Digital Rights Weekly | May 6 - 10

Fri May 10 17:19:06 CEST 2024

Hello Digital Rights Defenders!

Here is your weekly update on digital rights around the world for the
week of May 6 - 10. As a reminder, you can submit your news for the
newsletter here: https://www.digitalrights.community/weekly-newsletter

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### Team CommUNITY (TCU) ###

1. The Community Series | Border Center for Journalists and Bloggers:
Improving Journalistic Safety at the US-Mexico Border

Check out our current Community Series story! The Border Center for
Journalists and Bloggers (BCJB), was started to defend the rights of
journalists working in one of the most dangerous borders in the world
- the Mexican-US border. However, in recent years BCJB has been
helping journalists working in other borders, given the unique
knowledge and skills that are needed. From 2016 to 2017 alone, they
trained 800+ journalists on security.

Have someone you want to recommend for the monthly series? Let us know!

https://www.digitalrights.community/blog/bcjb-getting-to-know-their-work-improving-journalistic-safety-in-the-us-mexico-border

2. Join the Digital Rights Weekly Town Halls on Mattermost (Glitter Meetups)!

May 16: sheEsecures - a Platform for an Inclusive and Feminist Internet
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=May_16_2024_GM

May 23: What is Happening in Digital Rights Around the World?
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=May_23_2024_GM

May 30: Open Technology Fund's Ask-Me-Anything
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=May_30_2024_GM

June 6: The Social Networking Glitter Meetup
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=June_6_2024_GM

3. Digital Rights Regional Meetups in May!

Digital Rights Regional meetups are an opportunity for people working
in specific regions to come together to network, share their work,
seek support, and celebrate with each other. For more information,
check out the corresponding regional pages for the following meetups
on the TCU’s wiki:

May 15: Asia
May 23: Africa
May 22: Latin America
May 29: MENA

https://wiki.digitalrights.community/

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### Digital Rights in the Community ##

1. Bread&Net: May 13 to 15

Bread&Net will take place virtually from May 13 to 15, during which
they will host a series of talks on digital rights challenges that
emerged over the last year across West Asia and North Africa. Take a
look at the list of sessions, and make sure to register to receive the
links of all

https://breadandnet.org/en/sr/

Check out their recent article explaining how Israel is using
technology such as AI, spyware and GPS jamming for genocide.

https://smex.org/ai-spyware-and-gps-jamming/

2. RightsCon 2025: Accepting Session Proposals

The 13th edition of RightsCon will be held in East Asia and online in
February 2025. The RightsCon summit focuses on human rights and
technology, bringing together a global movement to build strategies
and drive change toward a more free, open, and connected digital
world. If you want to host a session, whether online or in-person,
submit a proposal! Deadline: June 2, 2024.

https://www.rightscon.org/program/

3. SplinterCon: June 12 and 13

The next edition of SplinterCon will take place in Brussels on June 12
and 13, 2024. It will focus on the impacts of the Iranian Information
Network and feature various technologies that permit continuous
communications with and within the national network. SplinterCon is
the first international conference series focused on the challenges
posed by network fragmentation – from censorship to shutdowns and
informational isolation. The event is organized by eQualitie and
partners.

https://splintercon.net/participate-brussels/

3. Digital Rights in the Asia-Pacific Assembly: August 18-19

EngageMedia is hosting the 2024 edition of the Digital Rights in the
Asia-Pacific (DRAPAC) Assembly on August 18-19, 2024 in Taipei,
Taiwan. The two-day event aims to foster resilience and solidarity
within the digital rights community; it will be focusing on three main
themes: youth engagement, regionality, and open and secure technology.
You can now submit a  proposal or apply to volunteer. Deadline: June
15, 2024.

https://engagemedia.org/2024/drapac24-taipei/

4. Scenario-Based Digital Security Training Webinar Series on for Journalists

Join Internews webinar series on scenario-based digital security
training for journalists, based on the experiences and lessons learned
from the JSF project:

May 16: Scenario-Based Digital Security Training for Journalists.
Register by May 14 to receive the Zoom information:
https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=OTuh5Py1H0yoQMCrZqrq5Z0L68y-tkFJjY_X4ztyJVdUOVZDNjdJNjZFT0lMRlFCNUFBVzA0TlNVUC4u

May 30: Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) for Scenario-Based Digital
Security Training. Register by May 28:
https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=OTuh5Py1H0yoQMCrZqrq5Z0L68y-tkFJjY_X4ztyJVdUN0lPWVZZV0k1VTI3SVU3UURWWTNCNDRJMi4u

6. Reports from Our Community

a) How Bluetooth is Used for Border Surveillance Technologies

A new report shows that at least two Texas counties along the
U.S./Mexico border have purchased a product that would allow law
enforcement to track devices that emit Bluetooth signals. This model
of tracking is the latest level of surveillance infrastructure along
the  border—which serves as a laboratory where law enforcement
agencies at all levels of government test new technologies.

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2024/05/add-bluetooth-long-list-border-surveillance-technologies

b) Position Paper: PayPal Discrimination Against Palestinians in the
Digital Economy

The Arab Center for the Advancement of Social Media (7amleh) issued a
position paper titled “Unravelling PayPal's Bias: Position Paper on
Discrimination Against Palestinians''. It criticizes PayPal's
discriminatory policies against Palestinians and preventing them from
using its services. 7amleh calls on PayPal to take a fair stance, end
its discriminatory policies, comply with the Declaration of Human
Rights, international agreements, and international digital rights,
and provide its services to Palestinians.

https://7amleh.org/2024/05/08/position-paper-on-paypal-discrimination-against-palestinians

In collaboration with several partners, 7amleh has been diligently
working to exert pressure on PayPal since 2017 through the
PayPal4Palestine campaign.

https://p4p.7amleh.org

c) Policy Brief: Does Kenya’s Digital Health Act Mark A New Era for
Data Governance and Regulation?

The Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern
Africa (CIPESA) analyzes Kenya’s Digital Health Act and what it means
for health data governance in the country. The brief described how -
if implemented properly - the law will offer lessons in proper health
data governance, while ensuring the rights of data subjects and the
principles of data protection are respected and promoted.

https://cipesa.org/2024/05/does-kenyas-digital-health-act-mark-a-new-era-for-data-governance-and-regulation/
________________________________________________

### Digital Rights Community Resources ###

1. Digital Rights Primer

TCU has a primer on the digital rights community, which includes
information on how to get involved, a list of challenges the field
works on, and mapping of the diverse organizations that make up the
space. Check it out, and let us know if there is any information you
would like us to add!

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

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

1. Victory for Digital Equity: Court Upholds New York’s Broadband
Price Cap for Low-Income Families

While the Internet might be ubiquitous in affluent communities, for
many low-income families it remains a luxury that almost one million
people in New York simply cannot afford. In a landmark decision for
digital rights and consumer protection, the United States Court of
Appeals for the Second Circuit ruled in favor of maintaining New
York’s broadband price cap of $15 to $20 per month for low-income
families.

https://www.accessnow.org/press-release/court-upholds-new-yorks-broadband-price-cap/

2. With Help from AI, Politicians in India are Bringing Deceased
Politician’s Voice on the Campaign Trail

As elections in India get in full swing, the country’s leading
politicians and their brand gurus have been using artificial
intelligence to bring back the past and manage the future. Digital
rights activists have questioned the ethics of using a deceased
politician’s voice or form in elections. There’s the question of
rights — who owns their legacy?

https://restofworld.org/2024/dead-relatives-ai-deepfake-india/

3. What Can Go Wrong When Police Use AI to Write Reports?

Axon—the makers of widely-used police body cameras and tasers —has a
new product called Draft One, which is an AI that will write police
reports for officers. This technology could present new issues for
those who encounter police, and especially those marginalized
communities already subject to a disproportionate share of police
interactions in the United States.

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2024/05/what-can-go-wrong-when-police-use-ai-write-reports

4. Panel Summary on Bridging the Gap: Digital Rights, Sustainability,
and Inclusion at #DRIF24

In the face of the pressing global challenges posed by climate change,
last month’s Digital Rights and Inclusion Forum 2024 event hosted by
Open Knowledge Ghana brought together a diverse group of stakeholders
to explore the intersection of digital rights, sustainability, and
inclusion. The panel discussion, titled “Bridging the Gap: Digital
Rights, Sustainability, and Inclusion in the Face of Climate Change,”
delved into the crucial role that technology, innovation, and digital
empowerment can play in addressing the climate crisis.

https://blog.okfn.org/2024/05/03/bridging-the-gap-digital-rights-sustainability-and-inclusion-at-drif24/

5. Hong Kong: Tech Companies Must Resist Ban on Protest Anthem ‘Glory
to Hong Kong’

On 8 May 2024, three Hong Kong Court of Appeals justices ruled in
favor of the government’s 2023 appeal to allow a ban on broadcasting
or distributing the protest anthem ‘Glory to Hong Kong’. The decision
is a reversal of the High Court’s July 2023 opinion, which warned such
a ban risked having a chilling effect on free expression. ARTICLE 19
warns that a ban will have a particularly silencing effect on online
expression by compelling internet intermediaries to prevent access to
the song on their platforms.
 https://www.article19.org/resources/tech-companies-resist-ban-on-protest-anthem-glory-to-hong-kong/

6. Bad for Human Rights & for Business: Amazon Must Not Build Cloud
Infrastructure in Saudi Arabia

Following Amazon Web Service’s (AWS) announced plans for a new cloud
infrastructure in Saudi Arabia in 2026, Access Now is calling on the
company to halt the launch and adequately address the severe human
rights impacts that would arise from such a move. Access Now has
previously warned against the expansion of cloud services in Saudi
Arabia given the country’s entrenched digital authoritarianism,
invasive surveillance, and serial human rights abuses.

https://www.accessnow.org/press-release/aws-must-not-build-cloud-infrastructure-in-saudi-arabia/

_________________________________________________

### 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

Internet Society Foundation
Deadline: May 14, 2024
https://isoc.pub/ResearchGrant

FOSS Sustainability Fund
Deadline: May 17, 2024
https://www.opentech.fund/funds/free-and-open-source-software-sustainability-fund/

Digital Freedom Fund
Grant for strategic litigation to advance digital rights
Apply between May 20 & July 15, 2024
https://digitalfreedomfund.org/grants/

Google for Startups Accelerator Africa
Deadline: May 20, 2024
https://startup.google.com/programs/accelerator/africa/

ICANN Grant Program
Deadline: May 24, 2024
https://www.icann.org/grant-program-en

Software Developing Grant
Deadline: May 31, 2024
https://pr05.formstack.com/forms/pr05_grant

North Korea Information Technology Incubator (NKITI) Program
Deadline: May 31, 2024
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeaGp96ALLj9gKcJYcHwDFSF1A3QD9c9kU-NVHZOoFhGgLOdw/viewform

NGI Zero Commons Fund - Reclaim the Public Nature of the Internet
Deadline: June 1, 2024, 12:00 CEST (noon)
https://nlnet.nl/commonsfund

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

Digital Rights & Commons Initiatives
Deadline: June 28, 2024
https://4d.cat/convocatoria/en/home/

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
Virtual Course on Digital Capitalism
April 1 - May 12, 2024
https://lnkd.in/eGSKb2PX

Bread&Net Online | Digital Rights in Times of War
May 13 - 15, 2024
Online
https://www.breadandnet.org/en/

Asia Meetup
Team CommUNITY
May 15, 2024
8am EDT / 12pm UTC
Online
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=May_15_2024,_Asia_Meetup

sheEsecures - a Platform for an Inclusive and Feminist Internet (Glitter Meetup)
Team CommUNITY
May 16, 2024
9am EDT / 1pm UTC
Online
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=May_16_2024_GM

Scenario-Based Digital Security Training for Journalists
Internews
May 16, 2024
9am EDT / 1pm UTC
Online
https://forms.office.com/r/MyARS6nTe2

LATAM Meetup
Team CommUNITY
May 22, 2024
5:30pm EDT / 9:30pm UTC
Online
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=22_de_Mayo,_2024_LATAM

What is Happening in Digital Rights Around the World? (Glitter Meetup)
Team CommUNITY
May 23, 2024
9am EDT / 1pm UTC
Online
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=May_23_2024_GM

Africa Meetup
Team CommUNITY
May 23, 2024
11am EDT / 3pm UTC
Online
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=May_23_2024,_Africa_Meetup

MENA Meetup
Team CommUNITY
May 29, 2024
10am EDT / 2pm UTC
Online
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=May_29_2024,_MENA_Meetup

Open Technology Fund's Ask-Me-Anything (Glitter Meetup)
Team CommUNITY
May 30, 2024
9am EDT / 1pm UTC
Online
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=May_30_2024_GM

Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) for Scenario-Based Digital Security Training
Internews
May 30, 2024
9am EDT / 1pm UTC
Online
https://forms.office.com/r/BAGHE8Q47F

Palestine Digital Activism Forum (PDAF 2024)
7amleh
June 4 & 5, 2024
https://2024.pdaf.net/about-theme-en

Social Networking Glitter Meetup
Team CommUNITY
June 6, 2024
9am EDT / 1pm UTC
Online
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=June_6_2024_GM

SplinterCon
equalitie
June 12 & 13, 2024
Brussels
https://splintercon.net/participate-brussels/

Kwanele's Journey Navigating Ethical Tech for GBV Justice (Glitter Meetup)
Team CommUNITY
June 13, 2024
9am EDT / 1pm
Online
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=June_13_2024_GM

What is Happening in Digital Rights Around the World? (Glitter Meetup)
Team CommUNITY
June 20, 2024
9am EDT / 1pm UTC
Online
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=June_20_2024_GM

Digital Rights in the Asia-Pacific Assembly
EngageMedia
August 18 & 19 2024
Taipei, Taiwan
Deadline: June 15, 2024
https://engagemedia.org/2024/drapac24-taipei/

2024 Digital Rights Summer School
August 25 - 31, 2024
Perast, Montenegro
https://www.sharefoundation.info/en/apply-for-the-2024-digital-rights-summer-school/

13th Edition of RightsCon
Access Now
February 2025
East Asia and online
Deadline: June 2, 2024
https://www.rightscon.org/program/

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

✎ Senior Frontend Developer | Stichting Boxwise
+ Remote
https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vQTspaVVua3PjaPoYdhQaFN3O9r_hFzz-4COSQx_qyw-fxL4586Gh4zOVkP6oSdK8Uk-Fbck1Za_ffm/pub

✎ Latin America Campaigns and Partnerships Director | Digital Action
+ Remote
https://digitalaction.co/join-our-team/

✎ Senior Strategy Director | Digital Action
+ Remote
https://digitalaction.co/join-our-team/

✎ Wellbeing and Resilience Coordinator | Open Briefing
+ Remote
https://www.openbriefing.org/blog/job-opportunity-wellbeing-and-resilience-coordinator/

✎ Integrated Marketing Specialist | Wikimedia Foundation
+ Remote
https://grnh.se/e28ef83b1us

✎ Affiliate Fundraising Training Consultant (Part-Time) | Wikimedia Foundation
+ Remote
https://grnh.se/4b6bd0001us

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
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