News

ICO issues guidance on how to deal with data protection complaints

Under the Data (Use and Access) Act, organisations must have a process for handling data protection complaints within their organisation

THE HACK: EU leaders head to India’s AI Impact Summit

In today's edition: Omnibus powers up AI Office, social media bans mapped, how to open Gemini

AI chatbots to face UK safety rules after outcry over Grok

"The new measures announced today include crackdown on vile illegal content created by AI," UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Monday

Access Now at India AI Impact Summit 2026

Bharat Mandapam The India AI Impact Summit 2026 is a high-profile international event involving heads of state and government, ministers, senior government officials,…

THE HACK: Lawmakers still stuck on AI ‘pornification’ ban

In today's edition: EU Five Eyes, Dutch AI agnt warning, far-right vs EU space security, UK fines Kick

Council spells out possible new powers for AI Office

Second compromise text for the AI simplification package, obtained by Euractiv, details beefed up inspection powers

EU experts urge action over risks of ‘weaponised’ connected cars

Existing data protection law fails to cover key vulnerabilities of computerised vehicles

Seven Billion Reasons for Facebook to Abandon its Face Recognition Plans

The New York Times reported that Meta is considering adding face recognition technology to its smart glasses. According to an internal Meta document, the company may launch the…

Artificial Insecurity: threats to information integrity

In the second part of our series on the dodgy digital security practices underlying advanced AI tools, we examine how LLMs threaten information integrity.

From Sandvine to AppLogic Networks: a rebrand doesn’t mean reform

Access Now, alongside several human rights organizations and independent news platforms, are calling on AppLogic Networks (previously Sandvine) to substantiate its announced…

Addressing human rights abuses and attacks on press freedom facilitated by AppLogic Networks in Egypt

To:Mr. Mark Driedger, Chief Executive Officer Ms. Carol Tate, Chief Ethics & Compliance OfficerAppLogic Networks Re: Addressing human rights abuses and attacks on press…

Discord Voluntarily Pushes Mandatory Age Verification Despite Recent Data Breach

Discord has begun rolling out mandatory age verification and the internet is, understandably, freaking out. At EFF, we’ve been raising the alarm about age verification mandates…

Digital Omnibus: the EDPB and the EDPS support simplification and competitiveness while raising major concerns ⇄

The EDPB and the EDPS have adopted a joint opinion on the proposal for a digital omnibus regulation, intended to simplify the EU regulatory framework and strengthen…

EDPB work programme 2026-2027: easing compliance and strengthening cooperation across the evolving digital landscape

Brussels, 12 February - During its latest plenary, the EDPB adopted its work programme for 2026-2027. This is the second work programme to support the implementation of the EDPB…

EDPB and EDPS on EU Digital Omnibus: Do not change personal data concept

The EU Data Protection Board and the European Data Protection Supervisor strongly urge the co-legislators not to adopt the proposed changes to the definition of personal data

“Free” Surveillance Tech Still Comes at a High and Dangerous Cost

Surveillance technology vendors, federal agencies, and wealthy private donors have long helped provide local law enforcement “free” access to surveillance equipment that bypasses…

🗣 Homeland Security Wants Names | EFFector 38.3

Criticize the government online? The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) might ask Google to cough up your name. By abusing an investigative tool called "administrative…

AI Omnibus: Reject the proposals to undermine transparency in the AI Act

The European Commission’s dangerous and misguided Digital Omnibus proposal includes a dangerous rollback of transparency requirements in the AI Act. 60 civil society…

Reopening GDPR and ePrivacy through the Digital Omnibus: a risky path for EU digital rights

EDRi has assessed the Digital Omnibus proposals affecting the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the ePrivacy framework. While presented as simplification, the changes…

Conference Digital Commons: Infrastructures, Design, and the Ethics of Autonomy

Digital Commons: Infrastructures, Design, and the Ethics of Autonomy is an international conference exploring how digital infrastructures shape contemporary life, and how…

Global Gathering 2026

The Global Gathering brings together groups from around the world working on the most urgent technology-related challenges affecting human rights, social justice, civil society,…

Science Cafe: Why the current internet sucks

Media scholars Lucie Chateau and Michael Stevenson, and legal scholar Catalina Goanta on how Big Tech killed the internet.

The State of the Internet 2026 with Fieke Jansen

During the State of the Internet, Waag Futurelab takes the annual temperature of the internet. This edition focuses on AI and the limits of our planet. The lecture will be given…

Against Technosolutionism: Governing Platforms as Systems of Care

Why do our digital systems break people? Conversational AI tools like Grok or ChatGPT are promoted as a means to democratize knowledge and expand access to information. In…

Information Integrity & Wikipedia: How community-governed platforms can inform future policy-making.

The event will give the opportunity to the researchers, the University of Amsterdam and Eurecat – Centre Tecnològic de Catalunya, to showcase the results of their analyses,…

Digital Omnibus: EDPB and EDPS support simplification and competitiveness while raising key concerns

Brussels, 11 February - The European Data Protection Board (EDPB) and the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) have adopted a Joint Opinion on the Digital Omnibus Regulation…

Safer Internet Day 2026

Safer Internet Day 2026

Speaking Freely: Yazan Badran

Interviewer: Jillian York Yazan Badran is an assistant professor in international media and communication studies at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, and a researcher at the Echo…

Coalition Urges California to Revoke Permits for Federal License Plate Reader Surveillance

Group led by EFF and Imperial Valley Equity & Justice Asks Gov. Newsom and Caltrans Director to Act Immediately SAN FRANCISCO – California must revoke permits allowing federal…

No One, Including Our Furry Friends, Will Be Safer in Ring's Surveillance Nightmare

Amazon Ring’s Super Bowl ad offered a vision of our streets that should leave every person unsettled about the company’s goals for disintegrating our privacy in public. In the ad,…

Open Letter to Tech Companies: Protect Your Users From Lawless DHS Subpoenas

We are calling on technology companies like Meta and Google to stand up for their users by resisting the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) lawless administrative…

EDRi urged the Council to demand a proper scrutiny of the Digital Omnibus proposal

The Digital Omnibus proposal fails to comply with the Charter of Fundamental Rights and Better Regulation rules, EDRi urged the Council to send the proposal back to the Commission…

Après l’Office européen des brevets, le Brésil bénéficie d’une décision d’adéquation de la Commission européenne

Le 27 janvier 2026, la Commission européenne et le Brésil ont adopté des décisions d'adéquation mutuelles, confirmant que leurs niveaux de protection des données sont comparables.…

Op-ed: Weakening Section 230 Would Chill Online Speech

(This appeared as an op-ed published Friday, Feb. 6 in the Daily Journal, a California legal newspaper.) Section 230, “the 26 words that created the internet,” was enacted 30…

RIP Dave Farber, EFF Board Member and Friend

We are sad to report the passing of longtime EFF Board member, Dave Farber. Dave was 91 and lived in Tokyo from age 83, where he was the Distinguished Professor at Keio University…

On Its 30th Birthday, Section 230 Remains The Lynchpin For Users’ Speech

For thirty years, internet users have benefited from a key federal law that allows everyone to express themselves, find community, organize politically, and participate in…

The Internet Still Works: Wikipedia Defends Its Editors

Section 230 helps make it possible for online communities to host user speech: from restaurant reviews, to fan fiction, to collaborative encyclopedias. But recent debates about…

The Internet Still Works: Yelp Protects Consumer Reviews

Section 230 helps make it possible for online communities to host user speech: from restaurant reviews, to fan fiction, to collaborative encyclopedias. But recent debates about…

EFFecting Change: Get the Flock Out of Our City

Flock contracts have quietly spread to cities across the country. But Flock ALPR (Automated License Plate Readers) erode civil liberties from the moment they're installed.…

Sanctions et mesures correctrices : la CNIL présente le bilan 2025

Cookies, surveillance des salariés et sécurité des données, sont les principaux sujets des sanctions prononcées par la CNIL en 2025, dont le montant cumulé des amendes représente…

Fichiers d’incidents bancaires : la CNIL vous informe et vous accompagne dans vos démarches

Les demandes d’informations portant sur les fichiers d’incidents bancaires représentent en moyenne 400 demandes d’informations reçues par la CNIL par an. C’est pourquoi,…

Ordre du jour de la séance plénière du 5 février 2026

La Commission nationale de l'informatique et des libertés s’est réunie le jeudi 5 février 2026 à 9 h 30 avec l’ordre du jour suivant :

Joint Statement on Internet Shutdowns in the Islamic Republic of Iran

Artificial Insecurity: how AI tools compromise confidentiality

In the first part of our blog series on the dodgy digital security practices underlying advanced AI tools, we unpack how LLMs can jeopardize the confidentiality of people’s data.

Protecting Our Right to Sue Federal Agents Who Violate the Constitution

Federal agencies like Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have descended into utter lawlessness, most recently in Minnesota. The…

Yes to the “ICE Out of Our Faces Act”

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have descended into utter lawlessness, most recently in Minnesota. The violence is shocking. So…

Revoir le webinaire - Dans les coulisses d’un contrôle de la CNIL

La CNIL vous propose de décrypter un sujet ou une actualité en lien avec la protection des données à travers une série de webinaires. Retrouvez ce nouvel épisode consacré aux…

Smart AI Policy Means Examining Its Real Harms and Benefits

The phrase "artificial intelligence" has been around for a long time, covering everything from computers with "brains"—think Data from Star Trek or Hal 9000 from 2001: A Space…

The EU Commission is gutting net neutrality

The European Commission’s new Digital Networks Act threatens to dismantle nearly a decade of net neutrality protections in Europe. What is being presented as a technical update…

#DIDit: EDRi members spark movement for alternatives to Big Tech

At the 39th Chaos Communication Congress (39C3), German author Marc-Uwe Kling helped launch the idea of a monthly “Digital Independence Day” with a broad coalition of civil…

Open Letter: Civil society concerned about extensive and indiscriminate data retention regime in Switzerland

19 civil society organisations have penned a letter to the Swiss Federal Department of Justice and Police (FDJP) to express serious concerns about their plans to extend the Swiss…

EDRi-gram, 4 February 2026

What has the EDRi network been up to over the past few weeks? Find out the latest digital rights news in our bi-weekly newsletter. In this edition: borders, biometrics,…

Traitements de données à des fins de recherche scientifique (hors santé) : quand saisir la CNIL ?

La CNIL précise les cas dans lesquels un avis de sa part est nécessaire pour réaliser une recherche scientifique publique (hors santé) reposant sur le traitement de données…

AP: Without clear values, a 'Wild West' of generative AI looms ⇄

The Dutch Data Protection Authority (AP) today presents its vision on generative artificial intelligence (AI). In this vision, the regulator outlines how generative AI can be…

Privacy Laws & Business enters our 40th year

Blog for International Report February 2026

Hypertrucage (deepfake) : comment se protéger et signaler les contenus illicites ?

De plus en plus réalistes, les vidéos, images et sons truqués peuvent porter atteinte à la vie privée et à la réputation. Les créer ou les partager n’est pas sans risques et peut…

Register now for our conference on cross-regulatory cooperation in the EU (17 March)

The European Data Protection Board (EDPB) invites you to register for its conference, “Cross-regulatory interplay and cooperation in the EU: a data protection perspective”, taking…

DUAA data protection provisions will commence 5 February

The main changes to the data protection legislation in Part 5 of the Data (Use and Access) Act (DUAA) will be commenced on Thursday, 5 February, apart from Section 103

Dutch DPA publishes updated guidance on targeted online political advertising ⇄

The Dutch Data Protection Authority (Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens) has amended the previously published guidance on targeted online political advertising. This version now…

Dutch DPA: no clear necessity for public transport BOAs to have access to passport photos in the driving license register ⇄

The Dutch Data Protection Authority (Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens) considers that it has been insufficiently demonstrated that special enforcement officers (BOAs) in public…

The Dutch DPA in 2026: focus on mass surveillance, AI and digital resilience ⇄

The Dutch Data Protection Authority (AP) has identified three central priorities for the 2026-2028 period: mass surveillance, artificial intelligence (AI), and digital resilience.…

Google Settlement May Bring New Privacy Controls for Real-Time Bidding

EFF has long warned about the dangers of the “real-time bidding” (RTB) system powering nearly every ad you see online. A proposed class-action settlement with Google over their…

Introducing Encrypt It Already

Today, we’re launching Encrypt It Already, our push to get companies to offer stronger privacy protections to our data and communications by implementing end-to-end encryption. If…

EFF to Close Friday in Solidarity with National Shutdown

The Electronic Frontier Foundation stands with the people of Minneapolis and with all of the communities impacted by the ongoing campaign of ICE and CBP violence. EFF will be…

Youth contribute their thoughts on AP supervision ⇄

On the European Data Protection Day on January 28, the Dutch Data Protection Authority (AP) organized a session with young people. Delegates from various youth political parties…

Stakeholder event on political advertising: express your interest

Brussels, 29 January - The EDPB organises a remote event to collect stakeholders’ input on its Guidelines on the processing of personal data to target or deliver political…

DSA Human Rights Alliance publishes principles calling for DSA enforcement to incorporate global perspectives

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DSA Human Rights Alliance Publishes Principles Calling for DSA Enforcement to Incorporate Global Perspectives

The Digital Services Act (DSA) Human Rights Alliance has, since its founding by EFF and Access Now in 2021, worked to ensure that the European Union follows a human rights-based…

✍️ The Bill to Hand Parenting to Big Tech | EFFector 38.2

Lawmakers in Washington are once again focusing on kids, screens, and mental health. But according to Congress, Big Tech is somehow both the problem and the solution. We're…

CCTV surveillance in public transport: drivers may not be permanently in view ⇄

Permanent CCTV surveillance of employees' fixed workstations is not permitted. Cameras may only be deployed if strictly necessary, for example for safety during incidents, and not…

Data Protection Day 2026: keeping children’s personal data safe online

Watch the video on online data protection risks for kids Brussels, 28 January - Every day, the European Data Protection Authorities (DPAs) that make up the EDPB work together to…

EFF Statement on ICE and CBP Violence

Dangerously unchecked surveillance and rights violations have been a throughline of the Department of Homeland Security since the agency’s creation in the wake of the September…

Beware: Government Using Image Manipulation for Propaganda

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem last week posted a photo of the arrest of Nekima Levy Armstrong, one of three activists who had entered a St. Paul, Minn. church to…

DPD: data breaches caused by misuse of personal data at municipalities often fly under the radar ⇄

Municipalities find it difficult to detect the misuse of personal data by their own officials. This concerns, for example, officials who provide information to criminals under…

BfDI startet Sandbox „ReguLab“: Mehr Klarheit beim Datenschutz

BfDI startet Sandbox „ReguLab“: Mehr Klarheit beim Datenschutz

Press Release: EDRi calls for swift action as EU probes X’s Grok over AI-generated harm

The European Commission has opened a DSA investigation into Grok, X’s AI chatbot. EDRi welcomes this decision and is calling for a swift resolution to this matter, to ensure that…

Search Engines, AI, And The Long Fight Over Fair Use

We're taking part in Copyright Week, a series of actions and discussions supporting key principles that should guide copyright policy. Every day this week, various groups are…

Civil society coalition calls for Direct-to-Cell satellite connectivity amid Iran’s internet shutdowns

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Rent-Only Copyright Culture Makes Us All Worse Off

We're taking part in Copyright Week, a series of actions and discussions supporting key principles that should guide copyright policy. Every day this week, various groups are…

Copyright Should Not Enable Monopoly

We're taking part in Copyright Week, a series of actions and discussions supporting key principles that should guide copyright policy. Every day this week, various groups are…

Copyright Kills Competition

We're taking part in Copyright Week, a series of actions and discussions supporting key principles that should guide copyright policy. Every day this week, various groups are…

EDRi launches new resource to document abuses and support a full ban on spyware in Europe

Spyware continues to spread across Europe despite years of scandals and undisputable evidence of fundamental rights violations. As the European Commission remains inactive, civil…

Fighting for algorithmic justice: lessons learned in working closely with affected people

Bits of Freedom shares lessons learned while working on “Amsterdam Top400”, an invasive municipality project which involved the use of predictive policing and led to unwanted…

EDRi-gram, 21 January 2026

What has the EDRi network been up to over the past few weeks? Find out the latest digital rights news in our bi-weekly newsletter. In this edition: EDRi’s 2025 year in review, new…

EDPB and EDPS support streamlining AI Act implementation but call for stronger safeguards to protect fundamental rights

Brussels, 21 January - The European Data Protection Board (EDPB) and the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) have adopted a Joint Opinion on the European Commission’s…

Government consults on social media ban for under 16s

The government has launched a consultation to seek views on whether under 16s should be banned from accessing social media

EFF Joins Internet Advocates Calling on the Iranian Government to Restore Full Internet Connectivity

Earlier this month, Iran’s internet connectivity faced one of its most severe disruptions in recent years with a near-total shutdown from the global internet and major…

💾 The Worst Data Breaches of 2025—And What You Can Do | EFFector 38.1

So many data breaches happen throughout the year that it can be pretty easy to gloss over not just if, but how many different breaches compromised your data. We're diving…

Statutory Damages: The Fuel of Copyright-based Censorship

We're taking part in Copyright Week, a series of actions and discussions supporting key principles that should guide copyright policy. Every day this week, various groups are…

CRIF case shows: Public registries are increasingly being misused

Credit Scoring An investigation into data flows at the Austrian credit agency CRIF has shed further light on the matter: most of the address data in the CRIF database comes from…

EDPB contributes to the LED evaluation and adopts recommendations on the application for Processor BCR

Brussels, 19 January - During its latest plenary, the EDPB adopted a report to support the European Commission’s evaluation of the Law Enforcement Directive (LED). The Commission…

Report: "Information Security within Digital Voting Support Tools."

Report: "Information Security within Digital Voting Assistance Tools," attached as an appendix to the evaluation of the Dutch Lower House elections of October 29, 2025.

What success factors, clarifications, ambiguities, challenges, and gaps do professionals working in the field of the 305a regulation experience regarding the admissibility requirements and procedural rules?

WODC report: "Five Years of the WAMCA Act: An Evaluation of the Act on the Resolution of Mass Claims in Collective Actions (2020-2025)." "This evaluation examines how collective…

An article has been published about the lobbying activities surrounding the "Digital Omnibus" initiative.

"Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO)", which describes itself as "a research group and advocacy organization dedicated to exposing and addressing the privileged access and…

In short:

"This briefing analyzes the establishment of the European Authority for the Prevention of Money Laundering and the Financing of Terrorism (AMLA) as a key component of the reform…

In short:

"The research was structured around three main questions: (1) What is the legal framework in different European countries for collecting (online) data for the purpose of…

Fiche.

"The government recognizes the importance of protecting fundamental rights and appreciates that the Commission also gives attention to this issue. Nevertheless, the government has…

Planning for the SUWI work agenda.

Planning for the SUWI work agenda. This section provides more information about the planning for legislative proposals concerning "careful data exchange (legal basis)" and…

The price of free internet: Directions for future online tracking policies.

Rathenau Institute, "The Price of Free Internet: Directions for Future Online Tracking Policy (2025)," including a letter from the Parliament responding to the report.

Report and accompanying notes.

Amendment to the Implementing Act of the General Data Protection Regulation and several other laws, concerning the streamlining and updating of data protection law (Data…

The "policy situation" surrounding Transaction Monitoring Netherlands.

A partial granting of a request under the Public Access of Information Act (Ministry of Finance) regarding the "policy situation" surrounding Transaction Monitoring Netherlands…

The price of free internet. Directions for future online tracking policy ⇄

Rathenau Institute, The price of free internet. Directions for future online tracking policy (2025), including a Letter to Parliament responding thereto.

Memorandum in response to the report ⇄

Amendment of the GDPR Implementation Act and several other laws in connection with the streamlining and updating of data protection law (Data Protection Omnibus Act); Memorandum…