Article 27.09.2016 1 min. read Text Katarzyna Szymielewicz, the president of Panoptykon Foundation, was recognized by Access Now as a Hero of Human Rights “for her diligent work opposing the Polish Anti-Terrorism Law, which limits the right to assembly and disproportionately targeted foreigners without sufficient justification”.According to the International Principles on the Application of Human Rights to Communications Surveillance (the “Necessary and Proportionate Principles” or “13 Principles”): “Laws should only permit communications surveillance by specified State authorities to achieve a legitimate aim that corresponds to a predominantly important legal interest that is necessary in a democratic society”. Polish Anti-Terrorism Law adopted in June 2016 fails to meet this requirement. The list of controversies is long: foreigners’ phone calls might be wire-tapped without a court order, and police might collect their fingerprints, biometric photos and DNA if their identity is “doubtful”. Online content might be blocked, citizens’ freedom of assembly limited, and secret services are given free access to all public databases. Also measures such as the obligation to register pre-paid phone cards are included. Panoptykon Foundation and other critics, including the Commissioner for Human Rights in Poland, Adam Bodnar, have appealed to the Polish President, Andrzej Duda not to sign the law but President ignored these appeals.Full list of Heroes & Villains of Human Rights and Communications Surveillance Fundacja Panoptykon Author Previous Next See also Article Three layers of your digital profile Your online profile is not always built on facts. It is shaped by technology companies and advertisers who make key decisions based on their interpretation of seemingly benign data points: what movies you choose watch, the time of day you tweet, or how long you take to click on a cat video. 18.03.2019 Text Article Webinar: Alternative recommender systems in the DSA [recording] Facebook Files provided yet another confirmation that the company's extremely profitable recommender systems come at a high price paid by vulnerable individuals and our societies. Algorithms optimised for engagement amplify toxic content, such as hate speech or disinformation, and target humans… 23.11.2021 Text Article DSA: Polish translation needs correction. Transparency rules for recommender systems do apply to smaller platforms as well We found an essential mistake in the Polish official translation of the Article 27 of Digital Services Act: 11.05.2023 Text