Digital Rights Weekly | June 16 - 20

[Team CommUNITY]

Hello Digital Rights Defenders!

Here is your weekly update on digital rights around the world for the week of June 16 - 20. 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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1. Upcoming Digital Rights Town Halls and Community Knowledge Shares:

June 25 | Digital Iran Reloaded: Iranian Gamers vs. Information Controls (Digital Rights MENA Meetup)
https://digitalrights.formstack.com/forms/lessons_from_mena_june_2025

June 26 | The Social Networking Glitter Meetup
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=June_26_2025_GM

July 10 | The Social Networking Glitter Meetup
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=July_10_2025_GM

July 24 | What is Happening in Digital Rights Around the World?
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=July_24_2025_GM

July 31 | The Power and Relevance of Humanizing Tech and Digital Rights Through Storytelling
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=July_31_2025_GM

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### Community News ###
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1. Apply for a Digital Public Infrastructure Research Grant

As Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) becomes increasingly implemented to impact how individuals access services, exercise agency, and participate in the digital economy, it is reshaping the foundations of public service delivery and market participation. The research grant is focused on exploring  fundamental questions through country-relevant, context-specific research rooted in ongoing DPI  initiatives. This opportunity is open to independent researchers, research organizations, and those affiliated with universities, think tanks, or research institutions. Grant amounts: up to $40,000 USD. Research must be completed within six months of award. Deadline to submit expression of interest proposals: June 30, 2025.

https://www.centerforfinancialinclusion.org/research/global-dpi-insights-community/


2. 2026 Digital Democracy Centre x TrygFonden Fellowship Program

Based in the University of Southern Denmark, the Digital Democracy Centre’s fellowship program aims to foster collaboration between researchers, journalists, and policymakers in exploring the impact of digital technology and AI on media, politics, and democracy. The length of the fellowship is flexible (2-12 months). The fellowship program offers either a salary subsidy or a stipend to help with travel and/or housing. Deadline to apply: September 15, 2025.

https://www.sdu.dk/en/forskning/forskningsenheder/samf/digitaldemocracycentre/ddcxtrygfonden-fellowship-call-2026


3. Deadline for Responsive Fund Extended to June 27

The United Kingdom Humanitarian Innovation Hub is seeking innovative proposals for their Responsive Fund. They are considering proposals that respond to humanitarian responses prioritized by the human rights sector, including OPT/Gaza, Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Myanmar, and Ukraine. Other contexts may be considered where there is compelling evidence of emerging or escalating humanitarian needs. Projects supported address emerging crises through problem-led research. Deadline to apply: June 27, 2025.

https://www.ukhih.org/news/call-for-proposals-now-open-responsive-fund-general/


4. CNN Academy Program Voices from the South: Storytelling for Impact

This program is investing in emerging journalism from the Global South across regions often at the epicenter of global health emergencies, yet underrepresented in coverage. From reporting on vaccine equity in Sub-Saharan Africa to humanitarian crises in conflict zones, to the resilience of frontline workers, this program will train you to find the stories that matter and tell them in depth, context and impact. Deadline to apply: June 23, 2025.

https://academy.cnn.com/voices-from-the-south-storytelling-for-impact/


5. 2025-26 Foundry Fellowship for African Entrepreneurs

The Foundry Fellowship is an eight-month, transformative experience for accomplished entrepreneurs who are committed to leading the acceleration and interconnection of Africa’s innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystems. The fellowship is designed for principled leaders who seek to catalyze systems transformation and inclusive growth across Africa. Deadline to apply: July 6, 2025.

https://app.babele.co/application-definition/401


6. Reports From Our Community:

a) Spyware and State Abuse: The Case for an EU-wide Ban

EDRi’s position paper addresses the challenges posed by state use of spyware in the EU. It also tackles how spyware should be legally defined in a way that shields us from future harms, as well as the dangers of the proliferation of commercial spyware in Europe. After conducting a values-based analysis into spyware, the paper concludes that the only human-rights compliant approach is a full ban.

https://edri.org/our-work/spyware-and-state-abuse-the-case-for-an-eu-wide-ban-position-paper/


b) Digital Identity and Digital Public Infrastructure: Recommendations for a Fair Information Architecture

Check out the new release of Data Privacy Brasil, the report “Digital Identity and Digital Public Infrastructure: recommendations for a fair information architecture”. The study examines the impact of a Digital Public Infrastructure, especially digital identity applications, on the protection of personal data in light of the Brazilian Federal Constitution and the General Data Protection Law.

https://www.dataprivacybr.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/eng_Digital-Identity-and-Digital-Public-Infrastructure_sem-apendice.pdf


c) Fiscal Hosting in the Internet Freedom

Interalia, a new fiscal host based in Germany, recently published two reports that underpin their strategy. They note that the Internet freedom space has faced several key challenges due to its professionalisation and a general global political swing to the right. They also note that, based on anecdotal evidence, the fiscal hosting space has indeed struggled in recent years, with some closing or reducing operations, or only taking on projects with relatively high incomes.

Fiscal Hosting in the Internet Freedom Space by Zara Rahman: https://interalia.host/media/uploads/fiscal-hosting-in-the-internet-freedom-space.pdf

A Delicate Dance: Exploring Fiscal Sponsorship by Rayya El Zein https://interalia.host/media/uploads/a-delicate-dance_exploring-feminist-fiscal-sponsorship.pdf

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### NEW Job Opportunities  ###
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✎ Program Director | The Global Investigative Journalism Network (GIJN)
+ Remote
http://gijn.org/jobs/program-director-2/

✎ (Python Based) Lead Research Engineer | Thomson Reuters Labs
+ Toronto, Ontario, Canada
https://careers.thomsonreuters.com/us/en/job/JREQ186133/-Python-Based-Lead-Research-Engineer

✎ Research Fellow – AI Initiative | The Center for Global Development (CGD)
+ Washington, DC, USA
https://centerforglobaldevelopment.applytojob.com/apply/p9hwzxFxXp/Research-Fellow-AI-Initiative

✎ Lead Researcher | 7amleh
+ Remote
https://7amleh.org/post/call-for-lead-researcher:-comparative-analysis-of-online-censorship-policies-and-practices-in-europe

✎ Technology Policy Analyst | The IEEE Standards Association
+ New Jersey, USA
https://ieee.taleo.net/careersection/2/jobdetail.ftl?job=250189&tz=GMT-04%3A00&tzname=America%2FNew_York

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### Community Resources  ###
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1. Why Digital Resilience Remains Out of Reach for Civil Society in the Global South

What does it really take for civil society organisations to survive digital threats, not just avoid them? In this thought piece, Resilience Technologies unpack why digital resilience remains elusive in the Global South, even as threats grow more complex and automated. They explore the five core pillars every organisation must tackle: Measure, Attack, Capacity, Withstand, and Recover.

https://rtafrica.org/why-digital-resilience-remains-out-of-reach-for-civil-society-in-the-global-south/


2. The Evolving Threat of Online Scams: Why Smarter Security Matters

Over half of consumers believe they're being targeted by scams each month. They’re looking toward AI-powered security and real-time detection as new tools to remain safe online. They also see financial and tech companies are the most responsible for keeping consumers safe from scams online.

https://pro.morningconsult.com/articles/global-scam-prevalence


3. Inside Amsterdam’s High-stakes Experiment to Create Fair Welfare AI

Hans de Zwart, a gym teacher turned digital rights advocate, says that when he saw Amsterdam’s plan to have an algorithm evaluate every welfare applicant in the city for potential fraud, he nearly fell out of his chair. The Dutch city thought it could break a decade-long trend of implementing discriminatory algorithms. Its failure raises the question: can these programs ever be fair?

https://www.technologyreview.com/2025/06/11/1118233/amsterdam-fair-welfare-ai-discriminatory-algorithms-failure/


4. US Tech and Finance Have Become Israel’s Greatest Allies

Around 75 to 80 percent of the venture capital backing Israel’s tech sector originates in the US. Tech has become increasingly dependent on states rather than private consumers to make profits. To varying degrees, Silicon Valley’s behemoths are struggling to deal with three interrelated problems: competition from Chinese firms; concerns over the long-term viability of advertising and cloud rent streams; and worry that their enormous capital expenditures on AI infrastructure might not bear fruit.

https://jacobin.com/2025/06/us-tech-finance-israel-capital

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### Digital Rights in the Wider World ###
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1. Total Internet Blackout Expands Across Gaza, Threatening Complete Telecommunications Collapse

Gaza is enduring days of a total communications crisis. The blackout began on 10 June with the targeting of the main fiber backbone connecting Gaza City and North Gaza, resulting in a full collapse of internet and landline services in those areas. As of 12 June, the damage has spread across the central and southern governorates, following the destruction of the last remaining fiber route, as confirmed by the Palestinian Telecommunications Regulatory Authority.

https://7amleh.org/post/total-internet-blackout-expands-across-gaza,-threatening-complete-telecommunications-collapse


2. Internet Disrupted in Iran Amid Israeli Attacks, Starlink Turned on

There has been a significant decline in internet traffic within Iran as a result of temporary restrictions issued by the country’s Ministry of Information and Communications following Israeli strikes. Elon Musk, who owns Starlink, indicated on X that he has turned on the service for those in Iran with devices that can access it.

https://www.thenationalnews.com/future/technology/2025/06/13/iran-internet-outage-israel/


3. Apps Helping Immigrants in the US are Going Offline, Scaling Back

A spike in immigration raids has spread fear across migrant communities in the U.S. A slew of new apps aimed at providing migrants support have emerged in recent years. Afraid of government persecution, some of the apps have gone offline or scaled back operations.

https://restofworld.org/2025/immigration-raids-migrant-safety-apps/


4. First Forensic Confirmation of Paragon’s iOS Mercenary Spyware Finds Journalists Targeted

A new Citizen Lab investigation confirms that a select group of iOS users were notified by Apple that they were targeted with advanced spyware - Paragon’s Graphite mercenary spyware. Among those targeted include a prominent European journalist (who requests anonymity), and Italian journalist Ciro Pellegrino. An identified indicator link both cases to the same Paragon operator.

https://citizenlab.ca/2025/06/first-forensic-confirmation-of-paragons-ios-mercenary-spyware-finds-journalists-targeted/


5. Chile Libera a los Data Centers de la Evaluación Ambiental

Chile está promoviendo que se construyan muchos data centers en el país. El proyecto Plan Nacional de Data Centers busca atraer inversiones en una industria que ya está en pleno auge producto del uso masivo de inteligencia artificial. El gobierno aprobó un cambio reglamentario que en la práctica exime a los data centers de pasar por el Sistema de Evaluación de Impacto Ambiental.

https://robotlabot.substack.com/p/chile-libera-a-los-data-centers-de

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### Events Calendar ###
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South-to-South AI Accountability CoLab
The Pulitzer Center
June - July, 2025
https://pulitzercenter.org/south-south-ai-accountability-colabs-peer-learning-circle

Digital Iran Reloaded: Iranian Gamers vs. Information Controls (Digital Rights MENA Meetup)
Team CommUNITY
June 25, 2025
9am EDT / 1pm UTC
Online
https://digitalrights.formstack.com/forms/lessons_from_mena_june_2025

The Social Networking Glitter Meetup
Team CommUNITY
June 26, 2025
9am EDT /1pm UTC
Online
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=June_26_2025_GM

The Social Networking Glitter Meetup
Team CommUNITY
July 10, 2025
9am EDT /1pm UTC
Online
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=July_10_2025_GM

What is Happening in Digital Rights Around the World? (Glitter Meetup)
Team CommUNITY
July 24, 2025
9am EDT /1pm UTC
Online
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=July_24_2025_GM

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

The Power and Relevance of Humanizing Tech and Digital Rights Through Storytelling (Glitter Meetup)
Team CommUNITY
July 31, 2025
9am EDT /1pm UTC
Online
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=July_31_2025_GM

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

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/

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

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 ###
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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

New York Times's News Safety Fellow
https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/thenewyorktimes/jobs/4559864005

Grow the Future 2025 Alliance Against Tech Authoritarianism
Deadline: June 20, 2025
https://usboell.bamboohr.com/careers/77?source=aWQ9OQ%3D%3D

Voices from the South: Storytelling for Impact
CNN Academy Program
Deadline: June 23, 2025
https://academy.cnn.com/voices-from-the-south-storytelling-for-impact/

Digital Good Research Fund ‘Building the Digital Good’
Deadline: June 26, 2025
https://digitalgood.net/digital-good-research-fund-round-3-building-the-digital-good-call-for-applications/

Call for Proposals Responsive Fund
Deadline: June 27, 2025
https://www.ukhih.org/news/call-for-proposals-now-open-responsive-fund-general/

Digital Public Infrastructure Research Grant
Deadline to submit expression of interest: June 30, 2025
https://www.centerforfinancialinclusion.org/research/global-dpi-insights-community/

SA Tech Challenge 2025, Innovation Bridge
Deadline: June 30, 2025
https://innovationbridge.info/ibportal/g20/tech-challenge

Grants for Investigative Stories
Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN)
Deadline: June 30, 2025
https://birn.eu.com/news-and-events/birn-invites-journalists-to-apply-for-grants-for-investigative-stories/

2025-26 Foundry Fellowship for African Entrepreneurs
Deadline: July 6, 2025
https://app.babele.co/application-definition/401

OGP’s Helen Darbishire Fund for Civil Society 2025-27
Deadline: July 6, 2025
https://www.opengovpartnership.org/ogps-helen-darbishire-fund-for-civil-society-2025-27/

Research Fellowships on Digital Sentience
Deadline: July 9, 2025
https://www.longview.org/digital-sentience-consortium/research-fellowships-on-digital-sentience/

Digital Freedom Fund Open Call
Deadline: July 15, 2025
https://digitalfreedomfund.org/grants/

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

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

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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www.digitalrights.community
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