternatives to the current dominant surveillance business model are still needed
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Digital rights for Europe’s youth
The biggest youth platform in the world is joining the Platform Power Coalition for a Digital Services Act that empowers young people. European Youth Forum will bring youth voices to the coalition, vindicating that digital rights are youth rights. Young people should be able to enjoy their digital environment without fearing privacy violations, discrimination or manipulation. Here is what you need to know about this alliance.
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The DSA should pave the way for systemic change
Today, 5 July, is a victorious day for human rights online as we embark on the next stage in our journey – real alternatives to the currently dominant surveillance business model. The European Parliament’s approval of the Digital Services Act (DSA) will bring many opportunities to limit the huge power Big Tech companies like Google, Meta (Facebook) and Amazon have over people and democracies. However, this regulation is only the first step in ensuring people’s rights online are protected, more work is needed for a better internet. Now, it is imperative that we see strong enforcement by regulatory authorities that will ensure the high human rights standards the new rules promise.
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Civil society groups urge EU Parliament to use all its powers to ensure Digital Markets Act enforcement has necessary resources
On June 28, EDRi and 16 civil society organisations urged the European Parliament to focus its attention on the Digital Markets Act (DMA) enforcement.
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Consumer and digital groups in Europe and the U.S. call for a full ban on surveillance-based advertising
On 1 June, the Transatlantic Consumer Dialogue (TACD), that EDRi is part of, published a policy resolution on banning surveillance-based advertising. The invasive practices of collecting, sharing, and processing of individual data to deliver personalized advertising, has become the primary business model in the online advertising space. Surveillance advertising is promoted by the world’s largest technology companies, like Meta (Facebook) or Alphabet (Google), and is a key driver behind the spread of misinformation, undermining democratic discourse, economic and political equity, marketplace competition, privacy, public health, and basic consumer protections.
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When the political party votes for you: Can we have a fair election with surveillance political advertising?
A new regulation on online advertising was proposed last December to address political ads, which identifies in one definition, two techniques to deliver political ads: targeting and amplification.
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Get your extra reading on “cookie consent” and AdTech done
On 22 February, the Belgian Data Protection Authority (DPA) made a decision regarding complaints about the Internet Advertising Bureau Europe (IAB Europe) "consent framework". This is a commonly used cookie pop-up asking for "consent" to be tracked.
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Spying on couriers and AdTech using data from operators. We know the winners of the Czech Big Brother Awards
For the seventeenth time has the Czech NGO and EDRi member Iuridicum Remedium (IuRe) awarded Big Brother Awards to those who have been snooping the most into our privacy in the past year.
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France must not betray European citizens on the DSA at the 11th hour
As civil society, we welcomed Minister Cedric O’s commitment on Friday to prohibit targeted advertising to minors as well as the use of sensitive data for ad targeting in the DSA. Now the French Council Presidency must follow through and protect citizens, 35 NGOs write in an open letter.
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The Digital Markets Act promises to free people from digital walled gardens
Last night, 24 March, the European Union made a great step forward to better protecting our rights online as it approved the political trilogue compromise for the Digital Markets Act (DMA). This decision promises to challenge the strongly centralised environment of Big Tech platforms exerting too much power over our rights and over the flow of information in society. Tech companies like Facebook, Google, Amazon and Apple will have to start following strict rules that ensure free and fair competition in the digital markets.
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