Metehan Durmaz • 03 Jul 2025

Meta AI’s darker side 

AI chatbots have become more and more integrated in the lives of millions since 2022. Beyond technical assistance and finding…

Dia Kayyali • 03 Jul 2025

WhatsApp gets a little worse with AI

Last week, Meta announced that WhatsApp will now feature targeted ads. As many news articles and comments from civil society…

Safaa Ayyad • 03 Jun 2025

Telecommunications in South Lebanon: Has the Network Recovered After the Ceasefire?

Six months after a fragile ceasefire ended Israel’s full-blown war on Lebanon, many villages in South Lebanon remain without reliable…

Metehan Durmaz • 19 May 2025

AI Investments in the Gulf: Opportunities and Surveillance Risks

Methodology All findings and analyses were developed through the review of publicly available information, including online articles, research papers, investment…

SMEX • 08 May 2025

Syria: Digital Safety Tips from SMEX’s Helpdesk

The recent circulation of an audio recording, allegedly from a Druze religious leader in Syria insulting Prophet Muhammad, is being…

SMEX • 05 May 2025

Open Letter to Samsung: End Forced Israeli-Founded Bloatware Installations in the WANA Region

In recent months, we have received numerous reports from users across West Asia and North Africa (WANA) expressing alarm over…

SMEX • 17 Apr 2025

Syria Brief: Internet Disruptions, Threats to Data Sovereignty, and a Risky E-Wallet

Recurrent internet disruptions in Syria continue to interfere with residents’ education, work, communication, and even access to their salaries. In…