Data

Data protection, privacy and new technologies

More of our everyday lives are online — both at work and home. Meanwhile, terror attacks intensify calls for more surveillance. Concerns grow over the safety of our privacy and personal data.

FRA helps lawmakers and practitioners protect your rights in a connected world.

Highlights

Products
8
December
2022
Artificial intelligence is everywhere and affects everyone – from deciding what content people see on their social media feeds to determining who will receive state benefits. AI technologies are typically based on algorithms that make predictions to support or even fully automate decision-making.
In this vlog, FRA Director Michael O'Flaherty talks about artificial intelligence and algorithms. While AI can be a powerful force for good, he points out that humans must supervise very closely the application of AI and a permanent testing of every possible application is needed. On 8 December, FRA is publishing a new report on bias in algorithms.
11
November
2022
Europe stands at a delicate moment in its history. It is a moment of existential significance for the wellbeing and sustainability of our societies. It is emerging from the pandemic caused by the coronavirus disease, only to face a set of major overlapping challenges. These pose profound questions about the political, economic and societal future of the continent. To discuss elements of a human rights vision for the future and to identify opportunities for action, FRA brought together a group of sixty human rights leaders and experts with diverse backgrounds
from across the continent. This report distils the meeting discussions, including analysis and ideas, and concludes with proposals for action. It does not represent the views either of individual participants or of FRA.
Automation and AI have radically transformed how we work, live and play. In this video, Director of the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights, Michael O'Flaherty, discusses the implications of AI for our most basic of human rights.
16
September
2022
Europe stands at a delicate moment in its history, facing a convergence of major tests. Each of them taken on their own is significant. Together, they pose profound questions about the political, economic, and societal future of the continent. This is a moment for strong commitment to put human rights at the heart of our vision for Europe’s future. It is also time to demonstrate our determination to work together to this end. Against this backdrop, the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) brought together around sixty human rights leaders and experts from across the continent to discuss elements of a human rights vision for the future and to identify opportunities for action. A full conference report will be available soon, including the specific ideas and proposals which arose from the meeting. Meanwhile, this is a summary of the conclusions.
8
June
2022
FRA’s Fundamental Rights Report 2022 reviews major developments in the field in 2021, identifying both achievements and areas of concern. It also presents FRA’s opinions on these developments, including a synopsis of the evidence supporting these opinions.
8
June
2022
This focus looks at the impact of the pandemic on social rights. It examines the measures in national recovery and resilience plans that address the social vulnerabilities among a variety of population groups in the EU, including women, children and young people in situations of vulnerability, people with disabilities, older people, Roma and people in precarious working conditions.
8
June
2022
All language versions now available
14 September 2022
The year 2021 brought both progress and setbacks in terms of fundamental rights protection. FRA’s Fundamental Rights Report 2022 reviews major developments in the field, identifying both achievements and remaining areas of concern. This publication presents FRA’s opinions on the main developments in the thematic areas covered, and a synopsis of the evidence supporting these opinions.
7
April
2022
Printed copies now available for order
13 April 2022
Children are full-fledged holders of rights. They are beneficiaries of all human and fundamental rights and subjects of special regulations, given their specific characteristics. This handbook aims to illustrate how European law and case law accommodate the specific interests and needs of children. It also considers the importance of parents and guardians or other legal representatives and makes reference, where appropriate, to situations in which rights and responsibilities are most prominently vested in children’s carers. It is a point of reference on both European Union (EU) and Council of Europe (CoE) law related to these subjects, explaining how each issue is regulated under EU law, including the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, as well as under the European Convention on Human Rights, the European Social Charter and other CoE instruments.
The Fundamental Rights Forum 2021 was the space for dialogue on the human rights challenges facing the EU today. In this video, participants talk about the challenges of fundamental rights in the digital age.
In this vlog, FRA Director Michael O’Flaherty points to the urgent need to tackle disinformation. He provides examples of what can be done to combat disinformation, including what the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights could contribute to this challenge.
10
June
2021
The year 2020 brought both progress and setbacks in terms of fundamental rights protection. FRA’s Fundamental Rights Report 2021 reviews major developments in the field, identifying both achievements and remaining areas of concern. This publication presents FRA’s opinions on the main developments in the thematic areas covered, and a synopsis of the evidence supporting these opinions.
10
June
2021
FRA’s Fundamental Rights Report 2021 reviews major developments in the field in 2020, identifying both achievements and areas of concern. It also presents FRA’s opinions on these developments, including a synopsis of the evidence supporting these opinions. This year’s focus chapter explores the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on fundamental rights. The remaining chapters cover: the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights; equality and non-discrimination; racism, xenophobia and related intolerance; Roma equality and inclusion; asylum, borders and migration; information society, privacy and data protection; rights of the child; access to justice; and the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
10
June
2021
This focus looks at COVID-19’s impact on fundamental rights. It underscores that a human rights-based approach to tackling the pandemic requires balanced measures that are based on law, necessary, temporary and proportional. It also requires addressing the pandemic’s socio-economic impact, protecting the vulnerable and fighting racism.
The COVID-19 pandemic has an impact on everyone. Governments take urgent measures to curb its spread to safeguard public health and provide medical care to those who need it. They are acting to defend the human rights of health and of life itself. Inevitably, these measures limit our human and fundamental rights to an extent rarely experienced in peacetime. It is important to ensure that such limitations are consistent with our legal safeguards and that their impact on particular groups is adequately taken account of.
Artificial intelligence (AI) already plays a role in many decisions that affect our daily lives. From deciding what unemployment benefits someone gets to where a burglary is likely to take place. But we need to make sure to fully uphold fundamental rights standards when using AI. Drawing on the ‘Getting the future right – Artificial intelligence and fundamental rights’ report, FRA explores the potential benefits and possible errors that can occur focusing on four core areas – social benefits, predictive policing, health services and targeted advertising.
29
January
2021
All language versions now available
26 July 2021
FRA’s report on artificial intelligence and fundamental rights presents concrete examples of how companies and public administrations in the EU are using, or trying to use, AI. This summary presents the main insights from the report. These can inform EU and national policymaking efforts to regulate the use of AI tools in compliance with human and fundamental rights.
Artificial intelligence (AI) already plays a role in many decisions that affect our daily lives. From deciding what unemployment benefits someone gets to where a burglary is likely to take place. But we need to make sure to fully uphold fundamental rights standards when using AI. Drawing on the ‘Getting the future right – Artificial intelligence and fundamental rights’ report, FRA presents a number of key considerations to help businesses and administrations respect fundamental rights when using AI.
This is a recording from the morning session of the high-level virtual event "Doing Artificial Intelligence the European way" which took place on 14 December 2020.
This is a recording from the afternoon session of the high-level virtual event "Doing Artificial Intelligence the European way" which took place on 14 December 2020.
In this vlog, FRA Director Michael O'Flaherty talks about artificial intelligence and algorithms. While AI can be a powerful force for good, he points out that humans must supervise very closely the application of AI and a permanent testing of every possible application is needed. On 8 December, FRA is publishing a new report on bias in algorithms.
Automation and AI have radically transformed how we work, live and play. In this video, Director of the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights, Michael O'Flaherty, discusses the implications of AI for our most basic of human rights.
The Fundamental Rights Forum 2021 was the space for dialogue on the human rights challenges facing the EU today. In this video, participants talk about the challenges of fundamental rights in the digital age.
In this vlog, FRA Director Michael O’Flaherty points to the urgent need to tackle disinformation. He provides examples of what can be done to combat disinformation, including what the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights could contribute to this challenge.
Artificial intelligence (AI) already plays a role in many decisions that affect our daily lives. From deciding what unemployment benefits someone gets to where a burglary is likely to take place. But we need to make sure to fully uphold fundamental rights standards when using AI. Drawing on the ‘Getting the future right – Artificial intelligence and fundamental rights’ report, FRA explores the potential benefits and possible errors that can occur focusing on four core areas – social benefits, predictive policing, health services and targeted advertising.
Artificial intelligence (AI) already plays a role in many decisions that affect our daily lives. From deciding what unemployment benefits someone gets to where a burglary is likely to take place. But we need to make sure to fully uphold fundamental rights standards when using AI. Drawing on the ‘Getting the future right – Artificial intelligence and fundamental rights’ report, FRA presents a number of key considerations to help businesses and administrations respect fundamental rights when using AI.
This is a recording from the morning session of the high-level virtual event "Doing Artificial Intelligence the European way" which took place on 14 December 2020.
This is a recording from the afternoon session of the high-level virtual event "Doing Artificial Intelligence the European way" which took place on 14 December 2020.
Artificial intelligence is here. It’s not going away. It can be a force for good, but it needs to be watched so carefully in terms of respect for our human fundamental rights. The EU Fundamental Rights Agency is deeply committed to this work.Our ambition is not just to ensure that AI respects our rights, but also that it protects and promotes them.
Will AI revolutionise the delivery of our public services? And what's the right balance? How is the private sector using AI to automate decisions — and what implications
might that have? Are some form of binding rules necessary to monitor and regulate the use of AI technology - and what should these rules look like?
How do we embrace progress while protecting our fundamental rights? As data-driven decision making increasingly touches our daily lives, what does this mean
for our fundamental rights? A step into the dark? Or the next giant leap? The time to answer these questions is here and now. Let’s seize the opportunities, but understand the challenges. Let’s make AI work for everyone in Europe…And get the future right.
What are the next steps in the digitalisation of justice and of access to justice? This impulse video statement by FRA Director Michael O’Flaherty was recorded for the online conference “Access to Justice in the Digital Age”. The conference takes place on 16 July and is organised by the German Federal Ministry for Justice and Consumer Protection during the German Council Presidency.
In this vlog Michael O'Flaherty outlines fundamental rights considerations when developing technological responses to public health, as he introduces the focus of FRA's next COVID-19 bulletin.
Michael O'Flaherty talks in his vlog about the human rights aspects in the context of the Coronavirus epidemic and introduces FRA's new report.
In the latest edition of his video blog, FRA Director Michael O'Flaherty speaks about the importance and power of hope accompanying the work of FRA in 2020. Particularly after a troubled start of the year.
In the latest edition of his video blog, FRA Director Michael O'Flaherty speaks about the human rights challenges, but also the opportunities, that come along with the development of artificial intelligence technology.
Fundamental Rights Report 2019: 2018 was a landmark year for data protection. New EU rules took effect and complaints of breaches increased significantly.
This video blog by FRA Director Michael O'Flaherty is released periodically and will address burning fundamental rights themes.
Mario Oetheimer presented FRA’s second surveillance report to the European Parliament’s Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) Committee on 21 November in Brussels.
This is the recording of the online press briefing about mass surveillance as presented by the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) on 16 October 2017.
FRA took part in a conference on the legal consequences of a recent Court of Justice of the EU ruling on the Passenger Name Records (PNR) Directive for the future of European laws governing security.
On 28 February, FRA spoke at the closing conference of the EU-funded PolStops network.
FRA actively took part in the plenary meeting of the Council of Europe Committee on Artificial Intelligence (CAI) from 1 to 3 February.
FRA moderated a panel at a conference organised by major EU-funded research consortia dealing with AI technologies used by law enforcement.
FRA took part in the third plenary meeting of the Council of Europe Committee on Artificial Intelligence (CAI).
Artificial intelligence is everywhere and affects everyone. A new report from the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) looks at the use of artificial intelligence in predictive policing and offensive speech detection. It demonstrates how bias in algorithms appears and how it can affect people’s lives. This is the first time FRA provides hands-on evidence on how biases develop. The Agency calls on policymakers to ensure AI is tested for biases that could lead to discrimination.
FRA joined a round table discussion on the EU Digital Services Act, fundamental rights, and civic space on 8 November.
FRA took part in several events at the Web Summit 2022 in Lisbon from 2 to 4 November.
FRA was part of the second plenary meeting of the Council of Europe Committee on Artificial Intelligence (CAI).
FRA took part in the second Quo Vadis AI conference in Athens on 17 June.
The pandemic triggered unprecedented EU financial support to counter the social impact of Covid-19. Many people in the EU, especially vulnerable people, faced reduced access to healthcare, childcare, education and the internet. This has led to excess mortality, poverty, unemployment and social exclusion. FRA’s Fundamental Rights Report 2022 outlines the pandemic’s wide-ranging impact on social rights. It also suggests how to address increasing inequalities and threats to societal cohesion.
FRA took part in a conference on responsible AI in the Hague from 12 to 13 May.
FRA joined a hearing on 20 April on a draft French AI Act and its fundamental rights implications.
FRA took part in the inaugural meeting of the Council of Europe Committee on Artificial Intelligence (CAI) from 4 to 6 April.
FRA participated in the conference on AI and the Future of Europe in Brussels on 30 March.
FRA Director was on mission in Brussels from 9 to 11 February 2022 to speak at the conference “Safeguarding fundamental rights in the digital age” organised by the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) and the European Commission, DG Justice and Consumer Protection.
On 8 and 10 December, FRA participated in two panels at the 16th Internet Governance Forum 2021.
The Handbook on European data protection law is designed to familiarise legal practitioners not specialised in data protection with this emerging area of law.
FRA participated in the eu-LISA Annual Conference 2021, ‘Towards a Digital Schengen Area,’ on 27 October.
On 28 February, FRA’s Director will present the updated report on surveillance by intelligence services to the European Parliament’s Committee of Inquiry to investigate the use of Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware (PEGA).
The Estonian Human Rights Centre will host a conference on artificial intelligence and human rights on 26 January in Tallinn.
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The Office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media is organising a conference to discuss the impact of artificial intelligence on freedom of expression.
The first Global Forum on the Ethics of AI will be hosted by Czechia on 13 December in Prague.
On 4 November, FRA Director will take part in the Web Summit 2022 in Lisbon, Portugal. He will speak about automating human rights and host a roundtable on digital technologies and human rights.
FRA will join the opening ceremony of the summer school on the regulation of robotics and AI in Europe on 4 July.
FRA will host a panel debate on modern technologies used for law enforcement and fundamental rights at this year’s annual Computer, Privacy and Data Protection conference.
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On 19 and 20 May, the Croatian data protection authority, AZOP, hosts the 30th conference of data protection authorities in Dubrovnik.
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The European Policy Congress this year will focus on whether change poses a risk or a chance.
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FRA will join the Privacy Symposium, a conference that takes place in Venice from 5-7 April.
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FRA and the Council of Europe will gather experts to support the publication of a joint handbook on European law relating to cybercrime and fundamental rights.
FRA's Director will discuss the impact of bias when developing trustworthy Artificial Intelligence at a European Parliament public hearing.
FRA will join a discussion on 29 November on ethical principles and fundamental rights considerations in data innovation for migration policy.
FRA will give a presentation on the challenges of implementing procedural law from the perspective of safeguards and guarantees during a cybercrime legislation workshop at this year’s Octopus Conference.
FRA will join a panel discussion at the high-level conference on Balancing fundamental rights in data protection on 16 November.
FRA will join the eu-LISA agency’s annual conference on 27 October. It will take stock of current developments in the Justice and Home Affairs area.
FRA will participate in a public webinar on ethnic profiling.
FRA will speak at a conference on public policies related to profiling.
FRA will introduce findings from its Getting the future rights – artificial intelligence and fundamental rights report during the ENISA Annual Privacy Forum.
FRA’s Director Michael O’Flaherty will speak on 10 June about freedom of expression protection frameworks in times of crisis.