Digital Rights Weekly | August 4 - 8

[Team @ TCU]

Hello Digital Rights Defenders!

Here is your weekly update on digital rights around the world for the 
week of August 4 - 8. 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
Events Calendar
Grants, Fellowships, & Awards

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### Team CommUNITY (TCU News) ###
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The Digital Rights Weekly Newsletter and Job Board will be paused until 
the week of September 22, 2025. For questions, reach out to 
team at digitalrights.community



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### Community News ###
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1. Regional Partnership Fund for the EECCA Region 2025: Now Open for 
Applications

Digital Defenders Partnership (DDP) is now accepting applications for 
the Regional Partnership Fund from Eastern Europe, Caucasus, Central 
Asia. This fund supports organisations and collectives that promote 
online freedom and protect human rights defenders (HRDs) through a 
holistic lens. Deadline is September 12, 2025

https://www.digitaldefenders.org/regional-partnership-fund-for-the-eecca-region-2025-now-open-for-applications/


2. The Global Technology Industry Association (GTIA) Announces New Grant 
Making Program

GTIA awards grants to nonprofits that use—or need—technology to improve 
lives, with a focus on under-resourced communities locally and globally. 
Our grants can provide funding to support smart, scalable solutions that 
tackle real-world challenges, from broadband access to AI-powered 
learning tools. Among the various priority areas are affordable internet 
initiatives, digital skills training and AI tutoring

https://gtia.org/giving/grants


3. Microgrants for AI Accountability and Governance

The Pulitzer Center's South-to-South AI Accountability CoLab is now 
accepting applications for microgrants of up to USD $4,000 to support 
local civil society and academic initiatives that deepen understanding 
of AI's societal impact and foster more transparent AI governance across 
the Global South—Africa, Latin America, and South/Southeast Asia. The 
application window runs from August 1 to 31, 2025, with selected 
projects announced October 3, 2025, and implementation expected to begin 
in October 2025 and run through May 2026.

https://pulitzercenter.org/south-south-ai-accountability-colabs-microgrants


4. RightCon 2026 Call for Proposals

The RightsCon 2026 call for proposals is now open! It will take place on 
May 5-8 in Lusaka, Zambia and online. The deadline to submit your 
proposal is September 12.

https://www.rightscon.org/


5.  Reproducible Builds Summit

The 2025 Reproducible Builds will take place on October 28-30 in Vienna. 
For those that wish to stay longer, it will be followed up by three days 
of hacking, from October 31 to November 2. Attendance is free of charge.

https://reproducible-builds.org/events/vienna2025/



6. Reports from Our Community

a) State Censorship, Control, and Increasing Isolation of Internet Users 
in Russia


Human Rights Watch's July 30, 2025 report "Disrupted, Throttled, and 
Blocked" reveals how Russian authorities are intensifying state control 
over the internet—employing widespread censorship, throttling, VPN 
shutdowns, and unpredictable disruptions under the guise of national 
security—thereby isolating users and trampling digital freedoms. The 
report underscores the steep decline in independent media access and 
urges international actors and tech companies to back civil society 
efforts in restoring secure, uncensored access to information

https://www.hrw.org/report/2025/07/30/disrupted-throttled-and-blocked/state-censorship-control-and-increasing-isolation


b) A19 Report Finds Belarus Anti-Extremism Laws Threaten Digital Rights

A recent ARTICLE 19 analysis highlights how Belarus's expanding 
“anti‑extremism” legal framework—including broad criminal and 
administrative provisions, extremist designations, and even the threat 
of citizenship revocation is being weaponized to curtail digital rights 
by prosecuting a wide array of online behavior — from simple comments or 
channel administration to participating in chatbots or making donations 
to civil society causes. This chilling environment not only stifles free 
expression and civic engagement but also turns routine digital 
interactions into potential criminal liability under vague, arbitrary law.

https://dig.watch/updates/article-19-report-finds-belaruss-anti-extremism-laws-threaten-digital-rights


c) OONI Report: Internet Shutdowns During Bangladesh's 2024 Uprising

In collaboration with Digitally Right, OONI has released a new study 
that provides a timeline of the political context and internet shutdowns 
(blocks and outages) during the uprising in Bangladesh in the summer of 
2024. At the peak of the protests, multiple datasets (IODA, Cloudflare 
Radar, Google traffic data, and OONI data) showed that Bangladesh 
experienced a complete, nationwide internet blackout between 18th to 
23rd July 2024. Once internet access was restored, data shows that 
multiple social media platforms and instant messaging apps were blocked 
between 24th to 31st July 2024.

https://ooni.org/post/2025-bangladesh-report/


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### NEW Job Opportunities  ###
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You can access the following jobs by visiting our job board:
https://www.digitalrights.community/job-board


✎ Director of Policy | AI Policy Institute
+ Remote

✎ Open Source AI Fellow | The Alan Turing Institute
+ London, UK

✎ Special Counsel for Technology and Data Privacy | ACLU
+ New York, NY

✎ Executive Director | Center for Intimacy Justice
+ Remote (US, EU, or UK preferred)

✎ Policy Researcher | AI Futures Project
+ Berkley, CA, or Washington DC, US

✎ Product Engineer (Front-end focus, mid-level) | OneProject.org
+ Remote

✎ Data Protection Advisor| Medicins San Frontieres
+ Barcelona

✎ Director of People and Human Resources | The Tor Project
+ Flexible Geographical Location

✎ Nonprofit Accounting Specialists (Part Time) | The Tor Project
+ Flexible Geographical Location

✎ Senior Director for Internal Structures and Support | The Tor Project
+ Flexible Geographical Location

✎ Reporting Officer (Part-Time) | 7amleh
+ Remote

✎ Graphic Designer | 7amleh
+ Remote

✎ Security Incident Handler | Access Now

+ Preference for Nairobi

✎ Civic Media Campaign Manager | Free Press and Free Press Action
+ Preference for Nairobi


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### Community Resources  ###
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1. The Rising Tide of Data Privacy Lawsuits In the US

Tom White highlights how data privacy class actions are on the rise in 
the US and beyond, empowering consumers to use legal tools—such as BIPA 
and VPPA—to hold tech giants accountable for unauthorized tracking, 
biometric data misuse, and online surveillance. Plaintiffs are 
increasingly turning to these lawsuits as a powerful mechanism for 
seeking redress and shaping privacy norms

https://www.metrotimes.com/contributor-news/the-rising-tide-of-data-privacy-lawsuits-what-you-need-to-know-40148808


2. Using the Internet in Russia can be Frustrating, Complicated and 
Dangerous

YouTube videos that won't load. A visit to a popular independent media 
website that produces only a blank page. Cellphone internet connections 
that are down for hours or days. Going online in Russia can be 
frustrating, complicated and even dangerous.

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/using-the-internet-in-russia-can-be-frustrating-complicated-and-dangerous


3. Cape Offering Subsidized Cell Service


Cape is a private cell phone service designed for people doing 
high-consequence work, like journalists, rights advocates, and anyone 
facing surveillance, censorship or targeting. They have been reviewed by 
Joseph Cox of 404 Media and have collaborated with organizations in the 
digital rights ecosystem. They are offering subsidized cell service for 
TCU members for 
$20/month, which includes protection against SIM swaps, 
surveillance, and data harvesting. No name, address or personal 
information is required to sign up.

https://www.cape.co/blog/team-community



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### Digital Rights in the Wider World ###
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1.  Alphabet hit with EU Antitrust Complaint by Xix Digital Rights Groups

Alphabet was targeted with an EU antitrust complaint from six human and 
digital rights groups which urged EU regulators to investigate whether 
the tech giant complies with legislation requiring it to make it easier 
for users to uninstall software apps.

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/technology/alphabet-hit-with-eu-antitrust-complaint-by-six-digital-rights-groups/articleshow/122887289.cms?from=mdr


2. Putin Silences Russia with Sweeping Internet Blackouts



In July, Russia had a record breaking 2,000 internet service shutdowns - 
and digital rights groups say that many of these blackouts don't appear 
related to any threat. The Kremlin claims the move will counter 
Ukrainian drones but critics say restrictions tighten domestic oppression.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/08/07/putin-silences-russia-internet-blackouts/


3. Press Freedom Concerns Raised after Myanmar Press Council signs MOU 
with Thai press Body

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on 1 August between the 
Myanmar Press Council (MPC), and the National Press Council of Thailand 
(NPCT).  According to the junta's official newspaper dated 3 August, the 
agreement is intended to promote cooperation in media-related 
activities. However, independent journalists and watchdog groups have 
strongly criticized the move.



https://ifex.org/press-freedom-concerns-raised-after-myanmar-military-linked-press-council-signs-mou-with-thai-press-body/


4. Microsoft Cloud Used in Israeli Mass Surveillance of Palestinians: 
Report



Israel's cyber-intelligence unit stored vast volumes of intercepted 
Palestinian phone calls on Microsoft's cloud servers, according to a 
joint investigation by The Guardian, +972 Magazine and Local Call.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/8/7/microsoft-cloud-used-in-israeli-mass-surveillance-of-palestinians-report


5. Georgians Struggling with Slow and Expensive Internet

A recent World Bank study reveals significant problems of high cost and 
lagging quality of internet service in Georgia, compared to other 
countries in the region.

https://dfwatch.net/georgians-struggling-with-slow-and-expensive-internet-62985/


6. US Diplomats Ordered to Launch Lobbying Blitz Against Europe's Tech Law

The US administration has instructed its diplomats in Europe to launch a 
lobbying campaign to build opposition to the European Union's Digital 
Services Act (DSA), an internal diplomatic cable seen by Reuters showed.

https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/society-equity/rubio-orders-us-diplomats-launch-lobbying-blitz-against-europes-tech-law-2025-08-07/

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### Events Calendar ###
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The Digital Rights Asia-Pacific Assembly (DRAPAC)
August 26 - 27, 2025
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
https://drapac.net/25/

Online Course: Threat Sharing and Digital Forensics from a Feminist and 
Human Rights Perspective
Digital Defenders Partnership
September - December, 2025
https://www.digitaldefenders.org/online-course-threat-sharing-and-digital-forensics-from-a-feminist-and-human-rights-perspective/

Global Gathering 2025
Team CommUNITY
September 8 - 10, 2025
Estoril, Portugal
https://www.digitalrights.community/blog/2025-global-gathering-application

MyData 2025 Conference
Helsinki
September 24 - 26, 2025
https://conference.mydata.org/2025

Hold Before You Send It
Digihub Africa 2025
October 8 - 9, 2025
Johannesburg, South Africa
https://www.digihubafrica.org/events/

SEEDIG Youth School 2025
October 10 - 11, 2025
Athens, Greece
https://seedig.net/youth-school/

Reproducible Builds Summit
October 28-30
Vienna, Austria 

https://reproducible-builds.org/events/vienna2025/

Bread&Net
SMEX
October 29 - 31
Beirut, Lebanon
https://breadandnet.org/

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

RightCon 2026
May 5-8
Lusaka, Zambia
https://www.rightscon.org/

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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

Pasantías Para la Seguridad y Resiliencia Digital en América Latina
Derechos Digitales
Cierre de postulaciones: 15 de agosto, 2025
https://www.derechosdigitales.org/25638/nueva-convocatoria-al-programa-de-pasantias-para-la-seguridad-y-resiliencia-digital-en-america-latina/

Imperial College Research Fellowships
Deadline: August 18, 2025
https://www.imperial.ac.uk/research-and-innovation/research-office/funder-information/research-fellowships/icrf/

Microgrants for AI Accountability and Governance
Pulitzer Center's 
South-to-South AI Accountability CoLab
Deadline August 31, 2025
https://pulitzercenter.org/south-south-ai-accountability-colabs-microgrants

Regional Partnership Fund for the EECCA Region 2025
Digital 
Defenders
Deadline: September 12, 
2025
https://www.digitaldefenders.org/regional-partnership-fund-for-the-eecca-region-2025-now-open-for-applications/
Global Technology Industry Association (GTIA) Grants
Deadline: September 15
https://gtia.org/giving/grants

Digital Democracy Centre x TrygFonden Fellowship Program
Deadline: September 15, 2025
https://www.sdu.dk/en/forskning/forskningsenheder/samf/digitaldemocracycentre/ddcxtrygfonden-fellowship-call-2026

WSA Young Innovators Award 2025
Deadline: October 31, 2025
https://wsa-global.org/wsa_categories/wsa-young-innovators/

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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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
PGP: 2E1D CC33 A362 0BD6 236E  540A F60A 89AD 6FF9 7A2F

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