Digital Rights Weekly | November 4 - 8

Thu Nov 7 20:04:20 CET 2024

Hello Digital Rights Defenders!

Here is your weekly update on digital rights around the world for the
week of November 4 - 8. 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. WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK! Help us improve this Newsletter!

Every week, at the top of the newsletter, we will include a link to
the following Riseup Pad, where you can leave comments and suggestions
anonymously on how we can make this service more valuable to you:

https://pad.riseup.net/p/TCUFeedback-keep

2. TCU Staff featured in New Report on Building Safety Into Digital
Inclusion Efforts in the US

As more and more essential services and activities move online, people
have less and less of a choice about whether or not to participate in
the digital world, and brings with it increased risks. TCU staff were
interviewed for the report, which provides recommendations to state
and territory broadband offices regarding what they can do to mitigate
the potential harms.

 https://www.benton.org/publications/digital-inclusion-safety

3. TCU Events in November: Regional Meetups, Town Halls, and More!

Nov. 13 | Digital Rights Asia Meetup
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=November_13_2024,_Asia_Meetup

Nov. 14 | Digital Rights in Francophone Africa and MENA Meetup
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=Novembre_14_2024,_Digital_Rights_in_Francophone_Africa_and_MENA_Meetup

Nov. 14 | Advancing Digital Resilience for African CSOs (Glitter Meetup)
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=November_14_2024_GM

Nov. 20 | Digital Rights LATAM Meetup
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=20_de_Noviembre,_2024_LATAM

Nov. 21 | Digital Rights Africa Meetup
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=November_21_2024,_Africa_Meetup

Nov. 21 | What is Happening in Digital Rights Around the World? (Glitter Meetup)
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=November_21_2024_GM

Nov. 27 | Digital Rights MENA Meetup
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=November_27_2024,_MENA_Meetup

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### Digital Rights in the Community ###

1. The AI-Cybersecurity Essay Prize Competition

The AI-Cybersecurity Essay Prize Competition invites experts to
explore the impact of Artificial Intelligence on cybersecurity,
sharing insightful analyses on the implications for Europe and
recommendations for policymakers. Competition winners will be
recognized at an international forum. Deadline: 2 January, 2025.

https://bindinghook.com/ai-cybersecurity-essay-prize-competition/

2. Digital Freedom Fund

The Digital Freedom Fund has a call for grant applications to fund
strategic litigation to advance digital rights. DFF aims to support
strategic litigation in Europe that contributes to advancing human
rights in the digital context and the use of technology.  The call
will open on December 2, 2024 and close on February 17, 2025.

https://digitalfreedomfund.org/grants/

3. NobleReach Scholar Program

Check out the NobleReach Scholar Program where scholars can apply to
work in one of five domains: Artificial Intelligence, Biotechnology,
Business Process Innovation, Computing & Cybersecurity, or Materials &
Manufacturing. Deadline: December 4, 2024.

https://noblereach.smapply.us/prog/2025_noblereach_scholars_program_/

4. Numun Fund: Survey on Online Gender-based Violence Funding Landscape

Support researchers exploring the current funding landscape for work
on online gender-based violence. Take this short survey to help Numun
Fund improve funding strategies around this critical area. The survey
is available in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Hindi, Portuguese,
Russian, Spanish and Tamil.

https://form.jotform.com/242831018907052

5. The Weaponization of Things: Israel’s Techno-Violence, A Litmus
Test for Technologists

De|Center’s researcher, Afsaneh Rigot, shares her thoughts on Israel’s
use of AI and facial recognition in Gaza, as well as the remote
detonation of pagers and walkie-talkies in Lebanon. She argues that
this moment should serve as a massive wake-up call for anyone working
in tech and society: nothing will remain neutral, and the development
of new technologies can no longer proceed as normal.

https://www.techpolicy.press/the-weaponization-of-things-israels-technoviolence-a-litmus-test-for-technologists/

6. Reports from Our Community

a) Social-Media Company Missteps on the Eve of the U.S. Election

This study from the Free Press shows that the online landscape is
worse in 2024 than in previous election cycles.

https://www.freepress.net/news/press-releases/new-free-press-study-reveals-social-media-company-missteps-eve-us-election

b) Digitalising Social Protection is Excluding Marginalized Workers

Marginalized workers throughout the world are being excluded from the
design of digital social protection systems and many without
smartphones or digital literacy are unable to access social protection
via digital systems. The new report by the Institute of Development
studies  also sheds light on the risks digitalisation of social
protection is causing in African countries, including violations of
privacy, data protection and disability exclusions.

https://www.ids.ac.uk/news/digitalising-social-protection-is-excluding-marginalised-workers-warns-new-report/

c) What Meta's Ad Library Shows About Harris and Trump's Campaigns on
Facebook and Instagram

The Meta Ad Library provides details of ad spending across Meta’s
platforms in a specific time period – including Facebook, Instagram,
the Meta Audience Network and Messenger – This report extracts and
analyzes data about both candidates’ political ad spending on Facebook
and Instagram to get a sense of how they were approaching digital
advertising on these platforms.

https://www.bellingcat.com/resources/2024/11/04/us-presidential-election-trump-harris-meta-ads/

7. Statements from Our Community

a) Israel & Palestine: Meta Must Uphold Human Rights Responsibilities

ARTICLE 19 and 11 other civil society organizations have written a
joint letter to Meta regarding insufficient human rights due
diligence, highlighting its failure to respond to key problems related
to its content moderation, including the disproportionate
over-moderation of Palestine-related content. It also highlights the
platform’s failure to adequately moderate hostile speech in Hebrew.

https://www.article19.org/resources/israel-and-palestine-meta-must-uphold-human-rights-obligations/

b) Authorities & ISPs in Mozambique Must Respect Human Rights &
#KeepItOn During Protests

On October 25, authorities disrupted mobile internet connection across
Mozambique, as protests erupted against disputed election results in
the presidential election. The #KeepItOn coalition unequivocally
condemned the actions of Mozambique authorities in shutting down the
internet and blocking social media platforms following the protests.

https://www.accessnow.org/press-release/keepiton-mozambique-authorities-must-respect-human-rights/

https://www.hrw.org/news/2024/11/06/mozambique-post-election-internet-restrictions-hinder-rights

c) #KeepItOn Mauritius: Global Coalition Urges First-time Offender to
Refrain from Future Crackdown on Social Media

Mauritius authorities’ reversed the ban on social media platforms in
the country, which lasted for a day on November 2, and was due to last
till November 11. This was the first time Mauritius shuts down the
Internet since the #KeepItOn coalition started to document instances
of internet shutdowns in 2016; it is urged to refrain from imposing
any further restrictions.

https://www.accessnow.org/press-release/keepiton-mauritius-end-crackdown-on-social-media/

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### Community Resources ###

1. NEW Digital Rights Bytes to Answer Tech Questions

“Digital Rights Bytes,” a new website from the Electronic Frontier
Foundation, offers short
t videos offering quick, easily digestible answers to technology
questions. Initial topics include “Is my phone listening to me?”, “Why
is device repair so costly?”, and “Can the government read my text
messages?”  More topics will be added over time.

https://www.eff.org/press/releases/eff-launches-digital-rights-bytes-answer-tech-questions-bug-us-all

2. This Indian State wants to be a Tech Hub. But the Government Keeps
Shutting Down the Internet

$18 million was earmarked to be spent over five years to build
incubators and accelerators in the Indian state of Manipur.  However,
last year, the government shut down the internet for 212 days putting
the state’s startup boom on pause, and significantly impacting
businesses.

https://restofworld.org/2024/manipur-internet-blackout-startups/

3. Devious Humor & Painful Puns: Will the Cryptic Crossword Remain the
Last Thing AI Can’t Conquer?

When human solvers battle artificial intelligence, who is able to
think more cryptically, faster? And are some devious clues just too
tough for software?

https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/crossword-blog/2024/nov/04/cryptic-crossword-ai-conquer-human-solvers-artificial-intelligence-software

4. Opinion: Can Gen Z's Social Media Addiction Rejuvenate Democracy?

This much-discussed generation - those born between 1997 and 2012 - is
now stepping onto the political stage with fresh perspectives and
digital expertise unmatched by their previous generations. Unlike
their predecessors, Gen Z usually gets their news from social
platforms, which are also arenas for youth-driven political activism.
Can Gen Z, with their unique values and social media fluency, bring
democracy back to life?

https://www.shoutoutuk.org/2024/11/06/can-gen-zs-social-media-addiction-rejuvenate-democracy/

5. Guardian Project: Getting to Know their Work Creating Easy-to-Use,
Secure and Open Source Apps for Mobile Devices

Guardian Project creates easy-to-use secure mobile tech apps,
open-source software libraries, tools, and services used by activists,
journalists, and citizens. We spoke with Guardian Project’s Community
Manager about their celebrated tools, such as Clean Insights, Orbot,
and Butter Box, as well as their user-focused approach to development.

https://www.digitalrights.community/blog/community-series-the-guardian-project

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

1. Facebook Asks US Supreme Court to Dismiss Fraud Suit over Cambridge
Analytica Scandal

A securities fraud lawsuit brought by shareholders accuses the social
media platform of misleading them about misuse of user data.

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2024/nov/06/facebook-cambridge-analytica-lawsuit

2. Australia to Ban Under-16s from Social Media – but Can’t say Meta’s
Platforms Will Enforce It

Meta says it will comply with the ban if it is required, but the
technology is not ready to enforce the proposed age limit across up to
its forty applications.

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/nov/07/australian-government-to-legislate-social-media-age-limit-of-16-but-cant-say-how-platforms-will-enforce-it

3. How Trump Could Weaponize the FCC Against the Media in a Second Term

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) could be used to
punish broadcasters that air unfavorable coverage as part of Trump’s
quest to rein in independent media.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/11/01/trump-fcc-media-crackdown/

4. Elon Musk Sued Over $1million-a-Day Election Giveaway

Elon Musk was sued in a proposed class action by registered voters who
signed his petition to support the constitution for a chance to win
his $1million-a-day giveaway, and now claim it was a fraud.

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2024/nov/05/elon-musk-america-pac-election-giveaway-lawsuit

____________________________________________

### 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

European AI & Society Fund
AI Act Implementation Grants
Deadline: Rolling, first round November 10, 2024
https://europeanaifund.org/funding/

Breakout Program
eQualitie
Deadline: November 17, 2024
https://splintercon.net/breakout/

Palestinian Journalist Fellowship
Deadline: November 27, 2024
https://logicmag.io/palestinian-journalist-fellowship/

Residential Institute on Frontiers & Frames for a New Digitality 2025
School of Digital Justice, IT for Change and Fair, Green and Global Alliance
5 days in March 2025 (date and time to be confirmed)
Deadline: November 30, 2024
https://itforchange.net/call-for-applications-residential-institute-on-frontiers-and-frames-for-a-new-digitality-2025

Digital Freedom Fund
December 2, 2024 and February 17, 2025
https://digitalfreedomfund.org/grants/

NobleReach Scholar Program
Deadline: December 4, 2024
https://noblereach.smapply.us/prog/2025_noblereach_scholars_program_/

AI-Cybersecurity Essay Prize Competition
Munich Security Conference (MSC) and Binding Hook
Deadline: 2 January, 2025
https://bindinghook.com/ai-cybersecurity-essay-prize-competition/

European AI & Society Fund
AI Accountability Grants
Deadline: January 6, 2025
https://europeanaifund.org/funding/

Funding Opportunity for Internet Freedom Programs from U.S. Department of State
Deadline for statements of interest: January 9, 2024
https://www.state.gov/bureau-of-democracy-human-rights-and-labor-request-for-statements-of-interest-drl-internet-freedom-annual-program-statement-2/

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

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

Open Tech Fund
Deadline: Rolling
https://apply.opentech.fund

Digital Impact Alliance Fellowship
Deadline: Rolling
https://dial.global/apply-to-our-fellows-program/

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

Apoyos de Respuesta Rápida
Fondo Acción Urgente
Deadline: Rolling
https://fondoaccionurgente.org.co/es/que-hacemos/apoyos-de-respuesta-rapida

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

__________________________________________

### Events Calendar ###

Digital Rights Asia Meetup
Team CommUNITY
November 13, 2024
7am EST / 12pm UTC
Online
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=November_13_2024,_Asia_Meetup

Digital Rights in Francophone Africa and MENA Meetup
Team CommUNITY
November 14, 2024
8am EST / 1pm UTC
Online
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=Novembre_14_2024,_Digital_Rights_in_Francophone_Africa_and_MENA_Meetup

Advancing Digital resilience for African CSOs (Glitter Meetup)
Team CommUNITY
9am EST / 2pm UTC
Online
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=November_14_2024_GM

Digital Investigation Residency
Tactical Tech
November 18 - 22, 2024
Berlin, Germany
Applications closed: August 30, 2024.
https://exposingtheinvisible.org/en/news/call-investigation-institute-2024/

Digital Rights LATAM Meetup
Team CommUNITY
November 20, 2024
5:30pm EST / 10:30pm UTC
Online
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=20_de_Noviembre,_2024_LATAM

What is Happening in Digital Rights Around the World? (Glitter Meetup)
Team CommUNITY
November 21, 2024
9am EST / 2pm UTC
Online
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=November_21_2024_GM

Digital Rights Africa Meetup
Team CommUNITY
November 21, 2024
10am EST / 3pm UTC
Online
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=November_21_2024,_Africa_Meetup

Fighting Disinformation: Tools and Strategies for Fact-Checking
AMWAJ
November 25, 2024
Online
https://amwaj-alliance.com/tabadul/fighting-disinformation-tools-and-strategies-for-fact-checking/

South Eastern European Dialogue on Internet Governance Youth School 2024
Deadline to apply: September 30, 2024
November 25 - 26, 2024
Belgrade, Serbia
https://seedig.net/youth-school/

Digital Rights MENA Meetup
Team CommUNITY
November 27, 2024
9am EST / 2pm UTC
Online
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=November_27_2024,_MENA_Meetup

2024 Global Voices Summit
December 6 - 7, 2024
Kathmandu, Nepal
https://summit2024.globalvoices.org/

Virtual School of Internet Governance
January 14, 2025 - April 1, 2025
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdxElbmLzzGNUpUuoW3jDieHkNZpvO35hhDDlH9-Ia8jwKNww/viewform

13th Edition of RightsCon
Access Now
February 24 - 27, 2025
February 2025
East Asia and online
https://www.rightscon.org/registration/

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

✎ Chief Audience Officer | Rest of World
+ Based in USA
https://restofworld.org/about/hiring/chief-audience-officer/

✎ Junior Consultant on Freedom of Expression and Safety of Journalists
| UNESCO Regional Office for Eastern Africa
+ Nairobi, Kenya
https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/vacancy-international-junior-consultant-freedom-expression-and-safety-journalists

✎ Multiple Opportunities | Anthropic
+ Multiple Locations and Remote
https://www.anthropic.com/jobs

✎ Executive Director | Housing Navigator
+ Cambridge, MA, USA
https://talent-profile.dsgco.com/search/v2/21428

✎ Tech and Database Associate | Climate Justice Alliance
+ Remote within USA
https://climatejusticealliance.applytojob.com/apply/hZHRmAq3D4/Tech-And-Database-Associate

✎ Digital Protection Coordinator for Francophone Africa | Front Line Defenders
+ Francophone Africa
https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/en/recruitment-volunteering?width=740&height=500&inline=true#job-57--description

✎ Head of Partnerships | Joveo
+ California, USA
https://joveo.com/

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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(((Hugs & light)))

--
Team CommUNITY at ARTICLE 19
www.digitalrights.community
Organizers of the Global Gathering
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