Digital Rights Weekly | October 2 - 6

Thu Oct 5 22:09:11 CEST 2023

Hello Digital Rights Defenders!

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

### Team CommUNITY (TCU) ###

1. NEW Blog Post: Global Gathering 2023 Recap & Team CommUNITY’s Future Plans

We are happy to report that Team CommUNITY’s first annual Global
Gathering post-pandemic took place from September 15th to 17th, 2023.
This year’s “alpha” event was a success as part of a three-year vision
to grow the event to the impact, size, and scope achieved pre-pandemic
in a sustainable way that prioritizes the safety of our community.

In this blog post we are sharing some of our event’s learnings, so
that other events in the digital rights space can benefit. You will
also find important updates about TCU’s programming and what to expect
in 2024!

www.digitalrights.community/blog/global-gathering-2023-recap-and-team-communitys-future-plans

2. RSVP for “The Wellbeing Monthly” Series: Once a month join a
psychosocial educational workshop designed for digital rights
defenders!

Join "The Wellbeing Monthly", a monthly virtual educational workshop
series led by diverse mental health professionals. The online series
are free of charge and  focus on psychoeducation and coping mechanisms
on diverse topics including anxiety and fear, guilt and survivors
guilt, defeat and hopelessness, trauma, and burnout and stress. Each
month we will be announcing new speakers, so check regularly! RVSP for
the next  workshop:

NEW - November 21, "Getting to Know our Stress & Anxiety":
https://digitalrights.formstack.com/forms/wellbeingmonthly5

_________________________________________________

### Digital Rights in the Community ###

1. Internet Society’s Youth Ambassador Applications Are Now Open

Each year, the Internet Society chooses fifteen young, passionate
people to participate in our Youth Ambassador Program, equipping the
next generation of Internet leaders to collaborate and innovate for a
better world. Deadline: October 20, 2023.

https://www.internetsociety.org/policy-programs/youth-ambassadors/

2. Initiatives on Consumer Protection & Right to Privacy

#CALL4ALGOTRANSPARENCY is a consumer initiative, promoted by the
European consumer association Ius Omnibus. The organization launched a
campaign that states "Your Profile Belongs To You", requesting access
to what people's network has on them. By subscribing to their form's
request you will be able to force your social network to show you what
they have about you and claim what's yours under the Article 15 of the
General Data Protection Regulation of the European Union.

https://sites.google.com/mpcontent.com/consumer-alliance/home

3. TorBrowser 12.5.6 no longer flagged by Windows Defender

With the latest signature database (1.397.1910.0), tor.exe is no
longer considered a trojan by Windows Defender. If your TorBrowser
stopped working during this weekend, make sure your Windows Defender
is up to date, and either unquarantine tor.exe, or reinstall
TorBrowser by downloading it from the Tor Project website. Remember to
also check the signature! For more details, click the link below:

https://forum.torproject.org/t/torbrowser-12-5-6-no-longer-flagged-by-windows-defender/9522

4. Consumer Reports Introduces Free ‘Permission Slip by CR’ App to
Empower Consumers to Take Back Control of Their Personal Data

Timely new tool from trusted independent nonprofit consumer rights
advocate helps users delete their data and stop companies from selling
personal information.

https://www.consumerreports.org/media-room/press-releases/2023/10/consumer-reports-introduces-free-permission-slip-by-cr-app-to-empower-consumers-to-take-back-control-of-their-personal-data/

5. Statement: 7amleh Calls on Meta to Fully Implement BSR Report Recommendations

The Arab Center for the Advancement of Social Media welcomed Meta's
recently released update on its progress in implementing the Business
for Social Responsibility (BSR) recommendations from the Human Rights
Due Diligence of Meta’s Impacts in Israel and Palestine in the May
2021 report. Nevertheless, and a full year after they were published,
7amleh urges immediate full implementation of all BSR report
recommendations. What is the BSR Report? And how did Meta’s update on
the implementation of its’ recommendations look like? Read 7amleh’s
Full Statement here:

https://7amleh.org/2023/09/27/7amleh-calls-on-meta-to-fully-implement-bsr-report-recommendations

Share the Social Media Post:

https://www.facebook.com/7amlehh/posts/pfbid0aEu26R4GuimAxMfuRixhbMYQ8MJJnfgSANHpoAFtWNSsiMhoW1sxCquM6sNSgPLwl

6. Reporters Without Borders Statement: How Internet Shutdowns
Undermine Journalism in sub-Saharan Africa

On International Day for Universal Access to Information (28
September), Reporters Without Borders (RSF) sounds the alarm about a
disturbing trend in sub-Saharan Africa – the blocking of access to
news websites and often the entire Internet. So far this year, 12
deliberate Internet shutdowns have deprived millions of people of
their right to news and information.

https://rsf.org/en/how-internet-shutdowns-undermine-journalism-sub-saharan-africa

7. Amnesty International to the EU: AI Act Must Ban Dangerous,
AI-powered Technologies in Historic Law

The European Union (EU) must ban dangerous, AI-powered technologies in
the AI Act as the bloc aims to finalize the world’s first
comprehensive AI rulebook this fall. Numerous states across the globe
have deployed unregulated AI systems to assess welfare claims, monitor
public spaces, or determine someone’s likelihood of committing a
crime. These technologies are often branded as ‘technical fixes’ for
structural issues such as poverty, sexism and discrimination.

https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2023/09/eu-ai-act-must-ban-dangerous-ai-powered-technologies-in-historic-law/

8. EFF to U.S. Congress: Censoring Search Results or Recommendations
Is Still Censorship

Put simply, minors will supposedly still have the freedom to follow
accounts, search for, and request any type of content, but platforms
won’t have the freedom to share some types of content to them. Again,
that fundamentally misunderstands how social media works—and it’s
still censorship.

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2023/09/get-real-congress-censoring-search-results-or-recommendations-still-censorship

9. Mozilla In-Person Event in Berlin: Reclaim The Internet Exhibition

What if the Internet was yours to reinvent? Mozilla invites you to an
in-person event to shape its destiny and celebrate visionary voices
who champion a more ethical, responsible and inclusive web. From
October 12 to 16, in Berlin, Germany. Click the link below for more
information:

https://reimagine.mozilla.org/en

10. JAAKLAC initiative launches Critical Digital Education for All campaign

The campaign is a commitment to raise awareness and generate
conversations about the right to education in the digital age. Digital
education considers teaching and learning with and about digital
technologies. The first iteration of the campaign focused on
investigating the advances and deficits in the digital divide
prevalent in Latin America. For this, JAAKLAC exchanged views with
youth and civil society organisations. They deepened and captured the
results in blogs and podcasts by broadening the exchanges with more
people. Be part of the dialogue! More info at:

https://jaaklac.org/criticaldigitaleducation/

11. Reports:

a) The State of Internet Freedom in Africa Report

The Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern
Africa (CIPESA) is proud to announce the launch of its 2023 edition of
the State of Internet Freedom in Africa report titled, ‘A Decade of
Internet Freedom in Africa: Recounting the Past, Shaping the Future of
Internet Freedom in Africa’. This year marks a decade since the first
State of Internet Freedom in Africa report was produced. Review this
special edition on the following link:

https://cipesa.org/2023/09/sifa2023/

b) Freedom House Report: The Repressive Power of AI

Global internet freedom declined for a thirteenth consecutive year in
2023, partially as a result of AI being used to sow disinformation and
enhance content censorship.

https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-net/2023/repressive-power-artificial-intelligence

Check out the Technology Review reporting on this:

https://www.technologyreview.com/2023/10/04/1080801/generative-ai-boosting-disinformation-and-propaganda-freedom-house/

_________________________________________________

### Digital Rights Resources ###

1. Techtonic Podcast: Who Controls Big Tech?

In the latest episode of Techtonic, Chris Stokel-Walker talks to David
Auerbach, a former Microsoft and Google software engineer turned
writer and Big Tech critic about who, if anyone, controls Big Tech?
David’s new book, Meganets, warns us about the loose grip tech
executives have on the powerful technologies and algorithms they have
created, and explores how these systems have driven us further and
further into the opinions we already held and into our own little
‘narrative bunkers’. Here, he diagnoses the effects of this on
society, and tries to offer solutions – which are not easy to find.

https://www.article19.org/resources/techtonic-who-controls-big-tech/

2. 9 of the top 10 countries in Digital Quality of Life Index'23 are European

Surfshark’s 5th annual Digital Quality of Life Index (DQL) found that
9 of the top 10 countries in digital quality of life are European:
France ranks 1st in the world, followed by Finland, Denmark, Germany,
and Luxembourg. Meanwhile, the US takes 19th place, dropping by six
places compared to last year. The reason why the US is not at the top
of the rankings is because of its subpar rankings in the internet
affordability (32nd) and e-security (43rd) pillars.

https://surfshark.com/dql2023

_________________________________________________

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

1. Iran’s Women, Digital Rights & Human Freedoms

In today’s digital age, Iran’s government has been wielding a
two-edged sword: the same technology that has the potential to empower
voices is being used to silence them, especially when those voices
call for gender equality. Using advanced facial recognition software
and tracking online interactions, the government identifies and
harasses those who dare to dissent. This technological might is
disproportionately used against women, whose demands for equal rights
are seen as direct threats to the state’s ideological foundation.

https://audri.org/irans-women-digital-rights-and-human-freedoms/

2. Critics Skewer Meta for Not Suspending Former Cambodia Leader’s
Facebook Account

Meta's decision to not suspend the Facebook account of a former
Cambodian prime minister who had used the platform to physically
threaten political opponents is drawing criticism from the tech
giant's Oversight Board, human rights groups and digital security
experts.

https://www.voanews.com/a/critics-skewer-meta-for-not-suspending-former-cambodia-leader-s-facebook-account/7290904.html

3. Digital Age Dilemmas: Navigating Human Rights Threats in Botswana’s
Online Realm

Botswana is regarded as one of the more mature and stable
constitutional and multiparty democracies in Africa — however, the
digital realm in Botswana presents a double-edged sword, both a
conduit for progress and a breeding ground for potential human rights
violations. As technology's embrace tightens, concerns loom over data
privacy, surveillance, and online freedom.

https://advox.globalvoices.org/2023/10/03/digital-age-dilemmas-navigating-human-rights-threats-in-botswanas-online-realm/

4. Kenya Must Update Its Regulatory Frameworks to Keep Pace with AI

Kenya’s existing regulatory instruments are insufficient to address
the emerging challenges brought by the adoption of AI systems.
Accordingly, the speed of both the development and adoption of AI may
outpace Kenya’s current regulatory frameworks. Fixing this does not
necessarily require new legislation, but it will require more detailed
analysis and assessments by government authorities of how existing
laws could apply to AI-related issues.

https://techpolicy.press/kenya-must-update-its-regulatory-frameworks-to-keep-pace-with-ai/

5. New York Bans Facial Recognition in Schools

New York state banned the use of facial recognition technology in
schools Wednesday, following a report that concluded the risks to
student privacy and civil rights outweigh potential security benefits.

https://time.com/6318033/new-york-bans-facial-recognition-schools/

6. The People Going ‘Monk Mode’ to Limit Social Media Use

With the proliferation of social media platforms and devices vying for
our attention, a growing number of people are looking for ways to help
them resist the urge to continually check notifications and scroll
through social media feeds. This has seen a surge in popularity this
year of an approach to productivity called "monk mode". This involves
dedicating yourself to a single task with no tech or other
distractions.

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-66934688

7. What’s Going On With Digital Link Taxes?

Many in the media industry (and some politicians) think someone needs
to be held accountable for print journalism’s waning fortunes. Some of
them think Google and Meta should pay for the news content posted on
their platforms — a link tax, if you will.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/taxnotes/2023/10/02/whats-going-on-with-digital-link-taxes/?sh=3905a51a548d

8. CRTC Registration for Podcasts and Streaming Companies Draws Criticism

News that online streamers and podcasters will soon be required to
register with Canada's broadcasting regulator is raising confusion and
concerns that heavier regulation may be coming.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/crtc-registration-online-streaming-1.6984400

9. The Growing Threat of Cybercrime Law Abuse: LGBTQ+ Rights in MENA
and the UN Cybercrime Draft Convention

In the digital age, the rights of the LGBTQ+ community in the Middle
East and North Africa (MENA) are gravely threatened by expansive
cybercrime and surveillance legislation. This reality leads to
systemic suppression of LGBTQ+ identities, compelling individuals to
censor themselves for fear of severe reprisal.

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2023/09/growing-threat-cybercrime-law-abuse-lgbtq-rights-mena-and-un-cybercrime-draft

10. ‘You Can’t Even Face Your Own Parents’, Activist Against
Cyberbullying Tells Human Rights Council

Anxiety, emotional distress and even child suicide are among the
damaging consequences of cyberbullying, and better prevention
strategies involving big tech must be developed, the UN Human Rights
Council heard this week.

https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/09/1141547

11. The Promises and the Pitfalls of Tech in the Asia-Pacific

The question at the heart of this conversation is this: how can we
harness the boundless potential of technology to advance flourishing
societies while navigating and neutralizing its inherent drawbacks?

https://asiafoundation.org/2023/09/27/the-promises-and-the-pitfalls-of-tech-in-the-asia-pacific/

12. US Says China’s ‘Global Information Manipulation’ Threatens Freedoms

China is spending billions of dollars a year to shape perceptions of
China through influence, censorship and disinformation in a
large-scale campaign that could threaten global freedoms, the United
States has said.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/9/29/us-says-chinas-global-information-manipulation-threatens-freedoms

13. European Telecom Firms Urge EU to Make Big Tech Pay

The heads of European telecoms firms, including Orange and Vodafone,
on Monday urged the EU to make tech and streaming giants pay for the
massive amounts of bandwidth they use.

The idea is not new but has ignited a fierce debate.

https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20231002-european-telecom-firms-urge-eu-to-make-big-tech-pay

14. EU Should Ban Spyware, Russian Exiled Journalist Says

The European Union should issue a complete ban on spyware, given that
it is continually used to violate human rights, the editor-in-chief of
independent Russian news site Meduza told POLITICO.

https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-should-ban-spyware-russian-exiled-journalist-says/

15. Members of European Parliament Vote Against Amendment to Ban EU
Government Spying on Journalists

Members of the European Parliament voted against an amendment to scrap
the right to surveil journalists in the European Media Freedom Act in
Strasbourg this week, pitting themselves against free speech
campaigners. Instead they opted for an amendment they said amounted to
a de facto ban on spyware. The new spyware clause includes safeguards
forcing national authorities to guarantee confidentiality of
journalistic sources.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/oct/03/meps-vote-against-amendment-to-stop-eu-governments-spying-on-journalists

16. Anti-Vaxxers Think an Emergency Phone Alert Will Cause a Zombie Apocalypse

The latest paranoia to grip online fringe communities is about FEMA
supposedly sending harmful 5G signals to your phone.

https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/oct-4-fema-alert-test-5g-anti-vaxx-conspiracy-theory-1234838377/

_________________________________________________

### 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

Internet Society
Youth Ambassador Program
Deadline: October 20, 2023
https://www.internetsociety.org/policy-programs/youth-ambassadors/

FOSS United
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 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 ###

Virtual School on Internet Governance
September 4 - November 25, 2023
Online
https://www.virtualsig.org/2023/05/30/vsig-registration-now-open/

Mozilla In-Person Event: Reclaim The Internet Exhibition
October 12 - 16, 2023
Berlin, Germany
https://reimagine.mozilla.org/en

Digital Sovereignty Conference
October 24 - 26, 2023
Ljubljana, Slovenia
https://disco.si

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

✎ Project Manager | The Tor Project
+ Remote
https://www.careers-page.com/tor-project/job/L859RXYR

✎ Developer for App Censorship Monitoring Websites | GreatFire
+ Remote
https://applecensorship.com/news/we-are-hiring-developer-for-app-censorship-monitoring-websites

✎ Policy Analyst | Information Technology Innovation Foundation
+ Remote
https://datainnovation.org/about/jobs-and-internships/?gnk=job&gni=8a7887a18ab5134e018add9e93252f87

✎ Lead Community Tech Manager | Wikimedia Foundation
+ Remote
https://grnh.se/1bee818a1us

✎ Full Stack Web Developer | Syria Justice and Accountability Center
+ Remote/Washington DC
https://syriaaccountability.org/full-stack-web-developer/

✎ Facebook Ads Specialist (Freelance) - Part Time | Accelerate Change
+ Remote
https://bit.ly/3Lsfs5y

✎ Site Reliability Engineer III, Observability | Wikimedia Foundation
+ Remote
https://grnh.se/04dd58881us

✎ Senior Data Scientist, Community Growth | Wikimedia Foundation
+ Remote
https://boards.greenhouse.io/wikimedia/jobs/5380701?gh_src=07f5dd1d1us

✎ Deputy Project Director | IREX
+ Remote
https://recruiting.ultipro.com/INT1065INRE/JobBoard/86f30819-0126-446a-84bb-cf37a5e878c1/OpportunityDetail?opportunityId=390f6fa4-3f34-47a3-b4d8-49f07c1cc010

✎ Director, Technology and Human Rights | Human Rights Watch
+ Multiple Locations Considered
https://boards.greenhouse.io/humanrightswatch/jobs/6930445002

✎ Technical Consultancy on CBP One mobile app | Amnesty International
+ Mexico
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/amnist%C3%ADa-internacional-am%C3%A9ricas_terms-of-reference-call-for-consultancy-activity-7109967809064914944--4sW

✎ Technologist | Centre for Internet and Society
+ India
https://cis-india.org/jobs/call-for-applications-technologist

✎ Web Developer | Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project
+ Remote (UTC to UTC+4)
https://www.occrp.org/en/occrp-jobs/web-developer

✎ Information Security Manager, Information and Media Practice | IREX
+ Remote
https://recruiting.ultipro.com/INT1065INRE/JobBoard/86f30819-0126-446a-84bb-cf37a5e878c1/OpportunityDetail?opportunityId=540f4f5e-e8b6-4558-b544-ccd81be4247e

✎ Deputy Project Director, Information and Media Practice | IREX
+ Remote
https://recruiting.ultipro.com/INT1065INRE/JobBoard/86f30819-0126-446a-84bb-cf37a5e878c1/OpportunityDetail?opportunityId=390f6fa4-3f34-47a3-b4d8-49f07c1cc010

✎ People Operations Associate | Wikimedia Foundation
+ Remote
https://boards.greenhouse.io/wikimedia/jobs/5369904?gh_src=1c9e27121us

✎ Lead Counsel (Content Compliance & Strategic Litigation) | Wikimedia
Foundation
+ Remote
https://boards.greenhouse.io/wikimedia/jobs/5231626?gh_src=6fe3ccbe1us

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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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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