Digital Rights Weekly | March 11 - 15

Thu Mar 14 20:59:12 CET 2024

Hello Digital Rights Defenders!

Here is your weekly update on digital rights around the world for the
week of March 11 - 15. As a reminder, you can submit your news for the
newsletter here: https://www.digitalrights.community/weekly-newsletter

### Team CommUNITY (TCU) ###

1. One Month Left to Apply for a Global Gathering Ticket!

Get your ticket for the Global Gathering as soon as possible. Deadline
to apply: April 15! The gathering will take place September 27, 28,
and 29 in Estoril, Portugal, and we have increased capacity to 1,000
folks. Apply soon to guarantee your spot.

https://www.digitalrights.community/blog/2024-global-gathering-now-accepting-applications

Do you need a Visa to join? Review how we can support you:
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=Visa_and_Equity_Fund_Support

Do you want to start to plan your trip?
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=Planning_Your_Trip

2. March 21: Localizing SIAB in Indonesian (Glitter Meetup)

Join us to talk about the process and key lessons of localizing Front
Line Defenders’s Security in a Box Toolkit to Indonesian. The toolkit
is a guide to digital security for human rights defenders and
activists.

https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=March_21_2024_GM

3. Join the Regional Meetups in March!

Regional Meetups are virtual gatherings, happening every two months,
that provide individuals from (or working on) a specific region with
the space to support each other, and collectively share updates so as
to better understand what is happening in their part of the world.

March 20 | MENA Meetup:
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=March_20_2024,_MENA_Meetup

March 20 | LATAM Meetup:
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=20_de_Marzo,_2024_LATAM

March 21 | Africa Meetup:
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=March_21_2024,_Africa_Meetup
____________________________________________

### Digital Rights in the Community ###

1. Russian Media Meduza is Facing the Most Intense Cyberattack
Campaign in Its History

In February 2024, the Russian authorities launched a series of
intensive, never-seen-before cyberattack campaign against Meduza, an
online media site featuring news and featured stories from hundreds of
sources in Russia and across the former Soviet Union. Meduza has faced
similar attacks before, but never at this scale, stating its the most
intensive cyberattack in its history.  The assault began around the
time of Alexey Navalny’s death — about a month before Russia’s
upcoming presidential election.

https://meduza.io/en/feature/2024/03/12/meduza-is-facing-the-most-intense-cyberattack-campaign-in-its-history

2. Demhack 8 Online Hackathon (in Russian)

Take part in the Demhack 8 online hackathon which run from March 29 to
31, and focus on privacy and internet freedom for Russian-speaking
developers, data analysts and researchers. The main theme revolves
around the study of censorship and bypassing blocking. Deadline to
apply: March 18, 2024.

https://demhack.org/

3. Register for the Global Virtual Summit on Deepfake Abuse

Registration is now open for the first global Virtual Summit on
Deepfake Abuse taking place on March 19 and 20. It’s a free event that
brings together stakeholders and thought-leaders on deepfakes and the
online platforms dedicated to intimate image abuse, with the aim to
turbocharge a global conversation.

https://anotherbodyfilm.com/the-summit/

4. Hong Kong: Tech Companies Must Speak Out Against Internet Censorship

As Hong Kong is on the brink of codifying new national security
legislation designed to supercharge online censorship, ARTICLE19 calls
on tech companies to do more to resist the attacks on internet
freedom. In January 2024, Hong Kong authorities launched a period of
pseudo-consultation for the introduction of Article 23 of Basic Law.
The outcome of the process will likely mean a drastic expansion of
national security regulation, including introduction of new offenses
related to broad crimes of terrorism and collusion with foreign
forces.

https://www.article19.org/resources/hong-kong-tech-companies-must-speak-out-against-internet-censorship/

5. Access to Internet Infrastructure is Essential, in Wartime & Peacetime

In light of numerous internet blackouts globally, EFF remains
concerned about the control that authorities are able to exercise over
the ability of millions of people to communicate. It is imperative
that people’s access to the Internet remains protected, regardless of
how user platforms and internet companies transform over time.

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2024/03/access-internet-infrastructure-essential-wartime-and-peacetime

6. Free VPN Offerings from ProtonVPN & Surfshark

a) This Year, Proton VPN Offering a Network of Free Servers to
Countries During Election Season

Around 50% of the global population is set to go to the polls in 2024.
To ensure that everyone can access accurate, reliable, and trustworthy
information, Proton VPN will make VPN servers available for free two
weeks before elections in several countries with histories of
misinformation and censorship. These servers will continue to be free
for a week after the elections as well. Note that this availability
range could be extended depending on the situation in the country.

https://protonvpn.com/blog/free-servers-before-elections/

b) Surfshark’s Emergency VPN Program

Surfshark launched an Emergency VPN program for journalists, NGO
representatives, and activists in restrictive environments, the
initiative attempts to offer a lifeline for online protection. By
filling out a simple form, eligible individuals can secure half a
year's access to Surfshark's VPN, ensuring that neither government
censorship nor malicious surveillance interrupts their efforts to
share knowledge.

https://surfshark.com/emergency-vpn

7. Open letter Against Meta’s “Pay or Consent”: Privacy & Data
Protection Are Not for Sale

In a joint effort, several members of European Digital Rights (EDRi)
have penned an open letter urging the European Data Protection Board
(EDPB) to take a decisive stance against the controversial “Pay or
Consent” models. The letter emphasizes the critical role the EDPB’s
forthcoming opinion will play in safeguarding the right to privacy and
data protection at the European Union level and on a global scale.
“Pay or Consent” essentially has users choose between their data being
processed or having to pay for a subscription on online platforms.

https://edri.org/our-work/open-letter-digital-rights-advocates-unite-against-metas-pay-or-okay-privacy-and-data-protection-are-not-for-sale/

8. Reports from Our Community!

a) Position Paper from 7amleh: The Impact of X Platform’s Content
Moderation Policies on Palestinian Digital Rights

7amleh - The Arab Center for Advancement of Social Media published a
position paper outlining the platform's role in shaping online
discourse and its implications for Palestinian digital rights. It
delves deep into the nuances of X's content moderation framework
following Elon Musk’s takeover, the platform's approach to addressing
issues such as hate speech, incitement to violence, and
disinformation, and the impact on user safety and freedom of
expression. Their analysis is backed by empirical data provided
through the Palestinian Observatory of Digital Rights Violations
(7or).

https://7amleh.org/2024/03/14/new-position-paper-highlights-impacts-of-x-platform-s-content-moderation-policies-on-palestinian-digital-rights

b) Amnesty International Reports on Social Protection in the Digital Age

Digital technologies including artificial intelligence, automation,
and algorithmic decision-making are exacerbating inequalities in
social protection systems across the world. Amnesty’s Report “Social
Protection in the Digital Age” highlights the human rights risks posed
by the unchecked use of digital technologies.

https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2024/03/global-governments-adoption-of-unchecked-technologies-in-social-protection-systems-undermines-rights/

c) UN: Individuals Must be Able to Realize Right to Remedy for Privacy
Violations in Data Protection

In a report to the Human Rights Council, the UN Special Rapporteur on
the right to privacy conducted a comparative analysis of data
protection and privacy laws across a geographically diverse selection
of States: Australia, Ecuador, Singapore, South Africa and Spain. The
report examines the legal mechanisms that are available to data
subjects for the protection and restitution of their rights and, where
necessary, for the reparation of damage caused by the improper use of
information concerning them.

https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2024/03/individuals-must-be-able-realise-right-remedy-privacy-violations-data

________________________________________________

### Digital Rights Community Resources ###

1. India Elections 2024: Journalist Safety Guide

The  Committee to Protect Journalists’ Emergencies Response Team has
compiled a safety guide for journalists covering India’s election. It
contains information for editors, reporters, and photojournalists on
how to prepare for the election and how to mitigate digital, physical,
and psychological risks.

https://cpj.org/2024/03/india-elections-2024-journalist-safety-kit/

2. Four Actions You Can Take To Protect Digital Rights, Especially as
Women in the U.S.

Defend free speech, fight surveillance, and support innovation by
calling on elected politicians and private companies to uphold
fundamental rights—both online and offline.

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2024/03/four-actions-you-can-take-protect-digital-rights-international-womens-day

________________________________________________

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

1. WhatsApp and Messenger Will Become Interoperable via Signal
Protocol to Comply With New EU law

Meta is offering more details about how it plans to make its messaging
apps, WhatsApp and Messenger, interoperable with third-party messaging
services, as required by the new EU law, the Digital Markets Act
(DMA). Specifically, Meta says that it will only allow third-party
developers to use another protocol besides Signal, “if they are able
to demonstrate it offers the same security guarantees as Signal.”

https://techcrunch.com/2024/03/06/to-comply-with-dma-whatsapp-and-messenger-will-become-interoperable-via-signal/?guccounter=1

2. Sudan: Internet Shutdown Threatens Delivery of Humanitarian and
Emergency Services

A near total communication blackout in Sudan following all network and
internet shutdowns in early February continues to pose serious risks
to the coordination of emergency assistance and humanitarian services
to millions of people caught up in the conflict. It has limited
millions of people’s ability to communicate with their families, seek
safe zones from fighting, access life-saving necessities, as well as
receive mobile money services.

https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2024/03/sudan-internet-shutdown-threatens-delivery-of-humanitarian-and-emergency-services/

3. Israel Under Pressure to Justify its Use of AI in Gaza

Israel has been deploying The Gospel in Gaza - a  new sophisticated
artificial intelligence system to determine targets, which have
included schools, aid organization offices, place of worship, and
medical facilities. As civilian death toll mounts, human rights groups
are asking if the AI targeting systems have enough guardrails. The
Gospel system uses machine learning to quickly parse vast amounts of
data to generate potential attack targets.

https://www.politico.com/news/2024/03/03/israel-ai-warfare-gaza-00144491

4. Gaming Companies Cooperating with US Authorities to Root out
Domestic Violent Extremist Content

A new Government Accountability Office Report details the cooperation
taking place between two US federal agencies and video game companies
to root out domestic violent extremist content. This includes
companies like Roblox, Discord, Reddit, and others. The federal
government’s interest in combating extremism has risen sharply
following the January 6 storming of the Capitol.

https://theintercept.com/2024/03/09/fbi-dhs-gamers-extremism-violence/

6. EU Countries Endorse Diluted Draft Rules on Gig Economy Workers’ Rights

European Union countries have agreed regulations determining when
so-called gig economy workers at online platforms such as Uber and
Deliveroo should be treated as employees after weeks of wrangling over
the draft text. The draft rules, first proposed by the European
Commission in 2021, are aimed at an estimated 28 million workers in
the EU, whose numbers are forecast to rise to 43 million next year.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/3/11/eu-countries-endorse-diluted-draft-rules-on-gig-economy-workers-rights

7. Indigenous Australians Fear Exclusion by Digital ID

Indigenous Australians, who have long struggled to obtain official
documents such as birth certificates and drivers' licenses, now risk a
fresh barrier with Australia's proposed digital ID system.

https://www.context.news/digital-divides/indigenous-australians-fear-exclusion-by-digital-id

_________________________________________________

### 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://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=Fundraising_Opportunities

Supporting Digital Security in Ukraine and Moldova
Deadline: April 10, 2024
https://www.state.gov/drl-strengthening-resilience-for-digital-security-providers-and-capacity-for-civil-society-in-ukraine-and-moldova/

U.S. State Department Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor
Spyware misuse in Europe and Eurasia
Deadline: April 15, 2024
https://www.state.gov/drl-improving-remedy-accountability-and-deterrence-for-the-repressive-misuse-of-spyware-in-europe-and-eurasia/

Female EdTech Fellowship Europe
Deadline: July 22, 2024
https://www.edtech-fellowship.eu/

Digital Rights Fund for WANA Region
Deadline: Rolling
SMEX
https://smex.org/digital-rights-fund/

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

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 ###

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

Global Virtual Summit on Deepfake Abuse
Another Body
Online
March 19 and 20, 2024
https://anotherbodyfilm.com/the-summit/

MENA Meetup
Team CommUNITY
March 20, 2024
10am EDT / 2pm UTC
Online
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=March_20_2024,_MENA_Meetup

LATAM Meetup
Team CommUNITY
March 20, 2024
5:30pm EDT / 9:30pm UTC
Online
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=20_de_Marzo,_2024_LATAM

Localizing Security in a Box in Indonesian (Glitter Meetup:)
Team CommUNITY
March 21, 2024
9am EDT / 1pm UTC
Online
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=March_21_2024_GM

Africa Meetup
Team CommUNITY
March 21, 2024
11am EDT / 3pm UTC
Online
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=March_21_2024,_Africa_Meetup

The Social Networking Glitter Meetup
Team CommUNITY
March 28, 2024
9am EDT/ 1pm UTC
Online
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=March_28_2024_GM

Check out a list of our virtual events here:
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=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

✎ Program Manager | Sovereign Tech Fund
+ Remote or Berlin, Germany
https://www.sovereigntechfund.de/jobs/program-manager

✎ Bug Resilience Program Manager | Sovereign Tech Fund
+ Remote or Berlin, Germany
https://www.sovereigntechfund.de/jobs/bug-resilience-program-manager

✎ Grants Program Officer | Access Now
+ Latin America, Europe (Belgium, Germany), or New York, USA
https://accessnow.bamboohr.com/careers/203?source=aWQ9MjA%3D

✎ Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Specialist - French Speaking |
Internet Society Foundation
+ Remote
https://internetsociety.bamboohr.com/careers/252

✎ Multiple Positions | Digital Rurals
+ Remote
https://forms.gle/XiFbMSvMHGdoSqKY7

✎ Program Associate (Asia Pacific) | Access Now
+ Delhi, India
https://accessnow.bamboohr.com/careers/202?source=aWQ9MjA%3D

✎ General Researcher | Black Learning Achievement and Mental Health (BLAM UK)
+ Remote
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd--izS2GX_6x1e_yXE7i6CHGpF6CHwAdlFT5X5Jz5X3HN99w/viewform

✎ Legal Researcher | Black Learning Achievement and Mental Health (BLAM UK)
+ Remote
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd--izS2GX_6x1e_yXE7i6CHGpF6CHwAdlFT5X5Jz5X3HN99w/viewform

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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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
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