WFH – Watched from Home: Office 365 and workplace surveillance creep
In the past few years, the pandemic and the shift to working from home have bolstered the use of remote surveillance software to monitor employees. In 2020, global demand for employee monitoring software increased 108 per cent by April and 70 per cent by May 2020 compared to pre-pandemic times. At the same time, search engine queries for "How to monitor employees working from home" increased by 1,705 per cent in April and 652 per cent in May 2020 compared to the previous year.
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WFH – Watched from Home: Office 365 and workplace surveillance creep
In the past few years, the pandemic and the shift to working from home have bolstered the use of remote surveillance software to monitor employees. In 2020, global demand for employee monitoring software increased 108 per cent by April and 70 per cent by May 2020 compared to pre-pandemic times. At the same time, search engine queries for "How to monitor employees working from home" increased by 1,705 per cent in April and 652 per cent in May 2020 compared to the previous year.
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The UK Data Reform Bill and the British Bill of Rights: a tragedy in two acts
The dust hasn’t settled since plans to undermine everyone’s right to data protection were announced, but the UK Government are at it again. Plans to ditch the Human Rights Act in the UK were just unveiled, in a combined effort to steamroll the rule of law and the freedoms we have always taken for granted. EDRi member Open Rights Group explains how the impact of this constitutional butchery reverberates in data protection, and why both the Data Reform Bill and the Bill of Rights follow a common thread.
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Challenging the use of GPS tags to monitor asylum seekers in the UK
The latest rollout of GPS tags to monitor migrants is another step in creating a 'hostile environment' for asylum seekers in the UK.
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Hooray! Bits of Freedom freed the data of millions of people from the clutches of the secret services!
The Complaints Department of the Review Committee on the Intelligence and Security Services (CTIVD), the Dutch supervisor of the secret services, ruled that EDRi member Bits of Freedom is right!
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Belgium’s data retention law must not undermine people’s right to privacy
Belgium's Parliament will soon vote on the draft law on the collection and retention of identification data and metadata in the electronic communications sector and the provision of such data to authorities. This draft law, as it is and if adopted without adequate adjustments, would pose a threat to people’s rights, such as the right to privacy and data protection, freedom of expression and information, press freedoms and professional secrecy guarantees, and would potentially set a dangerous precedent for other Member States.
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The state of privacy at Dutch municipalities
EDRi member Bits of Freedom has done research on the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)-compliance within the ten largest municipalities of the Netherlands. Unfortunately, most municipalities scored a failing grade, despite the fact that the GDPR has celebrated its fourth anniversary.
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European Commission must uphold privacy, security and free expression by withdrawing new law, say civil society
In May, the European Commission proposed a new law: the CSA Regulation. If passed, this law would turn the internet into a space that is dangerous for everyone’s privacy, security and free expression. EDRi is one of 134 organisations calling instead for tailored, effective, rights-compliant and technically-feasible alternatives to tackle this grave issue.
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How a Hollywood star lobbies the EU for more surveillance
The European Union debates a new law that could force platforms to scan all private messages for signs of child abuse. Its most prominent advocate is the actor Ashton Kutcher.
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The voices of human rights defenders affected by the Pegasus spyware must be heard
EDRi and 22 civil society organisations urge the established European Parliament’s Committee of Inquiry to investigate the use of Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware to ensure that the systematic targetting of human rights defenders with these technologies is fully examined by the Committee, and that the voices of human rights defenders affected are heard.
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Private and secure communications attacked by European Commission’s latest proposal
On 11 May, the European Commission put forward a proposal for a ‘Regulation laying down rules to prevent and combat child sexual abuse’ to replace the interim legislation that EDRi fought against last year. In our immediate reaction, EDRi warned that the new proposal creates major risks for the privacy, security and integrity of private communications, not just in the EU, but globally. Here, we unpack a bit more about the legislative proposal, and why we are so concerned.
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European Commission’s online CSAM proposal fails to find right solutions to tackle child sexual abuse
Today, 11 May, is a worrying day for every person in the EU who wants to send a message privately without exposing their personal information, like chats and photos, to private companies and governments. The European Commission has adopted its “Regulation laying down rules to prevent and combat child sexual abuse” material online, including measures which put the vital integrity of secure communications at risk.
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“E-evidence” negotiations: European Parliament must stand its grounds
The European Parliament and the Council have tremendous difficulties to agree on the issue of cross-border access to data by national law enforcement authorities. While the Parliament is trying to maintain as many fundamental rights safeguards as possible in the so-called “e-evidence” Regulation, the Council is stubbornly sticking to its position. If the Council’s vision overrides the Parliament, the legislation would seriously threaten free speech, privacy rights and the right to a fair trial. A coalition of digital rights, lawyers, journalists, media organisations and internet service providers associations are calling on the Council to show a greater spirit of cooperation and urge the Parliament to not excessively deviate from its original position.
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