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.
Syria’s Telecom Sector: Between Neglect and Reconstruction
Residents in Syria are still awaiting the transitional government to take tangible steps towards remedying and reconstructing a devastated telecommunications…
Policy Brief: The Human Rights Risks of Big Tech’s Cloud...
This policy brief is based on the 2024 research report “Mapping Tech Companies’ Cloud Expansion in the Gulf and its…
Google’s DNS Ban in Iraq Restricts Internet Freedom
This article was prepared in collaboration with the Iraqi Network for Social Media (INSM). The Iraqi government, through the Telecommunications…
Public voter lists risk more data breaches in Lebanon
Lebanon’s Directorate General of Civil Status (DGCS) has initiated a campaign encouraging voters to confirm their personal information on online…
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…
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