Euroviews. Will the far right threaten Europe's digital future?

The European elections in June swept many of us in civil society through a whirlwind, cementing the continuous progression of the far-right within our democratic institutions.

With over twenty years of experience advocating for a free, fair, and open digital environment in Europe, one thing is clear to us — a shift to the right poses a grave threat to our fundamental rights.

Looking ahead to the next mandate of EU institutions, we anticipate a rise in the market dominance of large tech corporations and the implementation of draconian state surveillance practices.

Much discussion surrounding the elections has focused on how technology could potentially address complex sociopolitical issues such as climate change, job insecurity, and the militarisation of public spaces.

This rhetoric is nothing new. Leading the largest network of digital rights organisations in Europe, I have witnessed firsthand how technology has often been portrayed within European institutions as a panacea for all our societal challenges.

In reality, things are more complicated than presented — technology is not the silver bullet to solve all our problems and can often exacerbate them. Technology is seen as the fastest route to profit and growth, yet its social and environmental impacts are ignored. We need holistic and intersectional solutions to our greatest challenges that address people’s demands for safety, well-being and health — not quick fixes.

Being the leading voice on digital rights in Europe, the EDRi network has been a strong watchdog of the last EU mandate.

Our experience has shown us that the technosolutionist narrative dominating EU institutions — which is heavily influenced by skyrocketing levels of corporate lobbying — has serious