Hundreds of e-mails informing about changes to companies’ privacy policies were sent out by companies across the EU in the name of the GDPR. Both users and companies are confused with the variety of – sometimes contradictory – explanations and interpretations. The #TimeToDisagree campaign launched today by Panoptykon together with European Digital Rights and Bits of Freedom reminds everyone that the GDPR is – above all – a new tool to protect our rights.

From May 25th the new General Data Protection Regulation will come fully into force. From Panoptykon’s point of view it is a change for the better. The GDPR is the outcome of the legislative process which we were engaged in from the very beginning (already when the European Commission announced the public consultation in October 2010!). Thanks to the new regulation it will be easier for us to fight against bad practices of companies that until now exploited our personal data and calculated profit without even noticing our rights.

Videos from the Computers, Privacy & Data Protection 2017: The Age of the Intelligent Machines are already available (featuring Katarzyna Szymielewicz, the Panoptykon Foundation president).

On 11 September 2014 digital right activists and advocates around the world commemorated the anniversary of 9/11 terrorist attacks on the WTC as the Freedom not Fear Day.

On June 4, 2014, one day before the anniversary of the Snowden revelations, Poland celebrates 25 years since the fall of an authoritarian regime. On this occasion, President Obama is visiting Poland and meeting with many heads of states—including officials who were affected by the mass surveillance scandal carried out by the NSA. Since October 2013, the Panoptykon Foundation, a Polish NGO, has tried to understand the relationship between the Polish and United States’ secret service organizations. Panoptykon believes that the Polish government, by accepting mass and pre-emptive surveillance, is reverting back to the much contested practices of the former, authoritarian regime — practices that triggered the revolution 25 years ago. Thus, the NGO has organized a user-generated campaign for June 4, urging people to welcome President Obama to Poland by vocalizing their thoughts on mass surveillance.

Why do we need the reform of European Personal Data Protection Law? Panoptykon Foundation prepared a publication explaining problems regarding current law and presenting solutions to those problems that should be included in new regulation on personal data protection.