Stories about Privacy
Disruptive technologies, demagogic governance: Data (un)democracy in India during COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic not only resulted in a great loss of life in India, but also provided an impetus for authoritarian control.
Advocacy groups in the Americas focus on tackling rising surveillance technology
Digital surveillance continues to spread in the Americas, human rights groups raise awareness, research, and earn small judicial victories to limit its negative impacts on communities.
Under BTK's eye: investigation reveals Turkey's information and communication authority has been collecting private user data for over a year
The private user data collected by the Turkey's Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK) has been described by main opposition party as the biggest tapping scandal in the history of the Republic.
Unfreedom Monitor Report: Sudan
Advox research into digital authoritarianism in Sudan is now in a report. Read an excerpt and download the full pdf.
Digital authoritarianism in Bangladesh: Weaponising a draconian law to silence dissent in the pandemic era
The COVID-19 pandemic provided the government with a pretext to censor free speech, harass critics, and effectively curb dissent – accelerating what has been an ongoing turn towards authoritarianism in Bangladesh.
Vietnam’s Zalo Connect app: Digital authoritarianism hidden in peer-to-peer aid platforms
The app connects users in need with private donors. It exemplifies a humanitarian trend that centres on extracting data from vulnerable communities as a precondition to receiving aid.
Access the Unfreedom Monitor database
The Unfreedom Monitor is an Advox initiative to deepen our understanding of the relationship between technology and authoritarian power. In the first phase of this project, researchers working in 11 countries and four key themes conducted analysis of incidents, narratives, and media items, to explain acts of digital authoritarianism and...
Hong Kong set to implement a China-style health code and contact-tracing app
Hong Kong may adopt a health code system similar to the mainland Chinese three-colour version to curb the latest outbreak of COVID infections, according to the city's new health chief.
Brazilian facial recognition ruling can set an important precedent for country-wide use
This lawsuit could generate a "process of recognition that this is a wrongful practice, both on the side of the public authority, as well as the private enterprise."
How Artificial Intelligence could influence Zimbabwe’s 2023 elections
When technologies are adopted in the absence of a solid legal framework and strict safeguards, they pose significant threats to privacy and personal security.
Decolonizing data to tackle digital authoritarianism
Data colonialism is similar to traditional colonialism in terms of its appropriation of human life. States thus use their ownership of data to regulate the behaviors and cultural and religious practices of minorities.
India pushes for storage of private data using technology built for anonymity
As VPNs and blockchain-based services are often designed to assure user anonymity and privacy, this direction might force many service providers to shut down operations in India.
China: Weibo’s new location tag exposes the whereabouts of users, opinion leaders and tiny pinks
Despite privacy concerns, the location data has unexpectedly exposed the whereabouts of pro-government opinion leaders and patriotic trolls.
‘We are living under constant video surveillance in Ecuador,’ says activist Anaís Córdova
"The millions of dollars being spent on video surveillance and facial recognition technologies is increasing."
Still flattening the curve?: Increased risk of digital authoritarianism after COVID-19
In the face of state surveillance, control, and censorship, we need a solid plan to reclaim our digital rights and develop proper political and legal regulations to protect them.
Pandemic tech and digital rights in Morocco
While data-driven technologies can add great value, they carry very significant risks for human dignity, autonomy and privacy and the exercise of human rights in general if not managed appropriately.
Opacity and a lack of debate mark Brazil's ratification of the Budapest Convention
Experts warn that the roll-out was problematic, not least because the treaty may put citizen data in general at risk and open the way to criminalizing the work of InfoSec researchers and activists.
Jordan's personal data protection draft bill: is it enough?
Experts say the draft bill, which still awaits parliamentary discussions, has points of strength like securing citizens’ consent before using their data, but the measures for its application raise concern.
Private abuse in Telegram’s ‘Public Rooms': Can North Macedonia fight online sexual harassment?
In February 2021, hundreds of feminists and other supporters took to the streets of Skopje in protest of the Macedonian institutions’ inaction and impunity for the perpetrators of online sexual violence.
Internet watchdog finds encryption flaw in mandatory Chinese Olympic app
Athletes, journalists and all other attendees of the Beijing Winter Olympics are required to use the My2022 app but data submitted through the app may be intercepted.
