Digital Rights Weekly | November 24 to 28
Team CommUNITY
team at digitalrights.community
Mon Dec 1 17:35:54 CET 2025
Hello Digital Rights Defenders!
Here is your weekly update on digital rights around the world for the
week of November 24 to 28 As a reminder, you can submit your news for
the newsletter here:
https://www.digitalrights.community/weekly-newsletter
What is in this issue:
TCU
Community News
NEW Job Opportunities
Community Resources
Digital Rights in the Wider World
Events Calendar
Grants, Fellowships, & Awards
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### TCU ###
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1. Save the Date: Global Gathering 2026
Save the date for the 2026 Global Gathering which will be held on
September 4, 5 and 6 in Estoril, Portugal. The gathering brings together
groups throughout the world working at the intersection of technology
and rights. Check out what to expect, updates, tips, and more!
https://www.digitalrights.community/blog/save-the-date-global-gathering-2026
2. A Mesh of Connections, Care and Community Tech: Reflections from the
Global Gathering 2025
Check out reflections from Rebecca Ryakitimbo on their participation in
the last edition of the Global Gathering, comparing it to a living mesh
network where diverse nodes were linked by shared values and the belief
that technology should serve people and communities.
https://www.apc.org/en/blog/mesh-connections-care-and-community-tech-reflections-global-gathering-2025
3. DJ Boom Boom Boom Joins Mamdani's Transition Team
We are thrilled to announce that DJ Boom Boom Boom(B3) will be serving
on NYC Mayor-Elect Zohran Mamdani's transition team! Yes, DJ B3 is now
taking their talents from the GG stage straight to City Hall. It was
only a matter of time before folks realized what we’ve known for years:
D3 has both range and sabor. And D3 won’t be alone! Matt Mitchell is
also joining the transition team. NYC is about to get safer and more
loudly flavorful.
https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/zohran-mamdani-transition-committees/
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### Community News ###
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1. Call for Entries for the Dr Goodluck Jonathan Freedom of Information
Awards 2026
Media Rights Agenda (MRA) has a call for entries for the Dr Goodluck
Jonathan Freedom of Information Awards to recognize journalistic
excellence in promoting transparency, accountability, and the right to
access information under Nigeria’s Freedom of Information Act, 2011. The
award is open only to journalists of Nigerian nationality, working in
any print, broadcast, online, or multimedia outlet. For application
forms and further inquiries, please contact MRA by email at:
foi_awards at mediarightsagenda.org. Deadline is January 31, 2026.
https://mediarightsagenda.org/media-rights-agenda-invites-entries-from-journalists-for-goodluck-jonathan-foi-awards-2026/
2. Webinar "Centering Rights and CSO Participation at India-AI Summit 2026"
Engage Media will be hosting a webinar on December 10 focused on
analysing the seven themes for participation in the India-AI Summit - a
key forum to spotlight AI’s risk and opportunities, and to shape
governance initiatives. Participants will identify critical issues
absent from ongoing conversations, and explore meaningful entry points
for civil society to engage.
https://engagemedia.org/2025/drapac-series-centering-rights-cso-participation-at-india-ai-summit-2026/
3. BIRN 2025 Annual Report
The Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN) has launched its 2025
Annual Report detailing how Southeast Europe is undergoing rapid digital
transformation while simultaneously confronting democratic backsliding,
technological misuse and weak safeguards. The report is based on 1,440
incidents registered by BIRN's monitoring team from September 2024 to
August 2025 in ten countries – Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia,
Hungary, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia and Turkey.
Summary:
https://balkaninsight.com/2025/11/24/digital-rights-violations-pose-democratic-risks-for-southeast-europe-birn-report/
Full report available here:
https://balkaninsight.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/BIRN-Digital-Rights-Violations-Annual-Report-2025.pdf
4. #NoTechForWar: Networking Resistance to #TakeBackTechJoy for 16 Days
of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence 2025
During 16 days, Take Back the Tech will be featuring the voices of women
human rights defenders as they share their personal and political
journeys from across diverse geographies, and deep dives into how vested
interests use surveillance and Big Tech in attempts to silence WHRDs.
They welcome research, opinions, and questions, and will feature
snippets from their Feminist Tech Joy grants as well as host a Feminist
Learning Circle to build capacities.
https://takebackthetech.net/index.php/blog/notechforwar-networking-resistance-takebacktechjoy-16-days-activism-against-gender-based
5. OONI Survey: Only a Few Minutes to Complete
OONI is seeking community feedback on their resources and methodological
updates so they can evaluate their impact and continued improvement. The
survey only takes a few minutes to complete! The deadline is December 21.
https://forms.gle/6s7MWdtUViB1NRMK8
6. Asia Safety Showcase: Reimagine Gender in Tech
The Safety Showcase is a global initiative that spotlights safe, ethical
and gender-responsive technology, centering the lived experiences of
women, girls and other marginalized groups. They currently have an open
call for their Asia Safety Showcase. They invite tech innovators,
startups, and organizations to share products or tools that prioritize
user safety and well-being at the center of their design, as a key
strategy to prevent and respond to TFGBV.
https://www.tfgbvsafetyshowcase.org
7. X Update Reveals Digital Authoritarianism in Iran: The ‘White SIM
Card’ Scandal
As Iranian officials seek to present the country’s tiered internet
policy as “Phased Unfiltering” (or “staged unfiltering”), a small update
on X (formerly Twitter) made its real-world effects impossible to
ignore. It highlighted what digital rights advocates have long warned:
that for years, specific groups in Iran have had access to a “freer
internet”, meaning an internet without filtering and restrictions,
unlike the expensive and heavily censored experience of ordinary users.
https://filter.watch/english/2025/11/24/investigative-report-november-2025-revealing-the-depth-of-digital-discrimination/
8. Chrystalleni Loizidou on Meaningful Participation in a Free/Libre
Technology Funding Programme
Check out APC’s recent interview with Chrystalleni Loizidou, a recipient
of the NGI Zero (NGIO) grant, which supports free software, open data,
open hardware and open standards.Based in Cyprus, Lozizidou facilitates
dialogue between local and regional projects and the NGO10 consortium,
with the goal of helping to better understand and respond to the local
community and involve it in the process.
https://www.apc.org/en/news/chrystalleni-loizidou-meaningful-participation-freelibre-technology-funding-programme
__________________________________________
### NEW Job Opportunities ###
__________________________________________
You can access these and other jobs by visiting our job board:
https://www.digitalrights.community/job-board
✎ Senior Director of Product., National Domestice Workers Alliance
+ Remote
✎ Chief of Staff to the CEO, ISOC
+ Washington DC
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### Community Resources ###
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1. Brazil’s Regulatory Moment is a Cautionary Tale for Philanthropy
For years, observers of digital governance in the South have searched
for a case study that could finally break the myth that only Brussels or
Silicon Valley sets the rules of the digital world.
Today, that spotlight has shifted decisively to Brazil as it takes on
tech giants, pushes ambitious bills, and articulates a vision of digital
sovereignty that resonates across borders. .
https://www.alliancemagazine.org/blog/brazils-regulatory-moment-is-a-cautionary-tale-for-philanthropy/
3. George Orwell’s 1984, Now Streaming in Pakistan
Pakistan’s trajectory is troubling - from the deployment of a national
“firewall” in recent years to the discovery of a “Lawful Intercept
Management System”, user data and citizen privacy remain hostage to
political ambitions and corporate collusion.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1951152
4. How Global Counter-Terrorism and Security Norms Threaten Civic Space
and Human Rights
Global counter-terrorism and security norms are propelling the
introduction of pre-emptive, automated and algorithmic forms of
surveillance and profiling, says new research published by Statewatch.
This is reinforcing racism and discrimination, inhibiting free movement,
and giving authoritarian states new tools of control. The research calls
for an organised response, and sets out some guiding questions for
future work.
https://www.statewatch.org/publications/reports-and-books/networks-of-in-security-how-global-counter-terrorism-and-security-norms-threaten-civic-space-and-human-rights/
5. The Global Retreat from Content Moderation Is Endangering Free
Expression: Kenya Shows Why
Across the world, major social media platforms are undergoing a profound
and troubling shift: a structured retreat from proactive content
moderation. Platforms are framing this move as a principled defense of
“free speech,” but in practice, it is a deliberate choice to expose
users to unprecedented levels of harm, making genuine freedom of
expression more fragile.
https://www.justsecurity.org/125691/retreat-content-moderation-kenya/
6. Innovative Strategies to Fight Electoral Disinformation Campaigns
A Latin American investigative journalism network AI-generated two news
anchors - La Chama and El Pana - to present news to combat President
Nicolás Maduro’s media crackdown during the 2024 presidential election.
https://gijn.org/uncategorized/gijc25-innovative-strategies-fight-electoral-disinformation-campaigns/
7. How Russian Disinformation is Gaining Momentum
Europe is recording a sharp increase in Russian cyber operations and
AI-generated fakes that Russia uses in its information warfare.
According to Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation, since the
beginning of 2025, 191 Russian information operations have been
identified, generating at least 84.5 million views. A key tool is
operational model Storm-1516, which has appeared in 77 operations
targeting France, Ukraine, and Western countries, and was officially
condemned by France in May 2025.
https://gijn.org/uncategorized/gijc25-innovative-strategies-fight-electoral-disinformation-campaigns/
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### Digital Rights in the Wider World ###
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1. Global Internet Freedoms Weakening, Yet Resilient
Freedom House’s annual report found that digital liberties worldwide
have deteriorated for the 15th straight year. State censorship and
restrictions worsened in 28 of the 72 nations examined. But there are
also silver linings. Seventeen countries made positive gains —
especially Bangladesh, where youth-led protests last year ousted
dictator Sheikh Hasina. Additionally, civil society groups, media
outlets and lawmakers are achieving breakthroughs with better
legislation, greater awareness of online threats and increased
accountability for platforms.
https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/analysis/2025/11/27/global-internet-freedoms-weakening-yet-resilient
2. UN Fears Mass-Electronic Surveillance During Myanmar Vote
Elections scheduled in military-ruled Myanmar next month could never be
free or fair, the United Nations is insisting, warning that the junta
could unleash mass-electronic surveillance on polling stations. James
Rodehaver, head of the rights office's Myanmar team, echoed that
concern, pointing to how the military had "introduced a wide range of
electronic surveillance throughout the country utilising AI-biometric
tracking".
https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20251128-un-fears-mass-electronic-surveillance-during-myanmar-vote
3. Bahrain to Argue at UK Supreme Court It Has Immunity from
Surveillance Claims
Bahrain is to tell the UK’s supreme court that it enjoys sovereign
immunity from claims it placed surveillance software on the computers of
two dissidents when they were living in London. The Gulf country has
lost the sovereign immunity claim both in the high court and court of
appeal.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/nov/26/bahrain-uk-supreme-court-immunity-surveillance-claims
4. Australia Will Enforce a Social Media Ban for Children Under 16
Despite a Court Challenge
Australia will go ahead with a law banning children under 16 from having
social-media accounts — set to take effect on December 10, 2025.
Sydney-based Digital Freedom Project is challenging the world-first
legislation in court stating the ban is a direct assault on young
people’s rights.
https://broadbandbreakfast.com/australia-will-enforce-a-social-media-ban-for-children-under-16-despite-a-court-challenge/
5. EU Member States Open the Door to Measures Strengthening the
Visibility of Journalism on Online Platforms
Ensuring citizens’ access to reliable information is becoming a priority
for the European Union in its efforts to combat disinformation,
information manipulation, and foreign interference. After the European
Commission, EU Member States have now expressed support for measures
aimed at enhancing the visibility of media of general interest,
specifying that this visibility must also extend to online platforms.
https://rsf.org/en/access-reliable-information-eu-member-states-open-door-measures-strengthening-visibility-journalism
Meanwhile, president Emmanuel Macron has called for swift changes to
French law that would allow judges to urgently block 'false information'
circulating online.
https://www.rfi.fr/en/france/20251128-macron-pushes-for-new-legislation-to-rap%C3%AEdly-block-viral-digital-disinformation
6. New Research and Advocacy Hub in the US to Focus on Technology and
Justice
The University of California, Irvine School of Law, has launched the
Center for Technology and Justice. The research and advocacy hub will
tackle issues like pervasive surveillance, data-driven harms, digital
abuse, and the loss of privacy in a tech-saturated world. The goal of
the center is to put students at the table where new laws and regulatory
frameworks are being shaped.
https://nationaljurist.com/uci-law-launches-center-for-technology-and-justice-to-tackle-privacy-and-digital-rights/
_____________________________________
### Events Calendar ###
______________________________________
Did you know you could submit your events for inclusion in our
newsletter? It takes a few minutes to submit:
https://www.digitalrights.community/weekly-newsletter
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/
European Young Innovators Festival
November 26 to 28
https://wsa-global.org/events/european-young-innovators-festival/
Taboo Talks: Caring for Those Who Care
Register by November 26. But workshop to take place in January
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeNEPM242m3lsaPfpKxDbm9hunE72pJ1ZSoDbO7q_ApIDXDrg/viewform
SplinterCon 2025
December 8–10, 2025
Paris, France
https://splintercon.net/paris/
Webinar: Centering Rights and CSO Participation at India-AI Summit 2026
December 10, 2025
https://engagemedia.org/2025/drapac-series-centering-rights-cso-participation-at-india-ai-summit-2026/
Online Workshop: The Session Design Lab
December 10 and 11
https://www.fabriders.net/session-design-lab/
Palestine Digital Activism Forum (PDAF) 2026
March 30 to 31, 2026
https://pdaf.net/about-theme
PolicyLab Africa: Co-Creation Workshops
1st workshop: 10th December, 2025
https://forms.gle/6zMusiFhVPUEw5Av8
RightCon 2026
May 5-8
Lusaka, Zambia
https://www.rightscon.org/
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### Grants, Fellowships, & Awards ###
__________________________________________
ACLS Digital Justice Grants
November 20, 2025
https://www.acls.org/programs/acls-digital-justice-grants
NLnet Zero Commons Fund
Deadline: December 1
https://nlnet.nl/commonsfund/
NLnet Fediversity Programme
Deadline: December 1
https://nlnet.nl/fediversity/
John S. Knight Journalism Fellowship
Deadline: December 3
https://jsk.stanford.edu/become-a-fellow#why-apply
Berkman Fellowship
Deadline: December 5.
https://cyber.harvard.edu/getinvolved/fellowships
AI Reporting Grant Program
December 31, 2025
https://pulitzercenter.org/grants-fellowships/opportunities-journalists/ai-reporting-grants
Dr Goodluck Jonathan Freedom of Information Awards 2026
Deadline: January 31, 2026.
https://mediarightsagenda.org/media-rights-agenda-invites-entries-from-journalists-for-goodluck-jonathan-foi-awards-2026/
Digital Freedom Fund
Deadline: February 17
https://digitalfreedomfund.org/grants/
InDiCo-Global. Deadline
Deadline: June 30, 2026
https://indico-global-grants.eu/indico-global-third-open-call
__________________________________________
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Team CommUNITY at ARTICLE 19
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