Publications

The goal of this toolkit is to equip civil society organizations with recommendations, guidelines, and insights, so they can be better prepared to plan and carry out engagements with digital platforms and telecommunications operators. The guidance provided is primarily geared towards organizations and researchers that have used the Ranking Digital Rights (RDR) Corporate Accountability Index methodology to assess the human rights commitments of technology companies in their local contexts. However, we also aspire for this toolkit to be helpful for other researchers and advocates even if they haven't used RDR's methods and standards.

This guide offers a comprehensive overview of personal data protection legislation and its practical application in business. It includes examples of best practices from across Europe, relevant to Serbia and the region. The aim is for this Handbook to be a valuable resource in understanding data protection challenges and fostering discussions on improving regulations locally and in Europe.

In Serbia, digital technology's growth has raised human rights concerns, particularly with plans to legalize biometric surveillance. Effective, accessible, and transparent Grievance Redress Mechanisms (GRMs) are essential for addressing abuses like surveillance and online harassment. A collaborative approach among government, civil society, and tech companies is vital to improve Serbia's digital human rights protection.

This publication explores the securitization of European borders, focusing on Serbia's key position in the Western Balkan Route. It examines the impact of physical barriers and modern technologies like drones and thermo-vision cameras on border control. The analysis also reviews EU funding to Serbia and the real intentions behind policies framed as combating illegal migration and smuggling.

In 2019, Serbia announced a partnership with Huawei to introduce facial recognition cameras in Belgrade, sparking concerns about mass surveillance. This led to years of resistance, including legal challenges and advocacy, culminating in a book that examines the global state of biometric surveillance, its dangers, and the lack of regulatory oversight. The book highlights the political nature of surveillance technology, its secrecy, and the failure of legal systems to protect against abuses. It emphasizes the struggle for transparency and accountability in the face of powerful interests, arguing against the claimed safety benefits of biometric surveillance.

Zakon o zaštiti podataka o ličnosti usvojen je 2018. i primenjuje se od avgusta 2019. Inspirisan je GDPR-om EU i uključuje nove obaveze za rukovaoce podacima i jača prava pojedinaca. Iako predstavlja napredak u zaštiti privatnosti u Srbiji, zakon ima nedostataka, posebno u usklađivanju sektorskih zakona i obradi posebnih vrsta podataka. Nova Strategija za zaštitu podataka o ličnosti teži poboljšanju, a analiza ukazuje na glavne probleme i potrebu za reformom.

The growing dependence on digital technology has led to increased digital surveillance by governments and private entities worldwide. In Serbia, this trend is concerning due to the country's opaque surveillance practices and its classification as a "captured state" prone to misuse of state resources. Despite media efforts, the full extent of digital surveillance remains unclear. It's essential to inventory Serbia's surveillance tools, assess their legality, and investigate abuses, especially as Serbia seeks EU membership and must align with its regulatory standards on digital surveillance.

Telcos in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Moldova, and Serbia are coming under scrutiny for their lack of transparency and vagueness around policies related to freedom of expression and privacy. Following the methodology of Ranking Digital Rights (RDR), an independent research programme under the auspices of the policy think tank New America that ranked 12 of the world’s most powerful telcos based on their commitments to protect users’ freedom of expression and privacy rights, BIRN analysed the practices of the two largest telcos in each of the Balkan countries covered in this report, for a total of 12 companies, to achieve a broad understanding of the challenges faced in the region. See the full report here https://balkaninsight.com/ranking-digital-rights-in-the-balkans/

This report examines privacy in Iraq, specifically focusing on the practices of two major telecommunication companies: Zain Iraq and Asiacell. With over 40 million mobile phone subscribers and nearly 20 million internet subscribers in Iraq, protecting privacy is more important than ever.