We are Advox
A project of Global Voices, we are a global network dedicated to reporting on freedom of expression online and advocating for policies that support a trustworthy, free and open internet for all.
Unfreedom Monitor
The Unfreedom Monitor is a project to analyze, document, and report on the growing use of digital communications technology to advance authoritarian governance around the world.
UPROAR
A series of essays in support of a campaign that urges governments to address digital rights challenges at the UN's Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights.
Data Narratives: Civic Media Observatory's project on Data Governance
The Data Narratives Civic Media Observatory aims to identify and understand the discourse on data used for governance and policy in El Salvador, Brazil, Turkey, Sudan, and India.
Latest stories
At what cost are we bridging Africa’s digital divide?
Beneath the promises of enhanced connectivity in Africa lies a complex narrative—a 21st-century iteration of colonial dynamics cloaked in the rhetoric of "connecting the unconnected"...
We demand the immediate release of Venezuelan human rights defender Carlos Correa
Carlos Correa has over 20 years' experience defending human rights and freedom of expression in Venezuela. He was captured in Caracas on January 7, 2025, three days before Nicolás Maduro's presidential inauguration.
Australia is the first nation to ban social media for under-16s
On Wednesday, the lower house of the Australian parliament voted to pass legislation to ban social media for children under 16 years, and the Senate passed the bill on Friday.
Where is Carlos Correa? Unidentified men take Venezuelan activist away from the middle of Caracas
“He was intercepted in the center of Caracas by hooded men who claimed to be officials,” according to witnesses quoted in a press release by Espacio Público.
2025: The year we decide the internet's future
In 2024, critical discussions began that could reshape internet governance, with debates extending into 2025. At stake is the shift from a multi stakeholder model ... to a government-dominated approach.
Vietnam strengthens control of internet and civil society through new decrees
This new decree “neither protect the public from any genuine security concerns nor respect fundamental human rights.”
Fifteen times Hong Kong made international headlines in 2024
Hong Kong made the news on several occasions in 2024 whether for passing new security legislation, censorship laws, or the mystery surrounding the deaths of several monkeys at a city-centre zoo.
India's internet shutdown crisis: A growing threat to digital rights
India’s approach to internet governance presents a paradox. Despite positioning itself as a leader of digital innovation, government-imposed shutdowns threaten the country’s digital infrastructure and risks violating citizens' fundamental rights.
Internet outages and blocks in Latin America in 2024
From Cuba to Brazil, blackouts or the blocking of social media affected the connectivity of the Latin American continent.
A year of elections and digital repression in South Asia: 2024 in focus
This summary of Global Voices' 2024 South Asia coverage highlights how governments introduced measures to tighten control over online spaces amid elections and political unrest.
Data Narratives Civic Media Observatory: Country Reports
The reports examined the complexities of the data governance landscape across the five countries through the lens of the data narratives and counter-narratives that shape conversations in each country.
How the UN Cybercrime Convention 2023 can pose a threat to human rights defenders and exiled journalists
The convention must include mandatory dual criminality clauses, respect human rights safeguards, establishing that no cooperation will be provided in cases that could result in violations of fundamental rights.
How artificial intelligence can be weaponized for harassment
A 2023 analysis of over 95,000 deepfake videos found that up to 98 percent of them were deepfake pornography, and, of those, 99 percent of the individuals targeted were women.
Artificial Intelligence Narratives: A Global Voices Report
Our Data Narratives research delves into discourse about data and artificial intelligence in five countries: Sudan, El Salvador, India, Brazil, and Turkey.
Women in public positions in North Macedonia are easy targets of hate speech
Despite visible progress in the fight for women’s rights, increased representation in politics and greater attention to issues affecting women, the tendency to express contempt and insult them persists.
In Azerbaijan, authorities are again targeting journalists, in a new wave of arrests
The authorities in Baku insist none of the criticisms are true, instead accusing those critical of the regime of double standards, bias and meddling in the country's internal matters.
Online safety or censorship? Malaysia’s parliament passes two contentious media bills
“These measures risk transforming Malaysia’s digital spaces into stricter and highly regulated environments, stifling open discourse and innovation while entrenching state control over the internet.”
Eyes in the sky: Hong Kong police considering AI-enhanced drone patrols
Hong Kong police are considering using drones for routine patrols and analysing their images with artificial intelligence.
How tech companies enable censorship in Vietnam
"Our findings show a concerning situation where these companies almost always comply with an increasing number of content moderation requests from the Vietnamese government."
The great Pakistan firewall and use of religion as a tool for digital authoritarianism
Pakistan has implemented a national firewall to regulate online content and mandated the registration of lawful VPN usage, with a ban on unregistered VPNs set to take effect from December 1.
