News
July 26, 2021 
Armenia’s new digital disinformation bills threaten free speech and press freedom
In the wake of a recently reignited war with Azerbaijan in 2020, concerns about the spread of digital… Read More
July 21, 2021 
Developing and Deploying New Technologies with Privacy in Mind: A Case Study on Contact Tracing Applications in Latin America
During the COVID-19 pandemic, contact tracing applications have been viewed around the world as a sound… Read More
July 01, 2021 
Nigeria’s Twitter Ban & the Political Violence on Citizens' Freedom of Speech
On June 5th, Nigerian President Mohammadu Buhari … Read More
April 27, 2021 
April 20, 2021 
How to Contribute to Global and Local Conversations on Internet Governance
In recent decades, citizens around the world have continuously relied on the internet to engage with one… Read More
April 07, 2021 
Internet Shutdowns and the Future of African Democracy: What More Can We Do?
Kenya will hold its general election next year in 2022, and I can’t stop wondering if the government will dare… Read More
March 02, 2021 
Is Digital Inequality a Justice Issue?
When we start to think of digital rights as human rights, it transforms digital inequality into an issue of injustice. As… Read More
February 24, 2021 
How Big Tech’s Content Moderation Policies Could Jeopardize Users in Authoritarian Regimes
Social media advocates have historically lauded its ability to facilitate democratic progress by connecting… Read More
February 09, 2021 
The Internet in 2030: Digital Rights Experts on the Decade Ahead
Open Internet for Democracy Initiative
The internet is a constantly evolving technological platform. It’s unlikely that when the very first internet… Read More
January 29, 2021 
Report: The Shrinking Space for Media Freedom in Southeast Europe
Dr. Rumena Filipova, Dr. Ognian Shentov, and Ruslan Stefanov
This blog and the associated report was fully produced and published by the Center for the Study of Democracy (CSD). Editor of the report, Ruslan… Read More
January 28, 2021 
Data Protection and Privacy in the Absence of Law: A Namibian exploration during COVID-19
In 2006, the Council of Europe launched "Data Protection Day" to commemorate the anniversary of the 1981 passage of Europe's data protection bill… Read More
October 28, 2020 
REPORT: THE STATE OF INTERNET FREEDOM IN AFRICA 2020
CIPESA
On September 29, 2020, the Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA) released a new report, State of… Read More
September 22, 2020 
PRESERVING AN OPEN INTERNET IN LESOTHO THROUGH A MULTI-STAKEHOLDER DIALOGUE
Open Internet for Democracy Leader, Thato Mochone, shares the outcomes of a virtual multi-stakeholder dialogue aimed at initiating… Read More
September 09, 2020 
THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC HIGHLIGHTED VENEZUELA’S DROP IN INTERNET PENETRATION
What happens during a national health emergency when citizens don’t have access to the internet? People in Venezuela are finding out as… Read More
September 03, 2020
A WHIRLWIND OF INFORMATION: THE CONSEQUENCES OF DISINFORMATION AND MISINFORMATION DURING A PANDEMIC
Open Internet Leader, Thato Mochone examines how governments in Southern Africa are utilizing the disinformation and misinformation surrounding… Read More
August 27, 2020 
MULTI-STAKEHOLDER INSIGHTS ON PROTECTING AN OPEN INTERNET: A PERSPECTIVE FROM NIGERIA
To spark conversations that address policies restricting an open internet in Nigeria, I hosted a roundtable discussion in Abuja, Nigeria, earlier… Read More
July 15, 2020
CONSTITUTIONALISM, THE RULE OF LAW & DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE: A CONVERSATION WITH PROFESSOR THULI MADONSELA
South African Professor Thuli Madonsela discusses the rule of law in the age of COVID-19, including important considerations around data… Read More
May 27, 2020 
THE TWIST OF FATE, OR ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT FACIAL RECOGNITION IN DEMOCRATIC POST-GDPR EUROPE
The use of facial recognition technology is on the rise, particularly among governments who claim that it helps keep their citizens safer. But how… Read More
May 26, 2020 
Responses to Tackling COVID-19: State of Emergency, Rule of Law & the Public Good
The rapid spread of COVID-19 has led many governments to enact emergency measures that temporarily expand their powers in an effort to combat and… Read More
April 16, 2020 
DISINFORMATION AND ITS IMPACT ON SOCIETY: A CASE STUDY FROM SOUTH AFRICA
Disinformation can also have less immediately visible but equally dangerous results that undermine democracy by distorting public discourse and… Read More
April 07, 2020 
UKRAINE WANTS TO FIGHT DISINFORMATION BY INTRODUCING DE-FACTO CENSORSHIP
Ukraine's proposed legislative amendments raise concerns about the future of freedom of speech and the free flow of information.
… Read MoreMarch 05, 2020 
SOCIAL WELFARE AT THE COST OF PRIVACY. NOT ANYMORE, SAID DUTCH COURT
The beginning of February was marked by a pivotal… Read More
October 28, 2019 
THE NEED TO UNDERSTAND OUR DIGITAL RIGHTS IN OUR OWN LANGUAGES
The fight towards a free and democratic internet has numerous battlefields, but equally important is the creation of a network representative of… Read More
October 21, 2019 
AS BOTSWANA HEADS TO THE POLLS, COMPETITIVE ELECTIONS HIGHLIGHT NEED TO STRENGTHEN MEDIA AND DATA LAWS
An electorate ought to be empowered to make their own political and socio-economic decisions, and as such, a public sphere where information is… Read More
October 17, 2019 
THE ROLE OF MULTI-STAKEHOLDER COALITIONS IN THE FIGHT AGAINST DIGITAL RIGHTS VIOLATIONS
With a marked increase in digital rights violations across the African continent since 2016, citizens have found various ways to protest against… Read More
October 07, 2019 
THREATS TO DEMOCRACY ONLINE IN THE PHILIPPINES
How is a lack of multistakeholder discussions, a digital divide, and pro-surveillance legislation impacting the internet in the Philippines?… Read More
September 30, 2019 
TECHNICAL FAILURES THAT MUZZLE: CENSORSHIP ON FACEBOOK OF THE WORKERS' PARTY IN PARAGUAY
How can Facebook's Community Standards harm freedom of expression in a global context? This case study from Paraguay explores this topic.… Read More
August 27, 2019 
IS AI ETHICAL?
The growth of artificial intelligence has raised numerous concerns about its ethicality. What should users be on the lookout for - both positive… Read More
June 17, 2019 
THE DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLES FOR AN OPEN INTERNET AS A FRAMEWORK FOR DIGITAL ENTREPRENEURS
To promote a deeper understanding of internet governance and digital rights by local communities in the Philippines, Womenpowered Digital and ICT… Read More
May 22, 2019 
THE FIVE-STEP APPROACH TO CONDUCTING A DIGITAL RIGHTS CAMPAIGN
Imagine you are a digital rights organization that has developed a series of materials on digital rights literacy, and now your organization is… Read More
May 15, 2019 
THE IMPACT OF DIGITAL RIGHTS VIOLATIONS ON AFRICAN ECONOMIES
If internet shutdowns become the norm across Africa, the economic development of the continent will severely stagnate, as a large majority of… Read More
May 06, 2019 
HOW TECH COMMUNITIES CAN CONTRIBUTE TO SHAPING THE INTERNET WE WANT
Being experts in the design and use of internet platforms, tech communities can provide valuable insights for policymakers on the development of… Read More
January 30, 2019 
THE FIGHT FOR PRIVACY
The pervasiveness of digital technology has exponentially increased the potential for intrusions into personal privacy, but users are often… Read More
December 13, 2018 
APP SECURITY FLAWS COULD CREATE ADDED RISKS FOR LGBTQI COMMUNITIES
Are apps and websites that cater to vulnerable communities failing to adequately address the inherent security risks faced by their users?
… Read MoreNovember 29, 2018
WHAT NEXT FOR ADVOCACY AGAINST NETWORK DISRUPTIONS?
The Global Network Initiative's (GNI) David Sullivan summarizes the joint GNI and Open Internet for Democracy Initiative-led session at the 2018… Read More
October 16, 2018
WHY ARE PAKISTANIS UNABLE TO CONNECT WITH THE DIGITAL RIGHTS MOVEMENT?
Despite the fact that nearly 50 million Pakistanis now use the internet and the number of cybercrime cases is increasing, why do some people in… Read More
February 08, 2018
IGF 2017 RECAP: WHY OPEN INTERNET MATTERS FOR DEMOCRACY
At the Internet Governance Forum, CIPE discusses inclusive online dialogue, disinformation, and democratic governance.
From the post:… Read More
December 21, 2017
WATCH THE IGF PANEL ON THREATS TO DEMOCRATIC PROCESSES ONLINE, 12/21/17
The panel will include discussions of technical censorship and throttling by ISPs, the legal implications of surveillance and cyber laws, and the… Read More
November 15, 2017
NEW CASE STUDIES HIGHLIGHT CIVIL SOCIETY RESPONSES TO INTERNET THREATS
CIMA's new digital report provides on the ground examples of groups that have successfully fought for policies and norms that strengthen Internet… Read More
November 07, 2017
NEW INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS NEEDED TO PROTECT THE OPEN INTERNET
NDI requests suggestions and inputs on the draft open internet principles framework to ensure its contents are led by diverse stakeholders.
… Read MoreOctober 26, 2017
OPEN INTERNET PRINCIPLES FOR DEMOCRACY: PUTTING MEDIA FREEDOM FRONT AND CENTER
CIMA seeks input on open internet principles for media stakeholders and real-world examples of what they look like in practice.
September 19, 2017