Digital Rights Weekly | November 18 - 22

Fri Nov 22 19:31:23 CET 2024

Hello Digital Rights Defenders!

Here is your weekly update on digital rights around the world for the
week of November 18 - 22. As a reminder, you can submit your news for
the newsletter here:
https://www.digitalrights.community/weekly-newsletter

____________________________________________

### Team CommUNITY (TCU) ###

1. Give Us Your Feedback to Improve This Newsletter!
You can leave comments and suggestions anonymously on how we can make
this service more valuable to you using the following Riseup Pad link:
https://pad.riseup.net/p/TCUFeedback-keep

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

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

____________________________________________

### Digital Rights in the Community ###

1. NEW Zeroth Cloud: An Automated Threat Management Solution

Resilience Technologies has launched Zeroth Cloud, a new automated
threat management solution created by and for civil society. The tool
leverages artificial intelligence to automate the entire threat
management lifecycle including prevention, detection, and response
with minimal human intervention.  Created specifically for civil
society, the first phase of Zeroth Cloud deployments will begin in
January 2025, targeting the most at-risk organizations.

rtafrica.org/zerothcloud/

Read our recent Community Series column on Resilience Technologies,
and find out how they advance cybersecurity for CSOs the African way:

https://www.digitalrights.community/blog/community-series-resilience-technologies

2. Advocates and Researchers Set Up “Global Majority House” in
Brussels to Engage on Digital Services Act

A coalition of civil society and research organizations are setting up
a “Global Majority House” in Brussels to ensure the implementation of
the Digital Services Act, as well as other digital regulations, is
equitable and inclusive. It will serve as a dedicated hub for
fostering critical dialogue and collaboration between the Global
Majority and Europe on digital governance.

https://www.techpolicy.press/advocates-and-researchers-set-up-global-majority-house-in-brussels-to-engage-with-dsa/

3. Towards a Digital Ceasefire

The war on Gaza since October 2023 has seen an unprecedented barrage
of online violence, attacks against digital spaces and infrastructure,
and the extreme weaponization of digital technology. To ensure the
harms of digital attacks are better reflected, opposed, and ultimately
stopped in ceasefire negotiations, AccessNow aims to reach a shared
understanding of what a digital ceasefire entails across the legal,
technical, and harm-related dimensions of this phenomenon. If you and
your organization are active in this field and want to contribute,
please reach out at digitalceasefire at accessnow.org.

https://www.accessnow.org/toward-a-digital-ceasefire/

4. Reports from Our Community

a) 10 Years of Modi’s Government in India: A Digital Policy Review

The Narendra Modi-led government came to power in India in 2014. Its
first ten years in the government have coincided with digital
policymaking occupying an increasingly central - and suppressive -
role.

https://www.techpolicy.press/10-years-of-modis-government-a-digital-policy-review/

b) Driving Blind: The Unexamined Privacy Risks of Connected Cars

New research reveals serious privacy flaws in the data practices of
new internet connected cars in Australia. Connected cars act as highly
sophisticated surveillance devices. To provide their connected
services, the vehicles automatically send data not just about the
vehicle’s operation, but also about the driver and their family
members, in real time to various overseas companies and Australian
companies.

https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=5025836

c) Six Years of the GDPR: Priced Out of Privacy?

Six years after the European Union’s General Data Protection
Regulation (GDPR) began to apply, companies continue to defy its core
principles, undermining people’s data protection rights. The latest
issue is the “pay or consent” models, where companies compel people to
pay for their privacy and data protection rights guaranteed by law.
Access Now’s new report presents recommendations for the EU to address
the incompatibility of these models with fundamental rights.

https://www.accessnow.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GDPR-6-Year-Report-Priced-ouf-of-privacy-2024.pdf

____________________________________________

### Community Resources  ###

1. "Why Is It So Expensive To Repair My Devices?"

Device repair doesn’t need to be expensive but companies have inflated
prices to increase their revenue. In this recent  Digital Rights Bytes
by the Electronic Frontier Foundation, they explain how we got here
and what we can do to fix this issue.

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2024/10/why-it-so-expensive-repair-my-devices

2. Opinion: AI isn’t About Unleashing our Imaginations, it’s about
Outsourcing Them. The Real Purpose is Profit

Artificial intelligence doesn’t just incrementally erode the rights of
authors and other creators. These technologies are designed to replace
creative workers altogether.

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2024/nov/16/ai-isnt-about-unleashing-our-imaginations-its-about-outsourcing-them-the-real-purpose-is-profit

3. Opt Out: How to Stop Tech Companies Spying on your Phone Amid
Promises of Mass Deportations

Opt Out is a semi-regular column that helps users navigate their
online privacy and say no to surveillance. Their most recent post
explains how users can stop tech companies from spying on their
phones. This includes using disappearing messages, turn off location
settings, and minimizing how much data an app or service is storing
about your actiivyt.

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2024/nov/20/how-to-opt-out-location-sharing-smartphones

____________________________________________

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

1. NSO Group Admits Cutting off 10 Customers Because They Abused its
Pegasus Spyware

WhatsApp scored a legal victory by convincing a US federal judge to
publicly release three court documents that include new revelations
about the inner workings of Pegasus, the spyware made by Israeli
surveillance tech maker NSO Group. The documents reveal that NSO
disconnected 10 government customers in recent years from accessing
the Pegasus spyware, citing abuse of its service.

https://techcrunch.com/2024/11/15/nso-group-admits-cutting-off-10-customers-because-they-abused-its-pegasus-spyware-say-unsealed-court-documents/

2. Pakistan's Top Cleric Declares VPN Use Un-Islamic

Pakistan's top body of clerics has declared the use of Virtual Private
Networks (VPNs) as being against Islamic laws. The Ministry of
Interior is seeking a ban on the service, which is used to evade
internet censorship in countries with strict controls.

https://apnews.com/article/pakistan-vpn-ban-38ad6d14c25d2fc966c2a7ea1a8e7738

3. US Justice Department Plans to Push Google to Sell Off Chrome Browser

US justice department officials plan to ask a judge to force Google to
sell off its Chrome browser to dismantle the monopoly it has over the
internet search market, in a major intervention against one of the
world’s biggest tech companies.

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2024/nov/19/us-doj-sell-chrome-browser-ai-android

4. MPs to Summon Elon Musk to Testify About X’s Role in UK Summer Riots

MPs in the UK are to summon Elon Musk to testify about X’s role in
spreading disinformation, in a parliamentary inquiry into the UK riots
and the rise of false and harmful AI content.

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2024/nov/20/mps-summon-elon-musk-x-role-uk-summer-riots

5. AI Cloning of Celebrity Voices Outpacing the Law

Experts have warned that voice-cloning is outpacing the law as
technologists' previously clunky voice generators are evolving into
models capable of emulating the subtlest pauses and breathing of human
intonation.

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2024/nov/19/ai-cloning-of-celebrity-voices-outpacing-the-law-experts-warn

____________________________________________

### 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

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/

The Prototype Fund
Deadline: January 2, 2025
https://new.prototypefund.de/en/

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 ###

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

FOSDEM
February 1-2, 2025
https://fosdem.org/2025/

RightsCon
February 24 - 27, 2025
Taiwan
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

✎ Network Engagement Coordinator | IFEX
+ Toronto, Ontario (Remote), Canada
https://ifex.bamboohr.com/careers/29?source=aWQ9MTM%3D

✎ Technology Policy Director | The American Association of People with
Disabilities (AAPD)
+ Washington, DC, remote in USA
https://ats.rippling.com/es-ES/aapd-jobs/jobs/2e4ea45c-3499-47ca-acb5-81407f9faaec

✎ Accountability Project Advisor | Center for Victims of Torture
+ Paris, Berlin, The Hague, Brussels
https://reliefweb.int/job/4108258/accountability-project-advisor-consultancy-opportunity

✎ Community Manager, Public Technology Leadership Collaborative | Data
& Society Research Institute
+ NYC, NY, USA
https://boards.greenhouse.io/datasocietyresearchinstitute/jobs/7717038002

✎ Digital Security and Threat Intelligence Consultant | Jordan Open
Source Association (JOSA)
+ Remote
https://josa.ngo/careers/16

✎ Technology and Human Rights Fellow | Harvard Kennedy School Carr
Center for Human Rights Policy
+ Remote
https://www.hks.harvard.edu/centers/carr/opportunities/fellowship-opportunities/technology-and-human-rights-fellowship

✎ Communications Director | Knight-Georgetown Institute
+ Washington DC, USA
https://kgi.georgetown.edu/announcements/communications-director/

✎ Grants Administrator (Local Networks Initiative) | Association for
Progressive Communications
+ Remote (Global South preferred)
https://www.apc.org/en/news/call-applications-contract-grants-administrator-local-network-locnet-initiative

✎ Senior Manager, Major Gifts & Planned Giving | Wikimedia Foundation
+ Remote
https://grnh.se/32c856f31us

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

You can now submit your news for the Digital Rights weekly directly.
To post your job opportunities, submit your opportunities to our Job Board.