Digital Rights Weekly | March 30 to April 3.
Team CommUNITY
team at digitalrights.community
Fri Apr 3 02:53:11 CEST 2026
Hello Digital Rights Defenders!
Here is your weekly update on digital rights around the world for the
week of March 30 to April 3. 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
Digital Rights in the Wider World
Community Resources
Events Calendar
Grants, Fellowships, & Awards
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### TCU ###
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1.Global Gathering: A World of Celebration
Our work is hard, our events don’t have to be. This year, we hope to
bring back our evening drag show. In addition to our usual talent, we
are looking for an additional performer that would like to join the
celebration. Whether you are coming to the event, or if you know someone
in Lisbon we should ping, let us know! Email us at
gather at digitalrights.community.
2. Continuing to Fundraise for the Equity Fund
We continue to fundraise for the Equity Fund in order to support the
numerous applicants who are on the waitlist. If your organization wants
to help bring someone to the GG, or if you have any suggestions, please
let us know!!! Email us at gather at digitalrights.community.
Additionally, if you have not registered, please do so as soon as
possible here:
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=Global_Gathering_2026
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### Community News ###
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1. An AI Agent Was Banned From Creating Wikipedia Articles, Then Wrote
Angry Blogs About Being Banned
An AI agent that submitted and added to Wikipedia articles wrote several
blogs complaining about Wikipedia editors banning it from making
contributions to the online encyclopedia after it was caught.
https://www.404media.co/an-ai-agent-was-banned-from-creating-wikipedia-articles-then-wrote-angry-blogs-about-being-banned/
2. Janisha R. Gabriel Movement Protection Fund - Information Session on
April 23, 2025
The Janisha R. Gabriel Movement Protection Fund (MPF) moves resources
rapidly and securely to protect frontline organizers facing immediate
security threats, while investing in longer-term safety infrastructure.
MPF protects frontline movement organizers from state repression,
vigilante violence, digital attacks and institutional backlash as a
result of their organizing work. They are currently open to new and
existing partnerships. If you are interested in applying, please email
them to register for the upcoming information session, which will take
place on April 23, 2025 at mpf at SolidaireNetwork.org
https://solidairenetwork.org/how-we-partner/movement-protection-fund/
3. ISOC Community-Centered Connectivity Grant Program | May 7 Deadline
The Internet Society Foundation’s Community-Centered Connectivity (CCC)
Grant Program supports organizations to develop and expand Internet
access and increase adoption in digitally excluded communities. The
grant program supports organizations of various backgrounds, sizes, and
expertise who can offer the best context-specific, community-centered
connectivity solutions. Deadline is May 7.
https://www.isocfoundation.org/grant-programme/community-centered-connectivity/
4. Community Access Fund for LGBTQI+ Asylum Seekers | May 31
The Community Access Fund (CAF) is a new granting stream within Rainbow
Railroad supporting LGBTQI+ asylum seekers in the United States and
Canada. Rainbow Railroad has long recognized that relocation alone is
not enough—newly arrived queer and trans migrants face profound barriers
to safety, stability, and belonging. The CAF was created in response to
this need. Unregistered groups and mutual aid networks are eligible,
with a focus on funding a wide range of community-defined needs.
https://www.rainbowrailroad.org/community-access-fund-application
5. Targeted | April 16
Article19 will be presenting their latest report on the impact of the US
foreign aid cuts on the freedom of expression sector on April 16 via an
online webinar. The launch will feature key findings, followed by a live
panel discussion with experts. Registration is required.
https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/ddb43d68-53cc-4d49-a239-7712dc911bb3@08722067-f231-4f22-bb68-ea4fbf92dabb
6. Take Back Tech | April 17-19 | Atlanta
Run by Media Justice, the Take Back Tech event will take place in
Atlanta on April 17 to 19. The event is a gathering for organizers,
artists, tech workers, academics, lawyers, and more to rally together
and strategize next power-building moves.
https://www.takebacktech.com/
7. Using AI Safely: Practical Strategies for CSOs and Nonprofits | April 14
Whether your organization is already experimenting with AI or just
beginning to explore its potential, join The Engine Room on April 14 to
explore what safe, responsible, and context-aware AI use can look like.
Also hear from guest speakers from TEDIC, Front Line Defenders, and
Masakhane African Languages Hub. (English and Spanish, with
interpretation options.)
https://www.theengineroom.org/using-ai-safely-practical-strategies-for-csos-and-nonprofits-from-a-global-majority-perspective/
8. Iran’s Internet Shutdown Proves We Need to Go Beyond Starlink and
VPNs — this Tech Could Be the Solution
Digital rights groups are urging technologists and policymakers to
prioritize a burgeoning technology that could bypass state-controlled
gateways entirely: Direct-to-Cell (D2C) satellite connectivity. As the
name implies, Direct-to-Cell (D2C) provides internet and messaging by
connecting smartphones directly to a satellite. Unlike Starlink, D2C
doesn't require ground terminals, "dishes," or routers to function.
https://www.techradar.com/vpn/vpn-privacy-security/irans-internet-shutdown-proves-we-need-to-go-beyond-starlink-and-vpns-this-could-this-be-the-solution
9. An Iranian’s Dispatch From the Digital Darkness
A labor activist and former Evin Prison detainee compares the war’s
internet blackouts to solitary confinement. Check out this first person
account of living in Iran without the Internet.
https://newlinesmag.com/first-person/an-iranians-dispatch-from-the-digital-darkness/
10. What is Anthropic's Mythos? The Leaked AI Model That Poses
'Unprecedented' Cybersecurity Risks'
Last week, a data leak revealed that Anthropic was working on a new,
powerful model, which the AI company has since acknowledged is called
“Claude Mythos”. It is the “most capable” model built so far with
“meaningful advances in reasoning, coding, and cybersecurity”. The
company privately warned top government officials that Mythos makes
large-scale cyberattacks much more likely in 2026.
https://www.euronews.com/next/2026/03/30/what-is-anthropics-mythos-the-leaked-ai-model-that-poses-unprecedented-cybersecurity-risks
11. Correction: The report “Information Disorders and Online Attacks in
the 2026 Thailand General Election,” was published by Digital Reach, not
Digital Asia, as reported last week. The report examines recent
developments in disinformation and coordinated online attacks during the
2026 election in Thailand.
https://digitalreach.asia/publications-and-resources/information-disorders-and-online-attacks-in-the-2026-thailand-general-election/
_________________________________________
### NEW Job Opportunities ###
__________________________________________
These are new jobs we have received in the past week. You can access
these and other jobs by visiting our job board:
https://www.digitalrights.community/job-board
+ Safety and Security Coordinator, Open Briefing LTD
- Remote, Global
+ Press Freedom Editor, International Press Institute
- Vienna, Austria or remote for the right candidate
+ Enforce Artificial Intelligence Expert, Irish Council for Civil Liberties
- Remote in the EU
+ Communications and Campaigns Officer, Detention Action
- London
+ Policy Translation Lead, Matriarchy Times
- Remote
+ Customer Success Lead - Parental Cover, OpenSanctions
- Globally remote with an optional desk in our Berlin office
+ Software Engineer, PermitFlow
- New York City Hybrid
+ Director of Major Gifts, Signal
- Remote
+ Senior Product Manager / Head of Product, Brightlines
- Remote / USA / Canda
+ Several Internships, Global Forum for Media Development
- Remote
+ MEL Officer, Frontline Defenders
- Dublin or Brussels
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### Digital Rights in the Wider World ###
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1. How Thomson Reuters Powers ICE and Palantir
Thomson Reuters, the media company which is also a data broker, has long
provided underlying personal data for Immigration and Customs
Enforcement (ICE) tools, according to documents obtained by 404 Media
and sources. There are also indications its data is now part of the
Palantir system ICE uses to find which neighborhoods to target.
https://www.404media.co/how-thomson-reuters-powers-ice-and-palantir/
2. Iran Built a Vast Camera Network to Control Dissent. Israel Turned It
into a Targeting Tool
Hundreds of millions of cameras have been installed above shops, in
homes and on street corners across the world, many connected to the
internet and poorly secured. Recent advances in artificial intelligence
have enabled militaries and intelligence agencies to sift through vast
amounts of surveillance footage and identify targets.
https://apnews.com/article/iran-war-security-cameras-surveillance-5f9a1fe5845d94894f3edd50af560d3a
3. India Sees Spike in Social Media Censorship Amid Iran War
Over the past two weeks, internet watchdogs in India have reported
dozens of removals of posts on social media that were critical of the
government's failure to condemn the US-Israeli strikes on Iran. The
timing is significant, with a spike in social media account restrictions
beginning around March 11, and the Internet Freedom Foundation
documenting at least 42 instances by March 19.
https://www.dw.com/en/india-sees-spike-in-social-media-censorship-amid-iran-war/a-76527249
4. Moscow Escalates the 'Great VPN Crackdown'
Russia’s Digital Minister Maksut Shadayev confirmed new restrictions
aimed at reducing VPN usage, citing failed talks with foreign tech firms
over compliance with Russian laws. Measures under consideration include
charging mobile users who exceed 15 GB of international traffic and
directing domestic platforms like Yandex to block VPN-connected users.
The crackdown builds on earlier actions that have blocked hundreds of
VPN services and restricted popular messaging apps such as WhatsApp and
Telegram.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/insight/russia-tightens-vpn-crackdown-amid-censorship-drive/gm-GMCC551401?gemSnapshotKey=GMCC551401-snapshot-1
Check out this New York Times checklist of how the government is going
about its assault on Internet Freedom.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/31/world/europe/russia-internet-restrictions.html
5. Vladimir Authorities Revoke Permit for Rally in Support of Free
Internet, At Least 13th Russian City to Ban Protests Against Shutdowns
Authorities in the Russian city of Vladimir have revoked permission for
an April 1 rally against internet restrictions, according to a report by
Dmitry Kisiyev, founder of the “Candidates’ Headquarters” (Shtab
Kandidatov) movement. City officials had earlier proposed that date
themselves after banning a rally planned for March 29. In the first
case, the refusal was explained by cleanup work at all 10 sites proposed
by the activists. In the second, officials pointed to security threats
posed by drones.
https://theins.ru/en/news/290751
6. Dual-Language Connectivity Portal Launched in Gaza City for
Humanitarian Hub
The Emergency Telecommunications Cluster (ETC) and the Palestinian
Non-Governmental Organizations (PNGO) network launched a dual-language
connectivity portal for the Gaza City humanitarian hub on 16 March,
introducing access-management and bandwidth-allocation tools to optimize
shared connectivity for humanitarian partners.
https://reliefweb.int/report/occupied-palestinian-territory/etc-palestine-situation-report-67-march-2026-emergency-telecommunications-cluster-etc
7. AI's Looming Cyber Nightmare
Top AI and government officials tell Axios CEO Jim VandeHei that
Anthropic, OpenAI and other tech giants will soon release new models
that are scary good at hacking sophisticated systems at scale. The one
to watch: Anthropic is privately warning top government officials that
its not-yet-released model — currently branded "Mythos" — makes
large-scale cyberattacks much more likely in 2026.
https://www.axios.com/2026/03/29/claude-mythos-anthropic-cyberattack-ai-agents
8. Dozens of Journalists’ Accounts Blocked without Explanation as
Digital Censorship Intensifies in Turkey
Social media accounts belonging to at least 49 journalists and news
outlets have been blocked in Turkey since January 2026, often without
explanation, raising fresh concerns over press freedom and access to
information in the country. Journalists say the restrictions are part of
a broader pattern of digital censorship, with several recent cases
highlighting the trend. Over the past week alone, one journalist was
arrested while the social media accounts of two journalists and two news
agencies were blocked.
https://www.mlsaturkey.com/en/dozens-of-journalists-accounts-blocked-without-explanation-as-digital-censorship-intensifies-in-turkey
9. Gen Z Who Stayed in Ukraine and Those Who Left Have Found Themselves
Censoring What They Say to Each Other
Those inside Ukraine hide their pain behind fatigue. Those outside hide
their guilt behind activism or composure. When they talk, it is not
politics that divides them but the need to censor emotion, to sound
strong, to sound grateful, to avoid hurting each other with what the
other cannot understand.
https://www.indexoncensorship.org/2026/02/how-the-ukraine-war-has-split-the-countrys-youth/
10. Inside the Far-Right Network Targeting Europe’s Digital Rules
The US administration and a network of far-right think tanks are
increasingly targeting the EU’s digital regulations and rules on content
moderation. Far-right MEPs have taken over these narratives, while tech
companies are hoping to exploit the opportunity.
https://corporateeurope.org/en/2026/03/inside-far-right-network-targeting-europes-digital-rules
11. ACLU Celebrates Supreme Court Decision Promoting Free Expression Online
In March 2026, the Supreme Court decided in Cox v. Sony, a landmark
copyright case, that internet service providers (ISPs) should have
limited copyright liability for user behavior that infringes copyrighted
materials. The decision is a win for freedom of expression online. An
amicus brief on behalf of the American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU
of Virginia, and the Center for Democracy and Technology, authored by
leading copyright scholars with the firm Lex Lumina, urged the court to
limit the circumstances where service providers could be subject to
secondary copyright liability last fall.
https://www.aclu.org/press-releases/aclu-celebrates-supreme-court-decision-promoting-free-expression-online
12. Penn State Approves Massive AI Surveillance Network Featuring Facial
ID and Voice Monitoring
Penn State announced Wednesday that it will begin installing a new
network of AI‑enhanced security devices across the University Park
campus. The system will include more than 900 facial‑recognition
cameras, 350 automated license plate readers, and a series of AI‑powered
voice‑analysis boxes capable of detecting “negative words about the
University and its officials.” The devices will be placed at residence
halls, academic buildings, parking lots, and high‑traffic pedestrian areas.
https://onwardstate.com/2026/04/01/penn-state-approves-massive-ai-surveillance-network-featuring-facial-id-and-voice-monitoring/
______________________________________
### Community Resources ###
______________________________________
1. "Digital Exiles" from Iran to Armenia
Yerevan is no stranger to the influx of first Russian, and now Iranian
digital exiles. In 2022, the city became a primary destination for
thousands of Russians fleeing the fallout of war and financial
sanctions. However, the contrast between that wave and this new one from
Iran is stark. While the Russian wave was largely a corporate
process—where giants like Yandex relocated entire departments and
banking systems—the Iranian influx is much quieter. It is composed of IT
workers, small startups, students, and freelancers who depend on the
internet for their daily work.
https://www.agos.com.tr/tr/haber/digital-exiles-from-iran-to-armenia-39926
2. How Journalists in Gaza Restored FM Broadcasts without Transmission
Towers
On February 12, a radio signal from Deir al-Balah in central Gaza cut
through airwaves, breaking almost two years of local radio silence.
“Here is Gaza—Hona Ghazza,” the announcer declared, marking the first
restored local FM broadcast since the destruction of Gaza’s transmission
towers forced twenty-three local radio stations off the air.
https://progressive.org/latest/rewiring-the-airwaves-salah-20260330/
3. Unyielding: Personal essays from women human rights defenders
Over five months, between April and August 2025, the contributors to
this anthology carefully crafted their stories, despite great challenges
to their own well-being and safety. Some struggled with where to begin,
others with where to land, and everyone grappled with the mental toll of
recounting the harrowing violence.
https://www.apc.org/sites/default/files/anthology-digital-final.pdf
4. Confronting the AI Paradox: Potential Source of Abuse and
Misinformation vs. Game-Changing Newsroom Reporting Tool
Large language models (LLM) and related technologies, arguably the
closest thing in daily life to science fiction, are rapidly becoming key
tools for journalism. Newsrooms often deploy AI and LLMs to analyze vast
amounts of data and supercharge accountability reporting — and
ironically their targets are frequently the very companies producing and
profiting off of AI.
https://gijn.org/resource/tech-focus-project-confronting-ai-paradox-misinformation-versus-newsroom-tool/
5. The Surveillance Economy Is Apple’s Legacy, Too
Apple didn’t build the surveillance economy. But it built the platform
on which the surveillance economy runs, often taking a 30 percent cut of
its revenue through the App Store. The introduction of the iPhone in
2007—and the steady improvement, from the addition of GPS in the next
model to the current panoply of sensors and features—set the stage for
the world of tracking we live in now.
https://www.thefp.com/p/the-surveillance-economy-is-apples
6. When Repression Meets Resistance: Internet Shutdowns in 2025
The 2025 data and analysis confirm a horrific reality: internet
shutdowns are increasing, not decreasing — and their impact on people’s
lives is devastating. Shutdowns reached a new record high in the past
year, continuing the steady increase since 2020.
https://www.accessnow.org/internet-shutdowns-2025/
_____________________________________
### 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
Data Centers & Democracy: How US Policymakers Push Back
April 8
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/rxt-data-centers-democracy-how-policymakers-push-back-tickets-1984908054423
Cables of Resistance Event
April 10 to 12
https://cableresist.de/
Digital Rights and Inclusion Forum
April 14-16
Abidjan, Ivory Coast
https://sessionize.com/digital-rights-and-inclusion-forum26/
Using AI Safely: Practical Strategies for CSOs and Nonprofits
April 14
https://www.theengineroom.org/using-ai-safely-practical-strategies-for-csos-and-nonprofits-from-a-global-majority-perspective/
International Journalism Festival (IJF)
April 15 to 18, 2026
Perugia, Italy
https://www.journalismfestival.com/
Targeted
April 16
https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/ddb43d68-53cc-4d49-a239-7712dc911bb3@08722067-f231-4f22-bb68-ea4fbf92dabb
Take Back Tech
April 17-19
Atlanta
https://www.takebacktech.com/
Digital Rights Social / Focus: Spyware Protection and Transnational
Repression
April 16, 2026 @ 14 UTC
TCU's Mattermost
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=Community_Updates
UNESCO World Press Freedom Day 2026 Global Conference
May 4–5, 2026
Lusaka, Zambia
https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/world-press-freedom-day-2026-global-conference-shaping-future-peace
RightsCon 2026
May 5-8
Lusaka, Zambia
https://www.rightscon.org/
Digital Rights Social / Focus: Regional Updates
May 21, 2026 @ 14 UTC
TCU's Mattermost
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=Community_Updates
Digital Rights Asia-Pacific Assembly (DRAPAC)
June 8 to 10
Manila, Philippines
https://engagemedia.org/2025/drapac26-manila/
Digital Rights Social / Focus: Regional Updates
June 18, 2026 @ 14 UTC
TCU's Mattermost
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=Community_Updates
Global Media Forum
June 23 and 24, 2026
Bonn Germany
https://corporate.dw.com/en/gmf-2026-your-ideas-deserve-the-spotlight/a-75222151
All Things in Moderation 2026: Call for Contributions
June 25 to 26
Online and on demand
https://www.allthingsinmoderation.org/call-for-contributions
Digital Rights Social / Focus: Organizational Sustainability and Resilience
July 16, 2026 @ 14 UTC
TCU's Mattermost
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=Community_Updates
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
https://www.digitalrights.community/blog/applications/global-gathering-2026-applications-open
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 ###
__________________________________________
Common Application
Deadline: April 12
https://islamicscholarshipfund.submittable.com/submit/344726/2026-isf-common-application-internships-fellowships-law-policy-media
Summer School in Digital Human Rights
Deadline April 15
https://www.law.lu.se/study/summer-school-digital-human-rights
Nepal Grants
Deadline: Rolling basis until April 15, 2026.
https://www.icnl.org/wp-content/uploads/Nepal-Call-for-Proposals_March-2026_final.pdf
OpenMedia Summer Fellowship 2026
Deadline April 19
https://openmedia.org/article/item/openmedia-summer-fellowship-2026-next-gen-policy-changemakers-wanted
EU Grant for Media Freedom, Freedom of Expression, and Journalist
Protection in Pakistan
deadline is April 21, 2026.
https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/prospect-details/186121PROSPECTSEN
Laboratory for Women’s Rights Online Initiative
Deadline: April 21, 2026
https://pops.expertisefrance.fr/sdm/ent2/gen/ficheCsl.action?PCSLID=CSL_2026_4sZQPjYqHf&ongletActif=2
2026 Oxford AI and Media Policy Summer Institute July 20 to 31
Deadline: Early decision March 14; Final deadline April 21
https://www.law.ox.ac.uk/oxford-ai-and-media-policy-summer-institute/2026-oxford-ai-and-media
-policy-summer-institute
Janisha R. Gabriel Movement Protection Fund - Information Session
April 23, 2025
https://solidairenetwork.org/how-we-partner/movement-protection-fund/
ISOC Community-Centered Connectivity Grant Program
May 7
https://www.isocfoundation.org/grant-programme/community-centered-connectivity/
Community Access Fund for LGBTQI+ Asylum Seekers
May 31
https://www.rainbowrailroad.org/community-access-fund-application
InDiCo-Global. Deadline
Deadline: June 30, 2026
https://indico-global-grants.eu/indico-global-third-open-call
__________________________________________
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