Digital Fallout #2: TikTok in Kenya, Instagram in Iran, Uber everywhere, and more
Welcome to the latest issue of the Digital Fallout newsletter! As much attention at the intersection of tech and rights has focused on diminishing reproductive rights in the US, attacks on rights internationally are not slowing down. In this issue we cover more tech news from the Russian war in Ukraine, how TikTok and Instagram policies are affecting Kenya and Iran, a new cybercrime law ratified in Syria, and more. Let’s dive in!
Media & investigations
Ukraine/Russia: Russia is taking over Ukraine’s internet. Smartphones are blurring the line between civilians and combatants in Ukraine. Canadian-American company Sandvine was providing Russia technology that can be used to monitor internet traffic, but is pulling back due to Western sanctions.
Spotlight on corporations: TikTok is an avenue for election-related disinformation in Kenya (also in Wired). Instagram Is failing protesters in Iran. Uber broke laws, duped police and built an international lobbying operation. 'Media warriors' in Nigeria call for killings on social media. NGOs show that Facebook still fails to detect hate speech in ads. Big Tech lobbying supports President Jair Bolsonaro in torpedoing social media reform in Brazil.
Government censorship: China shuts down talk of Covid hardship; users strike back. Cambodia should scrap rights-abusing National Internet Gateway. UN experts condemn Myanmar military’s “digital dictatorship.” A new cybercrime law in Syria criminalizes speech. Philippines orders news outlet run by Nobel Peace Prize winner to shut down. And a court in Manila denies its founder’s appeal against cyber libel conviction.
Government surveillance: How China is policing the future (see also: this video). India’s VPN crackdown demonstrates a growing focus on mass surveillance.
Unintended harms: The activist group Anonymous wanted to help Sri Lankans, but their hacks may have put people in danger.
Deep dives
Report: Governments Harm Children’s Rights in Online Learning [Human Rights Watch]
Report: The World Bank and partners may be paving a ‘Road to Hell’ with support for digital ID [NYU Center for Human Rights and Global Justice]
Essay series: The Four Domains of Global Platform Governance [Centre for International Governance Innovation]
On a high note
Apple announces new feature allowing high-risk users to protect themselves from malware. YouTube removes more than 9,000 channels relating to Ukraine war. Twitter moves to protect Prisoner of War identities in Ukraine. Shareholders raise concerns over Google Cloud plans in Saudi Arabia.
Opportunities
Open Society: Unit Manager, Technology Policy [NY/DC; D/L July 17]
TechCongress: Congressional Innovation Fellowship [DC; D/L Aug 1]
Amnesty Tech: Policy Adviser, Tech and Human Rights [London; D/L Aug 4]
BSR: Manager, Technology and Human Rights [US/Denmark/France; rolling]
Access Now: Advocacy Manager, Africa [Nairobi preferred; rolling]
New Public: Quantitative and Qualitative researcher [rolling]
Facebook Oversight Board: Data and Implementation Officer [London/SF/DC; rolling]
Internews: Digital Rights Coordinator [Europe/Balkans; rolling]