European Court of Human Rights: Secret surveillance in Poland violates citizens’ privacy rights
On 28 May 2024, a precedent judgment was announced by the European Court of Human Rights. The court said that the operational control regime, the retention of communications data, and the secret surveillance regime under the Anti-Terrorism Act in Poland violate the right to privacy.
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European Court of Human Rights: Secret surveillance in Poland violates citizens’ privacy rights
On 28 May 2024, a precedent judgment was announced by the European Court of Human Rights. The court said that the operational control regime, the retention of communications data, and the secret surveillance regime under the Anti-Terrorism Act in Poland violate the right to privacy.
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High-Level Group “Going Dark” outcome: A mission failure
On 13 June, the Justice and Home Affairs Council, composed of EU Member States’ ministers of the Interior, will discuss the recommendations of the High-Level Group (HLG) on Access to Data for Effective Law Enforcement (“Going Dark”). This blogpost provides a short analysis of the HLG’s recommendations and a summary of its procedural flaws.
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Open letter: The dangers of the May 2024 Council of the EU compromise proposal on EU CSAM
EDRi has signed the Global Encryption Coalition open letter in response to news of the Belgian Presidency’s latest compromise proposal, dated May 2024, on the Regulation on Child Sexual Abuse (CSA).
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Be scanned – or get banned!
In the latest in a string of alarming developments, the Belgian government has proposed a new supposed 'solution' to the Chat Control deadlock in the Council. Read why this new proposal undermines people's security across the European Union.
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How to fight Biometric Mass Surveillance after the AI Act: A legal and practical guide
The EU's Artificial Intelligence Act has been adopted, laying out an in-principle ban on live mass facial recognition and other public biometric surveillance by police. Yet the wide exceptions to this ban may pave the way to legitimise the use of these systems. This living guide, for civil society organisations, communities and activists, charts a human rights-based approach for how to keep resisting biometric mass surveillance practices now and in the future
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It’s time for a heart-to-heart about the EU’s surveillance agenda
The EU prides itself on its worldwide norm-setting influence in the fields of data protection and artificial intelligence regulation. Still, it is not always for the best when it comes to digital state surveillance. Privacy is safety. As we approach the European elections in June, it’s time to discuss the EU's role in shaping how technologies are developed and used.
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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: Mass surveillance and undermining encryption still on table in EU Council
Today, 17 April, EDRi, in a coalition with 50 civil society organisations and 26 individual experts, call on Member State representatives not to agree to the proposed EU Council position on the Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) Regulation whilst so many critical issues remain.
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Locating climate justice in digital rights work at the EU level
A new study commissioned by EDRi acknowledges the complexities and environmental impacts of technological solutions, emphasising the need to bridge climate justice and digital rights. This is particularly relevant as the European Union views sustainability and digitalisation as twin and interconnected pillars.
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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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Mandatory fingerprints on IDs will be up for re-negotiation
On 21 March 2024, the European Court of Justice ruled the European Union (EU) regulation that enacts fingerprint IDs to be invalid for formal reasons. The principle of mandatory fingerprint collection was declared to be compliant with fundamental rights. However, the court has required a new regulation to be adopted on a different legal basis, opening up opportunities to ultimately overturn the fingerprint obligation.
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