The European Commission is selling out on digital rights

The European Commission has introduced digital omnibus proposals, framed as a simplification of EU legislation, but raising serious concerns about the weakening of digital rights protections. These proposals reopen key legal frameworks, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the ePrivacy Directive, and the AI Act, potentially undermining years of work on digital rights safeguards. This move comes as the AI Act is in the middle of the implementation phase. The proposals include significant changes, such as the potential elimination of consent requirements for online tracking under the ePrivacy Directive, allowing companies to monitor user behavior without explicit permission. Additionally, the proposals suggest narrowing the definition of personal data under the GDPR, potentially making it easier to process encrypted data, despite the traceability risks. Furthermore, there are propositions to permit the use of sensitive personal data, such as data on religion, ethnicity, and health, for AI training purposes, and to postpone penalties for vendors introducing dangerous AI applications. These proposed changes could significantly impact individuals' privacy and data protection rights, potentially allowing for increased surveillance and misuse of personal information. The tech lobby pressure has led to a focus on market interests over citizen rights. These changes undermine the EU's ability to differentiate itself in digital innovation by upholding human rights, putting at risk the EU's commitment to protecting its citizens' digital rights. Bits of Freedom and other digital rights organizations are actively working to prevent the weakening of these protections. They are collaborating with partners and other NGOs to advocate for legislation that prioritizes human rights in the digital sphere, pushing back against what they see as a dangerous trend of deregulation.