Euphoria EP3: The New Tech Threats to Democracy and Human Rights - with Asha Allen
May 6, 2025
In this discussion, Asha Allen, Director at the Center for Democracy and Technology Europe Office, sheds light on the evolving threats to democracy posed by technology. She emphasizes the critical need for media literacy as bad actors exploit social media and AI. Asha addresses urgent issues such as online gender-based violence, advocating for stricter regulations and accountability from tech platforms. The conversation also tackles how civil society must navigate these challenges to protect fundamental rights in a digital age. A compelling look at technology's dual-edged impact!
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Joy And Care Power Civil Society
- Asha urges civil society to extract joy from past wins while mobilizing collective care and solidarity.
- She argues unified advocacy across movements creates unstoppable public-interest power.
CDT Europe's Role And Mission
- Asha describes CDT Europe as a Brussels NGO working on DSA, AI Act, encryption and spyware since 2019.
- She highlights the need for civil society to remain at the table from the start of policymaking.
Secondary Rules Risk Rights Dilution
- Asha warns many AI/DSA questions were left to secondary legislation, risking weakened rights protections.
- She flags the Code of Practice for general-purpose AI as an area where fundamental-rights language is being diluted.