The European Union is at a crossroads in how it approaches technology. We either conform to the agendas of Big Tech and authoritarian states, or centre our own vision of technology serving people, planet and democracy. With the European elections behind us, and new decision makers set to lead the European Commission, the moment is ripe to lay the building blocks for our future.
On 1 October, 41 civil society organisations co-hosted the Tech and Society Summit. Together, the non-profit co-hosts address a broad range of issues, including human rights, digital rights, climate action, corporate accountability and social justice. Providing a breath of fresh air amid a horde of industry-sponsored events in Brussels, the summit fostered a critical dialogue between lawmakers and civil society.
European Digital Rights (EDRi), one of the co-hosts of the summit, is Europe’s largest digital rights network. With 20 years of experience in the tech policy space, we have worked through five mandates (and are about to start our sixth) in Brussels, representing over 50 organisations across Europe. Our legacy encompasses a range of topics, from trade agreements and their influence on social media regulation to digital laws and policies, as well as key issues like the impact of policing and security in the digital age.
We were honoured to be joined at the Tech and Society Summit by over a hundred MEPs and EU officials.
After opening words by co-hosts and a debate between MEPs and representatives of civil society, attendees joined a panel discussing the impact of digitalisation on essential services, followed by a roundtable on how to build a safe and equitable internet for all.
The conversations started at the summit are a step toward broadening civic space and uniting forces across silos and geographies for meaningful civil society participation in policymaking
Later, a session on the environmental costs of technology considered alternatives to the technosolutionist approach to the planetary crisis. Additionally, a panel on “safety beyond surveillance” presented important points in the age of tech and data-driven surveillance, especially at EU borders.
In addition to the panels and roundtables, attendees joined a fireside chat with Parliament officials to discuss Big Tech lobbying – a much-needed conversation given the sky-high levels of corporate lobbying that heavily influence policymaking.
Throughout the day, guests frequented various action desks which provided hands-on activities and advice. There, they had their cellphones checked for spyware, learnt strategies to curb Big Tech influence, and had their small electrical gadgets repaired while chatting about the right to repair.
The conversations started at the Tech and Society Summit are a step toward broadening civic space and uniting forces across silos and geographies for meaningful civil society participation in policymaking. All of us are affected by technology and want just, safe and secure futures – for people and the planet, not profit.
If you are a decision maker keen to work with civil society and bring this vision to life, reach out to us today. As we confront collective challenges such as climate change and rising authoritarianism, we count on EU leaders working hand-in-hand with civil society to centre what truly matters.