Digitale Gesellschaft
Digitale Gesellschaft is a Swiss nonprofit association (Verein) based in Basel that advocates for digital rights and privacy protection, serving Swiss residents and policymakers through legal action, privacy infrastructure, policy dossiers, and community events, funded primarily by individual memberships and donations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersBasel, Switzerland
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Digitale Gesellschaft does
Digitale Gesellschaft is a Swiss nonprofit association (Verein) founded in 2010 and based in Basel, dedicated to digital rights, privacy protection, and opposition to mass surveillance. The organization serves Swiss residents and policymakers through a combination of advocacy, legal action, public education, and community organizing. It operates under a community-led membership model with approximately 100 active and honorary members supporting its work, supplemented by donations and crowdfunding campaigns.
The organization produces a portfolio of digital tools and content rather than a unified software product. Privacy infrastructure includes a public DNS-over-TLS/HTTPS resolver, Tor exit servers in Switzerland, and Anonip, an open-source log-file anonymization tool for website operators. Advocacy tools include Datenauskunftsbegehren.ch, a generator that helps individuals file data-access requests against companies and organizations. Content products include the monthly Netzpodcast (digital policy podcast), the 'Update' newsletter, dossiers on E-Voting, E-ID, biometric identification, automated decision systems (ADMS/AI), net neutrality, tracking/profiling, and data retention, plus educational guides on digital self-defense ('Selbstverteidigung') and digital sustainability ('Nachhaltigkeit').
The revenue model is subscription-recurring membership dues combined with donations. Tiers include regular membership at CHF 75/year, reduced at CHF 25/year, patron at CHF 250/year, and lifetime at CHF 1,500; the organization also accepts donations via bank transfer, Twint, credit card, cryptocurrency, and cash, including wage-donation arrangements. Notable strategic positioning includes a pending complaint at the European Court of Human Rights against Swiss data retention, active legislative engagement on E-ID and E-Collecting, and recurring event programming (Winterkongress, Netzpolitischer Abend, Datenschutz-Festival).
Digitale Gesellschaft firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Digitale Gesellschaft
- Legal name
- Digitale Gesellschaft
- Website
- https://digitale-gesellschaft.ch
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Digitale Gesellschaft is a Swiss nonprofit association (Verein) based in Basel that advocates for digital rights and privacy protection, serving Swiss residents and policymakers through legal action, privacy infrastructure, policy dossiers, and community events, funded primarily by individual memberships and donations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Digitale Gesellschaft industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Digital Rights Advocacy
- NAICS
- Human Rights Organizations (813311)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Digital Rights, Privacy & Free Expression Advocacy (BPAGAFAL)
Keywords
Where Digitale Gesellschaft is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Basel
- HQ country
- Switzerland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Digitale Gesellschaft business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Membership Dues: Annual membership fees providing core funding for the organization's digital rights advocacy work in Switzerland.
- Donations and Sponsorships: One-time and recurring donations from supporters. The organization accepts donations via bank transfer, Twint, credit card, cryptocurrency, and cash. Wage donations are also available.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Regular membership supporting digital rights advocacy |
| Subscription | Annual | Reduced membership for those with limited financial capacity |
| Subscription | Annual | Patron membership with additional support for the organization |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Lifetime membership with one-time payment |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
Digitale Gesellschaft product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Digitale Gesellschaft is a Swiss nonprofit association that advocates for civil liberties and freedom rights in a networked world through legal challenges, policy campaigns, public education, and community events. In addition to advocacy, the organization operates a small portfolio of privacy tools (Datenauskunftsbegehren data access request generator, public DNS-over-TLS/HTTPS resolvers, Anonip log anonymization, and Tor servers) and produces educational content including the Netzpodcast, Update newsletter, and guides on digital self-defense and digital sustainability.
Product overview
Digitale Gesellschaft is a Swiss non-profit digital rights organization (Verein) that advocates for civil liberties and freedom rights in a networked world. The organization does not offer a unified software product but provides several digital tools, services, and educational resources: Datenauskunftsbegehren (a data access request generator), Öffentliche DNS-Resolver (privacy-focused DNS service), Anonip (log anonymization tool), and Tor-Server infrastructure. The organization also produces content including the Netzpodcast (digital policy podcast) and the monthly Update Newsletter, along with educational guides on digital self-defense and digital sustainability. The organization focuses on advocacy campaigns, legal actions (including EGMR complaints against data retention), policy positions on topics such as E-Voting, E-ID, mass surveillance, and tracking/profiling.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- Filed complaint at European Court of Human Rights against Swiss data retention laws
Companies that use Digitale Gesellschaft
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Digitale Gesellschaft technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Digitale Gesellschaft partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Stiftung für direkte DemokratiecoreJoint advocacy coalition for E-Collecting digital signature collection legislation. Both organizations welcomed the parliament's decision to allow digital signature collection for referendums and popular initiatives, and jointly called for implementation guidelines emphasizing data minimization, decentralization, open source, and accessibility.
- AG NDG (NGO Alliance on Intelligence Service Law)coreCoalition of NGOs opposing the revision of the Intelligence Services Act (NDG) that would expand mass surveillance. The alliance called on parliament to reject the proposal, arguing it violates fundamental rights and criminalizes political engagement.
- Prototype Fund SwitzerlandminorCollaboration on digital sufficiency event, discussing environmental impacts of AI and sustainable digitalization solutions. Prototype Fund teams present open-source projects for reducing ecological footprint.
- CampaxcoreCampaign partnership with Campax to collect over 15,000 signatures against the VÜPF (surveillance ordinance) tightening. Joint petition delivery to Federal Councilor Beat Jans demanding immediate stop to surveillance expansion plans.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Digitale Gesellschaft competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF): Leading US-based digital rights nonprofit that combines legal advocacy, policy work, and technology development. Far larger in scale, but operates the same hybrid advocacy-plus-tools model (privacy tools, litigation, public education) that Digitale Gesellschaft emulates.
- Access Now: International digital rights organization with policy, advocacy, and technical programs. Larger in scope and geography, but directly comparable in mission around privacy, surveillance, and freedom of expression.
Direct peers
- European Digital Rights (EDRi): European network of digital rights NGOs coordinating advocacy across EU member states. Directly comparable in mission, advocacy methods, and policy focus on surveillance, data protection, and digital rights legislation.
- La Quadrature du Net: French digital rights advocacy group focused on civil liberties in the digital age. Operates similar community-led advocacy model with comparable focus on surveillance, copyright, and net neutrality policy.
- Chaos Computer Club Schweiz: Swiss affiliate of the Chaos Computer Club focused on hacker culture, IT security, and digital rights. Already identified as a partner of Digitale Gesellschaft, it operates in the same Swiss nonprofit space with overlapping advocacy and technical infrastructure activities.
- Bits of Freedom: Dutch digital rights foundation advocating for privacy and freedom on the internet. Small, member-supported nonprofit with similar organizational structure, policy dossier approach, and focus on surveillance and data protection reform.
- Stiftung für direkte Demokratie: Swiss foundation promoting direct democracy through digital tools, including E-Collecting. Active coalition partner of Digitale Gesellschaft on legislative campaigns; both organizations serve as Swiss civil society voices on digital policy reforms.
- Datenrecht.ch: Swiss platform providing data access request services and privacy guidance. Operates in the same Swiss privacy advocacy niche, with overlapping educational and tool-based offerings for Swiss residents.
- Digitale Freiheit (formerly AK Vorrat): Austrian digital rights coalition opposing mass surveillance and data retention, with parallel advocacy on E-Government privacy. Direct regional peer serving a German-speaking neighbor with similar policy agenda.
Others
- Open Knowledge Foundation: International nonprofit promoting open data and civic technology. Operates in adjacent digital civil society space with overlapping interest in transparency, open source, and democratic digital infrastructure.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Digitale Gesellschaft social profiles
Digital presenceDigitale Gesellschaft financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Digitale Gesellschaft leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Digitale Gesellschaft funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Digitale Gesellschaft M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Digitale Gesellschaft
What does Digitale Gesellschaft do?
Digitale Gesellschaft is a Swiss nonprofit association that advocates for civil liberties and freedom rights in a networked world through legal challenges, policy campaigns, public education, and community events. In addition to advocacy, the organization operates a small portfolio of privacy tools (Datenauskunftsbegehren data access request generator, public DNS-over-TLS/HTTPS resolvers, Anonip log anonymization, and Tor servers) and produces educational content including the Netzpodcast, Update newsletter, and guides on digital self-defense and digital sustainability.
Is Digitale Gesellschaft a public or private company?
Digitale Gesellschaft is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Digitale Gesellschaft founded?
Digitale Gesellschaft was founded in 2010. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Digitale Gesellschaft based?
Digitale Gesellschaft is headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, in the Europe region.
How does Digitale Gesellschaft make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Membership Dues are the primary driver. The others are donations and Sponsorships.
Who are Digitale Gesellschaft's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) and Access Now. Direct peers are European Digital Rights (EDRi), La Quadrature du Net, Chaos Computer Club Schweiz, Bits of Freedom, Stiftung für direkte Demokratie, Datenrecht.ch and Digitale Freiheit (formerly AK Vorrat). Open Knowledge Foundation is listed as an others.
Does Digitale Gesellschaft have an API?
No public API is recorded for Digitale Gesellschaft.
What industry is Digitale Gesellschaft in?
Digitale Gesellschaft's product category is Digital Rights Advocacy. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAFAL, Digital Rights, Privacy & Free Expression Advocacy. Its NAICS code is 813311 and its SIC code is 8600.