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Privacy protection in the digital world

Lauri Lavanti sitting on a stool leaning against a tall table. He is wearing a black blazer and a blue-and-white floral shirt. In the blazer pocket is a multicoloured pocket square. A staircase in the background.

Privacy is a democratic prerequisite — not a brake on innovation or security. Without protected private space, free thinking and independent action become impossible.

I oppose the expanded use of biometric databases, such as the one made of our fingerprints and facial images, without clear necessity and proportionality. I also oppose the EU Chat Control proposal: mandatory client-side scanning would effectively break end-to-end encryption and turn every device into a surveillance tool. The GDPR is a floor, not a ceiling — public services should exceed its requirements, not just meet them.

Privacy-respecting digital services are not only possible — they build greater citizen trust and adoption. As a software developer, I have built systems where privacy is designed in from the start, not bolted on afterwards. That experience shapes how I think about digital public services.