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| Calls & Jobs |
| AI & Surveillance Impact on Protest Freedoms The UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and of Association is preparing a report for the 62nd Human Rights Council session in June 2026 on the impact of AI-driven and digital surveillance on freedoms of assembly and association. The project includes a global consultation phase to collect evidence and perspectives on surveillance harms, particularly in protest contexts. The call for input seeks verifiable cases and is an opportunity for expert contributions to inform UN approaches on future human rights standards and surveillance effects over populations. Deadline: 7 Nov 2025 Read more International Data Justice Conference The Data Justice Lab invites submissions for its Fourth International Data Justice Conference on 1-2 June 2026 in Cardiff, UK. The conference will examine how datafication is reshaping the state, the interconnections between governments and tech providers, and implications for justice, governance, and resistance. Proposals should engage with the evolving role of companies, public institutions, and citizen responses under data-driven systems. Submit abstracts (max 500 words) by 31 December 2025. More information PhD Position at the Center for Critical Computational Studies, Frankfurt A PhD position is available at the Critical Data & Surveillance Studies working group in the Center for Critical Computational Studies (C³S) at Goethe-University Frankfurt am Main. The working group focuses on geographical, political, and/or social aspects of digital transformation in the Majority World. The position is based on the job characteristics of the collective agreement applicable to Goethe University (TV-G-U) and is initially available for three years. More information |
| Reports & Publications |
| Surveillance Secrets: Global Phone Tracking Network Exposed A cross-border investigation by Lighthouse Reports and partner media outlets reveals how the European surveillance company, First Wap, secretly tracked individuals in over 160 countries. The investigation shows how location data was sold to governments, private clients, and intermediaries with almost no oversight. Victims include journalists, activists, and political figures, while insiders described how shell companies were used to evade export controls. The report dismantles the notion that such technologies are confined to fighting serious crime and uncovers a global, profit-driven surveillance industry operating beyond accountability. Read more The Identity of Colombia’s “Cédula Digital” App In this paper, the authors identify that the Cédula Digital application is, in fact, a local adaptation—a rebranding for Colombia—of a generic application called Mobile ID, developed by the company IDEMIA. Traffic analysis revealed the app exchanges data with IDEMIA domains, Localytics, and Google. The piece raises questions about state dependence on private firms, data control, accessibility, and auditability. Read more Artificial Intelligence and Social and Gender Justice Activism in MENA This discussion paper from Oxfam analyses how AI adoption in the Middle East and North Africa is reinforcing inequality and curbing rights. Governments are using AI for surveillance through facial recognition, predictive policing, and smart city systems, while development remains dominated by a few states and corporations. Automation threatens jobs and women’s participation in the workforce, and AI’s use in Gaza highlights severe humanitarian risks. The report also exposes opaque EU-supported border AI projects and documents feminist and regional initiatives to build fairer, more inclusive technologies. Read more Iran’s ‘Stealth Blackout’ A new report by Miaan Group, ASL19, and IODA, with contributions from Kentik, Cloudflare, OONI, Tor, Lantern, eQualitie, and Psiphon, examines Iran’s June 2025 internet shutdown during the 12-day war between Israel and Iran. Unlike past blunt disconnections, this “stealth blackout” used DNS poisoning, protocol whitelisting, and Deep Packet Inspection to cut global access while maintaining an outward appearance of normalcy. The study highlights both the resilience of circumvention tools that kept millions online and the human rights costs, warning that Iran’s model offers a troubling blueprint for digital authoritarianism. Read the report Smart Borders, Digital Identity and Big Data: How Surveillance Technologies Are Used Against Migrants This book by Emre Korkmaz examines how governments, UN agencies, and humanitarian organizations deploy digital identity systems and smart border technologies to control migration. It reveals how these tools reinforce structural inequalities, expand surveillance, and grant extensive powers to states and corporations over vulnerable communities. Highlighting the human cost of these systems, it offers a critical perspective on the intersection of technology, mobility, and rights. Buy the book Latin America and Semiconductor Supply Chains A report by Center for Strategic and International Studies highlights Latin America’s emerging role in diversifying global semiconductor supply chains, focusing on assembly, testing, and packaging (ATP) while leveraging local mineral resources essential for chip production. Countries including Mexico and Costa Rica are attracting investments from major tech firms to reduce reliance on Asian suppliers and mitigate supply chain vulnerabilities. The region’s positioning strengthens economic resilience and aligns with broader global efforts to secure critical technology amid geopolitical tensions. Read the analysis Episode 1 of “Justice in Data” on Security, Citizen Data, and Activism The first episode of “Justice in Data” by the Instituto Fogo Cruzado against gun violence addresses the issue of data in public security policy and the importance of Citizen Data Generation. The episode was produced in partnership with data_labe, in collaboration with the Centro de Estudos de Segurança e Cidadania (Center for Studies on Security and Citizenship) and Instituto Fogo Cruzado. The video is originally in Portuguese, with automatic subtitles available in other languages. Watch the episode |
| News & Commentaries |
| US Department of Homeland Security Turns to Big Tech to Silence Dissent This article, published by TechPolicy.Press, examines how Apple and Google removed the app ICEBlock following direct demands from the Trump administration. ICEBlock allowed users to anonymously report and monitor U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations, giving civil society a tool to document raids. The removal highlights the intersection of state power and corporate compliance, as developers and advocates warn that these actions suppress free speech and hinder transparency, raising critical questions about digital rights and accountability. Read the article Latin America’s Satellite Internet Ambitions An Atlantic Council blog examines how Latin American countries are advancing digital infrastructure through ambitious satellite internet initiatives, moving beyond reliance on providers such as Starlink and SpaceX. Mexico, Brazil, and others are developing national satellite systems to enhance connectivity, digital sovereignty, and access to education and healthcare. The push for indigenous satellite capabilities reflects a strategic effort to reduce dependence on foreign technology and strengthen regional control over digital infrastructure. Read the article The Impossible Maze Of India’s New Student Identity Project, APAAR India’s new APAAR digital student ID system, launched to unify records across schools and universities, is raising alarm over data privacy, exclusion, and surveillance. Instead of expanding access, the program has reportedly created bureaucratic barriers that risk locking students, especially those from rural and marginalized communities, out of education altogether. Critics warn that linking student data to the national Aadhaar system paves the way for profiling and state monitoring under the guise of “digital efficiency.” Read more Taliban Tightens Control Over Social Media in Afghanistan The Taliban government has applied filters to restrict content on platforms including Facebook, Instagram, and X across most provinces. Users in Kabul and other cities report that videos are no longer viewable and Instagram access is limited. These restrictions follow a recent two-day nationwide internet blackout that disrupted businesses, flights, and emergency services. Observers warn that these measures further isolate women and girls, whose rights have already been severely curtailed since the Taliban returned to power. Read more Microsoft Blocks Israel’s Use of Its Technology in Mass Surveillance of Palestinians Following a joint investigation by The Guardian, +972 Magazine, and Local Call, Microsoft has terminated the Israeli military’s access to its Azure cloud and AI services. The investigation revealed that Unit 8200, Israel’s elite military intelligence unit, had used Microsoft’s technology to collect and store millions of Palestinian civilian phone calls in Gaza and the West Bank. Microsoft’s decision to cut off access came after uncovering that the surveillance violated the company’s terms of service. The move marks a significant instance of a tech company withdrawing support from a national military over ethical concerns related to mass surveillance. Read more Africa Launches First AI Data Center to Advance Digital Sovereignty Africa has opened its first Artificial Intelligence (AI) data center in Uganda, a $1.2 billion project led by Synectics Technologies in partnership with Schneider Electric, Nvidia, and Turner & Townsend. The initiative aims to repatriate African data from foreign servers, strengthen data sovereignty, and power AI-driven innovation across sectors like healthcare, agriculture, and fintech. Operating on renewable energy, the facility will train local engineers and researchers to manage and expand Africa’s digital infrastructure. Read more Surveillance to Suppression: China’s Police Drones Are Now Active Agents Chinese police are reportedly being equipped with drones that can deploy tear-gas, defining the role of coercion and policing in protests. The article also covers documented ties between Hungarian authorities, Chinese manufacturers, and procurement networks. The article examines how Hungary has collaborated or procured through Chinese companies, detailing the role Chinese firms play in the supply chain behind these surveillance systems. Read more |
