Civil Liberties in the Digital Age
Technology can play a key role in exposing human rights violations, and its liberating power has been widely recognized and celebrated. However, we have increasingly witnessed that it can be a double-edged sword for the very same causes with dire consequences and harmful effects on the right to life, privacy, freedom of expression, association or movement and national security. Although Italy is at the centre of these issues, its role, its policies and its practices often go unscrutinized by the media and the public. The digital divide is one of the main causes, from both an infrastructural as well as a cultural point of view, and affects all components of society, from the media to politicians, from citizens to NGOs.

The aim of the Civil Liberties in the Digital Age Programme is to advance and expand human rights standards on these challenges, limit mass surveillance and advocate for better oversight of intelligence and surveillance activities run by the government. We do so through a combination of advocacy campaigning, lobbying and strategic litigation.

It intersects all activities of our organization: as a coalition of human rights practitioners, the safety and privacy of the people who work with us and with whom we work to protect are crucial. We will therefore provide training on safety and digital security, promote encryption and raise awareness among the public by providing tools to protect online privacy.

Media freedom under threat amidst democratic drift in Italy

By Sara Gherardi A report released just days ago has confirmed that democratic drift and threats to media freedom are…

Freedom of expression
This work-stream aims to defend freedom of expression and the right to privacy and control of personal information by fighting against mass surveillance, online censorship and other freedom-endangering practices, while also providing tools for digital security to activists and citizens.
Media freedom under threat amidst democratic drift in Italy

Media freedom under threat amidst democratic drift in Italy

By Sara Gherardi A report released just days ago has confirmed that democratic drift and threats to media freedom are…

Media Pluralism Monitor 2024: information freedom in Italy is at risk

Media Pluralism Monitor 2024: information freedom in Italy is at risk

The situation described in the Media Pluralism Monitor 2024, a research conducted by the Centre for Media Pluralism and Media…

Surveillance: Hermes wants review of the FOIA request to Italian Ministry

Surveillance: Hermes wants review of the FOIA request to Italian Ministry

Together with Privacy International and the Hermes Center, last April we wrote to the Ministry of Economic Development about exports…

Cybersecurity
Several European companies have been exporting ‘intrusion’ software that was also used for the surveillance and repression of political dissidents and citizens in repressive regimes. EU export control law has been violated and its loopholes exploited with harmful effects on human rights activists and dissidents.

The Hacking Team leak revealed that Italian companies might be also involved in these practices: we need to ensure accountability and transparency on the export of technologies that might be used to violate human rights.
EU Parliament: vote to stop surveillance exports to rights-abusing govts

EU Parliament: vote to stop surveillance exports to rights-abusing govts

(joint press release) EU: European Parliament must vote to stop surveillance equipment going to rights-abusing governments European Parliament’s (EP) vote…

NGO Letter to EU Member States and Institutions On Surveillance Exports

NGO Letter to EU Member States and Institutions On Surveillance Exports

[read the full letter in pdf here] Following the alarming evidence that EU-made electronic surveillance equipment is still being exported…

The Ministry for Economic Development should revoke export license to Area

The Ministry for Economic Development should revoke export license to Area

[June 30, update: the Ministry confirmed to Il Fatto Quotidiano that the license to Area spa to Egypt is revoked]…