When EDRi was established, its founders recognized that co-operation between European digital rights organisations was essential for the effective protection of digital civil rights in the years ahead. EDRi would in the subsequent years indeed come to serve as an important framework for this co-operation.
One of these founders was a Dutch digital rights organization called Bits of Freedom (BoF). Not only has it helped establishing EDRi, but it was also one of the first digital rights organisations in Europe.
Thus, it was highly unfortunate that Bits of Freedom announced in August
2006 that it would cease most of its activities. Both full-time employees decided to leave, and the continuing uncertainty about financing led to the conclusion that a relaunch at that time was not possible.
Of all the reasons which led to this conclusion, the lack of work was not one, however: "a bottom-up civil rights movement in the Netherlands seems more necessary than ever", one of the former directors of Bits of Freedom wrote in the EDRI-gram at that time.
Now, exactly three years later, we are happy to announce that Bits of Freedom resumed its activities this month. A substantial initial grant by the Dutch foundation Internet4All allows Bits of Freedom to start again defending Dutch civil rights in the information society.
Bits of Freedom will focus on protecting privacy and communications freedom in a digital age. It will do so by influencing government policy and self regulation, not only on a national, but also on a European level.
And when doing so on a European level, Bits of Freedom still is convinced that co-operation between European digital rights organisations remains an essential part of
effectively defending freedom in a digital world.
Bits of Freedom strives to make a meaningful contribution to that co-operation in the years to come.
The new executive board of the foundation consists of Doke Pelleboer (former CEO of Dutch ISP XS4ALL), Joris van Hoboken (researcher at the University of Amsterdam) and Karianne Thomas (attorney at the Dutch law firm Van Doorne). The organisation will be led by Ot van Daalen (former attorney at the Dutch law firm De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek).
Bits of Freedom website http://www.bof.nl
