Panoptykon Foundation is a Polish watchdog with a mission to protect fundamental rights in the context of growing surveillance and new technologies.
Panoptykon keeps an eye on those who collect and use personal data to influence people, including public authorities, intelligence agencies and private corporations. They keep track of new legislation, develop alternative regulatory solutions and intervene in strategic cases.
With this grant, Panoptykon Foundation continued their advocacy related to the AI Act and continued their watchdog role in Poland. It pushed for responsible use of AI in Poland, including mandatory impact assessments for public administration, stronger consumer protection online, and strict safeguards and open debate before AI was used in policing or border control. It did this through public consultations, work with journalists and political influencers, and op-eds and podcasts.
With this grant, Panoptykon Foundation advocated at both EU and national level to influence political processes in the European Parliament and Polish position in the Council. A survey it commissioned showed that EU citizens backed civil society's arguments on the AI Act, and a new human rights and technology expert joined its team.
Its work influenced the positions of by shadow rapporteurs in European Parliament and the Polish government, and many of its proposed amendments to the AI Act were taken seriously.
