Notices by EDRi (edri@eupolicy.social), page 2

5/6 This law - and the processes around it - has been mired in several scandals uncovered by investigative journalists. 🔥
https://balkaninsight.com/2023/09/25/who-benefits-inside-the-eus-fight-over-scanning-for-child-sex-content/

We still have questions and so does the European Ombudsman:
https://balkaninsight.com/2024/10/11/europol-revising-conflict-of-interest-screening-after-birn-investigation/
#ChatControl #Lobbying #Europol

4/6 EU policy should be based in evidence; the Commission’s own “Better Regulation” agenda says so.

But not only did the Commissioner repeatedly make false claims about her proposal, fact-checking researchers from TU Delft even called her out for it. Ouch! 🤕
https://www.euractiv.com/section/platforms/news/fact-checkers-call-out-commission-on-anti-child-abuse-material-proposal/

3/6 Before the Commission formally proposed the #ChatControl legislation, we sought meetings with Commissioner Johansson. We could and would have warned her what a bad idea it is. Unfortunately, she kept rejecting our requests 🙉

So we created a flashy website with a fairly descriptive name to get her attention:
https://has-commissioner-johansson-met-with-digital-rights-groups.eu/

Unfortunately, the answer remains “No” to this day. 💔

2/6 Commissioner Johansson is most infamous for proposing the Child Sexual Abuse Regulation, a.k.a. #ChatControl.

😮 It might be the most criticised EU law of all time, with critique coming from so many experts & stakeholders, including children’s rights groups:
https://edri.org/our-work/most-criticised-eu-law-of-all-time/

1/6 As a new European Commission is confirmed, we say goodbye to some people whose term of office is ending this weekend. Time for us to reflect on a very special relationship with Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson and to hope that successor Magnus Brunner will do better. 👋

🚨 The European Commission is planning to stop funding for #FreeSoftware projects.

This will be a blow to #DigitalRights & the health of the internet.

The future of an open internet needs public funding ✊🏾

Read more from @fsfe and find out how you can help ⤵️
https://edri.org/our-work/european-commission-cuts-funding-support-for-free-software-projects/

1/3 🚨 Today, the #AIAct will officially become EU law.

Did it deliver on centering people and #HumanRights like civil society advocated for during the legislative process?

Not really. But there's still some silver linings 🌥️

Read our statement ⤵️ https://edri.org/our-work/statement-eu-takes-modest-step-as-ai-law-comes-into-effect/

Every day in our work, @edri challenges private and state actors who abuse their power to control or manipulate the public ✊🏾

We have also put forward a manifesto that establishes a positive vision for our digital futures 🌱

Read more by @CFerKic in The Parliament Magazine ⤵️

https://www.theparliamentmagazine.eu/partner/article/meet-europes-largest-digital-rights-network-shaping-eu-tech-policy-for-people-democracy-and-the-planet

1/3 Today, as Hungary #HU24EU takes over the Council presidency, EDRi & 47 digital rights, human rights & children’s rights organisations call for the

❌withdrawing of the #ChatControl proposal.

Read more in our joint statement: https://edri.org/our-work/joint-statement-on-the-future-of-the-csa-regulation/

3/3 🚨 There is NO magical solution to child sexual abuse.

The mass scanning of people's private chats leaves people VULNERABLE to malicious security attacks.

We need multi-faceted societal-level and political solutions. Alternative approaches exist: https://edri.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/EDRi-Position-Paper-CSAR.pdf

2/3 The new #ChatControl proposal suggests that providers of private communications services must:

👀 ask people to consent to faulty AI-based scanning of their private chats, OR
❌BAN them from sharing images, videos & URLs!

Read more: https://edri.org/our-work/be-scanned-or-get-banned/

1/3 New "solution" from the @eu2024be on #ChatControl fails #HumanRights on all counts!

We're looking at:
🔸Forced consent
🔸Mass scanning of private messages
🔸Undermining encryption
🔸Punishing privacy-enhancing services & rewarding those that violate people’s privacy

Read more: https://edri.org/our-work/be-scanned-or-get-banned/

1/4 🚨Belgian Presidency of the Council of European Union's new #CSAR proposal is rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic.

The new approach suggests a number of harmful & privacy-eroding ‘solutions’. Once again putting people's digital safety at risk.🤐

Read more from @ella @je5perl https://edri.org/our-work/rearranging-deck-chairs-on-the-titanic-belgiums-latest-move-doesnt-solve-critical-issues-with-eu-csa-regulation/

112 civil society groups, including @edri have come together to urge EU lawmakers to #StopEURODAC ✊🏾

EU lawmakers must protect the human rights of migrants, refugees & asylum seekers by rejecting the expansion of #EURODAC.

Read our statement ➡️ https://edri.org/our-work/civil-society-calls-for-an-end-to-the-expansion-of-eus-eurodac-database/

3/3 The current EU regulations on #spyware are not cutting it 🙅♀️

After the EU elections, incoming lawmakers have a choice: confront & act against spyware for the integrity of EU democracy ... or become the next targets of this #SurveillanceTechnology.

https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2024/03/13/will-the-brussels-spyware-scandal-finally-convince-the-eu-to-act

1/3 🚨 # Spyware can turn a phone into a real-time spying device. EU lawmakers and journalists are becoming targets of this #surveillance tech.

Just last month Brussels was rocked by a spyware scandal.

What will it take for the EU to finally act against #spyware?

Read our take in Euronews: https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2024/03/13/will-the-brussels-spyware-scandal-finally-convince-the-eu-to-act

@chlobemy

2/3 🚨 The European Media Freedom Act #EMFA, adopted by the EU yesterday, aimed to protect journalists from EU governments abusing #spyware.

Despite its lofty ambitions, #EMFA lacks crucial safeguards, and may even end up promoting the use of spyware against journalists ❌

4/5 What now? 🤔

Stay tuned! Over the coming months, a broad coalition of rights and justice groups will be sharing our vision for how we can squeeze as many positives from the #AIAct as possible.

✊🏾 This is the end of one chapter in our AI work, and the beginning of the next!

5/5 In the mean time, read some initial takes and reactions from @edri members and organisations who are a part of our AI civil society coalition.

- Access Now: The EU AI Act: a failure for human rights, a victory for industry and law enforcement https://www.accessnow.org/press-release/ai-act-failure-for-human-rights-victory-for-industry-and-law-enforcement/

- Amnesty Tech: EU Artificial Intelligence rulebook fails to stop proliferation of abusive technologies https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2024/03/eu-artificial-intelligence-rulebook-fails-to-stop-proliferation-of-abusive-technologies/

- European Disability Forum: AI Act falls short of the 'gold standard' but partial win on accessibility https://www.edf-feph.org/ai-act-agreement-partial-win-on-accessibility/

- EDRi member @bitsoffreedom is skeptical about the results of the #AIAct [IN DUTCH] https://www.bitsoffreedom.nl/2023/12/09/de-ai-verordening-is-er-maar-wij-zijn-sceptisch/