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Will Syria Follow in the UAE’s Footsteps by Censoring VoIP Services?
On Wednesday, the Syrian Telecommunication Regulatory Authority (TRA) announced that it was considering blocking voice ...
Who will really pay for the Ministry of Telecommunications’ decision to prevent smuggling mobiles?
Since 2012, Lebanon’s Ministry of Telecommunications has been trying, despite changes in leadership, to combat the smuggling of smartphones. The latest decision was announced on August 31 by caretaker minister Jamal al-Jarrah. A few points to gather from the directive: Citizens are responsible for ensuring that their International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) complies with the […]
A Snapshot of Digital Rights Coverage in the MENA Region
Introduction One day in early 2015, Habib Battah, an investigative journalist who operates the website Beirut Report, noticed new construction works in the city’s Hamra district. Hoping that this was the physical manifestation of much-touted plans to upgrade the notoriously slow internet in Lebanon, he observed thin blue pipe being laid into newly dug trenches, […]
Ministry of Information Application Threatens Citizens’ Privacy
Eye Police, the Ministry of Information’s new mobile application which serves as a platform for users to report issues in Lebanon, poses a serious threat to users’ privacy and does not take adequate measures to protect their personal data. Melham Riachy, the Minister of Information, announced the launch of Eye Police on June 12. The […]
New Elections Study Shows Less than 2% of Overall Electoral Speech on Social Media Was Negative
SMEX and LADE collaborated to monitor candidates’ social media speech during the most recent Lebanese parliamentary elections. The increasing role of social media in shaping public opinion – especially during national elections – goes hand in hand with a rising internet penetration rate. Indeed, since the last parliamentary elections in 2009, Lebanon’s internet penetration rose […]