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Advocating for Brazilian AI regulation that protects human rights
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Truth-telling in the fog of war
Content and platform governance in times of crisis
In situations of armed conflict and crises, bad-faith actors can harness social media platforms to spread war propaganda – as we saw this week. It’s imperative that these platforms meet their international human rights obligations. In case you missed it, our report on content and platform governance in times of crisis outlines the international humanitarian, criminal, and human rights regimes that apply. Read more via Access Now
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Cyber accountability in East Asia: human rights are key for cybersecurity
Last month, Access Now Executive Director Brett Solomon joined the Shaping Cybersecurity Conference in Berlin, Germany, to speak about the growing threat posed by China’s cyber operations, and the link between the country's ongoing human rights violations and the degradation of cybersecurity around the world. “It is this mindset of rights denial and control that informs China’s digital and cyber policies,” notes Solomon, warning that the human rights framework is not “ancillary to cybersecurity; it lies at the very heart of it.” Read the full speech. Read more via Access Now
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As Apple kills more Russia VPN apps, it's time to think about alternatives
Big Tech shouldn’t be helping the Russian government silence critics or share war propaganda. Yet Apple has been removing virtual private network (VPN) apps from its App Store in Russia, at the behest of Russia’s internet regulator. VPNs enable people to freely access information and express themselves online, and we're urging the company to push back. "Big Tech companies shouldn't splinter the internet to fight Putin’s propaganda and shouldn't create an information vacuum by following censorship requests," says Access Now’s Anastasiya Zhyrmont. Read more via TechRadar
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Myanmar junta's VPN block poses “major threat,” say analysts
Russia is hardly alone in blocking people’s access to VPNs. As we recently reported, Myanmar is another culprit. Speaking to Voice of America about the regime’s digital dictatorship, Access Now’s Wai Phyo Myint highlights how VPN bans are an effort “to control the narrative and spread their propaganda," which can have life-or-death consequences for those resisting the junta’s ever-tightening grip. Read more via Voice of America
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Meta to end ban on the word “shaheed”
Earlier this year, Meta’s Oversight Board recommended that the company end its overly broad, blanket ban on use of the Arabic-language term “shaheed" on its platforms, a move we welcomed. Now, Meta has confirmed that it will allow “use of the word ‘shaheed’ in all instances unless content otherwise violates our policies or is shared with one or more of three signals of violence.” As Access Now’s Marwa Fatafta said at the time, “preventing real-world harm cannot be achieved through the wholesale ban of a word.” We hope this is a step toward correcting the disproportionate censorship of Arab and Muslim voices online. Read more via Reuters
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Who wants to cash in on U.S. Homeland Security funding?
U.S. tech companies see the money-making potential in human suffering at home, too. EFF has released a dataset on companies that are marketing or supplying technology to the U.S. government for homeland security, including AI technology for the “virtual wall" of surveillance along the southern border with Mexico. Read more via EFF
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Opportunities and other highlights
APPLY: LatAm network for digital rights journalism (in Spanish)
Access Now is excited to launch the Red Latinoamericana de Periodismo en Derechos Digitales (“Latin American network for digital rights journalism”). This is a free program for Spanish-speaking journalists and content creators from Latin American and the Caribbean, who are keen to expand and improve their reporting on digital rights issues. The program covers topics like free expression online, AI, biometric data, and digital security, and provides participants with comprehensive digital security training. Learn about the eligibility criteria and apply by August 4. Read more via Access Now
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OPEN CALL: Meedan Independent Media Response Fund
Around the world, climate-related disasters, health emergencies, social and political unrest, and armed conflicts are simultaneously on the rise. In an effort to anticipate and prepare for intersectional crises, Meedan’s Independent Media Response Fund (IMRF) has launched a new call for proposals, inviting collectives and organizations to engage in creative and impactful work on hyperlocal crisis preparedness. Up to 10 awards are available, each of which may amount to as much as USD 10,000. Find out more here. Read more via Meedan
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