Bread&Net is less than a month away! While our team puts the finishing touches on the long-awaited program, we’re getting ready for a  space where you bring your bold ideas and reimagine the future of digital spaces through interactive sessions, workshops, and conversations. 

And that’s not all. Before Bread&Net, we are hosting two hackathons  in Beirut, bringing together people from all backgrounds: technologists, journalists, lawyers, academics, students, and civil society members actively working in the digital rights field in West Asia and North Africa (WANA) are all welcome! 

Interested in knowing more and applying?

Explore our Secure Communications Hackathon and the MENA AI Hackathon below, and don’t forget to register for Bread&Net 2026! 

The new Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses are a privacy nightmare for the people of the WANA region

Behind the futuristic Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, someone might be watching you without you ever knowing it. In the WANA region where women, journalists, activists, and vulnerable groups face heightened risks of surveillance, these so-called stylish glasses present real security risks. 

The biggest problem isn’t just that these glasses can capture people without their consent; it’s that detecting when they are doing so is remarkably difficult, and the existing measures to do so can easily be circumvented by the technology.

Our technical team has been taking a closer look at Meta’s smart glasses, and how difficult they can be to detect when recording. We’ve tested various detection methods and uncovered important limitations. 

Read some of our initial findings here, and stay connected for the full research!

Our ongoing collaboration with ministries

In parallel, we are also continuing our external engagement efforts with key ministries in Lebanon on different issues within digital rights. We have successfully published a policy paper stating our position concerning a potential social media ban for children in Lebanon alongside other key engagements on violations of digital rights:

Social media ban in Lebanon: 

The debate over children on social media worldwide has largely been framed as a yes or no question: should we ban social media for children under a specific age? At SMEX, we believe there is a different question that needs to be presented: What kind of digital infrastructure are children actually engaging in, and how can we protect them from its harms? 

This is the question that we have attempted to answer in our joint policy paper with the Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies. 

Our paper was presented during a roundtable discussion with representatives from Lebanon’s Higher Council for Childhood, relevant ministries, and parliamentarians working on social media regulation. Most participants agreed that banning social media is not an ideal solution; instead, they emphasized the need for a holistic, protective, and regulated online environment. 

Read our paper and watch highlights from the event.

A new media law in Lebanon is underway:

Following years of  advocacy by civil society organizations, the Lebanese Parliament passed a new Media Law replacing the outdated 1962 press law, establishing dedicated legal mechanisms for digital platforms and online news outlets. SMEX, as part of the Freedom of Expression Coalition in Lebanon, views the law as positive progress for protecting media freedom, strengthening the National Media Commission’s independence, ensuring transparency, and safeguarding journalists and their sources. However, serious concerns remain regarding Paragraph (b) of Article 104, which criminalizes “false news.”

Israel is pushing pro-Israeli narratives through AI:

According to an investigation by the Guardian, Israel has funded a fake US think tank to manipulate online information with pro-Israel narratives and responses into AI chatbots. The investigation was published just days after a senior Israeli communications figure openly admitted to fabricating false information for Israel’s propaganda war. “The facts don’t matter anymore,” he stated. 

Medical Advertising Content Standards in Dubai:

The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) issued Medical Advertising Content Standards for social media, prohibiting healthcare advertisers from using absolute or exaggerated language such as “the best,” “guaranteed success,” or “100%,” and banning fear-based marketing tactics. The standards require documented patient consent for any photos, videos, or statements used in advertisements, and extend to influencers and healthcare professionals promoting facilities by name. 

A National Cyber Security Strategy 2026-2030 in Oman: Oman’s Cyber Defense Center

launched the National Cyber Security Strategy 2026-2030,

a five-pillar framework covering cybersecurity governance, cyber resilience, capacity building, cooperation, and the cyber economy, to protect the country’s digital government services, identity systems, and payment infrastructure. The Centre will oversee implementation through 2030 with periodic reviews. 

Join a global and regional directory for supporters of Technology-facilitated Gender-based Violence (TFGBV)

UNFPA, CHAYN and the Tech Abuse Roster are building a global and regional referral directory of organizations providing specialized support to survivors of Technology-facilitated Gender-based Violence (TFGBV). Organizations with relevant expertise, including support for marginalized and underserved groups, are invited to apply as referral partners.

AI Policy Fellowship Spring 2027

The Institute for AI Policy and Strategy AI Policy Fellowship is accepting applications for its 2027 Spring cohort. The fully funded three-month programme offers training, mentorship and practical experience in AI policy. The Fellowship runs from February 22 to May 14, 2027, with in-person and remote options. Apply here.