11 october 2023
Just got back home from Brussels where I participated to an advocacy effort with EDRi. I left on the 8th but the meetings with the MEPs were on the 9th and 10th. Our efforts were aimed at making sure that the CSAR proposal will not pass the plenary that will be held soon, most likely in November. The proposal aims at restricting our fundamental right to privacy online by having companies that provides any form of interpersonal communication scan all of the messages that are sent through that company's communication service.
We were able to secure up to six meetings, five with accredited assistants and one with an actual MEP. While most of them were receptive of our concerns there were a couple that didn't seem to see the issue, or simply didn't care, which would be much worse.
Overall it was a great experience, this was my first time doing anything like this. If in the future I'll ever have another chance to get involved in something like this with expenses paid, I wouldn't mind joining in the adovcacy efforts to repel a proposal that I personally find restricts my fundamental rights.