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Bits of Freedom
Projects
Net neutrality
If you get access to the internet, you should get access to the entire internet. You, and not your internet provider, should get to decide what you do on the internet. Bits of Freedom has been advocating for strong protection of net neutrality in law for nearly a decade now.
Dragnet surveillance for secret services
People don’t want a dragnet cast over their online communication inhibiting their freedoms and have requested an advisory referendum. Soon Dutch citizens will be able to voice their opinion on the most controversial surveillance law in the Netherlands.
Police hacking
The Dutch government has proposed that the police should be allowed to hack into mobile phones and computers, even when these are located abroad. This proposal has been passed in the Lower House and now lies before the Senate. While this appears to be a powerful asset for law enforcement, in reality it creates unnecessary vulnerabilities for citizens.
Lobby-tomy, an insider’s view of lobbying
The new European data protection regulation is the most lobbied piece of legislation in Europe thus far. That’s why we used the Dutch freedom of information act to ask the government to publicize all the lobby documents they received on this new law. We published these documentsHere you can find the original documents with our analysis in English in a series of blogs. What parties did lobby? What did they want? And what does that mean for you?
Big Brother Awards
Every year, the Big Brother Awards pays tribute to the creme de la creme of privacy offenders. Individuals, corporations and governments who have distinguished themselves the past year by grossly infringing on citizens’ privacy and freedom have a shot at taking home either the Audience Award or the Expert Award. Hereby Bits of Freedom adds a part in a beautiful international tradition.
English blogposts
Big-tech’s lobby sets the rules about big-tech in Europe
The enormous lobbying power of these companies means that these companies are also particularly dominant in the creation of rules. Even if those rules are precisely intended to limit the power of those companies
Tinkering with keys weakens encryption
Key management is an integral part of the whole of encryption.
Algorithms need managers, too
During my internship at Bits of Freedom, I researched the use of algorithms for detecting fake news. These are my most important findings.
Update on the Dutch “Dragnet-Act”: One step forward, two steps back?
The Amendment Act to the Dragnet-Act passed the Senate. The improvements therein do not go far enough, but they are in the right direction. The newly acquired safeguards must not be overturned.
Facebook’s dominance makes it difficult to question the truth
Whoever directs our public debate directs us in our thinking, in our worldview and in our truth. This is why it is so harmful we are dependent on a small number of dominant companies for our public debate online.
How one word took an entire organization off the air
The use of a single word, such as “QAnon”, can be a cause for eternal banishment from social media platforms.
Four measures to limit the dominance of platforms like YouTube and Facebook
Bits of Freedom advocates for four interventions, which should lead us to a multiform communication landscape. An essential ingredient for a healthy public debate online.
Anonymity is indispensable
Would an anonymity ban on social media be a good solution to counter all the hatred on these platforms? We don’t think so.
Everyone wants to encourage encryption, except for one minister
An update on the next episode of the so-called cryptowars in the Netherlands.
The Digital Rights Movement Needs To Prioritize Sustainable Working
A lack of attention for well-being and mental health issues can do irreparable damage to our movement and the causes we are fighting for.
A testing society must not turn into a society of borders and control
There is increasing talk of measures that allow for selection at the gate based on health data. Can you show proof of vaccination? Then you may pass. Do you have a recent, negative test result? Then you may enter. Are you unable or unwilling to show these? Then you are denied access. There’s an understandable rationale that underpins these scenarios: we want to create a safe environment. Yet it’s causing us great concern.
Annual Report Bits of Freedom 2019
These are last year’s highlights.
Google seizes crisis to legitimize mass surveillance
By using terms such as ‘anonymized’ and ‘aggregated’, Google’s mass surveillance is veneered with something resembling privacy. But we must remember that Google’s data insights are made up of the data of millions of people who are tracked by Google on an individual level. And often against their will.
Contact tracing apps: all eyes on the Dutch DPA
During the development of the “corona app”, crucial questions remain unanswered. Will the Dutch Data Protection Authority succeed in bringing to light the much-needed clarity?
Protect our health and protect our rights
Contact tracing apps should be temporary, transparent, completely anonymous, voluntary and user friendly, free of commercial interests, and they should be brought under the control of independent experts.