Digital Rights Weekly | May 11 to 15
Team CommUNITY
team at digitalrights.community
Thu May 14 22:18:47 CEST 2026
Hello Digital Rights Defenders!
Here is your weekly update on digital rights around the world for the
week of May 11 to 15. 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
__________________________________________
### TCU ###
__________________________________________
1. Pre-Event Mental Health Workshops for GG Participants
We are offering four mental health wellbeing workshops pre-event to all
registered participants. Topics range from understanding burnout and
your nervous system, to best practices when confronting a crisis. If you
have already applied and have been approved for attendance, you should
have received a form with the workshop details, allowing you to RSVP.
Want to take advantage of this opportunity? Apply before June 30, the
final day to submit your GG application (and program proposals).
The Global Gathering will take place on September 4, 5 and 6 in
Portugal. It brings together defenders working at the intersection of
rights and technology.
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=2026_Global_Gathering_Programming
2. May 21: Digital Rights Social
Join TCU and digital rights defenders on May 21 for our monthly digital
rights social. This month, come share updates on what is happening in
your corner of the world, while learning about updates about each
other’s work.
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=Community_Updates
__________________________________________
### Community News ###
__________________________________________
1. New AI Powered Social Media Listening Tool | May 19
7amleh has launched a new AI-powered social media listening tool
designed to analyze online discussions in Arabic and Hebrew,
transforming digital conversations into actionable insights for civil
society organizations, researchers, media professionals, and
international institutions.To introduce the tool and showcase its
practical applications, 7amleh will host an online webinar on May 19,
featuring examples from the Palestinian digital context.
https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_6KgKRPd6TvWswepK_b1vsA#/registration
2. Digital Justice Fund Accepting Applications | May 24 and June 21
Deadlines
The Digital Justice Fund is the first and participatory fund for digital
organising in Europe. The aim of the fund is to reach groups that are
currently not funded through usual digital rights grantmaking. Groups
can apply for grants between EUR 10,000 and EUR 50,000, to be used over
a period of up to two years. The work must focus on digital justice
organising. Registered and unregistered non‑profit initiatives, formal
and informal collectives, and NGOs working on digital justice organising
across the Council of Europe are welcomed to apply. You must register
on the platform by May 24, and submit an application by June 21
https://apply.hypha.digitalfreedomfund.org/
3. AfroPessimist Collective for Black Art and Archiving (APCBAA) | May 21
APCBAA will be hosting their first workshop on May 21 from 14:30 to 1600
SAST, entitled “How Artists Use Research to Inform their Practice and
Work”. This is a cross-cultural independent space for collaboration and
dialogue between artists across Southern and West Africa. APCBAA is a
joint initiative between the Flowers and Gardening Studio, BarNotes, and
Tair Gallery. The initiative is designed to convene artists, share work,
and build community outside the narrow logistical and financial
constraints of large institutional gatekeepers.
https://form.jotform.com/261103118107038
4. Reproductive Access through Technology | June 10
On June 10, join a virtual conversation about reproductive access
through technology. Data privacy threats, platform censorship, and
misinformation are putting people seeking care at risk. Technologists
are uniquely positioned to disrupt these systems and build
infrastructure rooted in autonomy, dignity, and justice. During the
event, hosted by Rights x Tech, participants will discuss what it means
to build technology that protects reproductive freedom when the legal
ground keeps shifting. Also hear how advocates and providers navigate
the risks of reproductive healthcare in a climate where digital
footprints can be weaponized against patients and providers.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/rxt-reproductive-justice-in-the-digital-age-tickets-198888522324
5. London Digital Security Workshop | May 20
Worker-led, cooperatively-run bookshop in London, Peoples Letters, will
be hosting a digital security workshop on May 20 from 17:00 to 19:00.
This session is aimed to break things down so the information is
digestible and interactive.
https://www.outsavvy.com/event/35773/digital-security-hands-on-workshop-
6. Making and Distributing Media Under Surveillance | June 2
Join Interrupting Criminalization’s Abolition Journalism Fellow Lewis
Raven Wallace, digital security firm Safety Sync Group, and fellow
journalists and media makers for a resistance lab session on June 2. To
be discussed are tools and strategies that can be used to make sound
decisions about safety, support, and transparency with sources and media
maker communities, in the face of increased criminalization.
https://ukncc.com/decoding-chinas-digital-footprint-in-africa-the-domestic-roots-of-chinas-digital-footprint/
7. New Offline Campaign for Saudi Wikipedian Osama Khalid
Osama Khalid was just twelve years old when he began contributing to
Wikipedia Arabic, eventually becoming a prolific blogger, and open
source advocate and freedom of expression advocate. In July of 2020, he
was detained amid a wave of arbitrary arrests carried out by the Saudi
authorities during the Covid-19 lockdown. Initially, he was given a
five-year prison sentence, which was later increased. ALQST, a Saudi
human rights organization, has been leading a campaign for Osama’s
release. EFF has signed a joint letter, and has highlighted Osama in
their Offline project
https://www.eff.org/offline
8. Internet Freedom Activist Erfan Arabi Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison
Erfan Arabi, a 20-year-old student from Birjand in South Khorasan
province and an internet freedom activist, has been sentenced by the
Iranian judiciary to eight years in prison. He had previously been
arrested during the January 2026 protests and released after three
months in detention.
https://hengaw.net/en/news/2026/05/article-72
9. Statement by the Global Digital Justice Forum at the Third Virtual
Multistakeholder Consultation of the Global Dialogue on AI Governance
Check out a statement that was delivered by Merrin Ashraf, from IT
Change, on behalf of the Global Digital Justice Forum - a civil society
coalition working advocating global justice principles for the digital
https://www.apc.org/en/pubs/statement-global-digital-justice-forum-third-virtual-multistakeholder-consultation-global
10. Internet Censorship Grows More Sophisticated, Warns OONI Co-Founder
Maria Xynou, co-founder of the Open Observatory of Network Interference
(OONI), has warned that internet censorship is becoming increasingly
sophisticated, targeted and difficult to detect, complicating efforts to
defend online freedoms worldwide. She argues that modern censorship is
no longer confined to authoritarian states, but is spreading across
democracies as governments adopt more advanced techniques to control
digital information flows.
https://circleid.com/posts/internet-censorship-grows-more-sophisticated-warns-ooni-co-founder
_________________________________________
### 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
+ Senior Advisory Role on Global Digital Democracy, CIVICUS
- Remote
+ Cryptography Engineer, SecureDrop, Freedom of the Press Foundation
- Brooklyn, New York (remote)
+ Associate, Africa Division, Human Rights Watch, Human Rights Watch
- Nairobi
+ Coordinator, Development and Outreach Department, Human Rights Watch
- Geneva
+ Manager, Enterprise Applications Integration, Human Rights Watch
- Multiple Locations Considered
+ Senior Researcher, China, Human Rights Watch
- Multiple Locations Considered
+ Advocacy Officer, MenEngage Alliance
- Remote
+ Data Scientist II, Natural Language Processing (NLP) Specialist, ACLU
- New York, San Francisco, District of Columbia
+ DevOps Engineering Manager, ACLU
- New York
+ Director of Strategic Communications, Integrated Comms Strategy, ACLU
- New York, District of Columbia
+ Director, National Campaigns, Abuse of Power, ACLU
- District of Columbia
+ Director, Cyber Security Operations, ACLU
- New York, District of Columbia
______________________________________
### Digital Rights in the Wider World ###
______________________________________
1. Hackers Used AI to Develop First Known Zero-Day 2FA Bypass for Mass
Exploitation
Google on Monday disclosed that it identified an unknown threat actor
using a zero-day exploit that it said was likely developed with an
artificial intelligence (AI) system, marking the first time the
technology has been put to use in the wild in a malicious context for
vulnerability discovery and exploit generation. The activity is said to
be the work of cybercrime threat actors who appear to have collaborated
together to plan what the tech giant described as a "mass vulnerability
exploitation operation." Google Threat Intelligence Group assessed with
high confidence that an AI model was weaponized to facilitate the
discovery and weaponization of the flaw via a Python script that
featured all hallmarks typically associated with large language model
(LLM)-generated code.
https://thehackernews.com/2026/05/hackers-used-ai-to-develop-first-known.html
2. How the Cuban State Hacks Accounts of Targeted Activists
Read the accounts of several Cuban activists whose communication apps,
such as Whatsapp and Telegram, and their social media accounts have been
hacked by the Cuban government and state-linked actors. The article also
shares tips on how individuals can protect themselves. The independent
newspaper 14yMedio has documented that in some hacking cases, the code
was validated by the attacker “even when the owner’s phone was turned
off or without signal, which demonstrates that access is directly from
the telephone exchange.” There is speculation that this may have
occurred on the infrastructure level, owned by the Cuban State, through
which verification SMS messages circulate.
https://havanatimes.org/features/how-the-cuban-state-hacks-accounts-of-targeted-activists/
3. Pakistan: Civil Society Demands Release of Imaan Mazari and Hadi
Chattha ahead of Supreme Court Hearing
A coalition of over 100 civil society organisations, lawyers,
journalists, academics and human rights defenders has urged the federal
government not to oppose the bail and suspension of sentence pleas of
human rights lawyers Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and Hadi Ali Chattha
ahead of a scheduled hearing in the Supreme Court of Pakistan on May 12.
The joint statement described the case as one that raises “critical
concerns regarding freedom of expression, the misuse of PECA against
lawful speech, and the protection of fundamental rights in Pakistan.”
Mazari and her husband were arrested on January 23, 2026 on charges of
using social media to malign the state and its security institutions,
and convicted to 17 years
https://voicepk.net/2026/05/civil-society-demands-release-of-imaan-mazari-and-hadi-chattha-ahead-of-supreme-court-hearing/
4. Meta Workers Revolt Against AI Surveillance
Meta Platforms employees at multiple United States offices staged an
extraordinary workplace protest, distributing anonymous flyers urging
colleagues to sign a petition against the company's recent installation
of mouse-tracking software on their work computers — technology many
workers believe is being used to train the artificial intelligence
systems intended to replace them. Meta confirmed earlier this year it
would cut approximately 8,000 roles in May, reorganising surviving
employees into AI-focused "pods" under its Superintelligence Labs
division. A second wave of cuts is planned for the second half of 2026.
https://www.hcamag.com/ca/news/general/meta-workers-revolt-against-ai-surveillance/575070
5. Zanetor Pushes AU States to Protect Digital Rights
The Vice President of the Pan-African Parliament, Zanetor
Agyeman-Rawlings, has urged African leaders to treat digital freedoms
with the same seriousness as fundamental human rights as technology and
artificial intelligence continue to transform societies across the
continent. She urged African Union members to ratify the Malabo
Convention, both to strengthen Africa's collective response to
cybersecurity threats and improve digital sovereignty.
https://www.msn.com/en-xl/africa/zimbabwe/zanetor-pushes-au-states-to-protect-digital-rights/ar-AA230zeP
6. Changing Tactics: Immigration Advocates in the US Adapt as Social
Media Surveillance Expands
Beyond visa applicants and undocumented immigrants, immigrant advocates
who are U.S. citizens or in the country legally, are also being tracked.
Last year, a coalition of nonprofits organizations and labor unions
filed a lawsuit against the US federal government, arguing that online
surveillance is unconstitutional - making it one of several lawsuits
targeting the current administration’s crackdown on immigrants’ speech.
One of these cases was in Montgomery, Penn., involving the Facebook
account of a group called MontCo Community Watch. The group organized
last year to monitor and document ICE activity and help local
immigrants.The government dropped its subpoena for Facebook data before
a judge could rule on the group’s motion to block it.
https://www.calonews.com/arizona/changing-tactics-immigration-advocates-adapt-as-social-media-surveillance-expands/article_9e212008-6edf-4895-924d-879c385655d9.html
7. Kenya: Groups Seek to Overturn Provisions of Computer Misuse and
Cybercrimes Act
The Law Society of Kenya (LSK), alongside the Bloggers Association of
Kenya (BAKE), Article 19 East Africa and the Kenya Union of Journalists
(KUJ), has moved to the Supreme Court seeking to overturn provisions of
the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act, 2018 that they argue permit
excessive State surveillance and violate constitutional rights.
Petitioners are challenging Sections 48 to 53 of the Act, which allow
authorities to intercept digital communications, compel disclosure of
subscriber information and conduct searches linked to cybercrime
investigations. It follows a March 2026 Court of Appeal judgment that
struck down Sections 22 and 23 of the law, provisions that criminalised
the publication of false or misleading information online.
https://citizen.digital/article/lsk-moves-to-supreme-court-over-cybercrime-law-surveillance-provisions-n382613
8. Concern Grows over Gabon’s Social Media Clampdown
Gabon’s media regulator indefinitely suspended major social media
platforms in February, citing security concerns during anti-government
protests. The government cited misinformation, disinformation,
pornographic content, and incitement to hatred as reasons for the
shutdown. Rights groups have urged authorities to follow due process to
prosecute any offenders, rather than collective punishment through
unconstitutional restriction of freedom of expression. The restrictions
were temporarily lifted in April. However, a new regulation passed in
February mandates social media users to provide verified names,
addresses and ID numbers. Social networks are at risk of 50m central
African CFA franc (£66,000) fines and prison terms for non-compliance.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/may/13/concern-gabon-social-media-clampdown-human-rights
9. At the Border Security Expo, The Most Insidious Surveillance Tools
Were The Ones You Couldn’t See
For more than a decade, vendors and government representatives have
mingled at the Border Security Expo, an annual trade show at which the
former hawk their goods to the latter. This year, the relationships were
perhaps a little too chummy. Among the speakers were border czar Tom
Homan, who in the past allegedly accepted $50,000 in bribes from
undercover FBI agents posing as business executives hoping to land a
government contract. The bureau quashed the investigation after Trump’s
return to office, and a Justice Department appointee called it a “deep
state” attempt to discredit Trump’s valiant border czar. Check out the
Verge’s coverage of the event, where they share that attendees
celebrated the past year’s record-low border crossings and record-high
interior arrests.
https://www.theverge.com/report/928726/border-security-expo-cbp-ice-dhs-surveillance
10. FCC’s Commissioner Accuses Current US Admin of Trying to Beat 'Media
Into Submission'
FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez penned a blistering warning letter to new
Disney CEO Josh D'Amaro in which she accuses the current US
Administration, through Republican FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, of
weaponizing the FCC to pressure "a free and independent press and all
media into submission." Gomez is the lone Democrat on the commission
appointed by President Biden.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/tv/news/fcc-commissioner-accuses-trump-admin-of-trying-to-beat-media-into-submission/ar-AA22ZPRG
Press freedom in the United States is now at a 25-year low according to
the World Press Freedom Index, which measures incidents of abuses
against journalists.
https://protectdemocracy.org/work/defending-the-media-against-fcc-censorship/
11. Joining France, Other European Governments Are Migrating to Open Source
The German state of Schleswig-Holstein will phase out all Microsoft
software from government workplaces. The goal is to fully transition
from Microsoft programs to Linux and open-source programs within the
next three months. The decision will affect nearly every civil servant,
police officer, and judge, about 30,000 employees. Eventually, the rest
of the civil service employees, primarily school teachers, will make the
open-source shift. The radical change is being hailed as a major step
toward "digital sovereignty" and a signal of growing European resistance
to reliance on US tech giants.
https://www.zdnet.com/article/the-german-state-schleswig-holstein-uninstalls-windows/
A part of the Danish government is phasing out the use of Microsoft
products like Office 365. Up to half of employees at Denmark’s Ministry
of Digital Affairs will move from Office 365 to the leading open source
productivity suite LibreOffice. The move is being made to action the
Danish government’s ‘digitalisation strategy’ which is making ‘digital
sovereignty’ a priority for all government departments.
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2025/06/denmark-government-replaces-microsoft-with-linux-libreoffice
______________________________________
### Community Resources ###
______________________________________
1. The Chinese Deepfake Software Powering Scams
Check out this podcast from 404 Media discussing the Chines-language
deepfake software, Haotian AI, powering scams. They also discuss how AI
hard drive shortage is impacting internet archiving.
https://www.404media.co/podcast-the-chinese-deepfake-software-powering-scams/
2. A Hackers Guide to Circumventing Internet Shutdowns
When people are disconnected from the internet and digital services, it
impacts all aspects of their life—from accessing essential information,
to seeking medical care, or communicating with loved ones, both in that
country and externally. Check out EFF’s recommendations on tools and
strategies hackers can use to keep groups connected.
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/05/hackers-guide-circumventing-internet-shutdowns
3. The Cancellation of RightsCon 2026 Reveals the Illusion of Digital
Sovereignty
The last-minute move, reportedly under foreign pressure, to cancel
Rightscon, reveals how global digital governance is being quietly
curated by powerful states – and why the answer lies not in sovereignty
alone, but in a broader right to digital self-determination.
https://thewire.in/rights/the-cancellation-of-rightscon-2026-reveals-the-illusion-of-digital-sovereignty
4. Trust, Play, and Platforms: Sharing Lessons for Safer Digital Spaces
Video games are a mainstream cultural force, but they remain largely
absent from mainstream debates about digital rights and online safety. A
report by New York University’s Center for Business and Human Rights
examines how Trust & Safety governance in online gaming compares to
social media, tracing shared challenges around content moderation,
pro-social design, and cross-platform harms.
https://bhr.stern.nyu.edu/publication/trust-play-and-platforms-sharinglessons-for-safer-digital-spaces/
5. Software Developers Say AI Is Rotting Their Brains
On Reddit, Hacker News and other places where people in software
development talk to each other, more and more people are becoming
disillusioned with the promise of code generated by large language
models. Developers talk not just about how the AI output is often
flawed, but that using AI to get the job done is often a more time
consuming, harder, and more frustrating experience because they have to
go through the output and fix its mistakes. More concerning, developers
who use AI at work report that they feel like they are de-skilling
themselves and losing their ability to do their jobs as well as they
used to.
https://www.404media.co/software-developers-say-ai-is-rotting-their-brains/
_____________________________________
### 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
NEW AI Powered Social Media Listening by 7amleh
May 19
https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_6KgKRPd6TvWswepK_b1vsA#/registration
Digital Security Workshop
May 20
London
https://www.outsavvy.com/event/35773/digital-security-hands-on-workshop-
Digital Rights Social / Focus: Regional Updates
May 21, 2026 @ 14 UTC
TCU's Mattermost
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=Community_Updates
AfroPessimist Collective for Black Art and Archiving
“How Artists Use Research to Inform their Practice and Work”
May 21
14:30 - 1600 SAST
Virtual
https://form.jotform.com/261103118107038
Making and Distributing Media Under Surveillance
June 2
https://ukncc.com/decoding-chinas-digital-footprint-in-africa-the-domestic-roots-of-chinas-digital-footprint/
Digital Rights Asia-Pacific Assembly (DRAPAC)
June 8 to 10
Manila, Philippines
https://engagemedia.org/2025/drapac26-manila/
Reproductive Access through Technology
June 10
Online
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/rxt-reproductive-justice-in-the-digital-age-tickets-198888522324
Digital Rights Social / Focus: Security Clinic Best Practices and Q&A
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
Fight for Us, Not for Them Event
June 23
Brussels and Online
https://edri.org/our-work/announcing-the-summit-fight-for-us-not-for-them-a-public-interest-vision-for-eu-tech-policy/
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
Trust and Safety Research Conference 2026
October 1–2, 2026
Currently accepting proposals here:
https://cyber.fsi.stanford.edu/trust-and-safety-research-conference.
Digital Commons:Infrastructures, Design, and the Ethics of Autonomy
October 8 to 10
Athens, Greece
www.digicommons.org
__________________________________________
### Grants, Fellowships, & Awards ###
__________________________________________
Lebanese Journalists At Risk or Pressure
No Deadline
https://www.skeyesmedia.org/en/News/News/07-04-2026/13133
Human Rights Projects in Sri Lanka
Deadline: May 6
https://www.netherlandsandyou.nl/web/sri-lanka/w/open-call-for-applications-embassy-funded-human-rights-projects-sri-lanka
ISOC Community-Centered Connectivity Grant Program
May 7
https://www.isocfoundation.org/grant-programme/community-centered-connectivity/
FemFirst Lab
Deadline: May 15
https://itforchange.net/call-for-applications-femfirst-lab
Human Rights Democracy and CSO Support to Sri Lanka and the Maldives
Deadline: May 15, 2026.
https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/prospect-details/186264PROSPECTSEN
Sinar Project Civic Tech Fellowship 2026
May 17
https://sinarproject.org/projects/enabling-tech/sinar-project-civic-tech-fellowship-2026
Goethe Institute Grant
May 19
https://www.goethe.de/ins/ng/en/kul/sup/co9/dnw26/dnwoc.html
Digital Justice Fund
You must register on the platform by May 24, and submit an application
by June 21
https://apply.hypha.digitalfreedomfund.org/
DiploFoundation Knowledge Fellow
May 31
https://dig.watch/opportunity-become-a-knowledge-fellow
Community Access Fund for LGBTQI+ Asylum Seekers
May 31
https://www.rainbowrailroad.org/community-access-fund-application
Promoting Inclusive Digital Services in Kyrgyzstan
Deadline: June 2
https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/prospect-details/185902PROSPECTSEN
Interledger Fellowship Program
Deadline: June 15
https://interledger.org/grant/fellowship
InDiCo-Global. Deadline
Deadline: June 30, 2026
https://indico-global-grants.eu/indico-global-third-open-call
__________________________________________
### Know someone that wants to subscribe to our newsletter? ###
They can sign up here:
https://www.digitalrights.community/weekly-newsletter
### Want to partner with us?###
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 <3
--
Team CommUNITY at ARTICLE 19
www.digitalrights.community
PGP: 2E1D CC33 A362 0BD6 236E 540A F60A 89AD 6FF9 7A2F
You can now submit your news for the Digital Rights weekly directly.
To post your job opportunities, submit your opportunities to our Job Board.
Keep up with the latest news and opportunities on our other platforms:
TCU BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/teamcommunity.bsky.social
TCU LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/teamcommunity
TCU Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/digitalrightscommunity
More information about the Festival
mailing list