SEE Digital Rights Network – October 2024 Newsletter

2024-11-13

Dear Network members,

This month, too, all of us have been very active in the field of digital rights by organizing various events and creating interesting content.

The highlights:

Study: DSA, DMA, AIA and Western Balkans

Share Foundation and its partners have published this comprehensive analysis of key systemic Acts that radically change the regulatory approach of the European Union regarding its digital ecosystem – Digital Services Act (DSA), Digital Markets Act (DMA), and Artificial Intelligence Act (AIA). For the Western Balkan countries aspiring to European Union membership, this regulatory change is particularly significant, as their  digital challenges are even more complex and their existing legislations are significantly outdated, inconsistent, and inadequate for the systemic regulation of digital ecosystems.The aim of this analysis is to explore the normative and value structure as well as to map out the key rules and institutions envisaged by these Acts, in order to comparatively assess the situation in the Western Balkan countries.

The third Digital Rights Summer School held

More than 40 journalists, activists and experts in the fields of AI, media, human rights, surveillance, and digital policy gathered at the third Digital Rights Summer School from 25 to 31 August in Perast, Montenegro. During five days of talks and workshops, numerous issues regarding the regulation of the digital environment were discussed and analyzed. New EU regulations, i.e. the Digital Services Act, the Digital Markets Act and the Artificial Intelligence Act, and their implications for the Western Balkans were given particular attention. In addition, topics such as collective redress of digital rights, links between social justice and technology, counter-surveillance techniques and non-consensual intimate image abuse were also discussed.

Gender-Based Digital Violence in Serbia: Overview of Trends

Digital violence against women and girls in Serbia is on the rise, with frequent targets including female journalists, activists, politicians, and other public figures. Weak legal protections and a lack of systemic education on the impact of digital violence contribute to the challenges in creating a safer online space. Drawing from civil society analyses and initiatives, SHARE Foundation has prepared an overview of gender-based digital violence. The report outlines key types of online abuse—such as revenge pornography, which has especially shocked the public due to its spread on social networks and the young age of some perpetrators. The section on responses and challenges explores available legal mechanisms, recent advocacy efforts for legal reforms, and the push to criminalize the misuse of sexual images, including AI-generated content. The report concludes with targeted recommendations for legislative bodies, law enforcement, schools, and civil society organizations. The full document, “Gender-Based Digital Violence in Serbia: An Overview”, is available for download here.