The programme ensures that fundamental rights are upheld in tech policy and regulation, advocating for EU laws and policies to regulate technology to operate in a manner that affirms the full range of fundamental rights set out in the EU Charter, fosters inclusive participatory systems, promotes transparent and accountable oversight, and advances just social structures within the broader landscape.

The rapid proliferation of new technologies comes with great promise for the advancement of society in a wide range of areas. However, these technologies are too often developed and introduced without adequate consideration of the risks, while their benefits are overstated or lack grounding in evidence.

Most recently highlighted by the example of artificial intelligence, some of the documented harms and risks include:

* Bias and discrimination: Individuals are adversely impacted by poorly designed and implemented systems and face systemic barriers in countering harms.

* Invisible data processing and privacy harms: Automated systems often use personal data, including sensitive data, without a valid legal basis and without notifying data subjects or enabling the exercise of their rights.

* Lack of transparency and limited oversight avenues: Often there is no public information as to an automated system’s functioning or actual effectiveness, making public oversight nearly impossible and resulting in a lack of accountability and redress for affected individuals.

Since 2002, the European Union has enacted laws that set guardrails around the operation of digital technologies, many of which are under threat. We must move past false dichotomies between innovation and regulation, and towards a shared commitment to keep individual and collective welfare at the forefront in the development and deployment of new technologies.

The programme engages in advocacy through solutions-oriented policy-resources and actionable technical guidance in relation to any legislative or co-regulatory process that regulates new technologies and may have a cross-cutting impact on rights.

The focus of the programme is two-fold: promoting the responsible use of data and technology while upholding fundamental rights, and advocating for the adoption of robust, technically-informed solutions which allow for effective governance of new technologies.