Digital Rights Weekly | May 22 - 26

Thu May 25 18:16:56 CEST 2023

Hello Digital Rights Defenders!

Here is your weekly update on digital rights around the world for the
week of May 22 - 26. As a reminder, you can submit your news for the
newsletter here: https://www.digitalrights.community/weekly-newsletter

### Team CommUNITY (TCU) ###

1. Global Gathering Feira Applications - Apply through June 15th!

Given the number of people that are continuing to reach out to us
about applying for the Feira at the Global Gathering, we will be
accepting applications through June 15th, 2023. The extended deadline
will allow us to review our capacity and examine if we are able to
increase the event cap and will allow us to ensure we have more equal
participation reflecting the diversity of the digital rights
community.

Apply: https://www.digitalrights.community/blog/apply-feira-global-gathering

2. RSVP for June Village: Perspectives from the South: Interactive
Discussions about Digital Rights in Asia, Africa, LATAM and MENA

Are you interested in learning about how emerging issues are uniquely
showing up in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East and
North Africa? Do you want to hear about what digital rights defenders
in each region are experiencing and thinking? Join us from June 6 to
14 for five interactive sessions, led by TCU’s four Regional Community
Leads, where they share their learnings from the last 18 months doing
community building and research in their respective regions.

Jun 6: Latin America with Úrsula Schüler
Jun 7: Middle East and North Africa (MENA) with Islam Al Khatib
Jun 8: Asia with Astha Rajvanshi
Jun 13: Africa with Mardiya Siba Yahaya
Jun 14:  Commonalities between regions and global trends with Danae
Tapia and Úrsula Schüler

Check the full descriptions and RSVP on this link:
https://www.digitalrights.community/blog/digital-rights-perspectives-from-the-south

3. Take a look at our April Digital Rights Regional Briefs!

Every month, our Community Leads from Africa, Asia, Latin America, and
MENA, bring critical information about digital justice issues around
the globe, current opportunities for digital rights defenders,
community news, regional developments, and more! For April, learn
about Ola Bini's case in Ecuador: despite being declared innocent, the
cybersecurity expert still faces hard legal restrictions in the
country. In Zambia, new directives are requiring users’ photographs to
get a Sim Card, resulting in advocacy and strategic litigation groups
designing favorable Digital Justice spaces in Africa. In Southeast
Asia, TikTok is impacting elections in Thailand, Malaysia and the
Philippines. In Tunisia, learn about the UN’s dangerous Cybercrime
Convention negotiations amid abuse of cybercrime laws being used to
silence dissent.

https://www.digitalrights.community/blog/regionalbriefsapril2023

4. NEW Blog Post: Resources and Actions to Support Sudan
Find out ways that you can support those in Sudan. We have created a
list of initiatives and resources, verified by trusted community
members, ranging from organizations doing security and relocation to
fundraisers and mental health resources. This blog post will continue
to be updated. If there are any resources or initiatives yout think we
have missed, let us know.

https://www.digitalrights.community/blog/resources-and-actions-to-support-sudan

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### Digital Rights in the Community ###

1. Apply to the Global Platform for Action Climate & Sustainability
Academy Fellowship

Open to individuals who have lived experience of forced displacement,
this fellowship seeks candidates to work with our Environment and
Society Programme. Applications are open between 12pm BST on Wednesday
10 May and 10am BST on Friday 9 June 2023.

https://www.chathamhouse.org/leadership-academy/global-platform-action-climate-and-sustainability-academy-fellowship

2. Help Funders Better inform HRD Funding by Filling out Survey
Commissioned by OSF and Pivot Brigade

If you have a few minutes, consider filling out a survey, commissioned
by Open Society and Pivot Brigade, to better assist donors in
providing effective support to human rights defenders and civil
liberties activists. The survey covers a broad range of security and
risk-related issues that impact mission-critical areas of operations.
This is a good way to signal the growing importance of security in our
organizations and networks! It will only take 15-20 minutes to finish.
Link to the questionnaire:

https://blocksurvey.io/survey/p/c4e6b4a9-228b-4891-98be-9f225e75e911

3. Loud Men, Speaking Loudly - Exclusion in Internet Governance

In their recent report, Loud Men Talking Loudly: On the Exclusionary
Cultures of Internet Governance,” Corinne Cath, a fellow at the
University of Amsterdam’s Critical Infrastructure Lab, looks at how
working practices and shared norms in internet governance
organizations limit diverse participation and openness. Taking as a
case study the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), one of the
oldest internet governance organizations in the field, Cath shows how
exclusionary cultures make it difficult to address racism and sexism,
while depoliticizing highly technical decisions and reinforcing the
status quo.

https://www.criticalinfralab.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/LoudMen-CorinneCath-CriticalInfraLab.pdf

4. 10-point Plan to Address the Information Crisis

Over 275 Nobel Laureates, organizations and individuals from diverse
backgrounds, geographies and sectors, have signed a 10 point plan
geared towards democratic governments on addressing changes they want
to see in the Internet, transforming it from a space monopolized by
profiteering Big Tech companies to one that puts our rights first. The
plan was crafted with various organizations including Luminate,
Reporters without Borders, and Human Rights Watch.

https://10pointplan.org/10-point-plan/

5. Digital Rights Groups to Microsoft: Suspend Data Center Plans in
Saudi Arabia

This week various digital rights groups said Microsoft should suspend
its plans to invest in a new cloud data center in Saudi Arabia until
it can demonstrate how it will mitigate potential rights abuses. There
is an enormous risk that Saudi authorities may obtain access to data
stored in Microsoft’s cloud data center, thus posing unique and direct
threats to human rights and privacy.

https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/05/23/saudi-arabia-microsoft-should-suspend-data-center-plans

6. Reports from Our Community

a) Unfreedom Monitor Report: El Salvador

Authoritarian regimes have long had a complicated relationship with
media and communications technologies. The Unfreedom Monitor is a
Global Voices Advox research initiative examining the growing
phenomenon of networked or digital authoritarianism.

https://globalvoices.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Unfreedom_Monitor_El_Salvador_Country_Report_2023.pdf

b) Studying the Material Conditions of Disconnection in Rural Turkey

Digital inequalities research has lacked a focus on voluntary non-use
and its consequences, whereas digital disconnection studies have
focused on non-use but neglected the material implications of digital
inequalities. Located at the intersection between these two
approaches, this article relies on twelve semi-structured interviews,
observations and informal dialogues to examine digital media uses,
inequalities and the meanings of disconnection in a village of rural
Turkey.

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/13548565231174596

c) Biometric Britain: The Expansion of Facial Recognition Surveillance

The boom in facial recognition technology in the UK, operating in a
largely lawless space, is a mortal threat to privacy as we know it. To
power the fight back, Big Brother Watch compiled detailed research and
analysis on the spread of this technology – and what needs to be done
to combat it. Read the report and take part of actions here:

https://bigbrotherwatch.org.uk/campaigns/stop-facial-recognition/#report

d) OilAlpha: A Likely Pro-Houthi Group Targeting Entities Across the
Arabian Peninsula

Since May 2022, Insikt Group has tracked an ongoing campaign by the
threat group, OilAlpha, which they are linking to threat actors that
likely support a pro-Houthi movement agenda. The group is highly
likely to have targeted entities associated with the non-governmental,
media, international humanitarian, and development sectors.

https://www.recordedfuture.com/oilalpha-likely-pro-houthi-group-targeting-arabian-peninsula

e) Lost in Translation: Large Language Models in Non-English Content Analysis

A combination of political and technical challenges have impeded
companies from building out bespoke, automated systems that function
in even a fraction of the world’s 7,000+ languages. With large
language models powered by machine learning, online services think
they’ve solved the problem. But have they? A new report from Center
for Democracy and Technology examines the new models that companies
claim can analyze text across languages. The paper explains how these
language models work and explores their capabilities and limits.

https://cdt.org/insights/lost-in-translation-large-language-models-in-non-english-content-analysis/

______________________________________________

### Digital Rights Resources ###

1.  Civic Participation in the Datafied Society

As citizens, we have few possibilities to understand and intervene in
the roll-out of data systems, and to participate in policy and
decision making about uses of data and artificial intelligence (AI).
This introductory article unpacks the nexus of datafication and
participation, reviews some of the editors’ own research on this
subject, and provides an overview of the contents of the Special
Section “Civic Participation in the Datafied Society.”

https://ijoc.org/index.php/ijoc/article/view/21453

_________________________________________________

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

1. ARTICLE19 to Tunisia: Stop Prosecuting Journalists & Internet Users

ARTICLE19 expressed deep concern at the deterioration of freedom of
expression in Tunisia, marked by an upsurge in convictions, arrests,
and prosecutions against journalists as well as users of social
networks. They urge Tunisian prosecuting authorities to immediately
withdraw the charges against students and journalists that were
recently arrested.

https://www.article19.org/resources/tunisia-stop-prosecuting-journalists-and-internet-users/

2. Leaked Government Document Shows Spain Wants to Ban End-to-End Encryption

WIRED leak shows that Spain, Cyprus and Hungary want to use the CSAR
law to push for illegal surveillance as EDRi and other digital rights
organizations have already warned about. Contrary to what the European
Commission says, the intention is to allow the police to break into
people's private digital life.

https://twitter.com/edri/status/1660957805463969793
https://www.wired.com/story/europe-break-encryption-leaked-document-csa-law/

3. FTC Says Popular Fertility App Gave Advertisers Pregnancy Data
Without Permission

An FTC order bars app maker Easy Healthcare from sharing additional
personal health data with third parties for advertising.

https://cyberscoop.com/ftc-fertility-app-pregnancy-data/

4. Guinea Blocked Access to Social Media

Open Observatory of Network Interference (OONI) data shows that Guinea
started blocking access to various social media platforms, including
Whatsapp, Facebook messenger Telegram, and Instagram on May 17 2023.

https://twitter.com/OpenObservatory/status/1660591036316499968

5. ‘You Can’t Unsee It’: The Content Moderators Taking on Facebook

Contractors in Kenya review graphic content so users don’t have to.
Now, they are suing Meta for a fairer deal.

https://www.ft.com/content/afeb56f2-9ba5-4103-890d-91291aea4caa

_________________________________________________

### 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

Fondo para el Fortalecimiento de Internet en América Latina y el Caribe (FRIDA)
Deadline: May 31, 2023
https://programafrida.net/

Global Platform for Action Climate & Sustainability Academy Fellowship
Chatham House
Deadline: June 9, 2023
https://www.chathamhouse.org/leadership-academy/global-platform-action-climate-and-sustainability-academy-fellowship

Strategic Litigation to Advance Digital Rights in Europe Support
Digital Freedom Fund
Deadline: July 20, 2023
https://digitalfreedomfund.org/grants/

Lacuna Fund
Deadline: Multiple Depending on Topic
https://lacunafund.org/apply/

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 Women's Human Rights
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 ###

Glitter Meetup: 'Sparkable' - Alternative Models to the Destructive
Digital Media Attention Economy
Team CommUNITY
9am EDT / 1pm UTC
June 1, 2023
Online
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=June_1_2023_GM

RightsCon
Access Now
June 5 - 8, 2023
Hybrid
https://www.rightscon.org/attend/

Digital Rights Perspectives from the South Village
Team CommUNITY
June 6 - 14, 2023
Online
https://digitalrights.formstack.com/forms/perspectivesfromthesouth

Glitter Meetup: Community Solidarity with Sudan
Team CommUNITY
9am EDT / 1pm UTC
June 8
Online
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=June_8_2023_GM

North American School of Internet Governance
June 10 - 11, 2023
Washington DC, USA
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdST3GSV-nNF-8j7H9hO9ZDCaWMHJylM-oo9Z1VSpzUORhoig/viewform

The Wellbeing Monthly: The Impact of Witnessing Human Rights Abuses:
Vicarious Trauma
Team CommUNITY
9am EDT / 1pm UTC
June 20, 2023
Online
https://digitalrights.formstack.com/forms/wellbeingmonthly1

Glitter Meetup: The Labor Reform and gig economy in Colombia -
advances and pendings
Team CommUNITY
9am EDT / 1pm UTC
June 22, 2023
Online
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=June_22_2023_GM

Glitter Meetup: The Internet Standards Almanac by ARTICLE 19
Team CommUNITY
9am EDT / 1pm UTC
June 29, 2023
Online
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=June_29_2023_GM

The Wellbeing Monthly: Survivor Guilt, Regret Rumination and How to
Cop it as an Activist
Team CommUNITY
9am EDT / 1pm UTC
July 18, 2023
Online
https://digitalrights.formstack.com/forms/wellbeingmonthly2

Oxford Media Policy Summer Institute
July 31 - August 11, 2023
Oxford, USA
http://pcmlp.socleg.ox.ac.uk/oxford-media-policy-summer-institute-2023/

The Wellbeing Monthly: Responding to Defeat and Creating Communities of Hope
Team CommUNITY
9am EDT / 1pm UTC
August 8, 2023
Online
https://digitalrights.formstack.com/forms/wellbeingmonthly3

Freedom Not Fear
September 1- 4, 2023
Brussels
https://freedomnotfear.org

The Global Gathering
Team CommUNITY
September 15 - 17, 2023
Portugal
https://www.digitalrights.community/blog/announcing-team-communitys-global-gathering

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

✎ Community Manager - Lebanon | Internews Network
+ Lebanon
http://phf.tbe.taleo.net/phf04/ats/careers/v2/viewRequisition?org=INTERNEWS&cws=38&rid=2072

✎ Senior Policy Analyst / Counsel (East Asia) | Access Now
+ Singapore, Seoul, Bangkok, Others (Remote)
https://accessnow.bamboohr.com/careers/184?source=aWQ9MjA%3D

✎ Advocacy Coordinator (South Asia) | Access Now
+ New Delhi, India
https://accessnow.bamboohr.com/careers/185?source=aWQ9MjA%3D

✎ Communities Communications Coordinator | Access Now
+ Multiple Location Options
https://accessnow.bamboohr.com/careers/183?source=aWQ9MjA%3D

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

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