“A loaded gun” Letting Minsters bypass Parliament with Henry VIII powers is never a good idea. But the government did it anyway, by packing the new data protection Act with them. That means a potential future Reform government could easily create an integrated database for use by a British ICE.

Trump wages wars and battles of his choosing. Alliances have been made conditional along the way - do as the US says or face hostility. With so many tech firms under his influence, our critical digital infrastructure could be destabilised in a fit of pique. Demand UK digital sovereignty NOW ⬇️

The fight to protect digital rights has never been more vital. So subscribe to ORG's newsletter today. We'll keep you updated on everything that's going on. From campaign updates to events and how to get involved, we've got you covered. Sign up now ⬇️ #DigitalRights

Young people needing mental health support mustn't be funnelled through Prevent. A system designed for surveillance exposes people to widespread data sharing that can destroy opportunities. With data potentially held for 25 years after their 18th birthday, Prevent worsens the mental health crisis.

"The State is being ripped off and hollowed out." Listen to ORG's Exec Director @jim.killock.org.uk discuss the need for UK digital sovereignty to break from our dependence on foreign-owned Big Tech and how to escape the enshittification of social media. Check out the @opendemocracy.net podcast ⬇️

Triggering a break clause with Palantir shows we can ditch Big Tech. But when they go, they take the systems with them. That's what you get by contracting suppliers who exclusively own the product. The government must back open source software, so we can switch suppliers without changing systems.

Coming up in April, we've got our Brighton meet-up! ORG's @sarahalsherif.bsky.social will be on hand to talk about migrants' digital rights. Whether you're new to ORG or a longtime supporter, everyone's welcome. 🗓️ Monday 20 April 🕡️ 6:30-10:00pm BST 📍 Community Base, BN1 3XG Register now ⬇️

Social media giants have pushed engagement-driven designs to keep us on their platforms, so they can harvest our data for advertising revenues. The landmark verdict against Meta and Google is a crucial step in acknowledging that Big Tech's harmful business models are creating toxic online spaces.

An LA Court's ruling on Meta and Google exposes the real causes of online harms. Engagement-driven design and data-fuelled advertising business models put people at risk. Yet the UK government's approach to online safety has focussed on keeping kids out and locking adults in to toxic platforms.

“We could be forced to hand over personal data as part of a digital ID age check to access parts of the Internet and anyone under 18 could be completely banned from other platforms, all at a ministers’ discretion." Parliamentarians must think twice as the Children’s Bill returns to the Lords today.

The UK is moving forward with its efforts to ban social media for young people. Ahead of today's House of Lords debate on the topic, we’re getting you situated with a primer on what’s been happening and what it all means. www.eff.org/deeplinks/2...

TOMORROW 🔔 Come along to our London meet-up. We’ll be on hand to chat about our latest projects and get to know each other. 🗓️ Wednesday 25 March 🕡️ 6:30–10pm GMT 📍 Newspeak House, E2 7DG Sign up now ⬇️

Far-reaching powers over Internet access are being rushed through. Last minute amendments have been shoved into the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill. Ministers will be able to force anyone over 13 to use unsafe and unregulated age-ID services to access whatever content the government wants.

The UK’s reliance on US Big Tech is a national security issue ⚠️ But the UK is giving the controversial spyware company Palantir more contracts and more access to our data. We're increasingly vulnerable to companies that lock us in to proprietary systems, creating dependency not independence.

Coming up on Wednesday, it's our London meet-up! The ORG team will be there to update you on our campaigns on the Migrant Digital Rights Programme and our calls to reform the ICO. 🗓️ Wednesday 25 March 🕡️ 6:30–10pm GMT 📍 Newspeak House, E2 7DG Sign up now ⬇️ www.openrightsgroup.org/events/org-l...

Reform's 'competition' clearly breaches the law. "The ICO have a statutory duty to monitor and ensure compliance with UK data protection law. Instead of doing their job, the ICO are telling to the public to “go figure it out themselves”. This is another failure and could affect the May elections.

🚨Essex Police has halted its use of facial recognition tech after identifying potential “bias risks”. This should serve as a wake-up call for the Government and police. We need urgent safeguards in place to protect us from the dangers of this tech. www.theguardian.com/technology/2...

Big Tech is being brought into the UK economy on their terms. Adding in TBI and Ellison Institute officials "who know how to do Big Tech’s bidding is just one more sign that the UK is being asset-stripped and locked into a future of permanent rent extraction by Big Tech." 🗣️ @jim.killock.org.uk

How can the answer to protecting privacy be age verification? The ICO seems to think so. Their fine against Reddit for relying on self-declaration is met with a call for intrusive biometric scans or ID uploads. All this when privacy dangers are emerging within the industry. Read our new blog ⬇️

The government's use of VPNs "demonstrates how important these tools are for cybersecurity across the modern Internet." Restricting them creates uncertainty that "could undermine the UK’s reputation as a stable and credible place for digital businesses and security innovation." 🗣️ ORG's James Baker

The use of AI in asylum decision-making is likely unlawful. These tools rewrite interviews, choosing what to include and exclude. Without knowing this, asylum applicants can't be sure accurate information is used to inform decisions. 📺️ ORG's @sarahalsherif.bsky.social explains the legal opinion.

With the 'Nigel Cut My Bills' competition “Reform are asking the public to hand over sensitive data about their voting habits without being transparent about how it will be used." This is a clear breach of transparency obligations under UK data protection law. 🗣️ @marianods.eurosky.social for ORG.

“Political opinions are among the most sensitive types of personal data, and voters must be able to engage in campaigns without feeling pressured to trade their privacy for the chance of material benefit.” The ICO must investigate Reform exploiting data this way. 🗣️ ORG’s @marianods.eurosky.social.

Reform's Cut My Bills 'competition' breaches transparency obligations under data protection law. People are asked to hand over data about their voting preferences for a chance to get their bills paid. All with no explanation of how personal data will be used. The ICO must investigate. Read more ⬇️

We've published a new legal opinion, raising questions over the legality of the use of AI tools in the UK asylum system. Applicants aren't being informed of their use by decision-makers, nor being given the opportunity to correct errors that might be made in AI generated summaries. Find out more ⬇️

Trump threatens allies with retribution for not bending the knee. UK digital infrastructure can be used as leverage or disrupted on his say so. We need open-source systems, so we're not locked in to services owned and controlled by foreign tech firms. Sign the petition for #DigitalSovereignty ⬇️

The failure to inform asylum applicants of the use of AI in decision-making is likely UNLAWFUL. A new legal opinion for ORG finds that the use of AI tools doesn't meet legal obligations nor standards in the AI Playbook. We need full transparency to ensure lawful and fair decisions. Read more ⬇️

‘It beggars belief’: MoD sources warn #palantir’s role at heart of government is threat to UK’s security #digitalsovereignty https://www.thenerve.news/p/palantir-technologies-uk-mod-sources-government-data-insights-security-state-secrets

"There is little evidence that young people are using VPNs to bypass digital ID checks imposed by the Online Safety Act." Age gating them "will have little impact on children's online safety but will deter adults from using them or force people to hand over personal documents or biometric data."

Campaigners claim NHS Palantir system could be accessed by police and immigration

🚨 BREAKING 🚨 The ICO and Ofcom are pushing for tech companies to strengthen age checks. It's disastrous that the ICO wants to somehow 'protect children’s data' by compelling 13-18 year olds to use poorly regulated digital identification products that could put their biometric data at risk.

Join us for our latest London meet-up! The ORG team will be there to update you on our campaigns on the Migrant Digital Rights Programme and our calls to reform the ICO. 🗓️ Wednesday 25 March 🕡️ 6:30–10pm GMT 📍 Newspeak House, E2 7DG Sign up now ⬇️

🚨 Wide ranging powers have been voted through to restrict Internet access 🚨 Ministers will be able to impose digital ID checks, curfews and VPN restrictions without Parliamentary scrutiny. This can be used on websites, social media, apps and games with no need to show there's any harm to children.

“When you create a law, you have to think about what a future government could do with those powers." Ministers would have unilateral powers to lock what they see as 'harmful' behind digital ID checks. This could end up being used on LGBTQ+ and reproductive health content. 🗣️ ORG's James Baker.

Tomorrow MPs face a choice: Give Ministers a blank cheque to impose digital ID checks across any part of the Internet, or protect our rights. They must say no to powers that’ll restrict our access to information unless we all prove we’re over 16. Join over 570 people who’ve written to their MP ⬇️

The eVisa judicial review will hear that the digital and online-only scheme is unlawful. Without a physical copy of their immigration status, migrants are at risk of losing access to housing, services and work. Despite being warned since before implementation, the Home Office has done nothing.

Digital ID checkpoints could erupt across the Internet 🆔 The government is seeking a power grab. And it's not just social media. Every adult will have to do ID checks to access whatever online services the government – any government – decides to restrict or curfew. ORG's James Baker explains ⬇️

Ending online harms isn't a game of whack-a-mole. The only way is to bust the business model that rewards harmful results. Nothing changes until we break the spell that keeps us on platforms; the harvesting of our data to maximise engagement and fuel advertising. Sign the petition #BreakBigTech ⬇️

🚨 ID checks to get online could become the new norm 🚨 A new amendment would give the government sweeping powers to block access to lawful information and communications. That's unless we submit our identification to a bounty of providers. Tell your MP to stop this broad and repressive law ⬇️

Measures to stop online harms just rearrange the deckchairs. To get serious about it, we must attack how social media platforms do business. Using our data to keep us online with targeted ads and 'For You' algorithms is the engine of hate and extremism. We must #BreakBigTech. Sign our petition ⬇️

We've called on Ofcom to clear up confusion following the ruling that the Palestine Action ban is unlawful. We need to know what platforms are expected to do about their duty to remove 'terrorist' content under the Online Safety Act and how new duties will be applied. Read our open letter ⬇️

The proscription of Palestine Action has been found unlawful. So what now for content takedowns? Ofcom must urgently make it clear what platforms are expected to do under their duty to remove 'terrorist' posts and stop censorship. Read about our open letter ⬇️ www.theguardian.com/world/2026/m...

What @mazzucatom.bsky.social says about the capabilities of the state is extremely relevant when thinking about Digital sovereignty. No capacity, no sovereignty.

“Child safety is vital, but giving ministers sweeping powers to make communication conditional on digital ID is a profound and risky expansion of state control.” 🗣️ ORG’s James Baker on new Henry VIII powers to extend age verification across any part of the Internet without going through Parliament.

ORG and European civil society groups have warned about the reliance on a few dominant companies for digital infrastructure. This means they can degrade their services without consequences – known as enshittification, as coined by Cory Doctorow. Read more ⬇️ www.openrightsgroup.org/press-releas...

Age walls could be erected at the government's whim. New Henry VIII powers would give Ministers the ability to impose age verification across the Internet. And it goes way beyond social media. We'll have to surrender our ID to unregulated providers for everyday access to information and services.

So-called 'crime predicting' tech automates racism in the criminal justice system. Even the police have admitted that it's biased, with it being based on flawed police data 🤷 We need to stop pouring in good money after bad. We need an outright ban on its use. www.theguardian.com/technology/2...

Putting VPNs behind an age wall threatens our privacy. They keep young people safe from harassment. Business networks secure. Journalists, campaigners and whistleblowers shielded from harm. Privacy is online safety ✊️ Sign the petition to protect VPNs ⬇️ action.openrightsgroup.org/tell-governm...

“Age verification for VPNs could undermine their privacy benefits and pose challenges for legitimate users, including young individuals seeking online privacy and security. We risk trading one risk posed to young people for another." 🗣️ James Baker for ORG. www.computerweekly.com/news/3666392...

Trying to fix a broken system by tinkering won't achieve online safety. The issue? The Internet is centralised in the hands of a few tech behemoths. Simply adding new rules while harms evolve around them is a losing battle. We must build something better. www.openrightsgroup.org/blog/online-...