SMEX advances digital rights
in West Asia and North Africa.
Who we are
SMEX is a non-profit that advocates for and advances human rights in digital spaces across West Asia and North Africa.
Our Vision
Our vision is for everyone living in West Asia-North Africa and the diaspora to be able to access and engage with the internet, mobile services, and other networked spaces safely and without fear of censorship, surveillance, or repercussion.
Our mission
SMEX advances freedom of expression and the right to privacy in WANA through research and reporting, monitoring state and tech companies’ policies, protecting the safety and security of online users, and collaborating with regional advocates to sustain a safer digital space.
What we do
Our Digital Safety Helpdesk assists internet users facing digital threats in the region
1330
Tickets received
446
Tickets escalated
91
Journalists assisted
118
Activists assisted
News
Latest Articles
Latest news at the intersection of technology and human rights in WANA.
Invasive Israeli software is harvesting data from Samsung users in...
Across West Asia and North Africa (WANA), growing concerns about digital surveillance have placed Israeli cybersecurity firms and their software…
Lebanon’s telecom feud disrupts SMS verification system
“I tried downloading both WhatsApp and WhatsApp Business, but I never received the verification codes,” said Rima, who recently purchased…
Post-War Internet in Lebanon: Confusion, Exploitation, and Chaos!
Nearly two months after the ceasefire took effect in Lebanon, parts of Beirut’s southern suburbs remain without internet. The government’s…
Manifesto: Towards a Productive and Equitable Telecommunications Sector in Lebanon
We oppose treating the telecommunications sector as a means to impose indirect tax on Lebanon’s residents. We instead call for…
Disinformation fuels sectarian unrest in Syria [Opinion]
After over half a century of oppression under the Assad regime, on December 8, 2024, Syrians awoke to a new…
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