Civil Liberties Union for Europe

Why We Suspended our X Account And Opened a New One On BlueSky As a human rights organization dedicated to protecting #democracy, #freespeech, and privacy, Liberties has always prioritized creating and participating in spaces that reflect and promote these values. In recent months, we have observed a disturbing rise in unregulated #hatespeech on X (formerly #Twitter), alongside shifts in platform policies that undermine the principles of open dialogue and respect. Under its current ownership, X has become a #megaphone for harmful narratives and a tool for political #propaganda, directly contradicting the values we champion. This toxic environment not only diminishes the platform’s usability but also undermines the credibility of civil society organizations that continue to operate there. In light of this, we have made the difficult but necessary decision to suspend our X account, which has been followed by 11,000 supporters. Instead, we are redirecting our efforts to platforms that foster meaningful engagement and uphold a commitment to healthier online ecosystems. One of these platforms is #BlueSky, a promising alternative where we’ve already seen higher engagement and fewer disruptive interactions. While it is still in its early stages of adoption, BlueSky offers a unique opportunity for civil society organizations to collaborate and help shape a digital space that aligns with the values of human rights and democracy. We invite our fellow nonprofits, activists, and partners to join us in this transition. Together, we can build a supportive and impactful ecosystem on BlueSky, working in unison to advance #humanrights, digital #privacy, and freedom of expression. This decision marks not an end, but a beginning—a chance to reimagine how we connect, advocate, and collaborate in the digital age. We look forward to continuing this journey with you on platforms that reflect the values we all hold dear. Hugs, The Liberties Team ps: Follow us on Bluesky https://lnkd.in/dNWKKQGy

“After Me Comes The Flood” Google’s plan to leave the EU #PoliticalAds will harm elections integrity & free speech Liberties & dozen+ digital rights organisations call on Google to reconsider & legislators to close the regulatory gap. Here’s what’s at stake 🧵👇 🚨 We, the undersigned civil society orgs, issue this statement on Google’s decision to stop serving political ads in the EU ahead of the new Transparency & Targeting of Political Advertising Regulation (#TTPA) in 2025. This move risks harming election integrity, free info, & free expression. Google cited “operational challenges” & “legal uncertainty” for their decision, claiming the broad definition of political ads and tight compliance timelines make it unworkable. But does this decision truly solve their challenges? 🤔By banning political ads, Google still needs to identify them—now to block instead of regulate. This harms smaller campaigns, civil society orgs and voters, while favouring well-established political players. Is this a win for democracy? Hardly. 🤔TTPA (among other things) regulates transparency of any political ads, including the ‘get out and vote’ civil society campaigns. With this move, Google hampers civil society from engaging with people and limits people’s access to information. To be clear, we are not calling for more profiling-based advertising in Europe. Google rightly offers restricted targeting for "election ads" with location, age, gender and contextual targeting options. We want transparency and an equal playing field for everyone. 🗳️Civil society has long urged policymakers to clarify what counts as a political ad and criticised the overly broad definition in the TTPA. The responsibility to shape a fair playing field for political discussion online isn’t just on regulators—it’s shared by platforms too. 🌐Google isn’t alone—TikTok & LinkedIn also restrict political ads. But withdrawing from this space, rather than addressing regulatory challenges, sets a worrying precedent. Can disengagement be considered compliance? The European Commission must:  ✅ Clarify the political ad definition in TTPA.  ✅ Assess platform decisions to withdraw political ads.  ✅ Examine the impact on fundamental rights like election integrity & freedom of expression in the EU Charter. 📜 ❌We call on Google to:  👉 Reconsider their withdrawal.  👉 Share detailed concerns about the TTPA.  👉 Engage with policymakers to improve definitions & implementation. ⚖️ Regulators must work swiftly to address gaps, allowing flexibility where needed. 🌍 As platforms increasingly sideline political content, the impact on civic discourse is dire. Let’s ensure online spaces remain vibrant, democratic forums where diverse voices thrive. This isn’t just about ads—it’s about #democracy. Read it here ➡️ link.liberties.eu/a5e405

Behind the Screens: How Digital Platforms Influence the 2024 EP Elections Recent elections have seen clicks, swipes, and taps become fundamental means of political agency for an ever-growing number of voters across the world. As political discussions have mostly migrated into online spaces, political parties and their candidates have likewise embraced social media advertising as a tool of persuasion. New Liberties research investigates this trend in the 2024 European Parliament elections, examining whether existing regulations are being respected and asking how the digital age has moulded modern campaigns. Assessing Compliance: EU Regulations on Political Ads The EU has introduced several pieces of legislation in the last few years that aim or can help ensure election integrity. These most notably include the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), Digital Services Act (DSA), and Regulation on Transparency and Targeting of Political Advertising (TTPA). Our research analysed online political campaigns in six countries (Bulgaria, France, Germany, Hungary, Poland, and Spain) to gauge whether these EU protections were followed or disregarded. The Hidden Issues in Political Ad Targeting and Transparency In our 2024 EP election research, we considered key findings which paint a complex, and at times ominous picture of online targeting practices, transparency issues, and regulatory gaps. On social media, the targeting of users based on custom lists and lookalike audiences was highly prevalent for political advertisers. There was a lack of transparency in how these lists were made and whether lookalike audiences were created through illegal data processing. Notably, ad delivery algorithms were found to potentially contribute to the fragmentation of public discourse, leading to highly individualised content exposure. Beyond questionable targeting techniques, transparency issues were rampant in recent elections. Both Google and Meta (Facebook) provided insufficient information in their ad repositories. Google even failed to provide keyword search and platform-specific breakdowns in their reporting sites. These omissions create challenges for researchers, authorities responsible for enforcement, legislators, and members of the public who want to understand the opaque advertising landscape, disincentivizing further analysis. Learn about our solutions: https://lnkd.in/dVH2Z_Z5

📯 Happy Human Rights Day On the day commemorating the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Liberties reflects on our role as a human rights watchdog. Now more than ever, civil society is needed to create a firewall against those who want to take your rights away. If it gives you peace of mind knowing that Liberties is safeguarding your rights, now is the time to do your part for democracy. By supporting our work, you are fighting for a brighter tomorrow. Learn more about how Liberties protects your rights ➡️ link.liberties.eu/6f6f5c

🚨 SLAPPs shows no sign of slowing down in Europe. 📈 Today, on #InternationalAntiCorruptionDay, The Coalition against SLAPPs in Europe (CASE) and The Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation publish our 2024 SLAPPs Report: Mapping Trends and Cases. What's new? 🔴  166 cases in 2023 alone 🔴  1,049 cases in total since 2010 🔴  The majority of cases relate to corruption or environmental issues 🔴  Businesses and politicians are the biggest legal bullies 🔴  Journalists, in their independent capacity, are worst hit 🔴  The most SLAPPs were filed in Italy, Romania, Serbia and Turkey 🔴  SLAPPs were recorded for the first time in several European countries SLAPPs pose a grave threat to democracy and freedom of expression. With this report we call on policymakers, civil society, and media organisations to push for robust implementation of anti-SLAPP measures across Europe. Without stronger protections, public participation will continue to be eroded by those seeking to silence dissent. Read the report here 👉 https://lnkd.in/d7uEm6TV  #StopSLAPPs European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF) - IFEX - Citizens Network Watchdog Poland - Index on Censorship - PILnet - ARTICLE 19 - Civil Liberties Union for Europe - ProPublica Public Communication - Free Press Unlimited - Thomson Reuters Foundation - Women In Journalism - ILGA-Europe - Greenpeace International - Amnesty International - ClientEarth - European Environmental Bureau - Transparency International EU - Friends of the Earth Europe - Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso Transeuropa - European Trade Union Institute (ETUI)

The Who Targets Me browser extension was invaluable for Liberties' election monitoring project. We chatted with co-founder Sam Jeffers, who told us about WTM's arsenal of tools to make political ads more transparent. Read it here ➡️ link.liberties.eu/9e4dd2

The New EU Commission Sidelines Rights And Values - Heres's How And What Liberties Will Do About It On 1 December the new European Commission took office, with all Commissioner designates confirmed following their hearings in the European Parliament. They were, however, approved by the slimmest majority in the history of a new Commission, with only 54% of all votes in favour of the new team. The Commissioners face tough decisions amidst greater fragmentation, further #ruleoflaw backsliding and high stakes on foreign policy. The EU needs a strong rights-centred plan, however the Commission’s priorities emphasise a ‘faster, simpler, and more united Union—one that supports its people and businesses’. This business-centric focus suggests rights and values will be pushed to the margins. Rights and Values De-prioritised For the first time since 2014, there is no portfolio on rights and values. During the previous Commission’s mandate, Vice-President Jourová held the file for Values and ŘTransparency – elevating their importance to the position of Vice-President. From 2014, Commissioner Timmermans was responsible for Better Regulation, Inter-Institutional Relations, the Rule of Law and the Charter of #FundamentalRights. Scattered Fundamental Rights The fundamental rights portfolio is now divided between several Commissioners, with the lion’s share falling under the Commissioner for Democracy, Justice and the Rule of Law, held by Commissioner McGrath. In a potentially complicated structure the Equality portfolio, previously held by a single Commissioner, is now within the mandate of the Commissioner for Preparedness, Crisis Management and #Equality - with both Commissioners reporting to different Vice-Presidents. Transparency sits with the Trade Commissioner and Democracy appears again under the Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and #Democracy. This complex structure risks a diffused approach, with problems falling between different portfolios and no clear leadership and oversight. New Commissioner, New Tools No country seemed eager to nominate a commissioner with a legal background for the justice and rule of law portfolio. Commissioner McGrath gave a strong hearing and, when pushed, made clear that he won’t hesitate to act where there is backsliding on the rule of law,. He said he would use existing tools but also consider new ones. His mission letter explicitly requests him to work ‘to strengthen protection of civil society, activists and human rights defenders in their work’, a request s demanded by civil society for years. Read further to see how Liberties will address the new reality: https://lnkd.in/dgmpHp_e

Check out Liberties' monthly recap, the quickest way to see what we've been up to: 🤓 How to plan a strategic #communication campaign in 30 minutes 💻 Who tries to influence your vote on Facebook? Read the findings from our investigations in 🇵🇱 🇧🇬 🇩🇪 🇫🇷 🇪🇸 🇭🇺 🗞️ Our op-ed on Google's departure from #polads in Europe 🌟 Internship opportunities 📣 News from our network Subscribe now so you don't miss out ➡️ https://lnkd.in/dVnygd4T

📣 The European Commission should work for an EU technology policy that serves the public interest. Together with 48 CSOs, Global Health Advocates signed a statement following the European Digital Rights' Tech & Society Summit calling the European Commission to shift its focus from corporate and security interests to an approach that ensures a digital environment that is just, safe, open, sustainable and inclusive. Read the full statement here : https://shorturl.at/Bkfvz -- Access Now AlgorithmWatch AlgorithmWatch CH Amnesty International ARTICLE 19 BEUC - The European Consumer Organisation Bits of Freedom Centre for Democracy & Technology Europe Corporate Europe Observatory Civil Liberties Union for Europe Digital Action European Center for Not-for-Profit Law Stichting Health Action International Homo Digitalis Privacy International Danes je nov dan ECOS Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) Equinox: Racial Justice Initiative EAPN - European Anti Poverty Network European Environmental Bureau Friends of the Earth Europe Homo Digitalis Oxfam EU office SOMO Zavod Državljan D

Social media has led to the unravelling of longstanding electoral traditions in Bulgaria, interfering with election integrity. We chatted with the Bulgaria Helsinki Committee, who have some simple ideas that could majorly restore the fairness of elections. Read it here ➡️ link.liberties.eu/75def7