defenddemocracy.bsky.social - Profile | ThreadSky | a Reddit-style client for Bluesky

Civil society organisations (CSOs) are under attack across Europe and America. The EU must act now to defend them and safeguard democracy. #DefendDemocracy #EUpol #EUsky

submitted 18 hours ago • 0 comments

As a little girl she saw Soviet tanks rolling into her city. In 2014, she was Belgium's Ambassador to Ukraine. Now @jzk55.bsky.social is on our Board. "Nothing is more powerful than individuals acting out of their conscience." 🎧 listen @bylinepodcast.bsky.social: podfollow.com/byline-podca...

submitted 2 days ago • 1 comment

For the third year in a row, @defenddemocracy.bsky.social joins a peaceful protest in support of Ukraine's fight for freedom, democracy and security. Theirs and ours. Kudos to @michielvanhulten.eu for making a great placard. The fourth picture is a Ukrainian veteran who wanted to hold our sign 💛💙

submitted 5 days ago • 0 comments

Defend Democracy stands with Ukraine. Because Ukraine defends OUR freedom, democracy and security too. Europe wake up!! #StandWithUkraine #DefendDemocracy

submitted 5 days ago • 0 comments

Join us tomorrow at 14:00 near BXL Central Station. Stand up for freedom, democracy and security! Defend democracy from Putin, Xi & Trump: Tell EU leaders to act now! #EU #EUpol #EUsky

submitted 6 days ago • 1 comment

This is 💯 % how @defenddemocracy.bsky.social feels too. We’ve been warning since at least 2017 (and I since 2014) for Russian aggression & the weaponisation of Big Tech platforms’ addictive design. EU still hasn’t moved beyond chasing symptoms rather than addressing causes 🤦🏾‍♀️ Build Eurostack NOW!

submitted 6 days ago • 2 comments

The colours of 🇺🇦 & 🇪🇺 light up the Brussels sky. But as @sophieintveld.bsky.social told a @defenddemocracy.bsky.social event tonight, we’ll need to do more than that to defend freedom and democracy against Trump and Putin. Democracy dies in apathy. We need to stand up and tell EU leaders to act now.

submitted 8 days ago • 1 comment

This week seems like a good week to meet up with European friends to talk about democracy: this edition of the monthly Democracy Drink of @defenddemocracy.bsky.social will be dedicated to Ukraine. Thursday at 17h30, more details 👉 crm.defenddemocracy.eu/civicrm/mail...

submitted 12 days ago • 0 comments

Here is #DefendDemocracy's February newsletter! 📰 Read this edition: crm.defenddemocracy.eu/civicrm/?civ... ✏️ Sign up for future editions: defenddemocracy.eu/newsletters/ ✅ Join our democracy defenders & stay tuned!

submitted 11 days ago • 2 comments

Cognitive warfare remains a key part of Russia’s military strategy. Aim: deepen social divisions, erode trust in democratic institutions, weaken the West Estimated annual budget: $4 billion www.euractiv.com/section/tech...

submitted 12 days ago • 0 comments

Germany won’t accept “if outsiders interfere in our democracy, in our elections & in the democratic formation of opinion..” So what are you doing about it, Germany? And what are we doing, EU? Soon too late. Coz it’s been happening for years. #MSC2025 #EUsky #NAFO www.politico.eu/article/germ...

submitted 13 days ago • 3 comments

"If the EU wants to protect its founding values while increasing its strategic autonomy, European civil society cannot depend on a decreasing number of democratic governments & the whims of a few American billionaire donors." Or on USAID... Invest in democracy! defenddemocracy.eu/open-letter-...

submitted 15 days ago • 0 comments

This month, @europarl.europa.eu's Special Committee on the European Democracy Shield starts its work. Best wishes @EP_Democracy! While we wait for this new @ec.europa.eu proposal, it is clear that defending democracy must always start at home. #EUDS #EUsky defenddemocracy.eu/defending-ou...

submitted 18 days ago • 1 comment

BREAKING: 1) France court opens cybercrime investigation into X/Twitter over suspected algorithm bias. 2) Germany court rules that X/Twitter must provide researchers with data to monitor German elections. @defenddemocracy.bsky.social #EUsky #BigTech www.euractiv.com/section/tech...

submitted 21 days ago • 8 comments

Here is where to find us: * BlueSky: bsky.app/profile/defe... * LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/defe... * Mastodon: eupolicy.social/@DefendDemoc... * Website: defenddemocracy.eu Diversify so we can always keep in touch.

submitted 23 days ago • 0 comments

"If the EU wants to protect its founding values while increasing its strategic autonomy, European civil society cannot depend on a decreasing number of democratic governments & the whims of a few American billionaire donors." #DefendDemocracy, June 2024 defenddemocracy.eu/open-letter-...

submitted 25 days ago • 0 comments

To the point by our Board member: False economy – on the democratic cost of weakening civil society. The upcoming budget should translate the EU's commitment to protect civil society into concrete action. www.epc.eu/en/publicati...

submitted 28 days ago • 0 comments

With 40+ civil society orgs we have urgent message for @ec.europa.eu Commission President @vonderleyen.ec.europa.eu: Now is the time to double down on EU tech sovereignty. Europe must commit to strong enforcement of its laws — to protect our democracy, economy & security. edri.org/wp-content/u...

submitted 30 days ago • 0 comments

"Defenders of democracy will have to stay united, focusing on ensuring that checks and balances remain intact and that crucial democratic watchdog institutions elude capture. Otherwise, America will find itself sleepwalking into autocracy." www.nytimes.com/2025/01/15/o...

submitted 33 days ago • 1 comment

Finally: a proposal for tougher EU response to Russia's hybrid threats. "Russia has ramped up its campaign of so-called hybrid attacks — such as arson, cyber and information campaigns and sabotage — throughout Europe." Only 10 years late... www.politico.eu/article/germ...

submitted 37 days ago • 0 comments

Regarding the digital mess: instead of chasing symptoms, address causes. 1) European Democracy Shield should broaden its scope to hybrid threats & be linked to 2) European Preparedness Union, which should include building digital sovereignty (Eurostack) #EUsky defenddemocracy.eu/defending-ou...

submitted 37 days ago • 0 comments

Here is #DefendDemocracy's January newsletter! 📰 Read this edition: crm.defenddemocracy.eu/civicrm/?civ... ✏️ Sign up for future editions: defenddemocracy.eu/newsletters/ ✅ Join our democracy defenders & stay tuned!

submitted 44 days ago • 0 comments

Netherlands universities start alternative to Big Tech. Goals are digital autonomy, safeguarding public values & a healthier digital ecosystem. Who needs oligarchs Trmp, Msk, Z*ck? Who needs BigTech imposing BigAI? Let's build our Eurostack! www.computable.nl/2025/01/10/u...

submitted 48 days ago • 9 comments

Together with other civil society organisations, we call on @ec.europa.eu to enforce BigTech compliance with EU law. At stake are our democracy and security. docs.google.com/document/d/1... #EUsky

submitted 50 days ago • 0 comments

🚨New report 📝Behind closed doors, Big Tech is writing the standards that will govern their own AI systems ❌The EU should not outsource public policy-making on fundamental rights to private bodies 👉 corporateeurope.org/en/2025/01/b... 🧵

submitted 51 days ago • 1 comment

EU Parliament urges EU Commission to act over M*sk’s ‘interference’ in elections. MEPs say enforcement of Digital Services Acts has been ‘too slow’. www.theguardian.com/world/2025/j...

submitted 51 days ago • 0 comments

Why is Politico Europe amplifying the polarising propaganda of an American far-right activist oligarch? 6 articles in the last 24 hours! #EUsky #journalism #DefendDemocracy

submitted 53 days ago • 4 comments

submitted 58 days ago • 0 comments

How democracies quietly transform into oligarchies without anyone noticing. #DefendDemocracy #EUsky #PolSky medium.com/@colingajews...

submitted 110 days ago • 3 comments

Since 2017, #DefendDemocracy is calling for joint EU sanctions vs Russia for attacking our democracies. ✅ 2020: first EU sanctions over cyber attacks ✅ 2023: first EU sanctions over disinfo & propaganda ✅ 2024: first EU sanctions over hybrid threats www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/pre... #NAFO

submitted 74 days ago • 0 comments

Defend Democracy is thrilled to join the EU Parliament plenary session for the #SakharovPrize award ceremony. This year's #SakharovPrize will go to @MariaCorinaYA & @EdmundoGU who represent Venezuelans fighting for freedom & democracy. 📺 17 Dec at 12:00 epthinktank.eu/2024/12/04/l... #EUsky

submitted 74 days ago • 1 comment

“At worst, they are a public relations exercise to highlight ways that these platforms have reduced the spread of illegal content.. while papering over the ongoing levels of hate speech, disinfo & terrorist content that many.. continue to detect on these platforms.” techpolicy.press/5-things-to-...

submitted 79 days ago • 0 comments

Thrilled to convene 'Coalition for Democratic Resilience' for a timely conference: 'Preparing & Shielding European Democracy', connecting the dots between two upcoming @ec.europa.eu initiatives: * European Democracy Shield * European Preparedness Union defenddemocracy.eu/events/4-dec...

submitted 85 days ago • 1 comment

Honoured to welcome Signal President @meredithmeredith.bsky.social Whittaker, @ec.europa.eu Advisor Jim Dratwa & HoU Christian D'Cunha & US Minister Counsellor to our #TransatlanticDemocracyDialogue Together with allies we talked about tech, democracy & security. defenddemocracy.eu/projects/tra...

submitted 93 days ago • 0 comments

“If you want to preserve freedom and democracy, you need to fight for them every day.” On this, @defenddemocracy.bsky.social fully agrees with incoming @EUCOpresident @AntoniolsCosta. #EUsky www.ft.com/content/5397...

submitted 96 days ago • 1 comment

91 years after Stalin's genocidal #Holodomor —a man-made famine that starved millions of Ukrainians to death— the Kremlin is again using food as a weapon. To learn more, read @anneapplebaum.bsky.social “Red Famine” or listen to episode 5 of our #RadioResilience: defenddemocracy.eu/projects/rad...

submitted 97 days ago • 0 comments

Historic day for Brazilian democracy and rule of law. Brazil police indict former President Bolsonaro and 36 aides on charges of attempting a coup to keep him in office after his electoral defeat in the 2022 elections. #DefendDemocracy apnews.com/article/braz...

submitted 99 days ago • 0 comments

Honoured to welcome EU Commission VP @VeraJourova at our #DemocracyDrinks. Coming from Czechia, a former communist state, “I was grateful to President VonDerLeyen for giving me the [European values] portfolio, because I knew exactly what I didn’t want to happen in our EU countries.” #EUsky

submitted 100 days ago • 0 comments

Valedictory @defenddemocracy.bsky.social meeting in Brussels with outgoing Commissioner Jourová #DemocracyDrinks

submitted 101 days ago • 1 comment