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

3381

Tickets received

1289

Tickets escalated

729

Journalists assisted

900

Activists assisted

News

Latest Articles

Latest news at the intersection of technology and human rights in WANA.

Lebanon’s data security problem, explained

As the war escalates, the digital battlefield is proving just as volatile as the physical one putting civilian lives directly…

Shared links can track you. Here is how to get...

If you’ve ever wondered how platforms seem to know exactly where you came from, like prompting you to follow an…

The Platform Doesn’t Speak Arabic. Women Are Paying for It.

The systems that govern speech online were not built for Arabic-speaking users. Women across the Arab world are paying the…

[Opinion] Israeli leaflets with QR codes could be after Lebanese...

On March 13, thousands of leaflets dropped over Beirut. At the bottom sat QR codes A month later, the question…

Digital fraud rings are targeting Whish Money users in Lebanon:...

At the outset of Israel’s war on Lebanon, a Beirut coffee shop used its kitchen for a relief efforts, churning…

Will national roaming actually keep Lebanon connected in wartime?

Shortly before the escalation of the Israeli war on Lebanon in early March, Lebanon’s two national telecom operators, Alfa and…

Digital Rights Amid a Regional War: April 17, 2026

Digital Rights Amid a Regional War: April 17, 2026 Beirut, April 15, 2026 — On April 8, Israel launched its…

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