Digital Rights Weekly | December 18 - 22.

[Team CommUNITY]

Hello Digital Rights Defenders!

Here is your weekly update on digital rights around the world for the
week of December 18 - 22.

The Team CommUNITY’s office will be on holiday break from December 25
to January 4. We will be back on Monday January 8.

We want to take the opportunity to thank all our staff and featured
guests, and wish you all a great holiday!

https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=December_21_2023_GM


### Team CommUNITY (TCU) ###

1. This Holiday Season: Gift a Safer, Freer, Feminist Internet AND We
will Call Your Family Member of Choice!

This holiday season consider making a donation to our Team CommUNITY’s
Equity Fund! Every donation helps us support the frontline communities
fighting to make the Internet safer and more feminist. Review the
following link and choose your donation amount:

https://www.digitalrights.community/donate


2. Join The Regional Meetups In January 2024!

The Regional Meetups are virtual gatherings happening every two months
to support each other, and help us understand what is happening in our
part of the world. We are glad to announce that a NEW space was added
to the traditional ones: the Digital Rights in Francophone Africa and
MENA Meetup which will be in French! Check out all the Regional
Meetups dates below:

January 16 | Asia Regional Meetup:
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=January_16_2024,_Asia_Meetup

January 18 | Digital rights in Francophone Africa and MENA Meetup
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=January_18_2024,_Digital_Rights_in_Francophone_Africa_and_MENA_Meetup

January 24 | LATAM Regional Meetup:
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=24_de_Enero,_2024_LATAM

January 25 | MENA Regional Meetup:
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=January_25_2024,_MENA_Meetup

January 25 | Africa Regional Meetup:
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=January_25_2024,_Africa_Meetup

____________________________________________

### Digital Rights in the Community ###

1. The Applications for The DEF CON Trainings Are Open!

The DEF CON Trainings are for everyone who wants to hone their skills
in a challenging and fast-paced environment. They are intensive,
two-day and four-day courses of study with world-class instructors
aimed at building specific skills.

https://training.defcon.org/


2. Open Technology Fund's Surge and Sustain Fund Open

OTF's Surge and Sustain Fund is now open and accepting applications.
The fund provides leading circumvention tools with the resources they
need to sustain their current users and respond to growing demand for
their tools. Deadline January 17, 2024:

https://www.opentech.fund/funds/surge-and-sustain-fund/


3. Launch of Datafication and Democracy Fund

Data Privacy Brasil in conjunction with the Paradigm Initiative and
the Aapti Institute launch the “Datafication and Democracy Fund,”
aimed at non-profit and non-governmental organizations in the Global
South with active involvement in activities related to politics and
the defense of digital rights. Deadline to apply: February 29, 2024.
Find out more about the fund and how to apply on the website:

https://conteudos.dataprivacy.com.br/datification-and-democracy-fund-ddf


4. Proyecto Infuse: Postula Para Realizar Mentorías o Acceder a
Aprendizajes Técnicos!

Conexo está trabajando con Internews en el proyecto “Infuse”, para
facilitar que personas de nuestras comunidades podamos aprender
habilidades técnicas especializadas. Están haciendo un llamado a quien
pueda dar Mentoría y a quien quiera tener Aprendizaje. Ambos roles
tendrían compensación.

Quien vaya a dar Mentoría puede estar en cualquier parte del mundo.
Fecha límite inicial el 27 de diciembre. En el siguiente link está el
formulario:

https://forms.gle/PUjn2XqaqCT1ijwWA

Quienes vayan a Aprender buscamos que sean principalmente de
Argentina, Brasil, Colombia, Ecuador, y México. Fecha límite inicial
el 19 de enero. El formulario a continuación:

https://forms.gle/giwW6hEToDTKUmmA8


5. Statement from the ICRC: Digitalization of Armed Conflict Brings
New Threats for Civilians

Digital technology is used by humanitarian organizations and
governments to assist people as effectively as possible. However, the
digitalization of armed conflict also brings new threats for
civilians.

https://www.icrc.org/en/arria-formula-statement-ai-mdh


6. Australia: Joint Letter Urging Commissioner to Safeguard Encryption

ARTICLE 19 joined a global coalition of civil society organizations in
signing a joint letter calling on the Australian government to
reconsider draft online safety industry standards that threaten to
undermine the use of end-to-end encryption, putting security and
privacy of internet users at greater risk.

https://www.article19.org/resources/australia-joint-letter-urging-commissioner-to-safeguard-encryption/


7. EFF Joins Forces with 20+ Organizations in the Coalition #MigrarSinVigilancia

EFF joins more than 25 civil society organizations to launch the
Coalition #MigrarSinVigilancia ("To Migrate Without Surveillance").
The Latin American coalition’s aim is to oppose arbitrary and
indiscriminate surveillance affecting migrants across the region, and
to push for the protection of human rights by safeguarding migrants'
privacy and personal data.

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2023/12/eff-joins-forces-20-organizations-coalition-migrarsinvigilancia


8. Reports from Our Community

a) 7amleh Center: Report on Israel's Surveillance Industry and Its
Impact on Human Rights

The report provides an overview on the reality of the Israeli
surveillance systems industry, outlines its impact on the human rights
of Palestinians and implications worldwide.

https://7amleh.org/2023/12/19/7amleh-center-issues-a-report-on-israel-s-surveillance-industry-and-its-impact-on-human-rights


b) “All Roads Lead to Jerusalem”: A Lucrative Border Industrial Complex

Hebron, a laboratory for both technology and violence, reflects the
Israeli occupation's impact on daily life, with sterilized roads,
military checkpoints, and settler violence defining the landscape.

https://www.tni.org/en/article/all-roads-lead-to-jerusalem


c) Fundación InternetBolivia.org y Fundación Friedrich Ebert publican
"La economía laboral digital en Bolivia"

En este trabajo hacen una descripción general de lo que está pasando
en la economía laboral digital en Bolivia, buscando ser la base para
futuras investigaciones más específicas sobre esta temática tan
importante para el país. Parte del esfuerzo de este documento es
analizar cómo estos cambios afectan las condiciones laborales, el
desembolso de salarios, las relaciones laborales, entre otros temas.

https://internetbolivia.org/publicacion/la-economia-laboral-digital-en-bolivia/


d) Phoenix R&D: Blog Post on the Privacy of Push Notifications:

Push notifications are a mechanism through which applications can send
and display notifications to users of smartphones. The user interface
of push notifications is well known to any smartphone user – the
infrastructure that drives them in the background is. However, a
complex mechanism and not without privacy issues. This blog post
examines the problem and addresses potential misconceptions:

https://blog.phnx.im/privacy-of-push-notifications/

________________________________________________

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

1. Digital Rights Related News from Palestine

The Israeli bombardment of Gaza continues and is only getting worse,
with more than 20,000 Palestinians killed and more than 52,000
injured. This past week, Palestinians have experienced the fifth and
longest communication blackout across the Gaza Strip since 7 October.
This has too many repercussions, including on the limited aid that has
been permitted into Gaza. It cannot be distributed to the more than
million people in need beyond the Gaza-Egypt border area of Rafah.

https://www.savethechildren.net/news/complete-communication-blackout-four-days-and-counting-makes-aid-distribution-gaza-near

Israeli bombardment has destroyed infrastructure, but some
Palestinians have been using  eSim cards to get around communications
blackouts.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/dec/17/esim-cards-internet-gaza-palestinians

Read how an Israeli Telegram channel is used to incite violence
against Palestinians.

https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/israel-palestine-war-telegram-incite-violence-psychological-warfare-palestinians

TikTok moderators have struggled to assess content related to the
Israel-Gaza conflict because the platform removed an internal tool for
flagging videos in a foreign language.

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/dec/20/tiktok-moderators-struggling-to-assess-israel-gaza-content-guardian-told

The Oversight Board (from Meta) has announced that it will be
addressing two cases about the Israel-Hamas conflict. The decisions
will be published within 30 days.

https://oversightboard.com/news/318968857762747-oversight-board-announces-new-cases-on-israel-hamas-conflict-for-expedited-review/


2. Pakistan Restricts Internet Access Amid Rare Opposition Online Rally

Authorities in Pakistan temporarily slowed down internet services and
blocked access to major social media platforms Sunday amid a rare
online rally organized by the party of imprisoned former Prime
Minister Imran Khan.

https://www.voanews.com/a/pakistan-restricts-internet-access-amid-rare-opposition-online-rally/7401767.html


3. Digital Censorship Concerns Cloud DR Congo’s Crucial Election

The concerns of both telecom users as well as Congolese and
international citizens’ organizations have mounted.

https://www.equaltimes.org/as-digital-censorship-concerns


4. X to be Investigated for Allegedly Breaking EU Laws on Hate Speech
and Fake News

EU launches proceedings against Elon Musk’s social media platform
under new Digital Services Act.

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/dec/18/x-to-be-investigated-for-allegedly-breaking-eu-laws-on-hate-speech-and-fake-news


5. 4 Steps to Prepare for Kenya’s Proposed “Right to Disconnect” Law

The Employment (Amendment) Bill 2022, which is pending before the
Kenyan Senate, would give employees the right to disconnect from
work-related electronic communications such as e-mails and text
messages outside of their regular working hours – including weekends
and public holidays.

https://www.fisherphillips.com/en/news-insights/kenyas-proposed-right-to-disconnect-law.html


6. Why Artists Fear Online Safety Laws Will Chill Freedom of Expression

Free expression groups and creatives believe the price of “safety” on
the internet may be the exclusion of marginalized artists and groups,
and an end to online privacy for all.

https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2023/12/15/artists-fear-online-safety-laws-will-chill-freedom-of-expression


7. Shaping a Rights-Based Approach in Guatemala’s Digital Transformation

Guatemala, like other countries around the world, is increasingly
leveraging digital technologies. Yet to yield positive development
outcomes, an inclusive and whole-of-society approach to digital
transformation needs to be a priority.

https://www.undp.org/blog/shaping-rights-based-approach-guatemalas-digital-transformation


8. Navigating the Landscape of Digital Mental Health Care: Co-creation
and Human Rights as Guiding Principles

Digital technologies have emerged as a promising solution to transform
mental health systems and meet our populations’ increasing mental
health needs. Policy and Knowledge Officer at Mental Health Europe
outlines the principles that should guide such a digital
transformation.

https://www.openaccessgovernment.org/navigating-the-landscape-of-digital-mental-health-care-co-creation-and-human-rights-as-guiding-principles/171377/


9. This Year in Privacy: Wins and Losses Around the World

This was something of a watershed year for privacy, with key
legislations introduced from California to China, and heated debates
around what the rapid advance of generative artificial intelligence
means for individual privacy rights.

https://www.context.news/big-tech/this-year-in-privacy-wins-and-losses-around-the-world

_________________________________________________

### 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

Surge and Sustain Fund
Open Technology Fund
Deadline: January 17, 2024
https://www.opentech.fund/funds/surge-and-sustain-fund/

Call for Learners from Infuse
Internews, Conexo, DefendDefenders, the Jordan Open Source Association
Deadline: January 19, 2024
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeYBf7AaDwUHcQPSm1leqDAhHfnjFB6woYvRg5wDOr6hT5RXg/viewform

Datafication and Democracy Fund
Data Privacy Brasil, the Paradigm Initiative and the Aapti Institute
Deadline: February 29, 2024
https://conteudos.dataprivacy.com.br/datification-and-democracy-fund-ddf

FOSS United
Deadline: Rolling
https://fossunited.org/grants

Digital Rights Research Grant
PrivacyCo
Deadline: Rolling
https://www.top10vpn.com/research-grant/

Sovereign Tech Fund
Deadline: Rolling
https://sovereigntechfund.de/en/applications/

Incident Emergency Fund
Digital Defenders Partnership
Deadline: Rolling Basis
https://www.digitaldefenders.org/incident-emergency-fund/

Safety Net Fund
Deadline: Ongoing
https://wphfund.org/whrds-safety-net/

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

Urgent Action Fund for Feminist Activism
Deadline: Rolling Basis
https://urgentactionfund.org/

Urgent Action Fund - Asia & Pacific
Deadline: Rolling
https://www.uafanp.org/our_grants

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

_________________________________________________

### Events Calendar ###

Glitterest Glitter Meetup: Welcome Back!
Team CommUNITY
January 11, 2024
9am EST / 2pm UTC
Online
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=January_11_2024_GM

Asia Meetup
Team CommUNITY
January 16, 2024
7am EST / 12pm UTC
Online
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=January_16_2024,_Asia_Meetup

Digital Rights in Francophone Africa and MENA Meetup
Team CommUNITY
January 18, 2024
1pm UTC
Online
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=January_18_2024,_Digital_Rights_in_Francophone_Africa_and_MENA_Meetup

Virtual School on Internet Governance
Jan 22 - April 13, 2024
Online
https://forms.gle/5G8y3NTVMVHwr3MP8

LATAM Meetup
Team CommUNITY
January 24, 2024
5:30pm EST / 10:30pm UTC
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=24_de_Enero,_2024_LATAM

Africa Meetup
Team CommUNITY
January 25, 2024
10am EST / 3pm UTC
Online
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=January_25_2024,_Africa_Meetup

MENA Meetup
Team CommUNITY
January 25, 2024
12pm EST / 5pm UTC
Online
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=January_25_2024,_MENA_Meetup

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 sent to us 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

✎ Director - Policy & International Programs | Access Now
+ Africa,
Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and Europe
http://accessnow.bamboohr.com/careers/197?source=aWQ9MjA%3D

✎ iOS Developer | Horizontal
+ Remote
https://beta.wearehorizontal.org/job-post-sr-ios

✎ Events Manager | Media Democracy Fund
+ Remote (US East Coast
Preferred)
https://mediademocracyfund.org/news/mdf-is-hiring-an-events-manager

✎ Deputy Director | Media Democracy Fund
+ Remote (US East Coast
Preferred)
https://mediademocracyfund.org/news/mdf-is-hiring-a-deputy-director

✎ Survivor Services Facilitator | Chayn
+ Remote in UK
https://chayn.notion.site/Survivor-Services-Facilitator-9696e427938d46cc97a4d2662f25519c

✎ Recruiting Coordinator (Contract, Part-time) | The Tor Project
+
Remote
https://www.torproject.org/about/jobs/recruiting-coordinator/

✎ Legal Officer | Privacy International
+ London, UK
https://privacyinternational.org/opportunities/5197/legal-officer

✎ Security Lead | Videre
+ Remote (GMT-2 to +5)
https://videre.breezy.hr/p/d3cf63e6402701-security-lead

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

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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 Global Gathering
PGP: 2E1D CC33 A362 0BD6 236E  540A F60A 89AD 6FF9 7A2F

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