iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Statewatch @statewatch.bsky.social · 17h

Join us on 13 October in Brussels for #PrivacyCamp26! Romain Lanneau (representing Statewatch and Front-LEX) will be on the panel: “Resisting Europol and the new age of digital policing in Europe.” Register by Tuesday, 5 October at 23:59 buff.ly/ShG53sy

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Statewatch @statewatch.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Europol could have your data without you even knowing. And the newly proposed Europol regulation would mean even fewer restrictions on what they can do with it. The EU police agency is set to receive unprecedented access to personal data related to current and potential cross-border investigations.

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New Europol proposal pushes for deregulation and more AI in policing - Statewatch

Under a new proposal, Europol is set to receive unprecedented access to personal data related to current and potential cross-border investigations. It’s part of a wider plan to expand the use of AI…

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Statewatch @statewatch.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

The head of the UK’s College of Policing said the police need AI injected into their daily work “like heroin into the bloodstream.” He also thinks the National Centre for AI in Policing should spread AI tools “like wildfire through policing.”

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England and Wales: Growing gap between power and regulation of police AI - Statewatch

Police and legal agencies in England and Wales are actively using at least 27 AI technologies, according to an academic study.

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Statewatch @statewatch.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

We’ve obtained and published an “action file” on Syria, which shows that the EU is planning to deport more people there. This isn’t just a document. It reveals the EU’s attempts to exert its influence while the country’s political situation is still precarious. Read more: buff.ly/MiIA8GQ

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New files reveal EU plans to accelerate deportations to Syria - Statewatch

A secretive EU working group on external migration control has a new file on Syria – and deportations post-Assad are its primary goal

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Statewatch @statewatch.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

The EU has blocked the release of files which may outline plans to pressure countries into migration deals by withholding aid. Last summer, the Commission proposed new ways to divide funding for non-EU countries.

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Statewatch @statewatch.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

Spanish agents went undercover to spy on activists. The Catalan newspaper La Directa exposed them. Now, the Spanish Data Protection Agency has demanded La Directa remove the information and pay a fine of up to €7,000. Read more: buff.ly/utCJMpY Support La Directa: buff.ly/qNjqSw4

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Statewatch @statewatch.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

Within two years of October 2023, the number of contracts between Israeli companies and public institutions in the EU grew to 112. The total value in that period is estimated at nearly €1.6 billion.

The EU stars swirl around Benjamin Netanyahu's head, with the shadow of the Euro symbol at his back. A text box displays the text from the caption, labeled "news" under the category "collusion and crime"

A table indicates the top 10 EU member states by calue of contracts with Israeli companies. The biggest spender is Estonia, with 11 contracts and a total value of 816,460,719 euros. The lowest of the 10 is Croatia, with 7 contracts of a 31,508,263 euro value. The contracts included in this table are those from January 2022 to July 2025.

Text asks, what public institutions are involved? It answers: universities, government departments, health bodies, energy providers, police, and militaries.

With a gavel in the background, the text declares: European taxpayers should demand that their money not be handed to a genocidal state.
Together, we must demand that public institutions uphold justice.

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Statewatch @statewatch.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

1/ A recent academic project, Probable Futures, mapped 70 uses of AI in the criminal justice system. These range from emergency call handling and evidence assessment to crime ‘prediction’ and automated analysis of video footage.

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Statewatch @statewatch.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

1/ The border has not disappeared—it has been transformed. Politicians talk about the need for "legal migration pathways" (while at the same time pushing deportations) and development agencies and private consultancies apparently have the answer: Circular Labour Mobility Schemes.

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Statewatch @statewatch.bsky.social · 02/07/2026

Public institutions in the EU hold hundreds of contracts with Israeli companies worth almost €2.7 billion. Trade sanctions or boycotts could have a profound impact on Israel’s economy and its ability to wage war. Yet, the EU has taken no meaningful action.

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Statewatch @statewatch.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

Police in England and Wales are using live facial recognition to scan millions of faces. A law governing its use is on the way, but campaigners warn it won't be enough. Read more about the government's plans: buff.ly/iGEZnld Take action: buff.ly/lf0fSgT

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Statewatch @statewatch.bsky.social · 10/06/2026

The 17th issue of the #ExternalisationBulletin is out now. This bulletin includes details on: • The EU Border Mission in Libya; • The Frontex RECAPP app; • Disinformation campaigns around West Africa and more. It also makes 22 documents public. Read the issue: buff.ly/GPZsE2S

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Statewatch @statewatch.bsky.social · 01/06/2026

We're excited to announce that we've just launched our new website. Here's a quick rundown of the biggest changes 🧵

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Statewatch @statewatch.bsky.social · 28/05/2026

Just leaked: New agreement between EU naval mission and Libya’s eastern forces (link below) We've obtained and published a ‘technical arrangement’ between the EU’s naval mission Operation Irini and the ‘eastern forces’ of Libya under General Khalifa Haftar. Read and share: buff.ly/A7Q2sdj

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Statewatch @statewatch.bsky.social · 18/05/2026

Just leaked: We've obtained one of the latest working documents of the deportation regulation (a.k.a. "returns regulation”), by the EU Parliament, the EU Council, and the EU Commission. From what we can tell so far, no improvements have been made, despite relentless campaigning.

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Stefania Maurizi @smaurizi.bsky.social · 13/05/2026

@statewatch.bsky.social: "data exchanged under the proposal [#EBSP] could be used for a wide range of purposes by the US. This includes preventing or arresting people travelling to the US who have expressed opposition to US policies in EU" www.computerweekly.com/news/3666430...

computerweekly.com

Europe and US negotiate deal to share citizens’ biometric data, UK also approached | Computer Weekly

The UK has received a request from the US to share biometric data of citizens, as Europe negotiates a similar deal with US Department of Homeland Security.

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Nicholas Beuret @nicholasbeuret.bsky.social · 07/05/2026

Race & Class made a video for our paper!

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Sea-Watch (international) @en.sea-watch.org · 11/05/2026

🔴 SHOTS FIRED Our Sea-Watch 5 is being shot at by the EU-funded so-called Libyan coastguard. Our crew just finished rescuing 90 people, but Libyan militias are still following us. They expressed the intent to abduct us to Libya!

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Statewatch @statewatch.bsky.social · 04/05/2026

We've just published the Commission's proposal for EU-US data exchange. What they suggest would violate EU law. Access the document and read the full analysis by Romain Lanneau: buff.ly/8HLpLfT

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Statewatch @statewatch.bsky.social · 14/04/2026

Europol is hiring a new director to replace Catherine de Bolle. At the same time, Frontex's former director faces a French court for complicity in crimes against humanity.

Collage of Europol building, jail cell bars and Catherine de Bolle's eyes in colours of black green and orange in the backdrop. A box of text reads: will europol’s new director put a stop to the agency’s unlawful practices? signs point to no.

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Statewatch @statewatch.bsky.social · 09/04/2026

€27.1 million in hidden funds by the EU. Does that sound right to you? Read more about IrpiMedia's investigation and find the full report, "Financing the Violence", produced in collaboration with SOS Méditerranée, here: buff.ly/d6RXTHY

Image description:
A hand holds a wad of euros in front of an ocean scene. Text reads, "Revealed: EU funding backed an attack on a humanitarian search-and-rescue ship
The so-called Libyan coast guard fired on SOS Méditerranée’s ship in August 2025. IrpiMedia has since traced the money that enabled the episode—back to an EU program with millions in hidden funds."

A factsheet outlines the details of the EU program, called Support to Integrated Border and Migration Management in Libya, or SIBMMIL. It explains that this is the program that funded the Houn 664: a vessel of the so-called Libyan coast guard that caused an estimated €194,000 in damage to the humanitarian ship. Ominously, there is no publicly available information on 44% of the total budget—equating to €27.1 million in hidden funds.

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Statewatch @statewatch.bsky.social · 08/04/2026

The UK Labour Party came to power in July 2024 promising change and an end to 14 years of the right-wing rule seen under the Tories. Instead, it has since entrenched some of the Tories’ worst overreaches—and added some more of its own. Read more and view the timeline here: buff.ly/bwvxM5p

UK prime minister Keir Starmer looms behind a timeline mapping the steady decline of rights under his party since 2024. The pictured examples include the proscription of Palestine Action as a terrorist group, sweeping reforms to policing to increase use of biometrics analysis and AI, and the recent arrest of Qesser Zuhrah, the youngest of the Filton 24. The full timeline can be found at the link.

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Statewatch @statewatch.bsky.social · 07/04/2026

1/ The 15th issue of the #ExternalisationBulletin is out now. This month's bulletin includes a document that is almost laughably horrific. In it, the Council Presidency implores the EU’s main border externalisation committee to *mention* human rights more when dealing with non-EU partner countries.

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Border Violence Monitoring Network @borderviolence.bsky.social · 11/03/2026

In our latest blog post, co-published with @statewatch.bsky.social, Luca Rondi exposes the 'blackmail' at the centre of @frontex.bsky.social's push for 'voluntary' deportations from Europe. The piece was originally written in Italian for Altreconomia.

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The Civil Fleet @thecivilfleet.bsky.social · 20/03/2026

🚨🎧🛟 New episode coming soon! 🌊🎧🚨 Keep an eye on your podcast/YouTube feeds for episode 87! In the meantime, be sure to check out our last episode with Frey Lindsey from @statewatch.bsky.social 👇🎧 Solidarity ✊

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abolishfrontex.bsky.social @abolishfrontex.bsky.social · 04/03/2026

For the future of Frontex the Council of Europe discussed deployments in Ukraine, drone defense duties, self-deportations and much more. We have a much better suggestion: #AbolishFrontex Read the latest bulletin by Statewatch about the EU's internal discussion on border politics 👇

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Statewatch @statewatch.bsky.social · 04/03/2026

The 14th issue of the #ExternalisationBulletin is out now. This month’s bulletin contains details about the EU's newest plan for 'degressive’ reintegration support, other means of ‘incentivising’ self-deportations, and twenty newly-obtained Council documents. Find the issue here: buff.ly/dmMS8AK

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Statewatch @statewatch.bsky.social · 02/03/2026

Will you help us improve our work? We've put together a survey on our work in 2025 to understand what you got out of it and how we can improve. It should only take you a few minutes, but it will be a huge help for us! Fill it out here: statewcloud.gn.apc.org/index.php/ap...

statewcloud.gn.apc.org

Nextcloud from GreenNet

Nextcloud from GreenNet – a safe home for all your data

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Statewatch @statewatch.bsky.social · 17/02/2026

We joined 87 other organisations in a statement condemning the EU's proposed Deportation ("Return") Regulation, because increasing surveillance, policing, and racial profiling will only fuel racism and a far-right agenda. The statement: buff.ly/FbcfD1I The @theguardian.com article: buff.ly/Xu3a1sd

News clipping of a guardian article with the headline "EU's deportations plan risks ICE-style enforcement, rights groups warn" above an image of people crowded together in a boat while a white police officer stands by.

A black and white print of Alamara Khwaja Bettum, a woman with long brunette hair, brown eyes and skin-tone, and a grave expression, is overlaid with an orange print of a police barricade. A quote from her reads, "Increasing surveillance, policing, and racial profiling will only fuel racism and a far-right agenda—not reduce migration. If accepted, these proposed measures will undermine the most basic of civil liberties to disastrous ends, which is the real threat we should be focused on addressing."

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Statewatch @statewatch.bsky.social · 16/02/2026

Unsurprisingly, the EU's supposedly “new and innovative solution” to migration is a re-packaged and previously rejected one. Read more in the article by @freylindsay.bsky.social: buff.ly/yGtueHB

A red-printed hand holding out several hundred euros is overlaid with the green-printed wake of a boat. Above this, a text box reads "The EU's “new and innovative solution” to migration. Is it a rights-based solution? A response to the many statements from campaigners? No. The document we obtained shows EU policy-makers want to ressurect an old idea: paying non-EU states to intercept and detain people at sea, before they can reach European shores."

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Statewatch @statewatch.bsky.social · 27/01/2026

Register now for the upcoming event, AI in the Field of Asylum and Immigration Law, to hear more from Statewatch researcher Romain Lanneau. Host: ERA Academy of European Law Dates: 9-10 March 2026 Location: Online More details and registration info: buff.ly/Tjoqhkx

Quote from Romain Lanneau, "Technologies are becoming ever-present in the asylum and immigration system. Often, law enforcement and immigration authorities experiment with unreliable systems at the cost of migrants’ rights. Understanding what technologies are used and what redress are available is becoming indispensable." Information about the event appears in a text box below the quote.

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Statewatch @statewatch.bsky.social · 15/01/2026

We've just published a document that details the EU's disturbing plans to expand cross-border travel surveillance. The changes include using travel data for new purposes, such as immigration control, and bypassing important safeguards. Read more: buff.ly/N8iffJW

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Statewatch @statewatch.bsky.social · 08/01/2026

Are the EU's border policy plans similar to the US? Listen in as Statewatch journalist Frey Lindsay shares the answer on Lagos Talks radio. Want to help change the direction? Follow our bulletin, Outsourcing borders, here: buff.ly/8qfXgJa Speaker: @freylindsay.bsky.social

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Statewatch @statewatch.bsky.social · 18/12/2025

UK: A recent court case has exposed Nick Gratwick as a private spy hired by UK police. The Undercover Research Group (URG) has been investigating Nick for many years, and now their new report details his activities throughout the late 1990s - early 2000s. Read it here: buff.ly/kVFwYza

Spray-painted words "Caution! Spies operate in this area" are overlaid in a risograph style with a green microphone. Below this, text explaining the news is placed next to another spray-painted image depicting a person in a suit with a television for a head.

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Statewatch @statewatch.bsky.social · 12/12/2025

As state powers of repression are globalised, so too must our resistance, advocacy and collaboration. We released our research, Networks of [in]security (NOIS), as a living resource to help us do that. Read more and get in contact: buff.ly/MbWx0na

Quote from State watch Director, Chris Jones, that reads:
"The power of states to surveil, monitor, harass and repress is being globalised.
This is being done through digital infrastructures by obscure, secretive and technocratic organisations. Meanwhile, people's rights remain trapped by national borders, making it extremely difficult to seek redress and remedy for wrongdoing, or even simple errors."

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Statewatch @statewatch.bsky.social · 05/12/2025

1/ Governments are increasingly engaging in transnational repression: reaching across borders to silence dissent from afar. This can include assassinations, illegal deportations, abductions, digital threats, Interpol abuse, and family intimidation.

A visual overview of the caption text, showing a collage of images: a speaker wearing a Palestinian keffiyeh with a "police do not cross" sign behind, both in front of a tall fence, and a security camera with an eye pasted over the lens above two people holding placards about Palestine.

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Statewatch @statewatch.bsky.social · 04/12/2025

According Info Park, an organisation in Belgrade, Serbia, people on the move along the Western Balkan route face a cycle of of detention, transfers, and endless reattempts. The EU's new pact on migration will only worsen these brutal realities.

Above a black print of a barbed fence, a demonstrator holds a placard that says "open the border". Above the image, text reads: the EU migration pact will increase existing harms in Serbia and all along the Western Balkan route. It will mean more cruel tactics of policing and pushbacks, more bureaucracy and digital controls, and a further closure of civic space."

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Statewatch @statewatch.bsky.social · 02/12/2025

The 12th issue of the #ExternalisationBulletin is out now 🚨 This edition covers: • Efforts to expand Frontex’s mandate • Growing concerns over the EU’s digital border systems • Threats to undermine EU's new migration "solidarity" system And more, here: buff.ly/GK3RMMW

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Statewatch @statewatch.bsky.social · 02/12/2025

The “war on terror” might have left the headlines—but states are still using and abusing ‘counterterrorism’ powers to exert control. And for the past two years, we have been gathering evidence to show exactly how they do it. Swipe to read some of our key findings, or go to nois.statewatch.org

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Statewatch @statewatch.bsky.social · 27/11/2025

1/ We’ve just launched a new in-depth resource that examines global counter-terrorism and security networks. It provides an evidence base for how these security norms are implemented, their effects on human rights and how we can push for change.

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Statewatch @statewatch.bsky.social · 20/11/2025

In October 2024 the EU announced it would provide €30 million from its aid budget to Senegal. Ultimately, the plans can be seen as contributing to a new era of carceral EU migration “management” in West Africa. Read more in the latest article by Leonie Jegen: buff.ly/ImferiV

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Statewatch @statewatch.bsky.social · 17/11/2025

According to a document we obtained, EU member states seem ready to give US law enforcement authorities direct access to European police and immigration databases. While some member states have concerns over specifics, none question the need for such an agreement. Read more: buff.ly/qGEDeGK

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Statewatch @statewatch.bsky.social · 13/11/2025

Data protection law is a crucial tool for immigration and asylum practitioners up against the EU's increasing ‘datafication’. Its avenues for redress offer alternative paths to justice for those who might otherwise be without options. Want to learn more? Get the handbook here: buff.ly/b3jc3Oj

On one half of the common ‘woman yelling at cat’ meme, a long haired woman is being held back while yelling and pointing at to the right. In this version, a flag of the European Union covers her face. Above the image is the text: “The EU’s increasing datafication”. On the other half, an angry cat sits at a table of food. This is labelled as “lawyers using data protection law”. Below the meme, in large letters are the words “protect our rights and lives. get the handbook now.” Next to these is an image of Statewatch’s Data Protection Handbook.

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Statewatch @statewatch.bsky.social · 07/11/2025

Why should you care about data protection law? Because as the EU increases its datafication, we need to equip ourselves to protect our data. Get the handbook now: buff.ly/b3jc3Oj

Romain Lanneau, a white man with chin-length hair, is pictured in a button-up shirt next to a quote of him saying "Technologies are becoming an essential part of the migration and asylum systems. In fact, some of the most intrusive and biased tools have been tested around Europe. No matter what these tools are for or how they are used, they are all reliant to some degree on personal data. This is why knowledge of data protection law is so vital for immigration and asylum practitioners.” The photo is grainy, in black and white, and behind it are lots of squiggly marks in black marker.

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Statewatch @statewatch.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

The 11th issue of the #ExternalisationBulletin is here. Here are some of the updates. 1. Global counter-smuggling alliance: The EU prepares a joint declaration for its global alliance on migrant smuggling, aiming to extend enforcement powers “along the whole route.”

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Statewatch @statewatch.bsky.social · 04/11/2025

1/ We have a right to privacy — but the definition of privacy varies worldwide. So, how do we understand it in Europe?

yellow and black zine-style imagery of a pointing hand and squiggles alongside text from the caption

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Giacomo Zandonini @giacomoza.bsky.social · 02/11/2025

It's a dense week ahead for Europol and with @statewatch.bsky.social we decided to publish the results of a long research into the agency's largely secretive links with the tech industry, moving on from its recently-launched Research and Industry Days. www.statewatch.org/analyses/202... -->

statewatch.org

Statewatch | Behind closed doors: Europol’s opaque relations with AI companies

As part of its research into the expanding—and largely unchecked—use of AI by EU security agencies, Statewatch delves into largely uncharted territory: Europol’s links with the private sector. A surve...

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Statewatch @statewatch.bsky.social · 31/10/2025

1/ NEW GUIDE: We’ve just published a new Data Protection Handbook on Asylum and Migration in Europe. ⚠️ Who it is for: This handbook is for anyone who works in immigration, in asylum, or who advocates for the rights of migrants and asylum seekers.

On a bright yellow background, a new guide is announced, with an image of the cover displayed. On it, a fist in black and white halftone punches the air, behind the title: Data Protection Handbook on Asylum and Migration in Europe. It is written by Romain Lanneau and produced by Statewatch in October 2025.

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