CPJ joins call for human rights protections in EU Digital Services Act

Tom Gibson/CPJ EU Representative

President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen speaks during the annual security conference in Munich, Germany on February 19, 2022. CPJ joins 71 civil society organizations in calling on the EU to uphold human rights as they negotiate protections for internet users. (Andreas Gebert/Reuters)

CPJ joined 71 civil society organizations in a March 1 letter calling on European Union member states to ensure that the Digital Services Act protects human rights as final negotiations on the text begin. The DSA is a legislative framework which could limit the spreading of hate speech, disinformation, and other illegal content on the internet, potentially setting up sanctions for platforms that fail to act.

In the letter, the groups call for the DSA to prohibit the retention of users’ personal data and to not interfere with encryption services, which protect both cybersecurity and journalists’ ability to communicate with sources securely.

Once passed, the draft legislation will become binding for all 27 EU member states. Read the full letter here.

Tom Gibson is CPJ’s lead advocate in Brussels, covering the EU. Before joining CPJ, Gibson managed Protection International’s Burundi and Congo desks, advocating for stronger state accountability for the protection of human rights defenders and journalists. Gibson was also part of Amnesty International’s Africa program in London and Nairobi.

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