The Centre for Democracy & Technology Europe (CDT Europe) recently participated in the 13th edition of RightsCon, held in Taipei from February 24-27. The event focused on various aspects of commercial spyware abuse within the EU and beyond. Silvia Lorenzo Perez from CDT Europe took part in discussions about investor accountability, defining spyware, financial tracking, litigation strategies, global regulatory efforts, and geopolitical influences on policy responses.
Silvia was a key speaker on two panels addressing spyware regulation and global accountability. The first panel was hosted by the Human Rights Center at the University of Minnesota and discussed challenges and lessons from regulating spyware using insights from various international bodies and civil society perspectives. "The discussion also considered the EU’s leadership role in global spyware regulation," according to CDT.
A second panel organized by the Spyware Accountability Initiative gathered experts to assess progress in spyware accountability over the past year. Additionally, CDT Europe used RightsCon as an opportunity to host a strategic brainstorming session with European partners.
At CyberNext Brussels 2025 on March 5, Silvia Lorenzo Perez addressed commercial spyware's impact on cybersecurity and human rights. She emphasized that governments should limit their use of spyware with strong oversight aligned with European legal standards.
Silvia also discussed the Pall Mall Process initiated by France and the UK to establish principles for commercial spyware development and use. "Robust safeguards are still crucial to prevent misuse," she noted.
On International Women’s Day 2025, CDT Europe's Secretary General Asha Allen engaged in discussions about gender equality in Europe through a podcast conversation with Laeticia Thissen for FEPS Talks. They explored online gender-based violence's impact on democratic participation.
Asha also participated in a panel at an “Equality in Digital” event at the European Parliament discussing regulations like DSA and AI Act aimed at addressing AI-related harms against women.
David Klotsonis from CDT Europe joined a roundtable organized by OSCE focusing on journalist protections against online threats. He highlighted safety-by-design approaches as essential for mitigating risks journalists face online due to engagement-driven platform models amplifying violence.
Laura Lazaro Cabrera attended the French AI Summit where she observed missed opportunities for EU policymakers regarding AI governance discussions but noted civil society events critically reflecting these issues instead.
Finally, on March 11th, the European Commission released its third draft Code of Practice concerning general-purpose AI (GPAI). This draft divides commitments into four parts but has seen significant changes impacting fundamental rights protections negatively according to initial analyses shared by CDT.
