Exploring the Internet, Encryption, and Policy: A Workshop in Brussels

At the beginning of March, the Internet Society brought together advocates, experts, and policymakers from across Europe for a three-day workshop in Brussels focused on the Internet and encryption.
The event created an opportunity to explore how the Internet works, why encryption is essential for security and trust online, and how policy decisions can shape its future.
Callum Voge and Paula Bernardi opened the workshop by welcoming participants and outlining the program, setting the stage for a series of sessions designed to combine technical understanding with policy and advocacy perspectives.
The workshop began with a deep dive into the foundations of the Internet. In a session titled “How the Internet Works”, Hanna Kreitem from the Internet Society explained the Internet’s structure as a network of interconnected networks that communicate through shared protocols. Participants explored how data travels across networks and why the Internet’s decentralized architecture and open standards have enabled its global growth and resilience.
Building on this technical foundation, Olaf Kolkman and Gijs Kruitbosch introduced the fundamentals of encryption and its role in protecting online communication. The session covered both classical and modern cryptography and explained how public and private keys are used to secure data as it moves across networks.
The discussion then shifted to the policy debates surrounding encryption. In “Understanding Anti-Encryption Technical Proposals”, Callum Voge examined proposals aimed at weakening encryption and the narratives often used to justify them, particularly those centred on law-enforcement access and security concerns. Paula Bernardi complemented the session with case studies highlighting how similar threats to encryption are emerging in different countries.
Advocacy and engagement with policymakers were another key focus of the workshop. David Frautschy and Asha Allen from CDT Europe led a session titled “How to Lobby in the EU”, where they explained how the European Commission, the European Parliament, and the Council of the EU shape policy decisions. Participants also explored strategies for building effective advocacy campaigns and communicating policy messages. Later in the day, Svea Wiederkehr from Mozilla and Asha Allen provided an overview of the EU’s current encryption landscape. Their session examined policy initiatives that could undermine encryption and helped participants identify key trends shaping the debate across Europe.
The second day began with an interactive activity organised by Paula Bernardi, in which participants were divided into small groups and tasked with developing campaign strategies to explain the importance of encryption to different audiences. A media training workshop followed in which Dimitri Bettoni from MFRR shared technics for effective communications and demonstrated best practices. In the afternoon, Ellie McDonald from Global Partners Digital led the EU Encryption Advocacy Workshop, focusing on global policy developments and advocacy strategies. Participants examined international initiatives such as the UN Cybercrime Convention and the Global Digital Compact, and took part in a group exercise to design their own encryption advocacy campaigns from perspectives including human rights, privacy, and press freedom. A fireside chat with industry representatives brought practical insights into the conversation. Experts from Apple, Meta, Mozilla, Surfshark, and Proton shared their experiences developing and deploying encrypted services, discussing both technical challenges and the increasing policy pressures companies face. The discussion underscored the importance of strong encryption for trust, security, and innovation on the Internet.
The workshop concluded with a roundtable discussion at the European Parliament titled “A Shield in Uncertain Times: Encryption as a Bedrock for European Civil Society”. Co-hosted and moderated by MEP Markéta Gregorová (Greens, Czechia), the discussion brought together participants and policymakers to reflect on the workshop’s key themes and the importance of strong encryption for protecting civil society, privacy, and democratic values in Europe.

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