Digital authoritarianism

Digital surveillance is breaking activist mental health

Written by Gina Romero

4 weeks ago

Palestinians are being locked out of the digital economy

Written by Guest Contributor

14 June 2026

The signal we cannot ignore: What the LONDA 2025 report reveals about Africa’s digital rights

Written by Muhammed Bello Buhari

5 June 2026

AI cameras are surveilling the roads in Dhaka, Bangladesh

Written by Nurunnaby Chowdhury

3 June 2026

Stories about Digital authoritarianism

How AI is upgrading African dictatorship

The IDS mapping shows cameras clustered where opposition parties organize, not where ordinary crime is highest

Written by Guest Contributor

22 May 2026

Myanmar journalists across borders remain dedicated to truth despite risks

Journalists on the frontlines and in exile share a commitment to truth

Written by Exile Hub

12 May 2026

Decolonizing AI at the U.S. border

What happens when AI is deployed to decide who is detained and who is excluded?

Written by UntoldMag

25 April 2026

India’s race to adopt AI sparks a deeper question: How can technology respect human rights?

Technologies like AI-enabled surveillance and facial recognition are restricting civic space and aiding state authoritarianism

Written by Rezwan

24 April 2026

Government attacks on mainstream media undermine the credibility of democracy in Botswana

There is also pronounced self-censorship among journalists as they fear criticism, harassment and lawsuits.

Written by Guest Contributor

9 March 2026

Iran’s internet blackout as media event: Networks, algorithms, and the politics of visibility

During Iran’s internet blackout, state violence unfolded unseen with competing propagandists filling the digital void

Written by Guest Contributor

21 February 2026

Pakistan jails two lawyers for 17 years over old tweets

The trial moved unusually fast, speeding from indictment to sentencing in under three months

Written by Syed Salman Mehdi

20 February 2026

Malaysian journalist briefly detained for sedition over a question during a public lecture

The journalist resigned and issued an apology after facing harassment for asking a controversial question

Written by Mong Palatino

9 February 2026

Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai found guilty under national security law

After two years of trial, Lai is found guilty of colluding with foreign forces

Written by Hong Kong Free Press

17 December 2025

Macau independent news outlet announces closure following government deregistration

The Macau government said: This media ‘no longer has the legal basis for conducting relevant activities.’

Written by Hong Kong Free Press

7 November 2025

India’s top court moves to regulate comedians and influencers’ speech

The Court reiterated that content created for commercial purposes carries a higher degree of responsibility

Written by Sumit Kumar Singh

6 November 2025

How encryption protects journalists and human rights defenders in West Africa

Encryption is a breath of fresh air for people facing sophisticated surveillance with spyware.

Written by Jean Sovon

26 October 2025

Togolese authorities threaten greater online speech censorship

In Togo, freedom of expression is extremely limited

Written by Global Voices en français

Translated by Laura

19 October 2025

Inside-net: Russia is dismantling free internet connections

Other autocracies are taking note

Written by Daria Dergacheva

7 October 2025

How a Chinese company exports the Great Firewall to autocratic regimes

Xinjiang has become a testing ground for new surveillance technologies

Written by Global Voices East Asia

18 September 2025

Gen Z stands up to expose corruption in Nepal

Young people are protesting over systemic corruption and a system that rewards ‘nepo kids’ over meritocracy

Written by Benju Lwagun

9 September 2025

With ‘human error’ and AI, online scams in Brazil show risks are a click away

Human errors, easy passwords, and lack of security knowledge, can lead to losses

Written by Raissa Moreira

Translated by Gabriela García Calderón Orbe, Jerónimo Restrepo

31 August 2025

When digital democracy disappears, so does the power of the people

When civil society is pushed offline, what’s lost isn’t just voices, but history, memory, resistance, and possibility

Written by Muhammed Bello Buhari

23 August 2025

The politics and people behind Balochistan, Pakistan’s internet shutdowns

The province faces annual blackouts during August due to a surge in militant activity

Written by Ramna Saeed, Nabeel Armaan

18 August 2025

Kyrgyzstan adopts new, draconian media law

The bill was criticized by civil society and international experts

Written by Vlast.kz

13 August 2025

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