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Brussels, 23 February - EDPB Chair Anu Talus has signed a Joint Statement on AI-Generated Imagery and the Protection of Privacy on behalf of the EDPB. The statement, coordinated by the Global Privacy Assembly's (GPA) International Enforcement Cooperation Working Group (IEWG), represents the united position of 61 authorities across the world. This reflects the Board’s commitment to contributing to the global dialogue on data protection as outlined in the fourth pillar of its work programme 2026-2

Kaja Kallas called for a diplomatic solution as the U.S. builds up military forces around Iran.

The lawmaker has tabled a new proposal to reauthorise the insecticide acetamiprid

Corrected and added some links, removed duplicate in short summary. }}}} An DPA denied a complaint against a public body under Articles 9 and 77 GDPR, holding that publication of a data subject’s political donation did not violate the GDPR because the controller had a lawful basis.An DPA denied a complaint against a public body under [[Article 9 GDPR|Articles 9]] and [[Article 77 GDPR|77 GDPR]], holding that publication of a data subject’s political donation did not violate them because the cont

|Appeal_From_Case_Number_Name=16.07.2025|Appeal_From_Case_Number_Name=16.07.2025 |Appeal_From_Status=|Appeal_From_Status= |Appeal_From_Link=https://www.dataprotection.ro/?page=Comunicat_Presa_16.07.2025|Appeal_From_Link=https://gdprhub.eu/index.php?title=ANSPDCP_(Romania)_-_Fine_against_a_Romanian_politician |Appeal_To_Body=|Appeal_To_Body= |Appeal_To_Case_Number_Name=|Appeal_To_Case_Number_Name= A politician, the operator of a website (the controller), appealed a DPA decision sanctioning him fo

EU exports to Russia have been the target of the EU's 19 sanctions packages

Wisconsin’s S.B. 130 / A.B. 105 is a spectacularly bad idea. It’s an age-verification bill that effectively bans VPN access to certain websites for Wisconsinites and censors lawful speech. We wrote about it last November in our blog “Lawmakers Want to Ban VPNs—And They Have No Idea What They're Doing,” but since then, the bill has passed the State Assembly and is scheduled for a vote in the State Senate tomorrow. In light of this, EFF sent a letter to the entire Wisconsin Legislature urging

On 3 February 2026, the United States House Committee on the Judiciary launched a report in which EDRi member Bits of Freedom and Justice for Prosperity, among others, are called "censorous NGOs". In response, Bits of Freedom and Justice for Prosperity are issuing the following statement. The post US pressure on the Digital Services Act in the Netherlands appeared first on European Digital Rights (EDRi).

The Czech Supreme Court has ruled that the legal regulation of blanket collection of electronic communications data (known as data retention) violates European Union law in a "long-term and particularly serious manner." This decision is the result of a multi-year campaign by the organization IuRe. However, the responsible minister has not yet taken steps to end blanket collection. The post Czech ministry apologizes to journalist for blanket collection of mobile phone data appeared first on Europ

Report from EFF, Center for Just Journalism, and IPVM Helps Cut Through Sales HypeSAN FRANCISCO — A new report released today offers journalists tips on cutting through the sales hype about police surveillance technology and report accurately on costs, benefits, privacy, and accountability as these invasive and often ineffective tools come to communities across the nation. The “Selling Safety” report is a joint project of the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), the Center for Just Journalism (

}}}} A court held that a former employee cannot receive access to their work email correspondence and files based on an access request when the emails and files only contain the employee’s identification information.A court held that a former employee cannot request access to their work email correspondence and other work-related files when the emails and files only contain the employee’s identification information. == English Summary ==== English Summary == Following his dismissal, the data sub

|Initial_Contributor=lde|Initial_Contributor=lde || }}}}The DPA found that the food delivery company Wolt failed to respond properly and in time to a customer’s access request after their account was blocked. The DPA found that Wolt violated [[Article 12 GDPR|Article 12 GDPR]] by failing to respond properly and in time to a data subject’s access request, thus failing to facilitate the exercise of rights or provide a timely refusal. == English Summary ==== English Summary ==

So-called strategic dialogues are being used by industry to question EU law, campaigners warn as they accuse the European Commission of shutting them out

|Initial_Contributor=lde|Initial_Contributor=lde || }}}}A court held that the DPA insufficiently justified its rejection of a complaint against a cinema that no longer accepted cash payments. According to the court, the DPA failed to assess whether the mandatory card payments pursued a sufficiently concrete and justified purpose under the GDPR. A court held that the DPA insufficiently justified its refusal to act against a cinema that no longer accepted cash payments, failing to demonstrate that

Elon Musk's Grok AI tool has channeled most of the controversy and regulatory scrutiny over sexualised deepfakes but Spain's PM eyes a wider net

}}}} A court annulled a DPA decision imposing a €150,000 fine on a news programme diffusing personal data of a minister for information purposes. The court concluded that public interest was overriding the right to privacy.A court annulled a DPA’s decision imposing a €150,000 fine on a public broadcaster after airing a private former Minister’s private conversation. The court concluded that public interest in airing the conversation overrode the former Minister’s right to privacy. == English Sum

The rules aim to set detailed standards for procurement and subsidies to boost local industry

Pierrakakis says he is "positive" about the decision by France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, and Spain to accelerate market integration

Since taking office in May, a coalition led by conservative Chancellor Friedrich Merz has deployed more police at the borders

Facts: typo The Local Territorial Agency for Residential Housing (Azienda territoriale per l’edilizia residenziale) submitted a complaint to the DPA regarding the installation of security cameras by the business “Macelleria La Costata s.r.l.s.”, a local butcher . The Local Territorial Agency for Residential Housing (Azienda territoriale per l’edilizia residenziale) submitted a complaint to the DPA regarding the installation of security cameras by the business “Macelleria La Costata s.r.l.s.”, a

The visits come a day after Rubio called on Europeans to defend "Western civilisation"

The tendency to “muddle through” the Trump years until a new administration restores American engagement in the alliance, does not encourage bold initiatives. Wishful thinking and waiting it out are not a strategy

ManTechnologist moved page OLG Dresden - Az. 4 U 196/25 to OLG Dresden - 4 U 196/25 Misspelled title New page{{COURTdecisionBOX |Jurisdiction=Germany |Court-BG-Color= |Courtlogo=Courts_logo1.png |Court_Abbrevation=OLG Dresden |Court_Original_Name=Oberlandesgericht Dresden |Court_English_Name=Higher Regional Court Dresden |Court_With_Country=OLG Dresden (Germany) |Case_Number_Name=Az. 4 U 196/25 |ECLI= |Original_Source_Name_1=beck-aktuell |Original_Source_Link_1=https://rsw.beck.de/aktuell/daily/

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 for years. In December, we launched our Age Verification Resource Hub to push back against laws and platform policies that require users to hand over sensitive personal information just to access basic online services. At the time, age gates were largely enforced in polities where it was mandated by law. Now they’re landi

Media scholars Lucie Chateau and Michael Stevenson, and legal scholar Catalina Goanta on how Big Tech killed the internet. The post Science Cafe: Why the current internet sucks appeared first on European Digital Rights (EDRi).

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 subpoenas," DHS has been demanding that tech companies hand over users' names, locations, and more. We're explaining how companies can stand up for users—and covering the latest news in the fight for privacy and free speech online—with our EFFector newsletter. For over 35 years, EFFector has been your guide to underst

Surveillance technology vendors, federal agencies, and wealthy private donors have long helped provide local law enforcement “free” access to surveillance equipment that bypasses local oversight. The result is predictable: serious accountability gaps and data pipelines to other entities, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), that expose millions of people to harm. The cost of “free” surveillance tools — like automated license plate readers (ALPRs), networked cameras, face recognit

|Case_Number_Name=C‑97/23 WhatsApp Ireland Ltd|Case_Number_Name=C‑97/23 WhatsApp Ireland Ltd |ECLI=ECLI:EU:C:2025:210|ECLI=ECLI:EU:C:2026:81 |Opinion_Link=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:62023CC0097|Opinion_Link=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:62023CC0097 |Judgement_Link=|Judgement_Link=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A62023CJ0097 |Date_Decided=|Date_Decided=10.02.2026 |Year=|Year=2026 |GDPR_Article_1=Articl

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 practice, however, they have also made sexual harassment easier, reproduced harmful stereotypes, and, in some cases, encouraged people to self-harm rather than helping them. These outcomes are not rare glitches. They reveal how conversational AI and social media platforms are built, governed, and deployed at scale. The post Ag

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 agencies such as Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to put automated license plate readers along border highways, a coalition led by the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) and Imperial Valley Equity & Justice (IVEJ) demanded today. In a letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom and Ca

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, disguised as a heartfelt effort to reunite the lost dogs of the country with their innocent owners, the company previewed future surveillance of our streets: a world where biometric identification could be unleashed from consumer devices to identify, track, and locate anything — human, pet, and otherwise. The ad for Ri

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. While officials claim these cameras keep neighborhoods safe, the evidence tells a different story. The data reveals how Flock has enabled surveillance of people seeking abortions, protesters exercising First Amendment rights, and communities targeted by discriminatory policing. This is exactly why cities are saying no. Fr

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 and Co-Director of the Keio Cyber Civilization Research Center (CCRC). Known as the Grandfather of the Internet, Dave made countless contributions to the internet, both directly and through his support for generations of students. Dave was the longest-serving EFF Board member, having joined in the early 1990s, before t

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 law often overlook how it works in practice. To mark its 30th anniversary, EFF is interviewing leaders of online platforms about how they handle complaints, moderate content, and protect their users’ ability to speak and share information. Yelp hosts millions of reviews written by internet users about local businesses

Federal agencies like 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 are the intrusions on digital rights. For example, we have a First Amendment right to record on-duty police, including ICE and CBP, but federal agents are violating this right. Indeed, Alex Pretti was exercising this right shortly before federal agents shot and killed him. So were the many people wh

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 are the intrusions on digital rights and civil liberties. For example, immigration agents are routinely scanning faces of people they suspect of unlawful presence in the country – 100,000 times, according to the Wall Street Journal. The technology has already misidentified at least one person, according to 404 Media. Fac

De Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens (AP) legt tien gemeenten een boete op van in totaal 250.000 euro. De reden is dat zij dossiers met gevoelige informatie over islamitische inwoners hebben verwerkt, zonder dat deze inwoners dat wisten. De gemeenten hebben daarmee de Algemene verordening gegevensbescherming (AVG) overtreden. Zij mochten deze informatie niet hebben. Ook hebben zij hiermee gegevens over de religie en politieke voorkeuren van mensen verwerkt, terwijl dit vrijwel altijd verboden is.

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 Data Retention regime. They call on the Federal Councilor to align Swiss legislation with the highest standards of protection for people’s privacy. The post Open Letter: Civil society concerned about extensive and indiscriminate data retention regime in Switzerland appeared first on European Digital Rights (EDRi).

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 society organisations. On the first Sunday of each month, participants explore alternatives to dominant digital platforms, share experiences using #DIDit, and support one another through volunteer-led online and in-person meet-ups. To date, 189 organisations have joined the initiative, organising over 400 meet-ups. The post #

De Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens (AP) heeft de eerder gepubliceerde leidraad voor gerichte politieke online reclame aangepast. Hierin is nu de input verwerkt van organisaties die reageerden op de consultatie van de leidraad.

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 closed Friday, Jan. 30 as part of the national shutdown in opposition to ICE and CBP and the brutality and terror they and other federal agencies continue to inflict on immigrant communities and any who stand with them. We do not make this decision lightly, but we will not remain silent. See our statement on ICE/CBP violenc

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 diving into the latest attempt to control how kids access the internet and more with our latest EFFector newsletter. Since 1990, EFFector has been your guide to understanding the intersection of technology, civil liberties, and the law. This latest issue tracks what to do when you hit an age gate online, explains why ren

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 taking on different elements of copyright law and policy, and addressing what's at stake, and what we need to do to make sure that copyright promotes creativity and innovation. Long before generative AI, copyright holders warned that new technologies for reading and analyzing information would destroy creativity.

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 Proposal for the ‘Digital Omnibus on AI’. The Proposal seeks to simplify the implementation of certain harmonised rules under the AI Act to ensure their effective application.The EDPB and the EDPS support the objective of addressing practical challenges relating to the implementation of the AI Act. Administrative simplificat

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 interference in the private lives of young people. Together with a coalition of professionals from different background and affected individuals, they explored the possibility of holding the municipality of Amsterdam accountable for violations of children’s rights, data protection law, and fundamental freedoms. The post Fig

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 restrictions on mobile access. EFF joined architects, operators, and stewards of the global internet infrastructure in calling upon authorities in Iran to immediately restore full and unfiltered internet access. We further call upon the international technical community to remain vigilant in monitoring connectivity and to support

Government.

"The government recognizes the importance of protecting fundamental rights and appreciates that the Commission also gives attention to this issue. Nevertheless, the government has reservations about the proposal, given that the regulation provides for the large-scale availability of sensitive..."

Government.

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 actions (hereinafter referred to as "305a actions") function in relation to the objectives of the Act on the Resolution of Mass Claims in Collective Actions (WAMCA), which aims to..."

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 has to submit its public report* on the evaluation and review of this Directive to the European Parliament and to the Council by 6 May 2026. Ahead of this, the Commission gathered the views of the European Data Protection Authorities (DPAs) on the application and functioning of the LED over the period from January 2022

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. The Senate Commerce Committee held a hearing today on “examining the effect of technology on America’s youth.” Witnesses warned about “addictive” online content, mental health, and kids spending too much time buried in screen. At the center of the debate is a bill from Sens. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Brian Schatz (D-HI) called the Kids O