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.

EU Charter of Fundamental Rights

Highlights

Products
Road to post covid
Fundamental Rights Report
Asylum, migration and borders
Data protection, privacy and new technologies
Equality, non-discrimination and racism
Justice, victims’ rights and judicial cooperation
Support for human rights systems and defenders
10
June
2021

Fundamental Rights Report 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.
Read press release
Fundamental Rights Report
Equality, non-discrimination and racism
Asylum, migration and borders
Data protection, privacy and new technologies
Justice, victims’ rights and judicial cooperation
10
June
2021

The coronavirus pandemic and fundamental rights: A year in review

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.
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Page
Equality, non-discrimination and racism
Data protection, privacy and new technologies

Fundamental rights implications of COVID-19

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.
Download Fundamental Rights Report focus on COVID-19
Download all COVID-19 bulletins
Infographic
Artificial intelligence and big data
Data protection, privacy and new technologies

Artificial intelligence & its potential impact

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.
Report / Paper / Summary
Artificial intelligence and big data
Data protection, privacy and new technologies
29
January
2021
All language versions now available
26 July 2021

Getting the future right – Artificial intelligence and fundamental rights - Summary

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.
Download the full report
View the infographic
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Infographic
Artificial intelligence and big data
Data protection, privacy and new technologies

Fundamental rights in AI: What to consider

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.
Video
Data protection, privacy and new technologies
Artificial intelligence and big data

Doing AI the European way – Virtual conference recording – Morning session

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.
Download report on AI
Video
Data protection, privacy and new technologies
Artificial intelligence and big data

Doing AI the European way – Virtual conference recording – Afternoon session

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.
Download AI report
Let's talk about Artifical Intelligence
Video
Data protection, privacy and new technologies
Artificial intelligence and big data

Michael O’Flaherty on fundamental rights challenges in relation to Artificial Intelligence

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.
Download AI report
How do we embrace progress while protecting our fundamental rights?
Video
Data protection, privacy and new technologies
Artificial intelligence and big data

Short video clips on AI - Automating public administration, Business and the EU policy agenda

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?
Download AI report
Let's make AI work for everyone
Video
Data protection, privacy and new technologies
Artificial intelligence and big data

Launch video - Artificial Intelligence report results

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.
Download AI report
Woman watching a virtual screen
Report / Paper / Summary
Artificial intelligence and big data
Data protection, privacy and new technologies
14
December
2020

Getting the future right – Artificial intelligence and fundamental rights

Artificial intelligence (AI) already plays a role in deciding what unemployment benefits someone gets, where a burglary is likely to take place, whether someone is at risk of cancer, or who sees that catchy advertisement for low mortgage rates. Its use keeps growing, presenting seemingly endless possibilities. But we need to make sure to fully uphold fundamental rights standards when using AI. This report presents concrete examples of how companies and public administrations in the EU are using, or trying to use, AI. It focuses on four core areas – social benefits, predictive policing, health services and targeted advertising.
Read the press release
Watch the launch video
Read press release
mature woman with grey hair in hospital patient gown and mask infected by COVID-19
Periodic updates / Series
Support for human rights systems and defenders
Asylum, migration and borders
Data protection, privacy and new technologies
Equality, non-discrimination and racism
Justice, victims’ rights and judicial cooperation
29
July
2020

Coronavirus pandemic in the EU - Fundamental Rights Implications - Bulletin 4

As we enter the second half of 2020, the constraints on our daily lives brought about by the Coronavirus pandemic have become a firm reality. New local lockdowns and the reintroduction of restrictive measures prompted by fresh outbreaks of the virus are a stark reminder that COVID-19 continues to shape our lives – and our enjoyment of fundamental rights – in profound ways. There is compelling evidence of how the pandemic has exacerbated existing challenges in our societies. This FRA Bulletin outlines some of the measures EU Member States adopted to safely reopen their societies and economies while continuing to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. It highlights the impact these measures may have on civil, political and socioeconomic rights.
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Download country research
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Report / Paper / Summary
Security
Data protection, privacy and new technologies
Justice, victims’ rights and judicial cooperation
22
July
2020

Your rights matter: Security concerns and experiences

This paper presents people’s concerns and experiences relating to security. It covers worry about crime, including terrorism and online fraud; experience of online fraud; experience of cyberharassment; and concern about illegal access to data.
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More survey info
Access all Survey reports
Access data explorer
Video
Data protection, privacy and new technologies
Justice, victims’ rights and judicial cooperation

FRA Director Michael O'Flaherty video statement to Access to Justice Conference, 16 July 2020

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.
Watch event live stream
Report / Paper / Summary
Data protection
Data protection, privacy and new technologies
18
June
2020

Your rights matter: Data protection and privacy - Fundamental Rights Survey

This document presents data from the FRA Fundamental Rights Survey. It includes data on opinions and experiences of people in the European Union (EU) linked to data protection and technology.
Watch videos
Access all survey reports
More survey info
Fundamental Rights Report
Equality, non-discrimination and racism
Asylum, migration and borders
Data protection, privacy and new technologies
Justice, victims’ rights and judicial cooperation
Support for human rights systems and defenders
11
June
2020
Now available in Macedonian and Serbian
13 November 2020

Fundamental Rights Report 2020 – FRA opinions

The year 2019 brought both progress and setbacks in terms of fundamental rights protection. FRA’s Fundamental Rights Report 2020 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. In so doing, it provides a compact but informative overview of the main fundamental rights challenges confronting the EU and its Member States.
Fundamental Rights Report
Equality, non-discrimination and racism
Asylum, migration and borders
Data protection, privacy and new technologies
Justice, victims’ rights and judicial cooperation
Support for human rights systems and defenders
11
June
2020

Fundamental Rights Report 2020

FRA’s Fundamental Rights Report 2020 reviews major developments in the field in 2019, 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 how to unlock the full potential of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.
Read the press release
Download country studies
COVID-19 tracing on a mobile phone
Periodic updates / Series
Data protection, privacy and new technologies
Asylum, migration and borders
Equality, non-discrimination and racism
Justice, victims’ rights and judicial cooperation
28
May
2020

Coronavirus pandemic in the EU - Fundamental Rights Implications - Bulletin 2

The Coronavirus pandemic continues to interrupt everyday life in the EU in unprecedented ways. But the way it affects our societies is shifting. As governments gradually lift some of the measures put in place to contain the spread of COVID-19, new fundamental rights concerns arise: how to ensure that the rights to life and health are upheld as daily life transitions to a ‘new normal’. This Bulletin looks at declarations of states of emergency, or equivalent, and how they came under scrutiny. It considers the impact on fundamental rights in important areas of daily life, and includes a thematic focus on the processing of users’ data to help contain COVID-19, particularly by contact-tracing apps. It covers the period 21 March – 30 April 2020.
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Watch vlog on the bulletin
Person getting hand sanitised
Video
Data protection, privacy and new technologies
Data protection
Children, youth and older people
Roma
Data protection, privacy and new technologies

Video blog Michael O'Flaherty: New COVID-19 bulletin

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.
Video
Data protection, privacy and new technologies
Asylum, migration and borders
Equality, non-discrimination and racism

FRA exchanges views with MEPs on the Agency priorities for 2017

The Agency’s Director, Michael O’Flaherty, took part in a meeting of the European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) on 9 February.
Concentrated senior male in glasses work on laptop from home office read email electronic document.
Press Release
Equality, non-discrimination and racism
Data protection, privacy and new technologies
Children, youth and older people

Ensuring access to public services for older people in digital societies

Online public services can make it easier to get social benefits or find information. But older people sometimes lack the necessary digital skills to use them. This is a potential barrier to their fundamental rights. It can put them at a disadvantage and risks excluding them from our digitalised societies, warns a report from the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA). EU countries need to ensure access to public services for everyone. Older people should be able to choose how they access public services and receive support to learn digital skills.
Read report
News Item
Data protection, privacy and new technologies

Digital rights and principles feature at Digital Assembly

FRA’s Director took part in a Digital Assembly 2023 side-session on the Declaration on Digital Rights and Principles on 16 June in Stockholm.
News Item
Asylum, migration and borders
Borders and information systems
Data protection, privacy and new technologies

Digital innovation conference explores migration challenges

On 13 June, FRA spoke at a high-level panel discussion on digitalisation and migration challenges. The discussion featured during a conference on digital innovation.
News Item
Data protection, privacy and new technologies
Artificial intelligence and big data

FRA at Council of Europe AI Committee plenary

FRA was part of the EU Delegation at the 6th plenary meeting of the Council of Europe’s Committee on artificial intelligence (AI).
Fundamental Rights Report 2023 - Ukraine flag, data protection, eyeball with hand and child in poverty
Press Release
Asylum, migration and borders
Data protection, privacy and new technologies
Equality, non-discrimination and racism
Justice, victims’ rights and judicial cooperation
Support for human rights systems and defenders

Targeted support for people fleeing Ukraine, tackling rising child poverty and hate, and digital safeguards: FRA’s Fundamental Rights Report 2023

The impact of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, rising child poverty, widespread hate and protecting rights in the face of technological change are just some of the pressing human rights issues in FRA’s 2023 Fundamental Rights Report. With a focus section on the impact of the aggression within the EU, the report examines the support and solidarity provided by governments, local authorities and society. It suggests how EU countries can better ensure effective protection, especially for women who fled the conflict and need targeted support.
Download full report
Download opinions
Download focus chapter
News Item
Data protection, privacy and new technologies
Artificial intelligence and big data
Security

Using AI for law enforcement

The Swedish Presidency of the EU invited FRA and Europol to a discussion on artificial intelligence from a law enforcement perspective.
Hands on a keyboard
News Item
Data protection, privacy and new technologies
Data protection

Surveillance by intelligence services: more oversight bodies, but no access to remedies

An increased number of oversight bodies in EU Member States now monitors the work of intelligence services. But people whose human rights were violated still have difficulty getting justice, finds an update from the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA). It supports the work of the European Parliament Committee investigating the use of the Pegasus spyware (PEGA). The Parliament will adopt its final resolution on spyware in June 2023.
Read report
News Item
Data protection, privacy and new technologies
Artificial intelligence and big data

FRA joins European Data Protection Authorities Conference

FRA joined the 31st conference of the European Data Protection Authorities.
News Item
Data protection, privacy and new technologies
Artificial intelligence and big data

FRA joined Council of Europe Committee on AI meeting

FRA joined the 5th plenary meeting of the Council of Europe’s Committee on artificial intelligence (AI) as part of the EU Delegation.
News Item
Data protection, privacy and new technologies
Artificial intelligence and big data

Artificial Intelligence and fundamental rights presented to Asser Institute

FRA joined the Spring Academy of the Asser Institute on AI and international law on 28 March.
News Item
Data protection, privacy and new technologies
Data protection

Conference explores ruling on passenger name records for European security

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.
News Item
Data protection, privacy and new technologies
Unlawful profiling

Police stops network holds its closing conference

On 28 February, FRA spoke at the closing conference of the EU-funded PolStops network.
News Item
Data protection, privacy and new technologies
Artificial intelligence and big data

FRA joins Council of Europe Artificial Intelligence Committee meeting

FRA actively took part in the plenary meeting of the Council of Europe Committee on Artificial Intelligence (CAI) from 1 to 3 February.
News Item
Data protection, privacy and new technologies
Artificial intelligence and big data

Ethical and legal aspects of AI in law enforcement

FRA moderated a panel at a conference organised by major EU-funded research consortia dealing with AI technologies used by law enforcement.
News Item
Data protection, privacy and new technologies
Artificial intelligence and big data

FRA joins Council of Europe AI committee meeting

FRA took part in the third plenary meeting of the Council of Europe Committee on Artificial Intelligence (CAI).
Young woman with screenoverlaid
Press Release
Data protection, privacy and new technologies
Artificial intelligence and big data

Test algorithms for bias to avoid discrimination

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.
Download report
News Item
Data protection, privacy and new technologies
Artificial intelligence and big data

Discussion on fundamental rights, civic space and the Digital Services Act

FRA joined a round table discussion on the EU Digital Services Act, fundamental rights, and civic space on 8 November.
News Item
Data protection, privacy and new technologies
Artificial intelligence and big data

FRA joins global tech event in Lisbon

FRA took part in several events at the Web Summit 2022 in Lisbon from 2 to 4 November.
News Item
Asylum, migration and borders
Data protection, privacy and new technologies

Digital technologies and fundamental rights at migration and integration conference

FRA joined the final conference of the easyRights project.
News Item
Data protection, privacy and new technologies
Artificial intelligence and big data

Council of Europe AI committee plenary meeting

FRA was part of the second plenary meeting of the Council of Europe Committee on Artificial Intelligence (CAI).
Event
Artificial intelligence and big data
Data protection, privacy and new technologies

European Parliament hearing on AI bias

FRA's Director will discuss the impact of bias when developing trustworthy Artificial Intelligence at a European Parliament public hearing.
Event
Borders and information systems
Data protection, privacy and new technologies

Big data and migration from a fundamental rights perspective

FRA will join a discussion on 29 November on ethical principles and fundamental rights considerations in data innovation for migration policy.
Event
Data protection, privacy and new technologies

Human rights safeguards in cybercrime legislation

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.
Event
Data protection
Data protection, privacy and new technologies

Balancing fundamental rights in data protection

FRA will join a panel discussion at the high-level conference on Balancing fundamental rights in data protection on 16 November.
Event
Borders and information systems
Data protection, privacy and new technologies

Towards the digital Schengen area

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.
Event
Data protection, privacy and new technologies
Unlawful profiling

Public webinar explores ethnic profiling

FRA will participate in a public webinar on ethnic profiling.
Event
Data protection, privacy and new technologies
Unlawful profiling

Conference explores unlawful profiling

FRA will speak at a conference on public policies related to profiling.
Event
Data protection, privacy and new technologies
Artificial intelligence and big data

FRA AI report presented during ENISA Annual Privacy Forum

FRA will introduce findings from its Getting the future rights – artificial intelligence and fundamental rights report during the ENISA Annual Privacy Forum.
Download report on Artificial Intelligence
Event
Data protection, privacy and new technologies
Artificial intelligence and big data

Council of Europe conference on AI in politics

FRA’s Director Michael O’Flaherty will speak on 10 June about freedom of expression protection frameworks in times of crisis.
Event
Data protection, privacy and new technologies
Artificial intelligence and big data

ERA training on AI and human rights

FRA will join round-table discussions on identifying and preventing the discriminatory impact of artificial intelligence.
Event
Data protection, privacy and new technologies
Artificial intelligence and big data

Getting AI right panel

During this year’s annual computer, privacy and data protection conference (CPDP 2021), FRA will host a panel on getting AI right.
Conference site
Event
Support for human rights systems and defenders
Asylum, migration and borders
Data protection, privacy and new technologies
Equality, non-discrimination and racism
Justice, victims’ rights and judicial cooperation
Support for human rights systems and defenders

Presenting FRA’s Fundamental Rights Report 2020 to the European Parliament

The FRA Director will present key findings from the Fundamental Rights Report 2020 to the European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE).
Download Fundamental Rights Report 2020
Event
Data protection, privacy and new technologies
Unlawful profiling

Public policies to eradicate ethnic profiling

Rights International Spain is hosting a webinar on public policies to eradicate ethnic profiling.
Get the profiling guide
Event
Data protection, privacy and new technologies
Artificial intelligence and big data

FRA Director joins NGO discussions on the impact of new technologies on human rights

On 9 December, the FRA Director will address the EU-NGO Human Rights Forum. This year the focus is on the impact of new technologies on human rights. The forum provides a platform to elaborate recommendations on how the EU can further foster human rights compliance in the digital sphere.
Download COVID-19 bulletin
Discover our project on AI and Fundamental Rights
Event
Asylum, migration and borders
Asylum, migration and borders
Legal migration and integration
Data protection, privacy and new technologies
Artificial intelligence and big data
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Promoting human rights through film

This year, FRA again teams up with the This human world international human rights film festival.
This human world
Event
Data protection, privacy and new technologies
Artificial intelligence and big data
Equality, non-discrimination and racism
Hate crime
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FRA joins AI and hate speech Internet Governance Forum discussions

FRA will take part in this year’s Internet Governance Forum (IGF), which runs virtually from 2-17 November. It will join the session on the role of the private sector in developing guidelines on the use of artificial intelligence.
Event
Artificial intelligence and big data
Data protection, privacy and new technologies

Conference features fundamental rights protection in an era of artificial intelligence

How can we balance the importance of promoting technological, economic and social innovation with the need to protect individuals and society from its potentially harmful effects? This is one of the areas that will be explored during a high-level virtual event on 14 December on doing artificial intelligence the European way.
Watch event recording
Watch the launch video
Event
Data protection, privacy and new technologies
-

FRA joins Global Privacy Assembly

FRA will take part in the annual closed session of the Global Privacy Assembly (GPA) as an observer.
Event
Data protection, privacy and new technologies
Artificial intelligence and big data
-

Fundamental rights considerations in Artificial intelligence

FRA will discuss the fundamental rights considerations of using Artificial intelligence during a meeting of the European Commission’s Digital Criminal Justice Expert Group.
Event
Artificial intelligence and big data
Data protection, privacy and new technologies

Council internal security committee to discuss AI and encryption

Artificial intelligence and encryption will feature during a virtual meeting of the Council of the EU’s Standing Committee on Operational Cooperation on Internal Security (COSI).