Renew Europe's McNamara warns about Germany's post-AIAct push for biometric #MassSurveillance and the risks of the NationalSecurity exemption in the #AIAct.

In response, Virkkunen merely describes the implementation plan of #AIAct, without committing to a #HumanRights focused enforcement.

Virkkunen supports the uptake of #AI in public services and considers the #AIAct a sufficient safeguard.

She missed a crucial opportunity to acknowledge the many gaps in the #AIAct and that we need much more to protect our #FundamentalRights.

Read an analysis of the AI Act by civil society ️ https://edri.org/our-work/eu-ai-act-fails-to-set-gold-standard-for-human-rights/

Virkkunen acknowledges that access to the internet remains a challenge for many Europeans.

But speeding up infrastructure investments and updating the 2030 Digital Decade targets will NOT address the root cause of digital exclusion and ensure offline access to public services ‍️

S&D MEP Eero Heinaluoma presses the Commissioner-designate for a commitment to the open internet & to upholding #NetNeutrality.

Virkkunen's limited answer speaks volumes: network fees might be coming, despite warnings from #DigitalRights groups

To our horror, a far-right MEP asked Henna Virkkunen
if she considers herself up to the task or a 'token woman' candidate

Worse, Virkkunen fails to address sexist comments, choosing instead to take the hit.

A sad day for those who have been accused of being ‘diversity hires’ and ‘quota hires’ who are way more competent than this display of right-wing machismo ‍️

Responding to the Left's question about #cybersecurity, Virkkunen emphasises that our information & data must be safe in the digital world, that the #GDPR is crucial, and that - wait for it - the Commission has been very focused on cybersecurity in recent years

Hasn't she heard of #ChatControl? https://edri.org/our-work/most-criticised-eu-law-of-all-time/

Virkkunen says the internet did not exist 10 years ago?!

If we do the math, that’s 2014 -- so we're not sure how we accessed Napster in 1996.

Time flies when we’re having fun at the EU Commissioner hearings #TimeWarp ‍

The EU #ChipsAct is also a hot topic, with Commissioner Henna Virkkunen promising more EU-developed chips.

Fun fact: in Belgium, we call it the 'Frites Act'

Denying reality? 🧐

Commissioner-designate Virkunnen says she and the EU_Commission support #OpenSource tools and development.

But the Commission recently cut funding for open-source software out of Horizon 2025 funding.

Read more from @fsfe ️ https://edri.org/our-work/european-commission-cuts-funding-support-for-free-software-projects/

Two far-right European Parliament groups have brought out the tired trope that #EU's platform regulation rules amount to censorship.

They fail to see that #HateSpeech =/= #FreeSpeech ‍️

Virkkunen's responses are an attempt to defend the #DSA, but we'd have liked to hear a stronger reply.

SuperTuesdays are now a thing, and so are safe online environments for minors?!

We are glad that Virkkunnen stresses her commitment to #DSA enforcement and guidelines. Fingers crossed she continues this balanced approach to protection online, after highlighting the positive impacts of online spaces and not only focusing on the scares.

The tech hype bingo has started with quantum, AI factories, digital innovation for public services...

But will #HumanRights and tech's ecological impact be considered?

Given what we are hearing so far from Commissioner-designate Virkkunen, it will come last - if at all ️

Virkkunnen promises to ensure that market players take responsibility in keeping online spaces safe for children.

We can only hope that she means having a more holistic approach to this, and not through blanket bans and ‘privacy-preserving’ #AgeVerification systems

Digital de-regulation also seems to be high on the Commissioner-designate's agenda.

She singles out "digital rules" for "review" and commits to reducing "admin burden" - a red flag for important laws like the Digital Services Act #DSA, Digital Markets Act #DMA & #AIAct

Commissioner-designate Virkkunen falls into the trope claiming that digitalisation will provide a solution to all problems, from the #TwinTransition for the #climatecrisis, to improving public services and healthcare.

But what about its exclusionary effects, #AlgorithmicBias and #discrimination?

What do we want to see?

Virkkunen must protect the integrity of EU digital communication tools like #encryption.

We hope to see protections for the open internet & net neutrality, action toward #climatejustice, & against #surveillance ads, digital exclusion & technosolutionism.

Why should you care?

If confirmed, Henna Virkkunen's role will span #cybersecurity, #disinformation, media, digital markets, "#TechSovereignty", cloud, net neutrality, #FOSS, the enforcement of #DSA, #DMA, #AIAct & much more!

Follow live: https://elections.europa.eu/european-commission/en/virkkunen/

We're back with our final hot takes for the new EU Commissiners.

In a few minutes, MEPs will scrutinise the nominee for Executive Vice-President Henna Virkkunen.

Virkkunen is up for one of the biggest portfolios, full of #digital and #tech topics. Follow along...🧵

2/7 'Controlling our borders' = phrase of the day

The future of the EU's digital/physical borders seems more hostile than ever, with Brunner failing to commit to having new Home Affairs proposals following EU's better regulation rules, and to mention border #surveillance tech risks.

1/7 Good evening from Brussels!

Following a 3 hours, fairly wobbly hearing, here are EDRi's key takeaways for what MEPs' questions and Brunner's answers mean for #DigitalHumanRights ️