Digital Rights Weekly | February 21 - 25

Fri Feb 25 16:13:27 CET 2022

Hello Digital Rights Defenders!

Here is your weekly update on digital rights around the world for the
week of February 21 - 25

As a reminder,  you can submit your news for the newsletter here:
https://www.digitalrights.community/weekly-newsletter  as well as
submit your job openings for our job board here:
https://www.digitalrights.community/job-board

### Special Update ###

Decentralized and federated messaging services up and running in three
locations for the Ukraine:

https://kyiv.dcomm.net.ua
https://odessa.dcomm.net.ua
https://kharkiv.dcomm.net.ua

For more info:
https://twitter.com/CenoBrowser/status/1496888422505463808

###  Upcoming Virtual TCU Events ###

March 16 | (CKS) Podcast 101
Laura Vidal and Laura Schwartz Henderson will tell you all about the
challenges of producing a podcast for newcomers, including what tools
to use and tips on storytelling. .
https://digitalrights.formstack.com/forms/cks54

March 23 | MENA Monthly Meetup
The MENA Monthly Meetups bring together folks from the MENA region to
share, connect, seek help, and release stress by celebrating each
other. In addition, it's a time for us to find ways to support each
other, and help us understand what is happening in our part of the
world.
https://internetfreedomfestival.org/wiki/index.php/March_23_2022,_MENA_Meetup

Upcoming Glitter Meetups (Every Thursday at 2pm UTC)

>>> March 3: Burnout With Selma Zaki
TCU’s Director of Community Mental Health will help us identify some
signs of burnout, what can be done to address it on an individual
level, and answer any questions you may have!.
https://internetfreedomfestival.org/wiki/index.php/March_3_2022_GM

>>> March 24: WikiRate
The team will share info about their open data platform that allows
anyone to systematically gather, analyze and report publicly-available
information on corporate Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)
practices.
https://internetfreedomfestival.org/wiki/index.php/March_24_2022_GM

>>> March 31: Internews’ BASICS project
Building Analytical and Support Infrastructure for Critical Security
tools (BASICS) aims to increase the use of critical, open source,
digital security tools. Check it out if you’re interested in creating
non-invasive surveillance tech that respects privacy.
https://internetfreedomfestival.org/wiki/index.php/March_31_2022_GM

_________________________________________________

### Digital Rights in the Community ###

1. Navigating the News around Russia’s Attack on Ukraine

Check out tools to help you navigate the noise around what is
happening in the Ukraine. Suggestions are from Easter Europe editor
for Global Voices, Dr Tanya Lokot, on how to read the news around the
conflict. The article also includes a primer on the history of the
Ukraine, to help you contextualize what is happening, and a timeline
of the recent attacks.

https://open-archive.org/UkraineMediaGuide

2. Russia Taps Facebook ‘Herds’ to Sow Division in Ukraine

Facebook needs to stop organizing users into huge "like-minded" herds
because Russia exploits this profit-maximizing policy to fuel
divisions in Ukraine and weaken democracies worldwide, whistleblower
Frances Haugen told Irish lawmakers on February 23. Haugen said when
she was part of Facebook’s front-line threat intelligence unit, she
could see how Russian accounts using fake profiles tapped into
Facebook groups containing potentially a million users and fed them
diets of incendiary propaganda.

https://www.politico.eu/article/whistleblower-frances-haugen-russia-taps-facebook-herds-to-sow-division-in-ukraine/

3. Nominate Your Favorite Digital Rights Defender

Do you know someone that you feel has made a substantial and sustained
contribution to the development of the Internet? Nominate them by
March 18 to the 2022 Rob Blokzijl Award. The award committee is
interested in receiving nominations of individuals who, in addition to
their own contributions, have also supported and enabled others
anywhere in the world. Nominated individuals can be either early in
their careers or have contributed greatly throughout the years.

https://rob-blokzijl-foundation.org/2021/11/25/call-for-nominations-2022/

4. Call for Proposal for Ethics of MHealth Technologies, Deadline April 30

mHealth Technologies support medical and public health practices via
mobile devices such as mobile phones, patient monitoring devices,
personal digital assistants, and other wireless devices. One
significant yet under-explored element of mHealth is its global,
globalized and international character. Providers, developers and
marketing stakeholders are often organized as transnational companies,
and individual apps can be downloaded across the globe. The data
utilized by these technologies are globally collected and processed.
Users are also connected via global networks and so are new forms of
patient activism, which can no longer be
understood within national categories. This interconnectivity and
blurring of geographical boundaries raises new challenges,
particularly in a world shaped by global and local socio-political and
economic inequalities.

The Bioethics Journal has a call for proposal looking for papers
taking a specificl look at the ethical and social implications of
mHealth technologies as a global phenomena. Deadline is April 30.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/14678519

5. Call for Stories About Encryption

Around the world cyber laws are being proposed and passed that attack
secure communications and digital privacy.  The Oxen Privacy Tech
Foundation is calling for stories about the state of encryption and
privacy in your local area or region, and the human impact of
restrictive cyber & anti-encryption laws, esp. from the perspective of
journalists and civil society members. There is a 350 AUD honorarium
fee for articles. Please feel free to make a submission or share with
anyone you feel may want to write on these issues.

https://optf.ngo/call-for-submissions-articles-and-short-essays-on-digital-rights/

6. Bahraini Activists Hacked with Pegasus Just Days after a Report
Confirming Other Victims

Citizen Lab’s forensic analysis confirms that phones belonging to
three individuals in Bahrain were hacked in 2021 with NSO Group’s
Pegasus spyware. One target, Mohammed Al-Tajer, is a prominent
Bahraini lawyer, who was previously hacked with FinFisher spyware and
blackmailed in an operation linked to the Bahraini government in 2011.
Dr. Sharifa Siwar is an exiled Bahraini psychiatrist who accused a
member of the Bahrain Royal Family of being involved in a scheme to
distribute medications for recreational use to schoolchildren.

https://citizenlab.ca/2022/02/bahraini-activists-hacked-with-pegasus/

7. European Group Manipulated Twitter Convos in Kenya About
Reproductive Rights, Health

A right-wing group based in Spain appears to have spread
disinformation about reproductive health policy in Kenya by
manipulating Twitter conversations, according to new research
published by Mozilla Fellow Odanga Madung. After reviewing this
research, Twitter permanently suspended more than 240 related
accounts.

https://foundation.mozilla.org/en/blog/investigation-european-group-likely-manipulated-twitter-conversations-in-kenya-about-reproductive-rights-health/?utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=fellows&utm_medium=social

8. Internet Freedom Activist 'Abducted' In Iran After Days Of Intimidation

Family and friends of dissident blogger and internet freedom activist
Hossein Ronaghi say security forces have 'abducted' him and his
whereabouts are unknown. Masoud Kazemi, a dissident journalist and
close friend of Ronaghi says he went off the grid at around 11:00 AM
Wednesday near his house after leaving for work. Ronaghi was arrested,
along with his brother Hassan, in the aftermath of the disputed
presidential elections in 2009 for issuing proxies that allowed
journalists and political activists to circumvent internet censorship.
He was also charged with insulting Khamenei in his blog posts.

https://www.iranintl.com/en/202202242153

The Committee to Protect Journalists emailed the Iranian Mission in
the United Nations in New York requesting comment on Ronaghi Maleki’s
arrest but did not receive a response.

https://cpj.org/2022/02/prominent-blogger-seved-hossein-ronaghi-maleki-arrested-in-iran-after-critical-tweets/

9. The Digital ID Landscape In the Gulf Council Cooperation

Social Media Exchange (SMEX) has released a report analyzing the
implementation of digital ID systems in countries of the Gulf Council
Cooperation (GCC).  The report maps the different digital ID
initiatives in the Gulf and their impacts on privacy and human rights.
It is an initial step of a larger research SMEX is aiming to map
digital ID across the broader Arab region. This report is specifically
focused on Digital ID systems as promulgated by multiple UN agencies.

https://smex.org/the-digital-id-landscape-in-the-gcc-a-mapping-of-programs-regulations-and-human-rights-risks-report-2021/
_________________________________________________

### Digital Rights Resources ###

1. Internet Governance School Now In French

The Virtual School of Internet Governance online course is now
available in French. It is also available in English and Spanish. VSIG
started in 2020, and is a free multi module course dedicated to the
key pillars of Internet Governance.

www.virtualsig.org

________________________________________________

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

1. Chinese News Outlet Accidentally Posts Censorship Instructions on
Russia-Ukraine Coverage

According to a now-deleted Weibo post, Horizon News, which operates
under China’s state-owned outlet Beijing News, said that comments and
reports deemed unfavorable to Russia or favorable to the West cannot
be published. The post appears to have made rounds on Tuesday morning.
Users managed to take screenshots and spread them on various online
platforms before the original Weibo post was deleted.

https://news.yahoo.com/chinese-news-outlet-accidentally-posts-193604116.html

Meanwhile, now that the Olympic Games are ending, and some 16,000
athletes, organizers, journalists and other visitors are heading home,
concerns turn to what malware and other problems those who failed to
heed the warnings might be carrying with them. Security experts are
advising folks who traveled to China for the Winter Games to change
their passwords when they return home, and make sure that no unknown
devices or services have access to their accounts.

https://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory/olympics-cybersecurity-worries-linger-background-83021033

2. Meet the Secretive Surveillance Wizards Helping The FBI And ICE Wiretap Users

A small Nebraska company is helping law enforcement around the world
spy on users of Google, Facebook and other tech giants. A secretly
recorded presentation to police reveals how deeply embedded in the
U.S. surveillance machine PenLink has become. The company has $20
million revenue every year from U.S. government, which does not
reflect the revenue it receives from sales to local and state police,
where it also does significant business but for which there are no
available revenue figures.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/thomasbrewster/2022/02/23/meet-the-secretive-surveillance-wizards-helping-the-fbi-and-ice-wiretap-facebook-and-google-users/?sh=54ad01623f0f

3.  Cambodia Determined to Implement China-style 'Great Firewall'
Despite Glitches

Cambodia is looking to imitate China's internet restrictions but it
has already run into technical issues. The government says it wants to
tackle cybercrime but activists argue it's an attempt to muzzle free
speech. In February of last year, the government adopted a sub-decree
on the establishment of the National Internet Gateway (NIG), a system
designed to route all internet traffic, including from overseas,
through a single portal. Internet service providers (ISPs) will also
be required to maintain information about the correct identities of
their users.

https://www.dw.com/en/cambodia-determined-to-implement-china-style-great-firewall-despite-glitches/a-60911295

4. How Russia’s LGBT ‘Propaganda’ Law Turned the Sims Community Against Itself

Last week, the Sims 4 development team announced that the new Sims
expansion it had been working on, My Wedding Stories, would not be
published in Russia, citing “federal laws.” Most interpreted this as
being about Russia’s law against “gay propaganda,” which makes it
illegal to show any content that encourages “non-traditional sexual
relationships” to people under 18. The Sims 4—which is not available
for sale in seven countries because of its LGBT content—is already
marked as 18+ in Russia because it allows for same-sex relationships.
My Wedding Stories, though, took things a step further, as it features
a lesbian couple prominently on its cover art and marketing campaign.

https://www.vice.com/en/article/4aw78q/how-russias-lgbt-propaganda-law-turned-the-sims-community-against-itself

5. Welcome to Surveillance University, where Privacy No Longer Matters

More and more college students are worried about their digital
privacy, as more schools demand the use of technologies like Perusail,
a program that allows instructors to see how many students are doing
their class readings. Students report that these technologies give
surveillance controls that are beyond necessary for proctoring an
exam, and furthers an educational culture based in mistrust and power
imbalances.

https://georgetownvoice.com/2022/02/19/welcome-to-surveillance-university-where-privacy-no-longer-matters/

6. French Father Faces Jail Down for Accidentally Shutting Down the
Town’s Internet

A French dad desperate to block his kids from spending too much time
on social media went off the rails when he unintentionally cut out the
entire town of Messanges’ internet service, France Bleu Gascogne
reported. The unnamed papa faces up to six months in prison and a
hefty fine for disconnecting the town’s internet access with a
scrambler, which is illegal under French law.

https://nypost.com/2022/02/17/dad-faces-jail-for-blocking-towns-internet-to-cut-kids-screen-time/

_________________________________________________

### The Health & Wellbeing Corner ###

// This corner is authored by Selma Zaki, TCU’s Director of Community
Mental Health //

This week, I found my mind focusing on all the stressors that are
outside of my control. In response to certain triggers, my mind
obsessively thought of all the  “what if” scenarios. In an attempt to
ground myself, I am reminding myself that despite having little
control over many realities, I have some control over my attention and
my emotions. Our ability to regulate and manage our emotions is
determined by many things. And for most of us, it's a struggle and
dealing with our emotions can be exhausting. At the same time, this
skill of emotional regulation is an important one for our mental
health.

Here is a reading on emotional regulation:

https://positivepsychology.com/emotion-regulation/

Insta-post on worrying: https://www.instagram.com/p/CWG2hWJvyy0
(Note: some of these tools do not work in situations when the
individual is actually in danger but they can be super helpful when
dealing with irrational beliefs/thoughts)

Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTeRQ16O798

_________________________________________________

### 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

Digital Freedom Fund
Deadline:  January 24 - March 1 2022
https://digitalfreedomfund.org/grants/

Information Controls Fellowship Program (ICFP)
Open Technology Fund
Deadline: March 13, 2022
https://www.opentech.fund/news/information-controls-fellowship-program-now-accepting-applications-for-ninth-cohort/

2022 Rob Blokzijl Award
Deadline: March 18, 2022
https://rob-blokzijl-foundation.org/2021/11/25/call-for-nominations-2022/

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/

_________________________________________________

### Global Events Calendar ###

APAC DNS Forum 2022 First Pre-Event Webinar
September 2021 - March 2022
https://apacdnsforum.my/

Glitter Meetup: Addressing Burnout
March 3
9am EST / 2pm UTC
https://internetfreedomfestival.org/wiki/index.php/March_3_2022_GM

Mozilla Festival (MozFest)
March 7 - 11
Online
https://schedule.mozillafestival.org/plaza

MisinfoCon Mozfest
Hack/Hackers
March 7 - 11
Online
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/misinfocon-mozfest-2022-a-global-online-summit-on-misinformation-tickets-247379979177?aff=mozfest

CKS: Grab a cup of coffee and come to talk about making your podcast!
March 16
11am EST / 4pm UTC / 6pm Cairo Time
https://digitalrights.formstack.com/forms/cks54

MENA Monthly Meetup
March 23
4pm UTC+1 / 10am EST
https://internetfreedomfestival.org/wiki/index.php/March_23_2022,_MENA_Meetup

Glitter Meetup: The WikiRate project
March 24
9am EST / 2pm UTC
https://internetfreedomfestival.org/wiki/index.php/March_24_2022_GM

Glitter Meetup: The BASICS Project
March 31
9am EST / 2pm UTC
https://internetfreedomfestival.org/wiki/index.php/March_31_2022_GM

Virtual School of Internet Governance - French Version
May 2022
Online
http://www.virtualsig.org/

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

✎ Program Officer, Alumni Engagement - Fellowships and Awards |
Mozilla Foundation
+ Remote
https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/careers/position/gh/3950217/

✎ Program Associate, Fellowships and Awards | Mozilla Foundation
+ Remote
https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/careers/position/gh/3949366/

✎ 2022-2023 Nonresident Fellowship Applications | The Tahrir Institute
for Middle East Policy
+ Remote
https://www.timep.org/opportunities-category/open-call-for-2022-2023-nonresident-fellow-applications/

✎ Policy and Advocacy Officer or Senior Policy and Advocacy Officer,
Technology and Democracy | Freedom House
+ Washington, DC, USA
https://phe.tbe.taleo.net/phe01/ats/careers/requisition.jsp?org=FREEHOUS&cws=1&rid=1254

✎ Researcher/Adviser, Tech & Economic, Social and Cultural Rights | Amnesty Tech
+ Multiple Amnesty International locations
https://careers.amnesty.org/vacancy/researcher-advisor-tech-economic-social-and-cultural-rights-3233/3261/description/

✎ Technical Lead | OpenArchive
+ Remote
https://open-archive.org/TLJob

✎ Project Writer | Global Voices
+ Remote
https://globalvoices.org/2022/02/21/global-voices-seeks-project-writer-for-participatory-research-project/

✎ Senior Android developer | Horizontal
+ Remote
https://wearehorizontal.org/job-post-sr-android.html

✎ Program Associate, Philippines | Meedan
+ Remote
https://meedan.bamboohr.com/jobs/view.php?id=28

✎ Associate Editor | Access Now
+ Global Location Options
https://accessnow.bamboohr.com/jobs/view.php?id=111&source=aWQ9MjA%3D

✎ Grants Administrator | Wikimedia Foundation
+ Remote
https://grnh.se/071da7401us

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_________________________________________________

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(((Hugs & light)))

--
Team CommUNITY at ARTICLE 19
www.digitalrights.community
Organizers of the Internet Freedom Festival
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