Digital Rights (privacy and data protection, digital markets such as telecom, intellectual property rights online...)

Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) have significantly changed consumption habits, and make up an increasingly large part of household budgets. These new technologies offer consumers a must-have tool to access information and participate in daily life and in a democratic society. New digital technologies have also created new ways of promoting, buying and receiving goods or services. However, they are also giving rise to violations of core consumer rights including fundamental rights. Many challenges need to be overcome and risks still need to be addressed - in particular when it comes to security and privacy concerns. It must therefore be ensured that existing consumer rights are really enforced in the digital environment and further consideration should be given to the necessity to reinforce and grant consumers¡¦ new rights in the digital environment.

What are our objectives?

We aim to...

... Give consumers a secure digital environment, including effective control over their personal data and privacy

... Make digital markets work to the benefit of consumers and tackle the digital divide

... Ensure a fair balance between consumers¡¦ digital rights and intellectual property rights-holders

What is needed?

Consumers rights will be respected and digital markets improved if:

• Strict, binding rules on new digital practices are introduced, and a high level of overall privacy and data protection is effectively implemented across the Member States (with high privacy and "security-by-design" settings for digital products)
• It is ensured that the Internet remains open and neutral ("net neutrality") and that all European consumers have access to telecommunications services
• Digital markets guarantee healthy competition and better quality services
• Transparent, creative and fair business and remuneration models for online content are established.
• Clear rights are put forward for consumers, thereby acknowledging the distinction between piracy and practices carried out by numerous private consumers, at home, on a small scale and without commercial motivation

To contact our experts on the issue: digital[AT]beuc.eu*

Find out more in our recent documents

EU GENERAL DATA PROTECTION FRAMEWORK- BEUC answer to the consultation

Fair compensation for copyright-protected material- BEUC Discussion paper

Open letter from European Consumers to the Conciliation Comittee on Telecom Package

Multi-territory licensing of music online: BEUC statement on DG Competition's Online Commerce Roundtable

"Who wants to control the Internet?": Hearing at the European Parliament

* Where is the @?

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