Statements from Homo Digitalis in an article by Reporters United, Investigate Europe & EfSyn on the AI Act
Following the investigation and related revelations carried out last week by Reporters United, Investigate Europe, and EfSyn regarding the trilateral meetings on the AI Act and the negative stance of the Greek government on the security safeguards for biometric identification at a later stage, today in a new report, journalist Εurydice Bersi highlights how various state bodies have been systematically violating for years the security safeguards that European data protection legislation provides for the artificial intelligence systems already in use in our country.
We sincerely thank the journalist for her interest in our related actions and for the opportunity to provide some brief comments on the challenges we have identified and the lack of compliance that has been evident over time. Our statements were represented by Eleftherios Chelioudakis.
In fact, as part of the journalists’ investigation, a request for access to information has already been submitted, calling on the Greek government to disclose the documents with its positions on the trilateral meetings!
You can read the related article and their detailed investigation here.
Open Letter to the President of the European Commission to Stand Up Against Big Tech Companies
Over 40 civil society organizations, across the EU and the US, have an urgent message for the European Commission and President Ursula von der Leyen. Now is the time to stand up to the bullying by Big Tech companies and their allies in the Trump administration.
Europe must commit to strong enforcement of the DSA, DMA regulations, and other digital laws to protect people, our democracy, and our economy!
Read our open letter here.
Homo Digitalis spoke at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Geneva.
Doing More With Less at Geneva Day in Davos: How to address growing needs in times of economic uncertainty?
We explored this crucial question on Monday 21/1 during a panel discussion held as part of Geneva Day at the House of Switzerland in Davos. We were proud to participate in this event co-organised by Swiss Financial Innovation Desk and the Permanent Mission of Switzerland to the United Nations in Geneva, during the World Economic Forum 2025.
This engaging discussion explored emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Blockchain, and Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs), combined with innovative fiscal policies, as tools to meet the critical challenges of tomorrow. Our president, Elpida Vamvaka, represented our team speaking about our important actions and victories in the field of AI in Greece, as well as the NGI – The Next Generation Internet NGI TALER project, building a new, privacy-preserving, secure electronic payment system based on open standards, free software, and advanced cryptography.
A heartfelt thank you to the organisers and the distinguished panelists Christoph König, Deputy State Secretary, State Secretariat for International Finance SIF, Kelly T. Clements,, Deputy High Commissioner at UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, Daniel Eidan, Advisor & Solution Architect at Bank for International Settlements – BIS Innovation Hub.
The amazing Eva Selamlar-Leuthold, Head of Swiss Financial Innovation Desk (FIND), moderated this particularly dynamic and insightful discussion in a unique manner.
We would also like to extend our warmest thanks to Jonas Pasquier, Head of Global Affairs at the Permanent Mission of Switzerland to the UN in Geneva, his entire team, the Mission, as well as the Presence Switzerland team at the House of Switzerland, for making this event a success.
Would you like to get more insights from this discussion. Stay tuned for an upcoming publication by the Swiss Financial Innovation Desk, here.
The President of Homo Digitalis, Elpida Vamvaka, is Invited to WEF at DAVOS: Recognition on a Global Stage
We are thrilled to announce that Homo Digitalis has been invited to participate in an esteemed panel discussion at DAVOS, organized by the Swiss Financial Innovation Desk (FIND) of the State Secretariat for International Finance and the Permanent Mission of Switzerland to the UN in Geneva in the context of the World Economic Forum (WEF).
Event Details:
Topic: Doing More with Less: How to Address Growing Needs in Times of Economic Uncertainty
Date & Time: Tuesday, January 21, 2025 | 17:00-18:30
Location: Crystal Lounge, Davos
Our President, Elpida Vamvaka, will join a distinguished panel of global leaders to discuss how emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Blockchain, and Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) can empower governments and organizations to address critical global challenges in times of economic uncertainty. Specifically, in the panel hosting our President, Elpida Vamvaka will be also speaking:
– Christoph König, Deputy State Secretary, State Secretariat for International Finance
– Kelly Clements, United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Refugees
– Morten Bech, Centre Head Switzerland, Bank for International Settlements (BIS) Innovation Hub
The moderator of the panel will be Eva Selamlar, Head of Swiss Financial Innovation Desk (FIND)
While we celebrate this global recognition, it underscores the need for similar trust and acknowledgment at the national level in Greece. Strengthening Greece’s commitment to technological innovation and policy foresight will pave the way for meaningful change.
You can find more details about the event here.
Let’s make human rights-oriented innovation the cornerstone of a brighter and more resilient future – for Greece and the world.
Joint Statement on the Upcoming European Commission Guidelines on Prohibited Practices of the AI Act
We are publishing a joint statement on the upcoming European Commission Guidelines on Prohibited Practices of the AI Act.
On December 11, 2024, the European Commission completed its public consultation on the interpretation of the definition of an AI system and on prohibited AI practices, in accordance with the provisions of Regulation 2024/1689 (AI Act). Homo Digitalis participated in the related process.
In the context of the issuance of the expected guidelines by the Commission, concerns remain about potential gaps that could jeopardize fundamental rights. For this reason, and together with more than 25 civil society organizations, academics, and other experts, we are issuing a statement today, urging the AI Office and the European Commission to ensure specific demands.
You can read our joint statement here.
Eleftherios Chelioudakis of Homo Digitalis as a Trainer in the 3rd OSCE ODIHR Training on Personal Data & Border Management
From December 4 to 6, Eleftherios Chelioudakis, our Co-founder and Executive Director, participated as a trainer in the third training session organized by the international organization OSCE, specifically its Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) in Warsaw. The training explored the use of new technologies at international borders, as well as the risks and opportunities they pose for Human Rights.
In our five presentations, we focused on the technologies used at borders, the Human Rights impacted by these uses, the provisions of the GDPR and Directive 2016/680 LED, the significant decision by the Hellenic Data Protection Authority (HDPA) regarding the “KENTAYROS” and “YPERION” systems, as well as technical tools that human rights defenders can use in their work!
We extend our heartfelt thanks to the participants for their dynamic presence, to the team of outstanding trainers Nikola Kovačević, Djordje Alempijevic, and Arancha Garcia del Soto for their knowledge and expertise, and to the organizing team, Lola Girard and Veronica Grazzi, for their impeccable organization and contributions. It is a great honor for us to participate!
You can learn more here.
Homo Digitalis Collaborates Once Again with the Digital World Summit Greece
We are delighted to announce that, for yet another year, the Digital World Summit Greece (DWS Greece) and Homo Digitalis are moving forward with a strategic partnership!
The Digital World Summit Greece (DWS Greece) aims to promote the democratic governance of new technologies. As a dialogue platform, it brings together diverse stakeholders and groups, shaping policies from the grassroots level to the top on issues related to artificial intelligence, platforms, the Internet of Things, and broader technological domains.
Homo Digitalis has actively supported DWS Greece since its inception, and it is a great honor for us to continue doing so dynamically. Together, we aim to contribute to the maturation of public discourse in Greece on issues related to digital rights.
You can learn more about the activities of the Digital World Summit Greece on their website, here.
We Publish Our Third Study on the AI Act, Focusing on Article 5 & Prohibited Practices
Today, Homo Digitalis publishes its third study on Regulation 2024/1689, the now widely known AI Act, titled “Artificial Intelligence Act: Analysis of Provisions on Prohibited Practices in Article 5 of Regulation 2024/1689.”
The authors of this study are Sophia Antonopoulou, Lamprini Gyftokosta, Tania Skrapaliori, Eleftherios Chelioudakis, and Stavroula Chousou.
The aim of this Homo Digitalis analysis is to systematically approach each provision of Article 5 of the AI Regulation, related to Manipulative or deceptive techniques, Exploitation of vulnerabilities, Assessment of social behavior, Facial recognition database use, Prediction of criminal offenses, Emotion detection,Biometric categorization systems, and Remote biometric identification.
With our study, we provide targeted questions highlighting the critical aspects of individual provisions, identifying the so-called “gray areas”—points that present ambiguities, overlaps, or potential interpretative challenges. We substantiate our concerns with specific examples and pose precise questions to be addressed by the upcoming guidelines of the European Commission’s AI Office and the national legislator.
As with our first two studies (published in October and November 2024, respectively), our third study also aims to support the Ministry of Digital Governance in its mission to transpose the AI Act into Greek legislation. Additionally, through our detailed analyses and arguments, we aim to contribute to the maturation of public discourse and empower more Civil Society organizations to actively participate in it.
You can read our study, “Artificial Intelligence Act: Analysis of Provisions on Prohibited Practices in Article 5 of Regulation 2024/1689,” (available in EL) here.
Homo Digitalis participated in AI Office’s consultation on Prohibited Practices under the AI Act
In November 2024, the European Commission’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) Office launched a consultation on AI Act prohibitions and AI system definition.
The guidelines under development will help national competent authorities as well as providers and deployers in complying with the AI Act’s rules on such AI practices ahead of the application of the relevant provisions on 2 February 2025.
Homo Digitalis participated in this public consultation process by submitting our input, in an attempt to highlight challenges and provide further clarity on practical aspects and use cases.
The authors’ team of our public consultation is composed of our Director on Human Rights & Artificial Intelligence, Lamprini Gyftokosta and our members Sophia Antonopoulou and Stavrina Chousou.
You can read our input here.
Stay tuned, since our dedicated report on the AI Act and its provisions on Prohibited Practices is to be published soon!