Digital Rights Weekly | December 8 to 12
Team CommUNITY
team at digitalrights.community
Fri Dec 12 16:50:59 CET 2025
Hello Digital Rights Defenders!
Here is your weekly update on digital rights around the world for the
week of December 8 to 12 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. Updates to Calendar of Events: Digital Rights Events in 2026
We have revamped the Calendar of Events on TCU’s wiki to show events
taking place in the digital rights ecosystem in 2026. You can submit
your event to be included by using the “Promote My News” link on our
website. Note, this list will be updated on a monthly basis. .
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=Calendar_of_Events
2. Are You New to Global Gathering? Digital Rights? Digital Security?
If you are new to the Global Gathering (GG), the in-person event brings
together communities experiencing digital threats, and groups working on
tech challenges impacting rights groups from around the world, such as
surveillance, disinformation, and AI. The unique event is designed to
ensure a restorative, safe, and celebratory community space for the over
800+ networks and organizations that attend. The next edition will take
place on September 4, 5 and 6 in Portugal.
Additionally, if you are also new to the complex landscape of digital
rights and digital security, feel free to reach out to us if you need
onboarding support. We can answer your questions, and guide you in the
right direction to find the resources or information you need. We also
encourage you to check out our wiki-based knowledge center that has both
a digital rights primer and a list of useful resources, collected
wisdom, and more.
Global Gathering:
https://www.digitalrights.community/blog/save-the-date-global-gathering-2026
Knowledge Center Wiki
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/
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### Community News ###
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1. HRF-Sponsored Research Reveals Western Funding Ties to China’s
State-Backed AI Labs
In partnership with the Human Rights Foundation, a new report by
Strategy Risks reveals that leading Western universities have
collaborated extensively with Chinese AI laboratories embedded in the
country’s surveillance apparatus, with U.S. and UK government funding
repeatedly acknowledged in the research. The investigation titled
“Shared Labs, Shared Harm” documents how two state-backed Chinese AI
laboratories, the Shanghai Artificial Intelligence Research Institute
(SAIRI) and Zhejiang Lab, have co-authored roughly 3,000 papers with
overseas researchers since 2020.
https://hrf.org/latest/hrf-sponsored-research-reveals-western-funding-ties-to-chinas-state-backed-ai-labs/
2. Four Fellowships Available at Carr-Ryan Center: Apply Now for 2026-27
The Carr-Ryan Center is inviting individuals committed to advancing
human rights—through scholarship, advocacy, or community practice—to
apply for four year-long fellowships for the 2026–27 cycle.
Opportunities include the Carr-Ryan Center Fellowship, the Global
LGBTQI+ Human Rights Fellowship, the Racial Justice Fellowship, and the
Technology and Human Rights Fellowship. Applications for all fellowships
are due on February 22, 2026.
https://www.hks.harvard.edu/centers/carr-ryan/opportunities/fellowship-opportunities/technology-and-human-rights-fellowship
3. Call for Papers and Panels for Digital Commons Conference | Athens 2026
Digital Commons: Infrastructures, Design, and the Ethics of Autonomy has
a call for papers and panels. The interdisciplinary event will take
place on October 8 to 10 in Athens, Greece, and will explore digital
commons - not as fixed platforms or technical solutions but as ongoing,
situated struggles over autonomy, access, and collective care. It is
being co-organized by the Department of Social Anthropology, Panteion
University of Social and Political Sciences, and the Institute of
Informatics and Telecommunications, National Centre for Scientific
Research “Demokritos.” Deadline is February 15, 2026
https://www.digicommons.org
4. Strategy Design Festival
Fab Riders will be hosting the Strategy Design Festival on January 20.
During this one-day, highly interactive gathering, participants will
explore collaborative approaches to developing a strategy that stays
grounded in purpose, while responding to change. Registration is 60 GBP,
with lunch included.
https://www.fabriders.net/strategy-design-festival/
5. Social Media Platform Censorship Research Survey
The Center for Intimacy Justice is conducting research on how
restrictive content moderation practices on social media platforms
impact sexuality-focused content creators. This includes creators
covering topics like menstrual health, STI awareness, healthy
relationships, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and
more. They are inviting content creators to take a short survey.
Findings will inform future advocacy efforts to change content
moderation policies and practices at social media platforms.
https://qualtricsxmwp5qzxmcc.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_brMfRyonzfyMwBw
6. Nigeria: Group Empowers Deaf Women on Digital Safety
Women with hearing impairments in Nigeria have been urged to take
practical steps to protect themselves amid rising cases of online abuse
and violence. To mark the global 16 Days of Activism Against
Gender-Based Violence, an event was held in Nigeria to address the
urgent need for protection, awareness and accessible justice. Notably,
one of the hosts of the event, Lex Initiative for Rights, Advocacy and
Development (LIRAD), has developed sign-language videos explaining
digital rights, cybercrime offenses, and reporting procedures.
https://von.gov.ng/group-empowers-deaf-women-on-digital-safety/
7. UNDP Adds a Digital Rights Dashboard Pilot
The United Nation Development Programme has added a Digital Rights
Dashboard (DRD) to their Digital Development Compass. The DRD is
designed to provide an overview of a country’s progress in embedding
human rights within the digital space. Currently, it features 5 pilot
country insights and a methodological note, to showcase how the DRD
findings can serve as a starting point to understand and shape
conversation on rights-based digital transformation.
https://www.undp.org/publications/undp-digital-rights-dashboard-pilot-country-insights
8. ICJ and Danish Institute for Human Rights Hold Regional Consultation
on Developing Global Principles on Human Rights in the Digital Space
The International Commission of Jurists and the Danish Institute for
Human Rights have assembled a group of 18 independent experts to develop
a unified set of global standards and guidance on protecting human
rights in the digital space, with a view to assisting State authorities,
judicial bodies, independent lawyers, civil society organizations and
others. On November 6-7, an Asia-Pacific regional consultation was held.
https://www.icj.org/asia-pacific-icj-and-danish-institute-for-human-rights-hold-regional-consultation-on-developing-global-principles-on-human-rights-in-the-digital-space/
9. Reports & Statements:
a) Tanzanian Authorities and Meta Must Reverse Course and Respect Human
Rights
Access Now and the #KeepItOn coalition are demanding accountability and
transparency for the grave human rights violations documented in
Tanzania during and after the October 29, 2025 elections. They are also
expressing outrage over the government’s recent request that Meta
restrict access to the accounts of two prominent Tanzanian activists.
According to technical data from the Open Observatory of Network
Interference (OONI), access to Signal and Telegram have been blocked,
adding on to the ongoing blocking of X since May 2025.
https://www.accessnow.org/press-release/keepiton-tanzanian-authorities-and-meta-must-reverse-course-and-respect-human-rights/
b) Viet Tan’s Statement on Meta Geo Blocking their Facebook Page
As of December 4, 2025, Viet Tan’s Facebook page — and at least 16 other
independent voices on the platform — has been geo-blocked for users
inside Vietnam at the request of the Vietnamese authorities. In
response, Viet Tan issued a statement noting that this act of censorship
“follows a broader pattern of shrinking space for independent
information available to people in Vietnam.” Viet Tan Viet is an
organization that advocates for human rights, political reform, and
nonviolent change in Vietnam.
https://viettan.org/en/viet-tan-statement-on-metas-geo-blocking-of-17-leading-facebook-pages-in-vietnam/
c) ICC Cyber-Enabled Crimes Policy: A Strong Step for Accountability and
Human Rights
ARTICLE 19 shares that the Policy on Cyber-Enabled Crimes, launched
recently by the International Criminal Court’s Office of the Prosecutor
(OTP), is a strong and nuanced document that makes clear that conduct in
cyberspace will not escape accountability, while also recognising the
essential role of international human rights law in addressing
cyber-enabled international crimes. As OTP moves towards implementing
the policy, A19 encourages it to continue engagement with human rights
organisations.
https://www.article19.org/resources/icc-cyber-enabled-crimes-policy-a-strong-step-for-accountability-and-human-rights/
__________________________________________
### NEW Job Opportunities ###
__________________________________________
You can access these and other jobs by visiting our job board:
https://www.digitalrights.community/job-board
✎ Senior Research Fellow, The AI Objectives Institute
+ San Francisco | Remote, Global
✎ Project Manager, Open Knowledge Foundation
+ Remote
✎ Graphic Design / Interactive Storytelling Specialist, Whose Knowledge?
+ Remote
✎ Web Developer / Creative Coder, Whose Knowledge?
+ Remote
✎ Consultant – Study on protecting the rights of trans people in the
digital sphere
+ Remote
✎ 2026 Summer Congressional Internship Program, Islamic Scholarship Fund
+ Washington, D.C
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### Community Resources ###
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1. A Model Law to Address Digital Violence Against Women in Latin America
The newly launched Inter-American Model Law aims to help Latin American
countries create comprehensive legal frameworks to tackle
technology-facilitated gender-based violence. The Model Law sets high
regional legal standards and imposes obligations on digital platforms to
remove harmful content, and improve transparency, serving as a guide for
governments and courts in implementing stronger protections.
https://english.elpais.com/international/women-leaders-of-latin-america/2025-12-10/a-model-law-to-address-digital-violence-against-women-in-latin-america.html
2. Meet Talk to the City: An Open Source AI Tool
Talk to the City (T3C) is an open-source AI tool that transforms
large-scale public input into nuanced insights while preserving
individual voices. It's designed for public consultations, civic
dialogue, and collaborative problem-solving—any situation where many
voices need to be heard and turned into actionable insights. Previous
versions of Talk to the City have been used by the Taiwanese government
and the Taiwan AI Assembly, unions, policy makers and more.
https://talktothe.city/
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### Digital Rights in the Wider World ###
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1. New Spyware Threat Alerts Issued by Apple and Google
Apple and Google have issued a fresh round of cyber threat
notifications, warning users worldwide they may have been targeted by
sophisticated surveillance operations linked to state-backed actors.
Apple said it sent alerts on 2 December, confirming it has now notified
users in more than 150 countries, though it declined to disclose how
many people were affected or who was responsible. Google followed on 3
December, announcing warnings for several hundred accounts targeted by
Intellexa spyware across multiple countries in Africa, Central Asia, and
the Middle East.
https://dig.watch/updates/new-spyware-threat-alerts-issued-by-apple-and-google
2. Khashoggi Widow Files Complaint in France Alleging Saudi Government
Infected Devices with Spyware
The widow of slain Saudi journalist and dissident Jamal Khashoggi has
filed a legal complaint in a French court alleging that Saudi Arabia
deployed spyware to snoop on her devices before her spouse was murdered.
Hanan Elatr Khashoggi, a former flight attendant, says in the complaint
that she flew through France routinely at the time her phone data was
being stolen, according to a copy of the complaint seen by Agence
France-Presse.
https://therecord.media/khashoggi-widow-legal-complaint-filed-alleging-saudi-government-spyware
3. The Rise of Digital Authoritarianism in South Sudan
In South Sudan, recent platform blocks, the targeting of independent
media websites, and expanding forms of state monitoring point to the
consolidation of a digital-authoritarian model.
An investigation by Sudans Post examines how these mechanisms operate,
why they are intensifying now, and what they signal for the future of
public discourse, national stability, and the African Union’s Digital
Transformation Strategy (2020–2030), including ongoing efforts to build
Digital Public Infrastructure.
https://www.sudanspost.com/the-rise-of-digital-authoritarianism-in-south-sudan/
2. Bosnian Public Broadcaster BHRT in the Final Stage of Collapse, EU
Must Take Swift Action
Leading European and international organizations, including the European
Federation of Journalists and the European Broadcasting Union, have
written an open letter to the European Commission warning that the
shutdown of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s state-level public broadcaster,
BHRT, could end independent journalism at the national level and fuel
disinformation.
https://europeanjournalists.org/blog/2025/11/27/open-letter-bosnian-public-broadcaster-bhrt-in-the-final-stage-of-collapse-eu-must-take-swift-action/
Postwar Bosnia’s two autonomous regions — the Serb Republic and the
Federation shared by Croats and Bosniaks — run their own broadcasters
funded by licence fees added to electricity bills. Half of those fees
should finance BHRT. Since 2017, the Serb Republic’s RTRS has stopped
transferring fees to BHRT.
https://www.reuters.com/business/bosnian-broadcaster-uses-tent-studio-protest-over-funding-crisis-2025-11-27/
3. Governor of Namibia's Khomas Region, Calls for Human Rights
Protection in the Digital Sphere
Governor Nujoma made the call during the observance of International
Human Rights Day, during an event organized by the Khomas Regional
Council. He also emphasized the urgent need to confront emerging forms
of injustice.
https://www.namibian.com.na/governor-nujoma-calls-for-human-rights-protection-in-the-digital-sphere/
4. Digital Rights to Be Focus of Debate at Glasgow City Council Meeting
Glasgow City Council is set to put digital rights centre stage as
councillors debate a landmark motion at a full council meeting. The
motion, lodged by Cllr Paul Leinster, Chair of the Digital Glasgow
Board, calls on the council to “promote, enhance and expand the digital
rights” of Glaswegians. This will be the first time the issue is
formally debated in the chamber.
https://futurescot.com/online-human-rights-to-be-focus-of-debate-at-glasgow-city-council-meeting/amp/
_____________________________________
### 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 Additionally, we
maintain a calendar of events in our wiki:
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=Calendar_of_Events
Strategy Design Festival
January 20, 2026
London
https://www.fabriders.net/strategy-design-festival/
Palestine Digital Activism Forum (PDAF) 2026
March 30 to 31, 2026
https://pdaf.net/about-theme
International Journalism Festival (IJF)
April 15 to 18, 2026
Perugia, Italy
https://www.journalismfestival.com/
Digital Rights and Inclusion Forum
April 14-16
Abidjan, Ivory Coast
https://sessionize.com/digital-rights-and-inclusion-forum26/
RightCon 2026
May 5-8
Lusaka, Zambia
https://www.rightscon.org/
Free and Open Communications on the Internet (FOCI)
July 20, 2026
Hybrid, co-located with PETS in Calgary, Canada
https://foci.community/
Global Gathering
September 4 to 6, 2026
Portugal
www.digitalrights.community
Digital Commons:Infrastructures, Design, and the Ethics of Autonomy
October 8 to 10
Athens, Greece
www.digicommons.org
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### Grants, Fellowships, & Awards ###
__________________________________________
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/
- Carr-Ryan Center Fellowship
- Global LGBTQI+ Human Rights Fellowship
- Racial Justice Fellowship
- Technology and Human Rights Fellowship.
Deadline: February 22, 2026
https://www.hks.harvard.edu/centers/carr-ryan/opportunities/fellowship-opportunities/technology-and-human-rights-fellowship
La Escuela Virtual de Gobernanza de Internet
Deadline: February 8, 2026
https://www.virtualsig.org/2025/12/02/982/
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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(((Hugs & light)))
--
Team CommUNITY at ARTICLE 19
www.digitalrights.community
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