Digital Rights Weekly | March 10 - 14

[Team CommUNITY]

Hello Digital Rights Defenders!

Here is your weekly update on digital rights around the world for the 
week of March 10 - 14. 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. Last Chance to Help us Plan for the 2025 Global Gathering

We need your help! Take this quick, 4-minute survey, so we can ensure 
the Global Gathering remains a useful tool and responsive to current 
needs. Dates for the event are September 8, 9 and 10.


https://digitalrights.formstack.com/forms/2025_global_gathering


2. Join TCU’s Community Skill Sharing Webinars:

RSVP for the Community Knowledge Share webinars! These webinars are 
designed to deepen your knowledge 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


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

March 20 | Social Networking Glitter Meetup
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=March_20_2025_GM

March 27 | Target Threats Research: A Breakdown of 3 Years of Civil 
Society Threat Research in South & North Korea
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=March_27_2025_GM

April 3 | What is Happening in Digital Rights Around the World? (Glitter 
Meetup)
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=April_3_2025_GM

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

April 17 | The Social Networking Glitter Meetup (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. 4D Grants for Democratic Digitalisation Projects


4D Digital Rights by Design has an open call for democratic 
digitalisation projects. Applicants can be European entities, consortia, 
or people, and projects can be existing or brand new. The application 
process itself is quick and easy to encourage participation. Projects 
must intervene so that digitalisation is democratic and/or digital 
rights are applied systemically. They’re looking for technologies, 
actions and/or action protocols, beyond theoretical research or reports. 
Deadline: May 18, 2025.

https://4d.cat/en/award


2. 2025 Oxford Media Policy Summer Institute Call for Applications

The 2025 Oxford Media Policy Summer Institute is inviting applications 
for its two-week program from July 28 to August 8, 2025. This program 
offers a unique opportunity to explore global media policy issues 
through seminars, discussions, and networking with a diverse group of 
professionals. Applicants are encouraged to apply early, especially if a 
visa is required, with an early decision deadline of March 21, 2025, and 
a final deadline of April 25, 2025. For more information, visit the 
official website or write at pcmlp at csls.ox.ac.uk

https://www.law.ox.ac.uk/oxford-media-policy-summer-institute


3. UNICEF Venture Fund Open Call: Open Source Technologies that Improve 
Health Access Economic Participation, and Essential Services

The UNICEF Venture Fund is calling for applications from start-ups 
developing cutting edge tech solutions improving access to quality 
health care and services, and ensuring socio-economic participation of 
women and girls. Applications are open to start-ups in low- and 
middle-income economies developing Open Source technology that improves 
health outcomes, economic participation, or access to essential services 
for women and girls. Deadline: May 8, 2025.

https://www.unicef.org/innovation/FemTechCall

4. Digital Rights and Inclusion Forum (DRIF25)

Registration for the Digital Rights and Inclusion Forum (DRIF25) is 
open. The event will take place from April 29 to May 1, 2025, in Lusaka, 
Zambia, bringing together key stakeholders to discuss key issues around 
digital rights and inclusion in Africa. Deadline for free registration: 
March 20, 2025. Final registration deadline: April 7, 2025.

https://drif.paradigmhq.org/register/


5. Two Webinars from Engage Media

EngageMedia is hosting two webinars in March as part of their DRAPAC 
Series of events that aims to generate conversations on human and 
digital rights in the networked society.

Pro-democracy Platform Advocacy: Resisting Big Tech-mediated 
Authoritarianism in Southeast Asia | March 26, 3PM – 4:30PM Bangkok time 
(UTC+7)
https://engagemedia.org/events/drapac-series-14-pro-democracy-platform-advocacy/


Digital Labor in the Philippines and Asia-Pacific | March 20, 1PM – 
2:30PM Bangkok time: It will focus on important questions regarding the 
protection of gig workers' rights in the context of evolving technology. 
Key topics include the digital platforms’ responsibility in ensuring 
fair labor practices and how labor laws in the Philippines and other 
Asian countries should adapt to better protect gig workers.
https://engagemedia.org/events/drapac-series-13-digital-labor/


6. Webinar | EFFecting Change: Is There Hope for Social Media?

Unpredictable censorship, hostility, and dodgy information collide on 
platforms that seem designed to exploit your emotions for ad revenue. 
Yet social media also sparked positive social movements, fostered 
creativity, and connected people in once unimaginable ways. Is it 
possible to effectively build the kinds of communities we want online 
while avoiding the pitfalls that have driven people away? Tune in on 
March 20, 2025 and join the discussion:

https://www.eff.org/event/effecting-change-there-hope-social-media


7. Reports from Our Community

a) Digital Governance & Rights in South Asia and the Path Forward

Twelve South Asian digital rights organizations convened in 2024 to 
share lessons to combat digital authoritarianism in the region, 
resulting in this report. It highlights how the lack of regional 
cooperation has led to a “contagion effect” wherein South Asian 
countries are “implicitly compelled to adopt governance frameworks and 
regulations set by dominant markets, primarily in Australia, Canada, the 
European Union, and the United States.”

https://www.techpolicy.press/from-contagion-to-coalition-advancing-digital-rights-in-south-asia/ 


b) Over 12 Million Violent Digital Posts Against Palestinians in 2024

The Arab Center for the Advancement of Social Media has released its 
annual report, revealing 12,482,041 inciting and violent posts in 2024, 
an average of 23.6 posts per minute, and exposing a disturbing 
phenomenon of celebration and gloating over the killing and injury of 
Palestinians. The report also highlights a significant disparity between 
digital platforms in handling inciting content: 79% of inciting content 
was documented on X, while 21% was found on Facebook. Combined, the 
findings show an alarming increase in digital hate speech and incitement 
against Palestinians.


https://7amleh.org/2025/03/11/racism-index-2024-en


c) Governing Emerging Technology in Africa

The Atlantic Council’s Democracy + Tech Initiative launched a report 
which examines how five African countries are navigating the complex 
landscape of emerging technologies, focusing on connectivity, data 
governance, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and digital public 
infrastructure.

https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/event/governing-emerging-technology-in-africa/

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### NEW Job Opportunities  ###
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✎ Campaign Director | Athena
+ Remote
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_E6Igd29Rw9IntErH0p3OWC8cZMRzZvtWB9UkgaZd1E/edit?tab=t.0

✎ Director of Security | Freedom Together Foundation
+ New York, US
https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/thejpbfoundation/jobs/6486355003?gh_src=5f298ee93us

✎ PhD Position Digital-infrastructural Sovereignty Amidst and Beyond 
US-China Polarization | University of Amsterdam
+ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
https://werkenbij.uva.nl/en/vacancies/phd-position-digital-infrastructural-sovereignty-amidst-and-beyond-us-china-polarization-netherlands-13864

✎ Open Source Investigator and Trainer (Conflict) | Bellingcat
+ Remote
https://www.bellingcat.com/bellingcat-is-hiring-open-source-investigator-and-trainer-conflict/

✎ Technical Writer | Commons Caretakers
+ Not Specified
https://www.commonscaretakers.com/services/work-with-us.html

✎ Chief Information Security Officer | NGO-ISAC
+ Remote in USA (DC Area Preferred)
https://www.ngoisac.org/careers-ciso

✎ Ethics Specialist | Eticas
+ Remote
https://eticas.zohorecruit.com/jobs/Careers/754104000002725976/Ethics-Specialist

✎ Technology Accountability Advocate | Public Citizen
+ Washington DC, USA
https://publiccitizen.applytojob.com/apply/jobs/details/o4C0zkJHZH?&

✎ Mid/Senior Product Comms Manager | Green Web Foundation
+ Remote or Berlin, Germany
https://www.thegreenwebfoundation.org/jobs/mid-senior-product-comms-manager/

✎ Creative Lead | Mada Masr
+ Cairo, Egypt
https://mada38.appspot.com/www.madamasr.com/en/employment-opportunities/

✎ Senior Advocacy Officer | International Press Institute (IPI)
+ Remote or Vienna, Austria
https://ipi.media/ipinetwork/ipi-seeks-senior-advocacy-officer/

✎  Threat, Malware and Forensic Experts (Contract) | Resilience Technologies
+ Remote
https://rtafrica.org/call-for-contractors-resilience-technologies-surveillance-spyware-investigation-program/

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### Community Resources  ###
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1. A Global Leap to 4G and 5G Will impact Millions of Vulnerable People.

A global leap to 4G and 5G would cut off phone access for millions of 
vulnerable people. Telecom companies aim to profit from the 2G-to-5G 
transition as governments worldwide face pressure to free up mobile 
spectrum. Vietnam is the latest country to shut down 2G by offering free 
4G phones to vulnerable and low-resourced populations. India and South 
Africa have expressed concern that the strategy would cut off phone 
access for millions.

https://restofworld.org/2025/shutting-down-2g-networks-phones-obsolete/


2. Syria’s Telecom Sector: Between Neglect & Reconstruction

Residents in Syria are still waiting for the transitional government to 
take tangible steps towards remedying and reconstructing a devastated 
telecommunications sector. Millions of people are in need of robust 
access to an affordable internet, as well as signal coverage in rural 
regions.

https://smex.org/syrias-telecom-sector-between-neglect-and-reconstruction/


3. Indonesia’s Online Privacy Protections are Falling Short of the Mark

Indonesia is considering restrictions on children's ability to use 
social media while struggling to implement protective measures against 
data exploitation for its young population, who form a large consumer 
base in the country's digital economy.


https://eastasiaforum.org/2025/03/12/indonesias-online-privacy-protections-are-falling-short-of-the-mark/ 


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### Digital Rights in the Wider World ###
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1. Internet Shutdowns at Record High in Africa as Access ‘Weaponised’

Digital blackouts reached a record high in 2024 in Africa as more 
governments sought to keep millions of citizens off the internet than in 
any other period over the last decade. There were 21 shutdowns in 15 
African countries, surpassing the existing record of 19 shutdowns in 
2020 and 2021.

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/mar/09/internet-shutdowns-record-high-africa-2024-access-weaponised 



2. Malicious Chrome Extensions Can Spoof Password Managers in New Attack

A newly devised "polymorphic" attack allows malicious Chrome extensions 
to morph into other browser extensions, including password managers, 
crypto wallets, and banking apps, to steal sensitive information. The 
attack was devised by SquareX Labs, which warns of its practicality and 
feasibility on the latest version of Chrome. The researchers have 
responsibly disclosed the attack to Google.

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/malicious-chrome-extensions-can-spoof-password-managers-in-new-attack/


3. Turkish Independent Media Outlets Condemn Google’s ‘Devastating’ 
Algorithm Changes

Eight independent online news outlets in Turkey have issued an open 
letter protesting Google’s algorithm changes, which they say have 
drastically reduced their reader traffic and put their financial 
sustainability at risk. The open letter, signed by digital news outlets 
Artı Gerçek, BirGün, Diken, Ekonomim, Gazete Pencere, Kısa Dalga, 
Medyascope and T24 comes one day after another independent news website, 
Gazete Duvar, announced that it is ending its operations due to economic 
problems caused primarily by Google algorithm changes.

https://www.turkishminute.com/2025/03/13/independent-media-outlets-in-turkey-condemn-googles-devastating-algorithm-changes/

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### Recent Statements from our Community ###
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1. Stop Europol’s Trojan Horse: 168 Organisations & Experts Call to 
Reject “Insidious” Police Powers Expansion

EDRi, together with the Equinox Initiative For Racial Justice, published 
a joint statement signed by 168 organisations and experts calling for 
the rejection of the Europol Regulation and to amend the proposed 
Facilitation Directive. The so-called ‘Facilitators Package’ would 
expand surveillance measures, erode the right to seek asylum and 
criminalise human movement.
https://edri.org/our-work/stop-europols-trojan-horse-168-organisations-and-experts-call-to-reject-insidious-police-powers-expansion/ 


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### Events Calendar ###
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Social Networking Glitter Meetup
Team CommUNITY
March 20, 2025
9am EDT / 1pm UTC
Online
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=March_20_2025_GM

Target Threats Research - A Breakdown of 3 Years of Civil Society Threat 
Research in South & North Korea
Team CommUNITY
March 27, 2025
9am EDT / 1pm UTC
Online
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=March_27_2025_GM

What is Happening in Digital Rights Around the World? (Glitter Meetup)
Team CommUNITY
April 3, 2025
9am EDT / 1pm UTC
Online
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=April_3_2025_GM

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

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

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 1st window: March 31, 2025
2nd window: from 15 July to 27 August, 2025
https://www.internetsociety.org/funding-areas/connecting-the-unconnected

Mama Cash's Resilience Fund
Deadline: March 31, 2025
https://www.mamacash.org/funds/resilience-fund/

AI at Work: Field Experiments on the Workforce Effects of New AI Tools
Deadline: April 1, 2025
https://www.schmidtsciences.org/ai-at-work/

NGI Zero Commons Fund
Reclaim the Public Nature of the Internet
Deadline: April 1, 2025
https://nlnet.nl/commonsfund/

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

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

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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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
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