The Universal Privacy Alliance has appointed Amelia Andersdotter as its interim director.

Andersdotter, a long-time advocate for internet privacy, will focus on strengthening UPA’s operations and promoting privacy-focused technologies, according to a press release shared with crypto.news.

The UPA, formed in 2023, brings together Web3 companies, including Nym Technologies, Protocol Labs Network, Filecoin Foundation, Oasis, and Aztec. These companies aim to protect digital privacy and ensure secure online interactions. 

The alliance promotes the “privacy by design” principle, ensuring that platforms are built with user privacy and security as default features. UPA’s efforts are especially significant as regulatory frameworks like the EU’s eIDAS and the Digital Services Act challenge privacy and encryption standards in the Web3 space.

It also works to prevent personal data from being exploited or monitored.

Andersdotter, a former Member of the European Parliament from Sweden’s Pirate Party, is known for her work opposing the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement. Her activism helped block the trade deal, which many believed would harm internet privacy. Since then, she has continued her work in the field, contributing to privacy research and policy development.

The UPA plans to expand its focus on educating policymakers, sharing legal resources among members, and setting up a legal fund to defend privacy rights. 

As digital privacy becomes a growing concern, the UPA and Andersdotter aim to create technology that safeguards personal information from surveillance and exploitation.