EFFecting Change: Can’t Stop the Signal
The Electronic Frontier Foundation and Amnesty International are co‑hosting a livestream titled “Can’t Stop the Signal” on April 16, 2026, to examine the surge in government‑imposed internet shutdowns. The event will focus on Iran’s recent nationwide blackout, which has been used to mute dissent amid the Israel‑U.S. conflict. Speakers from both organizations will discuss how journalists, emergency responders, and ordinary citizens can maintain connectivity despite censorship. The session includes a live Q&A for activists and policymakers.
A Practical Guide to Joint Investigations: Lessons Learned From One Year of the Civic Journalism Coalition
The Civic Journalism Coalition, launched in February 2025 by EDRi, ECNL and Lighthouse Reports, has released a practical guide titled “Working the story together” to help journalists and civil‑society groups conduct joint investigations. Over the past year the coalition built...
EDRi-Gram, 1 April 2026
The European Parliament rushed a vote on the AI Omnibus proposal, accelerating a deregulation trajectory that critics say erodes safeguards for high‑risk AI systems. At the same time, legislators approved a controversial Deportation Regulation that would give the EU powers...
New Study Reveals How Young People Are Influenced by Gamification Features on Snapchat
A March 2026 Bits of Freedom study surveyed 300 teens aged 13‑21 about Snapchat’s gamification features. Eighty‑six percent actively maintain Snapstreaks, and 25 % have paid roughly €0.99 (≈ $1.07) to restore a broken streak. Over half of interviewees would drop Snapstreaks, friend...
EDRi-Gram, 18 March 2026
EU lawmakers are simultaneously tightening and expanding digital surveillance measures. The European Parliament’s LIBE committee approved a new Deportation Regulation that will broaden data collection and movement restrictions across the bloc, while the same Parliament cut eight months from the...
Five Lessons From Three Years of Risk Assessments Under the Digital Services Act
The European Center for Not‑for‑profit Law (ECNL) examined three years of Digital Services Act (DSA) risk assessments submitted by Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and X, finding that despite longer reports, they still suffer from vague risk statements, weak focus on...
Artificial Insecurity: How AI Tools Compromise Confidentiality
Access Now’s March 2026 report warns that AI tools built on large language models suffer glaring security flaws that jeopardize data confidentiality, integrity and availability. Recent breaches – from DeepSeek’s exposed chat database to OpenAI’s leak of user metadata – illustrate how...
Court Again Rules in Favour of Bits of Freedom: Freedom of Choice for Instagram and Facebook Users Remains Intact
On 11 March the Dutch Court of Appeal upheld a prior judgment in favor of digital‑rights group Bits of Freedom, confirming that Meta must continue offering Dutch Instagram and Facebook users a choice between an algorithmic feed and a chronological, non‑profiling...
The Digital Omnibus: A Step Back From the Brink, but the Risks Remain
The European Council’s first compromise on the Digital Omnibus has stripped out the most controversial GDPR amendments, including changes to personal data definitions, scientific research scope, and Article 22 safeguards. However, the draft still contains provisions that could dilute transparency obligations,...
Civil Society Calls for an Ambitious Digital Fairness Act on World Consumer Rights Day
On World Consumer Rights Day, a coalition of civil‑society groups, led by EDRi, urged the European Commission to adopt an ambitious Digital Fairness Act (DFA). The letter argues that current EU rules—GDPR, DSA and DMA—do not cover manipulative design, addictive...
The eID Wallet Still Doesn’t Deserve Your Full Trust
The EU’s new eID Wallet, mandated by eIDAS 2.0, remains stalled because the Commission’s draft implementing acts weaken core privacy safeguards. EDRi and eight NGOs warn that the proposals reduce untraceability, mandate facial biometric data, and limit pseudonym use, shifting privacy...
EDRi Files DSA Complaint Against YouTube for Undermining User Autonomy
The European Digital Rights (EDRi) organization has filed a formal complaint with Belgium’s Digital Services Coordinator, the BIPT, alleging that YouTube violates the EU Digital Services Act (DSA). The complaint focuses on YouTube’s deceptive interface that pushes users toward a...
Outsourcing Crime Control: How EU Anti-Money Laundering Rules Threaten Financial Privacy
The European Union’s revised anti‑money‑laundering (AML) and counter‑terrorist financing framework transfers crime‑detection duties from public authorities to private banks and other obliged entities. By mandating extensive collection of personal and transactional data, the rules compel institutions to flag customers as...
Chat Control Is in the Final Stretch – but It Could Be a Marathon, Not a Sprint
The EU Council, led by Denmark, has rejected mandatory scanning of private messages and added safeguards for encrypted communications in the contentious CSA Regulation. While the Council now proposes a voluntary detection framework, the European Parliament still backs limited mandatory...
Czech Ministry Apologizes to Journalist for Blanket Collection of Mobile Phone Data
The Czech Supreme Court ruled that the country's blanket retention of mobile phone metadata violates EU law, labeling the practice a long‑term and serious rights infringement. Following the decision, the Ministry of Industry and Trade issued a formal apology to...
Europe’s Digital Sovereignty Starts with Open Source
EDRi, together with Access Now and Vrijschrift.org, submitted a response to the EU’s Open‑Source Digital Ecosystems Strategy, arguing that free and open source software (FOSS) is a strategic foundation for Europe’s digital sovereignty. The brief highlights how Europe’s current reliance...
Ensuring Human Rights-Based, Global Perspectives in the DSA Enforcement: The DSA Human Rights Alliance’s Guidelines
The DSA Human Rights Alliance released an eight‑principle guide urging the European Commission and national regulators to embed a human‑rights‑centered approach as the Digital Services Act moves into enforcement. The recommendations stress cross‑border effects, inclusion of diverse civil‑society groups, and...
How Recommender Algorithms Threaten Election Integrity
A study by ApTI examined how Facebook, Instagram and TikTok recommendation algorithms delivered political content during Romania’s 2025 presidential election. Using four controlled accounts, the researchers found that algorithms routinely overrode explicit user choices, showing adult users political posts from...
European Commission’s Plans Will Lead to Worse Regulations
EDRi warns that the European Commission’s plan to amend the Better Regulation framework will degrade EU lawmaking by introducing procedural shortcuts, reducing scrutiny, and favoring private interests. The civil‑society group submitted evidence highlighting failures in impact assessments, a politicised ‘urgency’...