Digital Rights Weekly | August 8 - 12

[Team CommUNITY]

Hello Digital Rights Defenders!

Here is your weekly update on digital rights around the world for the
weeks of August 8 - 12. As a reminder, you can submit your news for
the newsletter here:
https://www.digitalrights.community/weekly-newsletter

###  Upcoming Virtual TCU Events ###
_________________________________________________

## Team CommUNITY Update ##

1. July Regional Briefs are Out! Updates on Digital Justice,
Opportunities and More!

Find the July updates on the latest news on digital justice in the
Latin America, MENA, Africa and Asia region. This month, our
researchers covered issues from massive data breach in Kenya to a
thorough explanation of new laws related to VPNs in India.

https://www.digitalrights.community/blog/regionalbriefsjuly2022


2. TCU Office Will Be Closed For August 15 - 26

To support healthy work practices and ensure staff take time off for
vacation (while actually being available to “sign off”), TCU will be
closed for August 15 - 26, 2022. Online events and Mattermost
announcements will pause, as well as the delivery of our weekly
newsletter.

_________________________________________________

### Digital Rights in the Community ###


1- 7amleh | Report Violations on Palestine

In connection with this week’s Israeli forces’ aggression, Palestinian
content on social networks has been increasingly targeted. 7amleh is
calling those facing any violations while posting about Palestine to
report them here via 7or:

https://7or.7amleh.org


2- WANLP | Propaganda Detection Workshop in Arabic

Propaganda is defined as an expression of opinion or action by
individuals or groups deliberately designed to influence opinions or
actions of other individuals or groups with reference to predetermined
ends and this is achieved by means of well-defined rhetorical and
psychological devices. Currently, propaganda (or persuasion)
techniques have been commonly used on social media to manipulate or
mislead social media users.  The goal of the workshop is to build
models for identifying such techniques in the Arabic social media
text, specifically Tweets). It is happening on December 7 2022 in Abu
Dhabi.

For more information:
https://sites.google.com/view/propaganda-detection-in-arabic/


3- Citizen Lab Survey | Gender Dimensions of Digital Transnational Repression

The Citizen Lab is undertaking a survey related to a new project on
the gender dimensions of digital transnational repression. This study
builds on their prior research on digital transnational repression.

Link to participate in the survey:
https://redcap.utoronto.ca/surveys/?s=D3T7CDX3RY7M7NJW


4- OpenNet.Fund | Small Grants Initiative

DT Institute announces the launch of OpenNet.fund, a small grants
initiative dedicated to funding the next generation of circumvention
and privacy enhancing solutions, or filling noticeable gaps in the
market and improving existing tools. This first round of funds will
support solutions that enable online privacy and provide open access
to the Internet for the Iranian public. Successful applicants will
gain access to an innovative emulator lab that mimics Iran’s Filternet
(censorship apparatus) to test their tools prior to deployment, and
can benefit from technical mentorship by experts who have developed,
deployed, and operated circumvention and privacy enhancing solutions
in environments of high persistent threat.

www.opennet.fund


5- OPTF Call for Proposals

The OPTF, a secure-tech not-for-profit, is calling for article
proposals about current or emerging cyber laws in your country or
region which impact privacy rights and/or the work of activists and
journalists. They are also interested in articles, including case
studies about law enforcement agencies (including police) searching
and confiscating digital devices, and using personal/private data to
build cases against activists and journalists. Read more:

https://optf.ngo/call-for-article-submissions-cyber-policies-and-laws/

_________________________________________________


### Digital Rights Resources ###


1- Democracy Now | Can Sandy Hook Lawsuits Help Turn the Tide on Disinformation?

For years Alex Jones spread conspiracy theories that the Newtown
shooting was a government hoax and the victims’ families were paid
actors, resulting in online harassment and death threats for Sandy
Hook families. Will his charge turn the tide on disinformation?

https://www.democracynow.org/2022/8/9/nyt_reporter_alex_jones_defamation_suit


2-  Asian American Disinformation Table | Resources

The problem of mis and disinformation in Asian American communities is
not just about what constitutes ‘true’ or ‘false’ information, but
rather how we understand misleading, manipulative, and deceptive
information practices as facilitating harm in our communities.

The Asian American Disinformation Table is a national table that
coordinates research, strategies, policy recommendations, pop culture,
messaging interventions, & corporate accountability around issues of
domestic & transnational misinformation and disinformation impacting
Asian Americans.

https://www.asianamdisinfo.org/


3- African Women in AI: Pivots, Perseverances and Pleasures

Pollicy began to research the impact of Artificial Intelligence on
African women in 2021, moved by the absence of data and information on
this topic. In places where AI had already been deployed and in use,
there were numerous examples of how AI inadvertently discriminated
against women. Policy documents AI discrimination in a three part
report. Check them out here:

https://pollicy.medium.com/african-women-in-ai-pivots-perseverances-and-pleasures-b9a0c3c12fdd


4- How Do Funders Shape the Digital Rights Agenda?

To further understand the role funding plays in the evolution of
nonprofits working on digital rights, and the field of digital rights
as such, OpenGlobalRights coordinated a workshop at RightsCon. This is
the first of a two-piece set of op-eds where they describe what they
learned from this experience and how participants think they can
ensure a positive and sustainable relationship between funders and
grantees.

https://www.openglobalrights.org/how-do-funders-shape-the-digital-rights-agenda-part-i/

_________________________________________________

### Digital Rights in the Wider World ###


1- Palestine | Ongoing Silencing of Israeli Assault Coverage

Palestinian activists have claimed that social media giants have
engaged in digital censorship during the latest Israeli assault on
occupied Gaza that left 44 dead, including 15 children. As
Palestinians in Gaza were attacked by Israeli rockets, in the digital
space, Palestinian rights activists grappled online with social media
censorship. This has been happening for years.

https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/israel-palestine-gaza-social-media-companies-accusations-silencing-voices


2- How Russia Took Over Ukraine’s Internet in Occupied Territories

Several weeks after taking over Ukraine’s southern port city of
Kherson, Russian soldiers arrived at the offices of local internet
service providers and ordered them to give up control of their
networks. Russian authorities then rerouted mobile and internet data
from Kherson through Russian networks, government and industry
officials said. They blocked access to Facebook, Instagram and
Twitter, as well as to Ukrainian news websites and other sources of
independent information. Then they shut off Ukrainian cellular
networks, forcing Kherson’s residents to use Russian mobile service
providers instead. Read how they do it:

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/08/09/technology/ukraine-internet-russia-censorship.html


3- Internet Censorship in Indonesia

Indonesia — the world’s fourth-most populous country, and a democracy
— is in the process of implementing what civil rights organizations
say are overly broad regulations to demand removal of online speech
that officials consider a disturbance to society or public order. Most
major internet companies, including Google, Meta, Netflix, TikTok,
Apple and Twitter have effectively agreed to go along with the rules,
for now.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/04/technology/internet-censorship.html (paywall)


4- India Withdraws a Proposed Law on Data Protection

The Indian government withdrew the Personal Data Protection Bill,
2019, which would have required internet companies like Meta and
Google to get specific permission for most uses of a person’s data,
and would have eased the process of asking for such personal data to
be erased. Countries worldwide have been adopting such steps,
including in Europe with the General Data Protection Regulation. But
privacy advocates and some lawmakers warned that the bill would have
given the government excessively broad powers over personal data,
while exempting law enforcement agencies and public entities from the
law’s provisions, ostensibly for national security reasons.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/04/business/india-data-privacy.html (paywall)


5- Facebook gave police their private data. Now, this duo face abortion charges

When local Nebraska police came knocking in June – before Roe v Wade
was officially overturned – Facebook handed the user data of a mother
and daughter facing criminal charges for allegedly carrying out an
illegal abortion. Private messages between the two discussing how to
obtain abortion pills were given to police by Facebook, according to
the Lincoln Journal Star. The 17-year-old, reports say, was more than
20 weeks pregnant. In Nebraska, abortions are banned after 20 weeks of
pregnancy. The teenager is now being tried as an adult.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/aug/10/facebook-user-data-abortion-nebraska-police


6- Malta: Support for The Shift News in the freedom of information battle

Independent media outlet The Shift News faces an all-out legal battle
against 40 freedom of information (FOI) lawsuits brought by 40
government entities in Malta. These appeal lawsuits pose a serious
threat to the country’s already worrying freedom of information and
press freedom climate. These vexatious lawsuits seem intended not to
win, but to exhaust The Shift’s time and resources, and divert the
outlet’s ability to pursue public interest reporting, while also
sending a clear signal to others that the Maltese government will
fight media attempts to obtain information under the FOI law.

https://www.article19.org/resources/malta-shift-news-freedom-of-information/

_________________________________________________

### Grants, Fellowships, & Awards ###

The following opportunities are open to individual digital rights
defenders and to organizations. If you would like us to include a
grant, fellowship or award in this newsletter, please email details to
team at digitalrights.community
https://internetfreedomfestival.org/wiki/index.php/Fundraising_Opportunities

Mozilla Tech Policy Fellowship
Deadline: Not Specified
https://foundation.mozilla.org/en/blog/mozilla-is-seeking-senior-tech-policy-fellows-apply-today/

Internet Freedom Fund
Open Technology Fund
Deadline: Rolling Basis
https://www.opentech.fund/funds/internet-freedom-fund/

Rapid Response Fund
Open Tech Fund
Deadline: Rolling Basis
https://www.opentech.fund/funds/rapid-response-fund/

Rapid Response Fund
Derechos Digitales
Deadline: Rolling Basis
https://www.derechosdigitales.org/sobre-el-fondo-de-respuesta-rapida/

Urgent Action Fund for Women's Human Rights
Deadline: Rolling Basis
https://urgentactionfund.org/

Open Briefing’s Responsive Assistance
Deadline: Rolling Basis
https://www.openbriefing.org/support/referral/

Open Tech Fund | Secure Usability and Accessibility Lab
Deadline: Rolling
https://www.opentech.fund/labs/sua-lab/

Dan Kamnisky Fellowship
Deadline: August 15
https://thedankaminskyfellowship2022.splashthat.com/

Sir Harry Evans Global Fellowship
Deadline: August 15
https://www.durham.ac.uk/sir-harry-evans-memorial-fund/global-fellowship/

BOLT Grant Program
Deadline: September 2
https://www.isocfoundation.org/grant-programme/bolt-grant-program/

Arab Reform Initiative
Deadline: September 5
https://www.arab-reform.net/job/call-for-applications-ari-non-resident-fellows-for-2022-2023/
_________________________________________________

### Global Events Calendar ###

TecnoRizoma
August 17 - October 22
Online
https://tinyurl.com/TecnoRizomaCentroamerica

Digital Health Week
October, 10 - 16
https://digitalhealthweek.co/

Check out a list of our virtual events here:
https://internetfreedomfestival.org/wiki/index.php/Calendar_of_Events
_________________________________________________

### NEW Job Opportunities  ###

Below is a short list of jobs we have been sent in the last week.

Want to see more jobs? OR Have a job opening you want us to promote?
Check out the Team CommUNITY Job Board:
https://www.digitalrights.community/job-board

✎ Policy Adviser on Technology and Human Rights | Amnesty International
+ London, UK
https://careers.amnesty.org/vacancy/policy-adviser-on-technology-and-human-rights-3436/3464/description/

✎ Research Manager | Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies
+ Not Specified
https://cihrs.org/job-vacancy-research-manager/?lang=en

✎ Arab Language Editor | SMEX
+ Remote
https://smex.org/smex-is-recruiting-an-arabic-language-editor/

✎ Director of Advocacy | Freedom of the Press Foundation
+ Remote or New York City, USA
https://grnh.se/cba591a95us

✎ Software Engineer | poieto
+ Remote in Los Angeles, CA, USA
http://angel.co/company/poieto/jobs/2314775-software-engineer

✎ Principal Policy Advisers - Technology and Innovation | Information
Commissioner's Office
+ Wilmslow, UK
http://app.vacancy-filler.co.uk/salescrm/Adverts.aspx?FRT-mKKPqBWjHpx7yF7cjdZmVF30t38UvtphZrzpe-pVkrVMPq2J4g

✎ Bookkeeper | Access Now
+ NYC, Washington DC or Remote in USA
https://accessnow.bamboohr.com/jobs/view.php?id=134&source=aWQ9MjA%3D

✎ Fundraising Lead | Tails
+ Remote
https://tails.boum.org/jobs/fundraising/

Need to unsubscribe or change your address?
Head to https://lists.ghserv.net/mailman/options/festival and enter
your email address.

If you feel like sending some digital glitter our way, or need further
assistance, feel free to reply to this message.
_________________________________________________

### Know someone that wants to subscribe to our newsletter? ###

They can sign up here:
https://www.digitalrights.community/weekly-newsletter

### Want to partner with us?###

If you have any questions or want to learn more about partnerships,
get in touch at team at digitalrights.community. We are always looking
for like-minded organizations and people.

(((Hugs & light)))

--
Team CommUNITY at ARTICLE 19
www.digitalrights.community
Organizers of the Internet Freedom Festival
PGP: 2E1D CC33 A362 0BD6 236E  540A F60A 89AD 6FF9 7A2F

You can now submit your news for the Digital Rights weekly directly.
To post your job opportunities, submit your opportunities to our Job Board.