The Impact of the Recent European Elections on Digital Rights

The European elections held in June have left many of us in civil society reeling, underscoring the alarming rise of far-right ideologies within our democratic institutions. With over two decades of experience advocating for a free, fair, and open digital environment across Europe, it is evident that this shift poses a severe threat to our fundamental rights. As we look forward to the upcoming mandate of EU institutions, we brace for an increase in the market dominance of large tech corporations and a potential escalation in oppressive state surveillance practices.

Much of the discourse surrounding these elections has centered on the ways technology could help tackle intricate sociopolitical challenges, including climate change, job insecurity, and the militarization of public spaces. This narrative is not a novel one. As the leader of the largest network of digital rights organizations in Europe, I have witnessed how technology is frequently sold to European institutions as a cure-all for our societal dilemmas.

However, the reality is far more nuanced. Technology is not the panacea it is often portrayed to be; in many cases, it can exacerbate existing issues. While technology is heralded as the quickest path to profit and growth, its social and environmental repercussions often go unacknowledged. Instead, we require holistic and intersectional solutions to our most pressing challenges—solutions that prioritize people’s needs for safety, well-being, and health rather than mere quick fixes.

False Technosolutionist Narratives at the Cost of Our Rights

As the preeminent advocate for digital rights in Europe, the EDRi network has diligently monitored the actions of the last EU mandate. Our experiences reveal that the prevailing technosolutionist narrative within EU institutions—largely shaped by rampant corporate lobbying—has dire consequences for our dignity, our rights, and the integrity of our elections, not to mention the health of our planet.

Throughout the last mandate, we witnessed repeated efforts by EU institutions to promote a false sense of “security” that undermines our fundamental rights. In the wake of the European elections, the newly formed conservative majority in the European Parliament is poised to champion defense technology, particularly concerning immigration and border control.

This was starkly evident in the political push for age verification measures, which jeopardize encryption and facilitate mass surveillance of our digital lives. Intrusive technologies such as spyware and biometric surveillance have been misleadingly touted as the only viable solutions to protect children or combat crime. Such technologies have damaging effects on our ability to communicate securely online, access vital information, explore our identities, and organize politically. The groups disproportionately affected include journalists, human rights defenders, young people, and marginalized communities.

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The conservative majority in the European Parliament is expected to prioritize defense technology, especially concerning immigration and border control. This trend is indicative of a broader pattern of neglecting the rights of migrants and racialized individuals, which poses significant threats to the health of our democratic societies as a whole.

False Securitization Will Lead Us Nowhere

The landmark AI Act, adopted by the EU in April 2024, exemplifies the troubling use of security narratives at the expense of our fundamental rights. This legislation designates anything related to “national security” as a digital rights-free zone, with scant accountability for institutions and actors employing high-risk systems in policing. These shortcomings in the AI Act stem from the collaboration of tech corporations, start-ups, and EU member states, all lobbying for diluted legislation to safeguard their profits and inflated national security agendas.

As we navigate the aftermath of the elections, the implementation of the AI Act will proceed. Progressive lawmakers must rise to defend the humanity and dignity of migrants, especially as louder voices advocate for an intensified “fortress Europe.” Concurrently, EU institutions are promoting the “twinning of green and digital transitions,” suggesting that tech solutions are the answer to the climate crisis. This narrative serves the business interests of tech companies, which thrive when we limit our approach to a complex environmental crisis to mere technological fixes.

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Through our collaborations with digital rights and climate justice organizations, we have observed repeatedly how AI and digital tech corporations engage in practices reliant on extractivism, significant water and energy consumption, and the generation of toxic waste. It is glaringly evident that these technosolutionist and false securitization narratives do not lead us toward a future where everyone can thrive.

What Must Change for a Future Where We All Thrive?

Nonetheless, the recent elections presented a silver lining—a chance to redirect public discourse toward a vision of a more just, equitable, and sustainable digital future. To move away from a technosolutionist mindset, we must envision a future where technology serves humanity, democracy, and the planet. This requires us to critically examine how technology perpetuates harmful power dynamics within our society.

Collectively, we can construct a world where our digital lives are informed by care, justice, and empowerment rather than driven by profit motives, surveillance, and relentless consumption. Achieving this vision necessitates bold, systemic, and holistic approaches from European decision-makers, employing an intersectional lens that transcends existing silos.

Claire Fernandez is the Executive Director of the European Digital Rights network (EDRi).
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