What does staying connected mean during displacement? Why are Instagram DMs no longer private? And what questions are shaping Bread&Net 2026? Our latest newsletter gathers stories, digital rights updates, opportunities, and reflections from across West Asia and North Africa.

Authorities have issued sweeping bans on filming, sharing, or commenting on footage related to Iranian attacks on GCC territory. We, alongside 28 organizations, are calling on Gulf governments to immediately take measures to uphold freedom of expression and human rights. smex.org/criminalizin...

From payment processing to online hospital records, every day lives in the WANA are getting more digitized, and it all relies on data centers. What happens when they become targets? Read our analysis here: smex.org/dual-use-and...

RightsCon2026 was de facto canceled after China pressured Zambia to exclude Taiwanese participants. Access Now took a principled decision and refused to hold a conference on those terms. The cost of the cancellation was both financial and human. Read the full piece: smex.org/solidarity-i...

Google hasn't responded to our letter from Feb. 18 about state-sponsored disinformation running through their ads. So we're publishing it. Google must apply its ad policies to all parties equally without any exceptions. Read the full letter: madr.network/madr-to-goog...

On March 13, thousands of leaflets dropped over Beirut. At the bottom sat QR codes. But why would a military drop QR codes for people to scan? Were they malicious? And what were they actually trying to collect? Read this piece by our Senior Cybersecurity Analyst: smex.org/opinion-isra...

Stories like this show us that tools built for military surveillance do not stay in the military. They are being repurposed into corporations, governments, and now, into universities. This a worrying sign of how the militarization of tech is quietly reshaping civilian spaces.

🚨 @smex.org is running a campaign to help ensure that: 📱 Displaced people in Lebanon have Internet access so that they can stay connected to aid agencies and receive the information and news they need to keep them safe. 📱 Displaced children have access to remote learning.

Espionage enables repression! In collaboration with Lookout + @smex.org, our Digital Security Helpline exposes a hack-for-hire phishing campaign targeting journalists and dissidents in the MENA region. Here’s what we found, and what it means for civil society 🧵

On April 16, U.S. president Donald Trump announced a 10-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel. The Lebanese army reported violation within hours of it taking effect. The digital front has no pause. Here is what we followed this week. smex.org/digital-righ...

A high-profile Lebanese journalist was targeted with advanced phone hacking in May 2025. The investigation identifies the involvement of BITTER, a known threat actor prominent in South Asia whose operations may now extend into West Asia and North Africa. Full findings: smex.org/smex-may2025/

In Lebanon, 1 in 5 people have been displaced. In shelters, many must pay high costs for internet and communication with little official support, cutting them off from learning, connection, and loved ones. Help support access during this crisis. Donate to SMEX:

In response to the ongoing challenges shaping the state of digital rights in the West Asia and North Africa region, and in light of the continuing Israeli war on our region, we invite you to write with us and cover topics related to digital rights.

Last week, a US jury found that Meta and YouTube are liable for damages in a lawsuit claiming it deliberately designed its products to be addictive. This is a novel legal theory, and SMEX will be monitoring how it develops, and how its impact could spread beyond the USA.

Israeli occupation forces dropped leaflets over Beirut, asking residents to disarm Hezbollah & scan QR codes. SMEX (@smex.org) & the Lebanese army warned against scanning them. Christina Cavalcanti & Basyma Saad (@basyma.bsky.social) report: thepublicsource.org/blog/lebanon...

What are the latest developments in digital rights amid the ongoing regional war? Explore five of the most important recent stories in our weekly digest available through the link below: smex.org/digital-righ...

An important read from our member @smex.org in Lebanon compiles information on how the war has unfolded on the digital front during the first week of the regional crisis. smex.org/digital-righ...

Eid Mubarak to all those celebrating! As with many major holidays, we observe a rise in phishing campaigns that exploit increased online activity and community messaging. For practical guidance on identifying and mitigating phishing risks, read SMEX’s guide: smex.org/a-few-tips-t...

What did the first week of the regional war in Lebanon, the Gulf, and Iran look like on the digital front? SMEX breaks down the key developments and what they mean for rights online. Read more: smex.org/digital-righ...

Signal's President warns AI agents are undermining encryption in real-world use. This echoes our concern: while WhatsApp uses Signal’s E2E model, Meta AI integration introduces new privacy threats that encryption alone can’t prevent. Read more @dia.bsky.social: smex.org/whatsapp-get...

NEW: guide by @business-humanrights.org, @smex.org & @awo.agency on the severe, under-recognised risks for 📈💰investors in #surveillance technologies – including #spyware, digital forensics tools, cell site simulators & deep packet inspection systems. media.business-humanrights.org/media/docume...

Today, the Digital Services Act (DSA) Human Rights Alliance, a group of digital and human rights advocacy organizations from inside and outside the EU, published a set of principles recommending an inclusive enforcement for the DSA. Read the full principles here @EFF.org www.eff.org/issues/princ...

Reminder: The Digital Rights Fund (DRF) for this cycle is open until January 31! If you have an idea for an innovative project addressing issues within digital rights, now is your time to apply for funding with us. Find out more: smex.org/smex-relaunc...

2024 was the largest election year in history, putting pressure on Meta to address risks from its products and services, including AI. Instead, Meta’s 2024 Human Rights Report largely reads as product promotion, sidestepping the human rights concerns raised by civil society.

Meta’s Annual Human Rights Report for 2024 was finally published in December, nearly three months later than the previous year’s release. Despite this delay, the report was superficial and failed to meaningfully address key human rights concerns. Our policy team’s analysis: smex.org/metas-2024-h...

Have you recently received an unsolicited email from Instagram asking you to reset your password? Chances are you were part of the 17.5 million users whose data has been compromised in a massive data leak. Luckily, we've compiled a few preventative tips to help you stay protected.

What were the major trends in human rights violations we observed in 2025? This past year, our policy team has tirelessly worked to advance our mission and advocate for a safer digital space, free from censorship. Read about our submissions here: smex.org/human-rights...

During the holidays, phishing links are more prominent. How can you identify and protect yourself from phishing? smex.org/a-few-tips-t...

Which activities has the Digital Rights Fund (DRF) supported before? We fund practical and innovative projects that respond to digital rights challenges in the region. Have an idea? Apply for a DRF grant by January 31. smex.org/smex-relaunc...

During the holidays, your devices are at higher risk than usual. Here are 4 simple tips to protect yourself and your loved ones.

New funding for digital rights initiatives! Are you looking to fund your next digital rights project? SMEX is relaunching its Digital Rights Fund for 2026 and will start receiving proposals starting now! Specific eligibility criteria apply. More: smex.org/smex-relaunc...

Do you want to be part of a dynamic team in an organization that works at the intersection of social justice and digital rights? SMEX is hiring skilled people for four new roles! Check out the job descriptions and apply by clicking on your position of interest through the link: buff.ly/SKqJ6qT

What’s in our latest newsletter? #TheByte

#Lebanon 🇱🇧 Ongoing drone surveillance and telecom disruptions by #Israel continue to undermine digital sovereignty, with @SMEX.org noting that weak governance has left residents exposed and no clear path to accountability. buff.ly/W19wkwH

There is no doubt that 2024 was challenging. Even amid war, instability, and the upheavals still reshaping our region, we found ways to protect and advance our human rights online. Explore the full story in SMEX’s 2024 Activity Report: smex.org/smex-launche...

How can Lebanon strengthen digital rights and protect freedom of expression? SMEX with @apc.org and @accessnow.org has submitted two sets of recommendations for Lebanon’s upcoming Universal Periodic Review (UPR). Read them here: smex.org/smexs-recomm...

Calling all stakeholders from civil society, the private sector, and academics interested in the internet and its governance: register to attend the Lebanon Internet Governance Forum (IGF) on December 10 and 11, 2025 at the Beirut Digital District (BDD). Register: IGFLebanon.org/registration/

You’ve helped make the internet a little safer this year. Creators, researchers, technologists, and advocates are reshaping how we claim space online and tell our own stories. smex.org/smex-launche...

TIMEP is proud to have been a partner of the 2025 edition of Bread&Net, the MENA region’s most prominent digital rights convening, organized and hosted by @smex.org. Over the years, Bread&Net has become an incredibly important platform to network, exchange, and collaborate.

Sub-Saharan African migrants in Tunisia are being relocated to rural areas where internet access is weak and online hate speech flourishes with impunity. SMEX and the International Justice Clinic expose how, under international law, Tunisia’s actions violate its obligations to protect its migrants

Tomorrow, participants from across the region will gather in Beirut to defend and advance digital rights! Follow us to keep up with our updates during Bread&Net 2025! #BreadandNet

Bread&Net's platform is now LIVE! 🎉 You can check the agenda, build your schedule, and connect with speakers and attendees before the event. Complete your registration on www.breadandnet.org and check out the stellar line-up of speakers taking part in Bread&Net this year.

Every 4.5 years, countries undergo a human rights review before the UN Human Rights Council through the Universal Periodic Review (UPR). For the third time in a row, SMEX is submitting recommendations to hold Lebanon accountable. This year's recommendations: smex.org/smexs-recomm...

#MENA 🌐 A new @SMEX.org report shows how commercial #spyware linked to Israel is used by regional governments to monitor and intimidate journalists, activists, and human rights defenders, urging civil society to protect themselves. Read the report: buff.ly/iiqKccf #WANA

New research from our friends at @SMEX.org takes a look at the cyber weapons industry in the West Asia/North Africa (WANA) region. smex.org/new-researc...

Today marks two years since the offset of Israel's genocidal campaign against Palestinians in Gaza. The atrocities unfolding since October 7 could not have taken place without Big Tech's AI-enabled weapons.

Program's out!🎉 Over 70 human rights defenders, journalists, tech experts, and researchers from across the globe join us this year to share their insights and findings from 2025. Explore the sessions at breadandnet.org.

Behind every spyware attack is a corporate network. Our latest report "Click, Load, Kill" maps four key players and their role in fueling human rights violations against activists, journalists, and dissidents in our region. Click the link for the full research: smex.org/new-research...

Spyware is thriving in West Asia & North Africa—and guess who’s leading this deadly industry? Our new research shows that the most dangerous surveillance companies are either based in or linked to Israel. smex.org/new-research...

A new report by @smex.org, with support from @find.ngo & @accessnow.org, concludes that NSO Group, Cytrox/Intellexa, Cellebrite, and Saito Tech/Candiru are the most active commercial #spyware vendors in West Asia & 🌍North Africa. smex.org/new-research...