Why September 23?
Because September 23 will be the start of the school year throughout Italy, and because on September 28 the Council of European States will hold a meeting of justice and home affairs ministers to discuss Chatcontrol.
Beyond chatcontrol and non-EU cloud platforms, what do you want to demonstrate against? Against Facebook and centralized social to promote the fediverse? If people posted photos, data, and reports on Mastodon instead of Facebook, what would change in terms of privacy protection? Or is Facebook to be turned into a bogeyman to create fear or a scapegoat to gather animosity?
Privacy Pride was created to become an opportunity for citizens to learn more about privacy and to convey the message that one should never feel discomfort, helplessness or even ridicule when it comes to claiming proper handling of personal data.
As for Facebook and other centralized platforms, it needs to be made clear that the problem is not only that of exposing personal data, but the fact that users’ personal and behavioral data and metadata are not only exploited to give value to those who manage them, but also to manipulate the user so that he or she is incentivized to surrender more and more personal and behavioral data: a Land Of Toys[1] more efficient than the Collodian one, because its guests do not transform and are exploited AFTER having fun, but are convinced that the real fun is precisely to transform and be exploited.
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Land_of_Toys
Who are the organizers?
Giacomo Alessandroni (PeaceLink Association)
Pietro Biase (Open Genova APS)
Marco Confalonieri (International PP, Pirati)
Filippo Della Bianca (Admin Devol)
Fedro Fornara (Member Etica Digitale)
Andrea Guani (Founder of Le Alternative)
Carlo Gubitosa (Admin sociale.network)
Andrea Laisa (@amreo) (Member Etica Digitale)
Francesco Macchia (Informapirata, Pirati)
Enrico Nardelli
Maria Chiara Pievatolo
Wouldn’t it have been better to have concerted this initiative a few months in advance, involving nationally prominent actors on the topic of privacy and digital rights?
Yes.
It would have been better to organize in time, it is true; unfortunately, the initiative responds to a timeline punctuated by the European Union on a measure that represents the most brutal attack ever brought in Europe against the privacy of correspondence. This is precisely why we tried to involve all those with whom it was possible to talk and we are continuing to ask all stakeholders to join the initiative, but while we were waiting for adhesions we had a duty to organize together with those who joined earlier the content, communication and logistics of the event.
We are aware that in this way the initiative will suffer in terms of visibility, adherence and effectiveness, but this is precisely why we are asking everyone for a mobilization effort.
Couldn’t the Data Protection Authority have been involved, since it is directly called upon?
No.
The Data Protection Authority is an independent authority and should definitely not be involved in an initiative that 50% of it is a tribute of solidarity to it. Prior to the publication of the initiative on public communication channels (Telegram, Matrix, Mobilizon, the fediverse of Italian communities, and centralized social networks), the DPA was never informed of the initiative, as a matter of istitutional fairness. We believe that the DPA should be involved to obtain regulatory and communication support for all cultural initiatives regarding privacy, but in this case support should be asked for the DPA and not by the DPA.
Isn’t there a risk of the event being too political and fuzzy?
The event is political in the most total way, because privacy has always been a political battle, even when it has had to resort to the courts for its recognition; in fact, the event is also open to all political parties and movements that would like to express their position on the issues raised and that would like to make a concrete commitment to include in their manifestos and programs the affirmation of privacy as a human right and the protection of digital rights.
As for the fuzziness, we recognize that the tight timeframe with which we had to organize did not allow us to establish a precise lineup of speeches, but we are convinced that the object of the event is quite clear and defined: to affirm privacy as a human right for people of all ages, both citizens and those who are excluded from the rights of citizenship.
What is done during the event?
The various local groups act independently on what to do: there is no set agenda other than the categorical imperative to “not terrorize” people. You can find some hints in the “Organize” section, and ask the specific question in the various local Telegram groups accessible from the map on the main page.
Why not set the demonstration as a proposal instead of a protest?
The demonstration serves primarily to raise attention to chatcontrol and student privacy, but it also serves as a reminder to all realities of civil society that internalizing the right to privacy as a right to self-determination and protection of one’s private sphere (and thus not reduced to the proper handling of one’s personal data) is the basis of so many battles such as the vindication of LGBTQI+ people’s rights, the protection of migrants, self-determination over women’s bodies and anyone’s body in general!
Isn’t there a risk of being confused with the nogreenpass/novax marches, with the risk of alienating the public’s favor and, above all, drawing mistrust and rejection?
Granted that we have repeatedly recalled our position on this issue, in order to avoid this risk, we wanted to characterize the initiative from the beginning as a static, non-violent and content-focused demonstration. As for mistrust and rejection, considering the level of mistrust and rejection generated in Italy by the topic of privacy, we do not fear that there may be appreciable margins of deterioration.
Why choose channels like Telegram and the Fediverse and exclude Facebook? Don’t you risk being confined to an irrelevant niche?
The organizing committee has a Twitter account that will not be publicized outside of that platform; furthermore, promoters, protesters, and sympathizers can use Facebook or other privacy-unfriendly platforms for communication at any time. However, the attempt that is being made is precisely to try to mobilize people without focusing on platforms that would not be consistent with the message conveyed by the demonstration.
Why do you claim that Privacy Pride is the first privacy event, when other such initiatives such as privacymonths have already been practiced?
Privacy Pride is not a promotional, celebratory or educational event, it is not a festival or conference, it is not a hacklab, rally or summit, but it is a “street demonstration” (such as a procession, a sit-in, a presidium) in which protest, proposal and vindication come together as they do in all street demonstrations.We are not aware of any events of this nature ever being organized for privacy.
Will there be no green pass movements and the like?
The answer is no.
In fact, the green pass is designed precisely to limit the impact on privacy.
Protests related to the use of Covid certification, have always been characterized by forms of protest and issues related to anti-scientific misinformation, toxic narratives, misplaced victimhood, and above all, serious and ambiguous coexistence with fascist movements.
