Digital Rights Weekly | March 31 - April 4

[Team CommUNITY]

Hello Digital Rights Defenders!

Here is your weekly update on digital rights around the world for the 
week of March 31 - April 4. As a reminder, you can submit your news for 
the newsletter here:
https://www.digitalrights.community/weekly-newsletter

What is in this issue:


Team CommUNITY
Community News
NEW Job Opportunities
Community Resources
Digital Rights in the Wider World
Statements from our Community
Events Calendar
Grants, Fellowships, & Awards

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### Team CommUNITY (TCU News) ###
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1. Applications for the 2025 Global Gathering Are Now Open!

Global Gathering applications are now open! The convening will take 
place on September 8-10 in Portugal. Join hundreds of defenders for 
three days of networking and collaboration around the most pressing 
tech-related issues impacting human rights, civil society, and 
journalists at local, regional, and global levels. This year we are 
offering organizations more space to host their own events or 
programming. Reach out to us to learn more. Apply soon here:

https://www.digitalrights.community/blog/2025-global-gathering-application


2. RSVP for TCU’s Community Knowledge Share Webinars!

The Community Knowledge Share workshops are designed to deepen your 
knowledge and skills in specific areas and connect you with others 
interested in the same topics. RSVP using the links below:

April 16 | Tech, Policy & Support: SMEX's Work in Action
RSVP: https://digitalrights.formstack.com/forms/lessons_from_mena_april_2025

April 30 | Digital Rights Organizational Analysis: Lessons from Gambia
RSVP: 
https://digitalrights.formstack.com/forms/lessons_from_gambia_april_2025


3. JOSA: Getting to Know Their Work on Open Technology and Privacy in Jordan

The Jordan Open Source Association (JOSA) works toward a better Jordan 
through openness in technology, believing that the Internet should 
remain open and accessible to everyone. We spoke with their Senior 
Program Officer in Internet Freedom, Haitham Dahboor, and their Program 
Officer in Digital Social Innovation and Research, Yara Alrafie, to 
learn more about their projects, Aman Raqami and Nuha, as well as the 
key digital rights challenges in Jordan.

https://www.digitalrights.community/blog/community-series-josa


4. Upcoming Digital Rights Town Halls and the LATAM Regional Meetup:

April 10 | Network Measurements - How to Gather and Use Evidence of an 
Internet Shutdown Happening in Your Country? (Glitter Meetup with OONI)
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=April_10_2025_GM

April 17 | The Social Networking Glitter Meetup
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=April_17_2025_GM

April 23 | Digital Rights LATAM Meetup
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=23_de_Abril,_2025_LATAM

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### Community News ###
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1. Myanmar Must Lift Internet Restrictions Following Devastating 
Earthquake, And How to Help

On March 28, 2025, Myanmar experienced a magnitude 7.7 earthquake. 
Despite this dire situation and the urgent need for emergency rescue 
efforts, the Myanmar military has not lifted its internet shutdown 
orders and various internet restrictions, which are essential for 
life-saving coordination. Numerous organizations are calling for these 
restrictions to be lifted immediately.

https://www.accessnow.org/press-release/call-for-lifting-of-internet-restrictions-myanmar/ 


A volunteer group based in Thailand has created a centralized website 
with verified information on the earthquake, relief efforts, and trusted 
donation channels to grassroots-level coordination efforts. The site is 
being updated regularly as the situation develops.

https://www.myanmarearthquakehelp.com/en


2. Digihub Africa 2025

This event aims to raise awareness among teens, parents, educators, 
youth and human rights organizations about social media risks, 
specifically focusing on cyber harassment and online safety. It will 
take place on October 8th and 9th in Johannesburg, South Africa.

https://www.digihubafrica.org/events/


3. Re-Homing the Cybersecurity Assessment Tool (CAT)

The Engine Room is rehoming and maintaining Ford Foundation's 
Cybersecurity Assessment Tool (CAT), a vital resource designed to assess 
the maturity, resiliency, and strength of your organization’s 
cybersecurity efforts. The latest CAT version is now available in 6 
languages: English, Spanish (Latin America), Brazilian Portuguese, 
Egyptian/Lebanese Arabic, Bahasa Indonesian, and simplified Mandarin. 
Register and join their community call on April 15th 2025 at 4 PM UTC to 
re-introduce the tool and discuss how organizations can navigate 
cybersecurity in these turbulent times.

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/oFXYN7YLSYu6HypGSdc27A


4. Webinar: Defending Your Organization Against Rage Farming

Organised by PWorld, this live webinar on May 15, 2025 offers a deep 
dive into the mechanics of rage farming — a digital strategy where 
malicious actors provoke public outrage to distort narratives and damage 
reputations. This 3-hour interactive session provides strategic 
frameworks, case studies, and tools to detect, neutralise and prevent 
coordinated misinformation attacks.

https://edri.org/take-action/events/defending-your-organization-against-rage-farming/ 



5. Resisting Digital Policing in Europe Toolkit

Weaving Liberation launched its Resisting Digital Policing toolkit. This 
community-centred and informed toolkit offers an overview of what 
digital policing is and aims to do. It also showcases some examples of 
how we can resist, and the importance of building a collective and 
international, cross-movements solidarity.

https://weavingliberation.org/digital-policing-toolkit/

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### NEW Job Opportunities  ###
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✎ Program Associate | CivAI
+ Berkeley, CA, US
https://civai.org/jobs/program-associate

✎ Copyright & AI Counsel | Creative Commons
+ Remote in US or Canada
https://creative-commons.breezy.hr/p/a3a025683091-copyright-ai-counsel

✎ Data Annotator | JOSA
+ Remote
https://josa.ngo/careers/24

✎ Open Source Developer, Public Spaces Incubator | New_Public
+ Remote in US or Canada
https://newpublic.org/jobs/open-source-dev

✎ (US) Policy Advisor - AI Safety & Security | ControlAI
+ Washington DC, USA
https://jobs.eu.lever.co/controlai/c2dfd57e-c145-44f1-89a0-4275390137fc

✎ Director of Communications & Digital Strategy | ControlAI
+ London, UK
http://jobs.eu.lever.co/controlai/f3601e8e-2482-4e0d-9afc-a3a93bdc332a

✎ AI Product Lead | Eticas
+ Remote
https://eticas.zohorecruit.com/jobs/Careers/754104000002945004/AI-Product-Lead

✎ Systems and Security Administrator | Citizen Lab
+ Toronto, Canada
https://citizenlab.ca/2025/03/job-opportunity-systems-and-security-administrator/

✎ Senior Product Designer | Mastodon
+ Remote
https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/mastodon/d9e4d6d0-d360-4c86-9f04-5c14fbcab8ef

✎ Research associates – Digital Climate Justice Research Project | 
EngageMedia
+ Malaysia, Philippines, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka
https://engagemedia.org/2025/digitalclimatejusticecomparativeanalysiscall/

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### Community Resources  ###
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1. Opinion: African Workers Are Taking on Meta & the World Should Pay 
Attention

A landmark case could see the US tech giant forced to take 
responsibility for workers’ rights violations not just in Kenya but 
globally.

https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2025/4/1/african-workers-are-taking-on-meta-and-the-world-should-pay-attention 


Also, learn about key steps needed to protect data workers in Africa. 
They include business process outsourcing regulations, ensuring quality 
rather than quantity of jobs, and providing social protection. There is 
also a need to name and shame companies that maltreat data workers.

https://theconversation.com/africas-data-workers-are-being-exploited-by-foreign-tech-firms-4-ways-to-protect-them-252957 



2. AI Surveillance on the Rise in US, but Tactics of Repression Not New

While AI surveillance in the U.S. is increasing, the tactics of state 
repression, particularly targeting marginalized communities and 
political dissidents, have long existed and are merely being accelerated 
through new technologies.

https://www.techpolicy.press/ai-surveillance-on-the-rise-in-us-but-tactics-of-repression-not-new/ 



3. News Roundup: Justice in Ghana, Breaking Down ATI Barriers, & 
Tackling Cyber Violence Across Borders

This IFEX round-up offers highlights on free expression and civic space 
in Africa in the recent period, including Ghana's efforts to enhance 
access to information and address cross-border cyber violence through 
international cooperation and legal reforms.

https://ifex.org/justice-in-ghana-breaking-down-ati-barriers-and-tackling-cyber-violence-across-borders/ 



4. How Internet Censorship is Undermining Kenya’s Digital Future

Kenya’s digital landscape, once a thriving space for open discourse and 
economic innovation, is facing increased censorship that threatens both 
civil liberties and business interests.

https://www.capitalfm.co.ke/business/2025/03/how-internet-censorship-is-undermining-kenyas-digital-future/

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### Digital Rights in the Wider World ###
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1. India Criticizes X for Calling a Compliance Website a Censorship Tool

India has criticised Elon Musk's X for wrongly labelling an official 
website that allows tech companies to be notified about harmful online 
content as a "censorship portal". The lawsuit marks an escalation in a 
legal dispute between X and the government of Prime Minister Narendra 
Modi over how it orders content to be taken down, at a time when Musk 
nears the launch in India of his other key ventures, Starlink and Tesla.

https://www.reuters.com/world/india/india-criticises-x-calling-compliance-website-censorship-tool-2025-03-28/ 



2. Leaked Data Exposes a Chinese AI Censorship Machine

A leaked database seen by TechCrunch reveals China has developed an AI 
system that supercharges its already formidable censorship machine, 
extending far beyond traditional taboos like the Tiananmen Square massacre.

https://techcrunch.com/2025/03/26/leaked-data-exposes-a-chinese-ai-censorship-machine/


3. UK eVisa Row: What Do Refugees & Migrants Say?

Hundreds of non-British citizens have reported problems with accessing a 
new online system for verifying their immigration status. From entire 
system outages, to people experiencing problems with their online UK 
Visas and Immigration account set-up, issues have bedevilled the scheme 
at every stage.

https://www.context.news/digital-rights/uk-evisa-row-what-do-refugees-and-migrants-say 



4. Morocco: Official Calls for Regulation of Freedom of Expression in 
Digital Space

The president of Morocco’s National Human Rights Council (CNDH) called 
for the development of mechanisms to monitor and regulate freedom of 
expression in the digital space to protect other fundamental rights and 
freedoms.

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20250326-morocco-official-calls-for-regulation-of-freedom-of-expression-in-digital-space/ 



5. Europe is Looking for Alternatives to US Cloud Providers

Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure, and Amazon Web Services (AWS) host vast 
swathes of the Internet and keep thousands of businesses running. 
However, some organizations in Europe appear to be reconsidering their 
use of these companies’ cloud services—including servers, storage, and 
databases—citing uncertainties around privacy and data access fears 
under the Trump administration.

https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2025/03/europe-is-looking-for-alternatives-to-us-cloud-providers/ 


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### Events Calendar ###
__________________________________________

Network Measurements - How to Gather and Use Evidence of an Internet 
Shutdown Happening in Your Country? (Glitter Meetup with OONI)
Team CommUNITY
April 10, 2025
9am EDT / 1pm UTC
Online
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=April_10_2025_GM

Re-Launching the Cybersecurity Assessment Tool - How to approach 
cybersecurity in turbulent times
The Engine Room
April 15 2025
4 PM UTC
Online
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/oFXYN7YLSYu6HypGSdc27A

Tech, Policy & Support: SMEX's Work in Action
Team CommUNITY
April 16, 2025
9am EDT / 1pm UTC
Online
https://digitalrights.formstack.com/forms/lessons_from_mena_april_2025

Social Networking Glitter Meetup
Team CommUNITY
April 17, 2025
9am EDT / 1pm UTC
Online
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=April_17_2025_GM

Digital Rights LATAM Meetup
Team CommUNITY
April 23, 2025
5:30pm EDT / 9:30pm UTC
Online
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=23_de_Abril,_2025_LATAM

The Sound of Independence: Building Your Own Music Streaming Service 
(Glitter Meetup with Horizontal)
Team CommUNITY
April 24, 2025
10am EDT / 2pm UTC
Online
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=April_24_2025_GM

Digital Rights Organizational Analysis: Lessons from Gambia
Team CommUNITY
April 30, 2025
10am EDT / 2pm UTC
Online
https://digitalrights.formstack.com/forms/lessons_from_gambia_april_2025

Defending Your Organization Against Rage Farming
PWorld
May 15, 2025
Online
https://edri.org/take-action/events/defending-your-organization-against-rage-farming/ 


2025 Oxford Media Policy Summer Institute
Jesus College, Oxford
July 28 - August 8, 2025
https://www.law.ox.ac.uk/oxford-media-policy-summer-institute

HOPE_16
August 15 - 17, 2025
St. John's University in Queens, New York City, and online
https://hope.net/

Mozilla Festival 2025
November 7 - 9, 2025
In Barcelona, Spain
https://www.mozillafestival.org/en/

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

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### 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 


Connecting the Unconnected Funding Program
Internet Society
Deadline 2nd window: from 15 July to 27 August, 2025
https://www.internetsociety.org/funding-areas/connecting-the-unconnected

Summer 2025 U.S. Public Policy Fellowship
Google Public Policy Fellowship
Deadline: April 4, 2025
https://www.google.com/policyfellowship/usa/faq/

Compute for Climate Fellowship 2025
Deadline: April 6, 2025
https://ircai.org/ircai-and-aws-climate-fellowship/

Metascience & AI Postdoctoral Fellowship
Alfred P. Sloan Foundation
Deadline: April 10, 2025
https://sloan.org/programs/digital-technology/aipostdoc-rfp

Internet Society 2025 Mid-Career Fellowship Application
Deadline: April 11, 2025
https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/566ae57b98cc48c58e05d3327c970360

Short Innovation Projects 2025
EIT Culture & Creativity
Deadline: April 11, 2025
https://eit-culture-creativity.eu/short-innovation-projects-2025/

I AM Nala Fellowship - Call For Applications
Deadline: April 14, 2025
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeiBRoptpbn7Td_pDcxg5FKajxOs7a6tG7JDqmiyuAuxFGj_w/viewform

Call for Contributions: Navigating Digital Power in Asia
Common Edge Asia
Deadline: April 14, 2025
www.commonedge.asia/digitalpower/

Environmental Justice in Tech Fellowship
The Rooted Futures Lab launched
Rolling application until April 15, 2025
https://www.rootedfutureslab.io/ejit-fellowship

2025 MIT Solve' Global Economic Prosperity Challenge
Deadline: April 17, 2025
https://solve.mit.edu/challenges/2025-global-economic-prosperity-challenge

VinFuture Prize
VinFuture Foundation
Deadline: April 17, 2025
https://vinfutureprize.org/vinfuture-prize-nomination/

Equity-Free Funding Opportunity for Fem Tech Solutions 
UNICEF Venture Fund
Deadline: May 8, 2025
https://www.unicef.org/innovation/FemTechCall

Grants for Democratic Digitalisation Projects
Deadline: May 18, 2025
https://4d.cat/en/award

Effects of the Usage of Digital Technology
The Huo Family Foundation
Deadline: May 23, 2025
https://huofamilyfoundation.org/our-grants/funding-opportunities

Are you looking for grants, fellowships and funds open on a rolling 
basis? We curate a long list of opportunities on our wiki: 
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=Fundraising_Opportunities

__________________________________________

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like-minded organizations and people.

(((Hugs & light)))

--
Team CommUNITY at ARTICLE 19
www.digitalrights.community
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