
Bits of Freedom
Our finances
Programs
Freedom of communication
Our current online communication ecosystem, characterized by a few overly-dominant platforms and closely interwoven with the tracking-based advertising industry, frustrates civil society’s ability to hold power accountable and put forward new ideas and bold alternatives.
Data justice
The careless use of data and algorithms can reinforce inequality and compromise legal certainty. Strong regulation and oversight can protect people against these harms.
State surveillance
Government surveillance needs to be targeted, predictable and come with strong oversight and safeguards.
Awareness and action
We work to strengthen people’s understanding of technology and civil society’s ability to respond to technological developments.
English blogposts
A limited ban on biometric surveillance undermines its own potential
We spoke in the European Parliament about how a limited ban on biometric surveillance undermines its own protection.
GDPR-compliance research within the ten largest municipalities
Bits of Freedom has done research on the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)-compliance within the ten largest municipalities of the Netherlands. Unfortunately, most municipalities scored a failing grade, despite the fact that the GDPR has celebrated its fourth anniversary.
Europol is going to collect a massive collection of porn of European youngsters
You do not help children and young people by making Europol compete with Pornhub.
Sex crimes unit already overwhelmed, and EU lawmakers will only make it worse
Dutch sex crimes investigators are already overloaded. The European Commission has plans that will only make this worse by generating a plethora of, often unjustified, reports.
8 new rules that will protect you from online platforms
At the start of 2024, the Digital Services Act (DSA) will come into effect. That means that there will be many new rules that will benefit users of platforms like Google, Instagram, and TikTok. We read the textRead the final text of the DSA here! –which has just been final–which has just been finalized– and list 8 rules that will soon protect your rights from online platforms.
Google accuses you of child abuse? Impossible! Right?
When technology companies use computes to detect material of sexual abuse of children, mistakes will be made. As a result, innocent users are wrongly accused of child sexual abuse.
Don’t restrict encryption before alternatives have been explored, says advisory council
Dutch cabinet’s most important advisory body concerning cyber security: don’t restrict encryption before alternatives have been explored.
What’s going on in Brussels?
A quick overview of the EU legislative proposals we are involved with, and what to expect.
Meta interferes with wombs
Meta shows to be anti-abortion and restricts people from sharing and accessing information about abortion pills. On top of that, menstrual cycle apps share users’ data with Facebook. The right to privacy is even more important to women now that Meta is interfering with their uteruses.
Good news: Dutch secret services destroy unlawfully stored information on millions of innocent citizens
The secret services have more information about you than the law allows. The regulator required them to destroy that information. The ministers confirm in a letter to the supervisor and Bits of Freedom that that will happen.
Hooray! We freed the data of millions of people from the clutches of the secret services!
Hooray! We freed the data from millions of citizens from the clutches of the secret services!
We filed a complaint against the secret services on behalf of millions of citizens
We filed a complaint against the sercret services on behalf of millions of citizens
European Commission wants to eliminate online confidentiality
The Commission wants platforms and internet providers to do the impossible. With its proposal, it threatens to eliminate confidentiality online.