OCCHI APERTI SU GAZA sabato 21 febbraio 2026 - dalle 14.30 - Kantiere, Possaccio, Verbania La giornata si aprirà alle ore 14,30 con l’incontro “Tecnologie digitali: dal laboratorio Palestina alle nostre vite”, con Carlo Milani (Circe), per approfondire il ruolo delle tecnologie e dell’informazione nel contesto palestinese e nelle nostre società. Alle ore 15,30 è prevista la presentazione del libro “Gaza, la fiamma che non si spegne” di Bara Abu Wadi, scrittore e ricercatore palestinese originario di Gaza. L’autore testimonia attraverso la scrittura l’esperienza della guerra e il racconto di quella città viva nei suoi ricordi e ora ridotta in macerie. L’incontro sarà curato da Francesca Niccoli e prevede un collegamento da Gaza con l’autore. Alle ore 16,30 si terrà l’intervento video “I portuali non lavorano per la guerra” con José Nivoi, il carismatico leader del CALP di Genova, dedicato al tema delle mobilitazioni collettive e del ruolo avuto dal comparto dei lavoratori portuali contro il commercio di armi e l’economia di guerra. Nivoi farà anche un bilancio del Grande Sciopero Internazionale dei Porti dello scorso 6 febbraio che ha visto coinvolti per la prima volta moltissimi porti del Mediterraneo e d’Europa (da Genova a Tangeri e da Amburgo al Pireo per citarne solo alcuni). Alle ore 18 seguirà un momento conviviale condiviso. Dalle ore 19 spazio alla musica con alcuni gruppi locali e, come guest star, il Kantiere ospiterà il cantautore torinese Errico Canta Male, celebre per la canzone “Vanchiglia”. Il suo ultimo singolo, “Blocchiamo Tutto”, è stato registrato in studio con grande cura. L’idea del brano è nata dopo diverse conversazioni con amici e collaboratori: il cantautore torinese voleva affrontare il tema dell’inasprimento del genocidio palestinese senza cadere nella retorica, raccontando ciò che osservava in città tra fine settembre e inizio ottobre. La canzone sintetizza quell’urgenza e quella spinta emotiva in un testo diretto, dedicato ai martiri palestinesi e a tutte le persone nel mondo che hanno scelto di aprire gli occhi. Tra le formazioni presenti anche i verbanesi Mountain’s Foot, band nata nel 2016 dall’incontro di Matteo Scaringelli (chitarra e voce solista), Mauro Ramozzi (chitarra solista e cori), Simone Facchi (batteria e cori) e Fabio Bonomi (basso), con alle spalle diverse esperienze nella scena rock locale. Il gruppo propone un rock and roll old school di chiara ispirazione anni Sessanta e Settanta, con richiami ai grandi classici dell’hard rock internazionale. Il loro primo disco omonimo, pubblicato nel 2020 per Delta Records & Promotion, ha ricevuto riscontri positivi dalla critica di settore per il carattere autentico e la fedeltà alle sonorità del rock più classico e genuino. Sul palco anche i Crewska, formazione nata in ambito ska ma con influenze che spaziano tra reggae, funky, folk e punk rock. La band – composta da batteria, basso, chitarra, voce e violino – propone prevalentemente brani originali in italiano, con un sound energico e contaminato. Ad aprire la parte musicale anche i giovanissimi Kill the Silence, band pop-rock composta da ragazze e ragazzi tra i 15 e i 18 anni: Alizeè Poletti (voce), Riccardo Richie Gattei (chitarra), Alessandro Gattei (tastiere), Rebecca Romagnoli (basso) e Giorgia Vigna (batteria), studenti e studentesse di Omegna, Verbania e Gozzano e rappresentanti della nuova scena musicale emergente del territorio. Si esibiranno inoltre gli Ice Wings, giovanissima band rock della provincia del VCO composta da Annika De Rosa (voce), Gabriele “Gege” Rolando (chitarra), Eleonora “Eluzz” Rasi (basso) e Cedric Tommasato (batteria e percussioni), con una formazione musicale avviata fin dall’infanzia. Nati nel 2021, si sono rapidamente affacciati sui palchi locali tra concerti, aperture e jam session, iniziando come cover band e sviluppando progressivamente un repertorio originale. Dopo l’uscita di diversi singoli nel 2025 e la firma con l’agenzia di management Sorry Mom!, il gruppo è attualmente impegnato nelle registrazioni finali del primo album in uscita in primavera.

Zurich, 16.02.2026 Today the public consultation on the proposed law on communication platforms and search engines has ended. Interested parties were encouraged to submit their feedback on the draft proposal. ISOC-CH has used the opportunity to express the concerns with the proposed law that contains similar – though lesser – provisions than the EU Digital Services Act (DSA). The biggest concern lies in the decision making process on whether a “potentially illegal” user provided content shall be sanctioned; in particular when it is unclear whether or not a content is illegal (as this also includes legal content). Furthermore, the proposed law intends to delegate this decision from the judiciary to platform operators. While the judiciary is bound to the constitutional fundamental rights (such as freedom of speech and freedom of information, i.e. primarily defensive rights against the state), these rights do not apply to decisions of platform operators. As we learned e.g. by the “Twitter Files”, this setup has been misused by the last US government to delegate censorship in Social Media to private parties (such as NGOs), in order to circumvent the 1st amendment of the US Constitution (freedom of speech) You can find our full response to this public consultation here (in German). The post Public Consultation on Platform Regulation appeared first on ISOC Switzerland Chapter.

In 1996, at the annual gathering of the World Economic Forum in Davos, a libertarian manifesto rang out across the early web. John Perry Barlow’s “Declaration of the Independence of Cyberspace” imagined a realm beyond the reach of governments—weightless, borderless, self-governing.  Three decades later, the mood has shifted. In 2026, the question that was asked in Davos is no longer whether cyberspace is independent, but whether Europe can claim its own share of it. “Is Europe’s digital sovereignty feasible?” —an admission that sovereignty, once dismissed as obsolete in the digital age, has returned with force. In Brussels, Ursula von der Leyen elevates the concept in her agenda for Europe. The Digital Services Act asserts regulatory authority over global platforms. And in Bern, the Digital Switzerland Strategy 2026 places digital sovereignty at the heart of the country’s technological future. The idea of openness that we took for granted is now out of the window as the world is rapidly getting more confrontational. Geopolitical instability has exposed supply chains once thought secure. Artificial intelligence systems proliferate faster than institutions can comprehend them. Social media platforms shape public discourse at a scale no parliament or newspaper ever commanded. What was once an abstract ideal—control over one’s digital destiny—has become a strategic imperative. But in the rush to reclaim sovereignty, three uncomfortable questions loom—rarely addressed, often postponed. First: sustainability. Digital transformation is not ethereal. It consumes energy, rare earths, water, and land. Sovereignty in the cloud is still grounded in physical infrastructure. Second: health. The same networks that promise empowerment also entrench dependency. Internet addiction, algorithmic amplification, and perpetual connectivity strain mental health in ways policymakers are only beginning to quantify. Third: resilience. As societies entrust essential services—communication, finance, education, health—to digital systems, vulnerability deepens. Physical disasters, cyberattacks, and systemic failures no longer threaten convenience alone; they threaten continuity. It is in this context that the Switzerland chapter of the Internet Society steps into the debate with a deceptively simple question: What does digital sovereignty actually mean? Not as a slogan. Not as a regulatory instrument. But as a lived reality—for policymakers, educators, civil society, and above all, citizens. Respecting key values like openness, privacy, and democracy.  On March 27th, 2026, through a public event with special guests from European civil society organizations, ISOC-CH launches a long-term campaign to examine that question publicly—placing sustainability, health, resilience, openness, privacy, and democracy at its core. And on April 24th, at Open Education Day, it will extend the inquiry to the classroom, asking what digital sovereignty demands of those who shape the next generation. Because sovereignty in the digital age is not declared once and for all. It is negotiated—line by line, protocol by protocol, value by value. The Internet Society (ISOC) Switzerland Chapter is a non-profit organization that engages on a variety of Internet-related topics, ensuring that it is a place of possibility, opportunity, and progress that benefits people worldwide. We provide technically-grounded advice, policy recommendations, and educational material regarding privacy, security, Free and Open-Source Software, and digital sovereignty. We also organize informative events and debates like the annual Public Policy Sessions and participate in collaborative research projects like the NGI0 Commons Fund. As a national chapter of the international organization responsible for the .org domain, ISOC CH acts as a gateway between Switzerland and the international digital civil society. You can consider becoming a member (through the main ISOC web site) following the instructions at https://isoc.ch/membership, or just subscribe to our newsletter (2-3 announcements per year) by sending a message to contact@isoc.ch. The post What does digital sovereignty means for … policy makers, educators, the government, civil society, YOU? appeared first on ISOC Switzerland Chapter.

La gent té el poder (“People have the power”, feat. Patti Smith). A vegades no ho recordem, de la mateixa manera que oblidem que les xarxes socials (social network) no són els mitjans de comunicació socials (social media). Ara és el moment de desprendre'ns de narracions i hàbits tòxics, i imaginar allò que ens agradaria fer amb la tecnologia que estimem i com. El 28 de febrer organitzem un taller de pedagogia hacker on parlarem de tecnologies, educació i els riscos i beneficis de l'ús d'aquestes eines tant presents en les nostres vides i les de les persones joves amb les quals treballem. El taller, que plantejarà mètodes i eines per pensar críticament la relació amb les tecnologies digitals en l'àmbit educatiu i servirà també per compartir recursos i accions pràctiques, serà gratuït, però podeu fer una aportació voluntària pel lloc que ens acull. El taller tindrà entre 20 i 25 places. Si us plau, en cas que no puguis participar, fes-nos-ho saber almenys 5 dies abans. Ens trobarem a les 10 del matí del 28 de febrer al Local de la Puri (c/Puríssima Concepció, 28, Poble Sec, Barcelona). Per saber-ne més, obre l'enllaç: https://taller.vado.li/ [English version below] People have the power (“People have the power”, feat. Patti Smith). Sometimes we don't remember that, just as we forget that social networks (social network) are not social media. Now is the time to shed toxic narratives and habits, and to imagine what we would like to do with the technology we love and how. On February 28, we are organizing a hacker pedagogy workshop where we will talk about technologies, education, and the risks and benefits of using these tools that are so present in our lives and in the lives of the young people we work with. The workshop, which will present methods and tools for critically thinking about our relationship with digital technologies in the educational setting and will also serve to share resources and practical actions, will be free of charge, but you can make a voluntary contribution to our host venue. The workshop will have 20 to 25 spots. If you can't attend, please let us know at least 5 days in advance. We will meet at 10:00 AM on February 28th at the Local de la Puri (28 Puríssima Concepció Street, Poble Sec, Barcelona). For more information, open the link: https://taller.vado.li/

By Berna Alp and Marianthe Stavridou INTRODUCTION As societies undergo rapid digital transformation, public infrastructure is being fundamentally rethought. Money is no exception. While cash is declining across much of the world the question is no longer whether money will become digital, but how. Digital money or digital money transfers are not merely a technical upgrade. It encodes political choices about privacy, power, accountability, and sovereignty. The architecture chosen today will shape how citizens interact with the state, how markets function, and how much autonomy individuals retain in everyday economic life. In Europe, the Digital Euro project represents one path forward: a centrally governed, account-based system operated through banks and payment service providers. In Switzerland, a different model is emerging—built on open-source software, privacy by design, and cryptographic guarantees rather than institutional promises. This alternative is embodied in GNU Taler, an operational digital payment system already in use. This article compares the two approaches across six criteria that consistently surface in public debates on digital infrastructure: privacy, security, inclusion and usability, transaction costs, tax compliance, and digital sovereignty. Using publicly available documentation from the European Central Bank and real-world deployments of GNU Taler, the comparison highlights a fundamental divergence in design philosophy. At its core, the contrast is simple. The Digital Euro relies on identification, intermediaries, and trust in centralized institutions. GNU Taler relies on data minimization, mathematical guarantees, and transparency through open code. One treats privacy as a policy choice that can be adjusted. The other makes privacy a technical property that cannot be revoked. As governments decide how digital money should work, Switzerland’s experience shows that alternatives to surveillance-based payment systems are not theoretical. They already exist—and they work. DIFFERENT REALITIES – A COMMON ISSUE  As cash usage declines across many societies-from Scandinavia to China-we face a fundamental question: What kind of digital infrastructure should replace it? Two competing paradigms are emerging, and the choices made today will shape the future of money, privacy, and democratic control over critical public systems. The European Central Bank, through its Digital Euro project, represents one approach: centralized control, proprietary systems, and comprehensive transaction surveillance.  Switzerland, through three distinct but interconnected initiatives, offers an alternative: open-source infrastructure, privacy-by-design, and digital sovereignty through transparency[1]. The contrast between the EU and Swiss approaches reflects fundamentally different assumptions about how to achieve security, stability, and public trust in digital infrastructure. These differences stem from two distinct perspectives: a closed socio-economic and political system with a top-down decision-making approach, which may lead to increased surveillance and authoritarianism; and a more complex, mixed system with a bottom-up approach which, when applied correctly, can result in an open, social, and stable system based on trust[2]. Despite the EU’s open-source policy[3], the European Central Bank (ECB) has disregarded it in the Digital Euro project creating also a rift between EU’s policy and ECB’s approach.  THE DIGITAL EURO’S CLOSED ARCHITECTURE – A MISSED OPPORTUNITY To understand why the Swiss model offers advantages, we first examine the Digital Euro payment system’s design. The European Central Bank presents the Digital Euro as inclusive, privacy-preserving, and sovereign. However, analysis against public-interest criteria reveals significant tensions between these stated goals and the proposed architecture. To evaluate the Digital Euro payment system, we use six criteria that consistently emerge as priorities in citizen surveys, Internet governance debates, and open digital infrastructure design: privacy; security; usability, inclusion & accessibility; freedom from transaction costs; tax collection & income transparency; and sovereignty through open source (FLOSS)[4]. For comparison, we examine GNU Taler, an open-source payment system that takes an alternative architectural approach. GNU Taler is currently operational in Switzerland through Taler Operations AG[5].  THE CORE PROBLEMS PRIVACY THROUGH PROMISES, NOT DESIGN The online Digital Euro relies on an account-based architecture[6] requiring full identification by banks and Payment Service Providers (PSPs). There is zero privacy from them – they know and monitor everything the user does as with credit cards today.  The ECB receives transaction data through the DESP (Digital Euro Service Platform), but claims to use pseudonymisation and encryption techniques to prevent direct linkage to individuals. However, PSPs have full visibility of user identities and transaction details, and the centralized architecture with unique DEAN (Digital Euro Account Number)[7]identifiers creates technical capability for re-identification through behavioral pattern analysis, even if policy promises claim otherwise.   This is fundamentally a trust model: users must believe intermediaries’ promises that they will not exploit or share the data (until they get hacked or e.g. being privatized). The offline variant of the digital euro offers cash-like anonymity while devices remain disconnected, but constrained by strict transaction limits designed to prevent money laundering and tax evasion and to mitigate the fact that such a solution cannot be secure and prevent two-sided anonymous spending that could be hidden from taxation.  THE OFFLINE SECURITY PARADOX Fully offline payment systems face an unsolvable mathematical problem: double-spending. Without real-time network connectivity to verify that a token hasn’t already been spent, a malicious actor could theoretically duplicate and spend the same digital token multiple times. While secure hardware elements can mitigate this risk, such protections have always been compromised historically. The ECB’s response to this inherent weakness, is very low transaction and holding limits, which simultaneously undermines the system’s usability and inclusion objectives. This creates a paradox: offline mode exists to provide cash-like privacy, but the security constraints required will make it too limited for everyday use. INCLUSION WITHOUT INNOVATION Despite its framing as an inclusion initiative, ECB documentation explicitly acknowledges that onboarding, authentication, and usage barriers will not differ materially from existing digital payment solutions.  Around 13.5 million people[8] in the euro area are non-bankable. As access to the Digital Euro will again be given through the existing banks and PSPs, any change to this number is highly unlikely.  Furthermore, the Digital Euro’s reliance on modern smartphones (Android or iPhone) creates additional exclusion barriers beyond the existing requirements for government-issued identification and KYC verification, many people lack access to compatible devices or the technical literacy needed to navigate authentication systems. THE SOVEREIGNTY BLIND SPOT Perhaps most striking is the absence of binding Free Libre Open-Source Software (FLOSS) requirements. Despite explicit EU-level policy commitments to open source in public digital infrastructure, ECB procurement documents do not mandate open-source licensing. This creates long-term vendor dependency, reduced public auditability, weakened democratic oversight and security opacity (vulnerabilities hidden in proprietary code).  For critical monetary infrastructure, arguably more important than any other government system, this represents a significant failure of digital sovereignty. And the fact that the Digital Euro will only work on Android mobiles and iPhones, both US corporate ecosystems, is another proof that sovereignty is far from being addressed in this project. To illustrate what would be possible with exiting FLOSS technology and to compare it to the payment solution design of the ECB for the Digital Euro, let us look at the GNU Taler design. GNU Taler was developed over the past decade and in 2021, the Swiss National Bank published Working Paper 2021-03, “How to Issue a Central Bank Digital Currency,” co-authored by cryptography pioneer David Chaum, GNU Taler founder Christian Grothoff, and SNB official Thomas Moser[9]. The paper proposes a token-based CBDC architecture based on the GNU Taler protocol. HOW GNU TALER WORKS GNU Taler implements a cash-like payment system with asymmetric privacy: cryptographically[10]guaranteed anonymity for payers combined with full transparency for recipients. At the level of technical architecture, a token-based (not Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) based) system using blind signature cryptography and mathematically guaranteed payer anonymity is in place. The system cannot link payments to spenders, even if forced to do so. Recipients remain fully identifiable, enabling income transparency for taxation. No user accounts, identity-based fraud, or tracking infrastructure are possible Key Innovation here is the security through data minimization, not data protection. What doesn’t exist cannot be stolen, leaked, or abused. COMPARISON: TALER VS. DIGITAL EURO PRIVACY The online Digital Euro is fully account-based and requires identification, giving banks and payment providers complete access to users’ transaction data and leaving privacy dependent on institutional promises that can fail through misuse or breaches. Its offline version offers anonymity but only for small amounts and relies on a mathematically fragile design that is inherently insecure. The offline anonymity may be wiped out once the wallet is reconnected tothe central system. In contrast, GNU Taler provides cryptographically enforced anonymity by never collecting payer data at all. Privacy is guaranteed by design, not policy. As a result, GNU Taler offers unconditional and durable privacy, while the Digital Euro offers either none online, or temporary, but mathematically insecure privacy offline.  SECURITY The online Digital Euro centralizes identity and transaction data, making it a prime target for cyberattacks and leaving risks like fraud and account takeover unchanged. Its offline version is vulnerable to double-spending and depends on historically fragile hardware security. GNU Taler avoids these threats entirely by eliminating user accounts and centralized databases, drastically reducing fraud risks to mainly device theft, which can be managed through available backups. Overall, the Digital Euro brings  nothing new online and introduces new weaknesses offline, while GNU Taler achieves security through data minimization. INCLUSION & USABILITY The online Digital Euro requires full identification, KYC compliance, and access to modern smartphones, effectively reproducing the same barriers that already exclude non-bankable and low-tech users, while its offline mode only allows very small payments and still depends on smartphone hardware, whereas GNU Taler enables digital payments with a single click authorization, offering cash-like simplicity that  even fits the needs of non-literate users, making it genuinely inclusive compared to the Digital Euro’s continued reliance on traditional account creation, identification and multi-factor authentication. TRANSACTION COSTS Although the Digital Euro is advertised as “free for basic use,” intermediaries still need compensation, meaning merchants will pay for infrastructure, compliance, and fraud, whereas GNU Taler is built around near-zero transaction fees, with its Free/Libre Open-Source Software (FLOSS) model removing licensing expenses and enabling economically viable micropayments down to fractions of a cent. So instead of merely shifting fees from Visa/Mastercard to European banks as in the case of the digital euro, GNU Taler delivers real structural cost reductions and significantly lowers fraud-related expenses to benefit all stakeholders. TAX COMPLIANCE For tax compliance, the online Digital Euro enables full transaction surveillance with complete visibility into user activity, while its offline mode allows untraceable cash-like payments limited to small amounts that neither fully prevent abuse nor resolve evasion risks, whereas GNU Taler structurally enforces transparency on merchants’ and recipients’ income without monitoring individual payers-ensuring taxes are collected where money is received rather than where it is spent-uniquely combining strong privacy with effective tax enforcement. SOVEREIGNTY The Digital Euro is likely to depend on proprietary systems, creating vendor lock-in and reliance on US-controlled devices and software ecosystems, and even if built by European firms, closed licensing prevents independent security audits, limits adaptability to evolving policy needs, and ties long-term operation to vendor survival and goodwill, whereas true digital sovereignty requires control over the code itself rather than the provider’s nationality, something GNU Taler achieves as fully Free/Libre Open-Source Software that is publicly auditable, vendor-independent, and deployable across platforms without reliance on specific technologies, delivering complete digital sovereignty. QUICK COMPARISON  CriterionDigital Euro (Online)Digital Euro (Offline)GNU TalerPrivacyAccount-based with full identificationStrong anonymity while offlineCryptographic payer anonymitySecuritySame as for credit cardsDouble-spending vulnerabilityNo ID fraud/Account take over, no data theft possible.UsabilitySimilar to current methods.Limited by transaction capsCash-like simplicityCostFree for basic use; intermediary fees remain and merchants always payAs for online version with high hidden costs (fraud, hardware)Near-zero fees by designTax TransparencyAll transaction details recordedCash-like untraceable transfersIncome transparency onlySovereigntyProprietary software dependencyProprietary hardware & software dependencyFully open source   CONCLUSION: ETHICS AS THE FOUNDATION OF DIGITAL MONEY At its core, the debate between the Digital Euro and GNU Taler is not merely technical or economic—it is fundamentally ethical. Digital payment systems shape power relations between citizens, institutions, and the state. When infrastructure is built around surveillance, centralized control, and proprietary technologies, it normalizes the erosion of privacy, weakens democratic oversight, and concentrates authority in the hands of a few intermediaries. Even when justified in the name of security or efficiency, such architectures risk transforming everyday economic activity into a source of continuous monitoring. The Swiss approach embodied by GNU Taler demonstrates that ethical design is not only possible but practical. By minimizing data collection, enforcing privacy through cryptography rather than policy promises, ensuring transparency where it matters for taxation and law enforcement, and relying on open-source principles, it aligns technological innovation with core democratic values: autonomy, accountability, inclusion, and sovereignty. Instead of asking citizens to trust institutions with vast amounts of sensitive data, it removes the need for such trust altogether through structural safeguards. Ethically responsible digital money should protect individuals by default, not conditionally. It should empower societies through openness, not lock them into opaque systems of control. As governments across Europe and beyond redesign monetary infrastructure for the digital age, the choice is ultimately between systems that can expand surveillance and dependency, and systems that preserve freedom, dignity, and public trust. The lesson from Switzerland is clear: ethical digital infrastructure is not an obstacle to progress, but it is the very foundation of a resilient, inclusive, and democratic financial future. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [1] It should be clear that ethics-by-design, privacy-by-design, transparency-by-design, and similar approaches demonstrate that a wide range of values can be taken into consideration during system development. However, they do not guarantee that these values will ultimately be realized. Incorporating such considerations into the design process nonetheless increases the possibility that these values will be embedded in the final system. (Brey, P., Dainow, B. Ethics by design for artificial intelligence. AI Ethics 4, 1265–1277 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s43681-023-00330-4) [2] This distinction draws on debates about governance models in digital infrastructure, particularly contrasting centralized, top-down systems that prioritize control and standardization with decentralized, bottom-up approaches that emphasize transparency, participation, and trust. (Leese, Matthias. (2026). Benchmarking and Provenance: The Politics of Data Trust in EU Internal Security. International Political Sociology 20 (1): olaf042. https://doi.org/10.1093/ips/olaf042 [3] https://commission.europa.eu/about/departments-and-executive-agencies/digital-services/open-source-software-strategy_en [4] The analysis draws primarily on the ECB’s own documentation, publicly available information on the internet and the assessment framework developed in “Decoding the Digital Euro”, a book by Leon V. Schumacher. (2023). Decoding the Digital Euro: Friend or Foe? ISBN: 978-3-9525996-0-0.  [5]https://www.taler.net/en/news/2025-01.html [6]https://www.ecb.europa.eu/euro/digital_euro/timeline/profuse/shared/pdf/ecb.degov240325_digital_euro_multiple_accounts.en.pdf [7] https://www.ecb.europa.eu/euro/digital_euro/timeline/profuse/shared/pdf/ecb.dedocs220420.en.pdf [8] https://www.ecb.europa.eu/press/economic-bulletin/articles/2022/html/ecb.ebart202205_02~74b1fc0841.en.html [9] https://www.snb.ch/en/publications/research/working-papers/2021/working_paper_2021_03 [10] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blind_signature The post Open Source vs. Closed Control: How Switzerland Built Better appeared first on ISOC Switzerland Chapter.

Swiss lawmakers have taken a significant step in protecting privacy rights while maintaining security oversight. The parliamentary Transport and Telecommunications Commission (KVF-S) unanimously supported the Feller Motion, which emphasizes balancing surveillance with fundamental rights, economic competitiveness, and job creation. Following feedback from stakeholders, including ISOC Switzerland Chapter, during the consultation process, the Federal Council agreed to revise and re-consult on proposed changes to surveillance ordinances. Importantly, the Federal Council confirmed that encryption removal obligations do not apply to end-to-end encryption used by messaging services. This development supports Switzerland’s position as a leading jurisdiction for privacy-focused technology companies and reinforces the country’s commitment to protecting fundamental rights while addressing legitimate security concerns. The Internet Society (ISOC) Switzerland Chapter is a non-profit organization that engages on a variety of Internet-related topics, ensuring that it is a place of possibility, opportunity, and progress that benefits people worldwide. We provide technically-grounded advice, policy recommendations, and educational material regarding privacy, security, Free and Open-Source Software, and digital sovereignty. We also organize informative events and debates like the annual Public Policy Sessions and participate in collaborative research projects like the NGI0 Commons Fund. As a national chapter of the international organization responsible for the .org domain, ISOC CH acts as a gateway between Switzerland and the international digital civil society. You can consider becoming a member (through the main ISOC web site) following the instructions at https://isoc.ch/membership, or just subscribe to our newsletter (2-3 announcements per year) by sending a message to contact@isoc.ch The post Positive Development in Swiss Surveillance (VÜPF and VD-ÜPF) Framework Debate appeared first on ISOC Switzerland Chapter.

Giovedì 12 febbraio, dalle 19:00 alle 21:30, nell’ambito dell’iniziativa 100x100gaza , per rispondere collettivamente alla catastrofe provocata dal genocidio, Rotta Genuina e Vivèro ospitano una serata di approfondimento su cybersicurezza, controllo digitale e tecnologie conviviali. Le tecnologie digitali non sono mai neutre: tracciano, profilano, monitorano e spesso replicano disuguaglianze che esistono offline. Sono strumenti di dominio con impatti sociali e politici molto concreti. Partendo dal “Laboratorio Palestina”, dove le tecnologie digitali vengono sperimentate come strumenti di controllo, sorveglianza e guerra, allargheremo lo sguardo alla dimensione geopolitica globale, fino ad arrivare all’Italia, per capire come le tecnologie controllano e attraversano i nostri territori. Proveremo a immaginare modelli tecnologici e pratiche alternative a quelli grandi piattaforme, costruendo insieme una nuova “cassetta degli strumenti”. Se ne parlerà insieme a Dario Guarascio - docente di economia a La Sapienza, autore del libro Imperialismo Digitale, Laterza Graffio - del gruppo di ricerca C.I.R.C.E. GazaWeb – Gli alberi della rete Si discuterà d: 🔹 come i dispositivi digitali possono essere usati per controllare, sorvegliare e normalizzare forme di violenza 🔹 il “Laboratorio Palestina”: sperimentazione di strumenti digitali di controllo 🔹 il ruolo delle Big Tech e dei finanziamenti europei nel mantenimento di questi sistemi 🔹 pratiche di boicottaggio e alternative tecnologiche conviviali 🔹 strumenti concreti di consapevolezza digitale 🔹 come sostenere progetti di tecnologie solidali e di lotta In più: Aperitivo, banchetti di GazaWeb e Women for Gaza + raccolta fondi per la settimana 100x100 Gaza. Presso Vivero –via Antonio Raimondi 37, Roma | 12 febbraio | 19:00–21:30 A seguire concerto benefit da Zazie nel Metro.

The European Commission has been asking for feedback from the 6th of January to the 3rd of February to shape its “European Open Digital Ecosystem Strategy”. In our submission we stress that it is important to understand that Free and Open-Source Software (FOSS) * is the backbone of our digital infrastructure; * is a global and collaborative phenomenon and that isolating it along geographic boundaries is counterproductive; * has to be understood as a symbiotic ecosystem of diverse players (businesses, public administrations, foundations, academic institutions, and individual contributors) rather than “just” an economic sector/industry; * has a variety of strategic and practical benefits over proprietary software solutions and should therefore be adopted widely by European institutions. If you’re interested in the topic, we can also recommend you to read the submissions of the Free Software Foundation Europe and the OSI Europe Foundation. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Internet Society (ISOC) Switzerland Chapter is a non-profit organization that engages on a variety of Internet-related topics, ensuring that it is a place of possibility, opportunity, and progress that benefits people worldwide. We provide technically-grounded advice, policy recommendations, and educational material regarding privacy, security, Free and Open-Source Software, and digital sovereignty. We also organize informative events and debates like the annual Public Policy Sessions and participate in collaborative research projects like the NGI0 Commons Fund. As a national chapter of the international organization responsible for the .org domain, ISOC CH acts as a gateway between Switzerland and the international digital civil society. You can consider becoming a member (through the main ISOC web site) following the instructions at https://isoc.ch/membership, or just subscribe to our newsletter (2-3 announcements per year) by sending a message to contact@isoc.ch. The post Our submission to the EU Call for Evidence on the “European Open Digital Ecosystem Strategy” appeared first on ISOC Switzerland Chapter.

Are you interested in shaping the future of the Internet in Europe? This is a great opportunity for young people in our community to engage directly in European digital policy discussions. The European Dialogue on Internet Governance (EuroDIG) is the European regional event of the United Nations Internet Governance Forum (IGF). Each year, it brings together 600–900 stakeholders from across Europe, both on site and online, to discuss key issues related to the future of the Internet. The messages emerging from these discussions are published and presented to the European Commission, the Council of Europe, the UN Internet Governance Forum, and other relevant institutions. EURODIG 2026: KEY DETAILS * Dates: 26–27 May 2026 * Location: Charlemagne Building, European Commission, Brussels * Host: EURid, the registry for the .eu domain name * Special milestone: Celebrating 20 years of .eu, marking two decades of trusted digital identity in Europe YOUTHDIG 2026: FULLY FUNDED YOUTH PARTICIPATION The Youth Dialogue on Internet Governance (YOUthDIG) is a programme designed to empower young people aged 18–30 to actively participate in EuroDIG. YOUthDIG: * Fully funds participants’ travel to YOUthDIG and EuroDIG * Introduces participants to European digital policies and current Internet governance issues * Provides capacity-building training to enable meaningful participation in EuroDIG sessions * Includes intercultural activities and a strong peer-learning environment * Supports young people in contributing their perspectives to policy discussions The programme begins with four online webinars, followed by a three-day in-person pre-programme, and then continues directly into EuroDIG. * YOUthDIG dates: 22–25 May 2026 * EuroDIG dates: 26–27 May 2026 APPLY NOW The call for applications for YOUthDIG 2026 is now open. We strongly encourage members of our community to apply and to share this opportunity with others who may be interested in contributing to discussions on the future of the Internet. More information and the application details are available here: https://www.eurodig.org/get-involved/youthdig/#tab-call-for-application-26 Thank you for supporting and empowering the next generation of digital leaders. The post Call for Applications: YOUthDIG 2026 & EuroDIG in Brussels appeared first on ISOC Switzerland Chapter.