This article is a crosspost from Global Voices. This article is part of UPROAR, a Small Media initiative that is urging governments to address digital rights challenges at the Universal Periodic Review (UPR). If the Arab Spring highlighted one phenomenon about digital upheaval, cyber-activism and democratization, it was this: the[...]
On September 1, the Ministry of Public Health launched Ma3an – Together Against Corona, a contact-tracing application intended to stop the spread of Covid-19. After a preliminary review, SMEX found that although the application collects limited personal data, it contains a few security flaws. The Ministry of Public Health, in[...]
On September 8, many websites in Lebanon, including governmental ones, were hacked by an alleged Iranian hacker. After a quick analysis, the SMEX tech team found that all the hacked websites are hosted on the same server managed by Terranet, a local Lebanese ISP and hosting provider. A deeper look[...]
In the wake of the August 4th explosion in Beirut, there was a significant response from civil society trying to help in every way possible. Some NGOs undertook the task of distributing essential and urgent humanitarian aid, while others prepared for the reconstruction phase. The organizations working on all these[...]
On Sunday afternoon, Lebanese internet users reported an internet disruption that made it almost impossible to access platforms like Twitter. Users were under the impression the disruption was due to a telecommunication outage because of the recent fuel and electricity crisis, or some new repressive action by the government. But[...]
Egyptian authorities are arresting an increasing number of women on different charges related to their social media activity; in some cases, female TikTok users are receiving prison sentences and forced to pay hefty fines. The most recent case, which asserts that the accused women’s videos on TikTok stand in “violation[...]
Over the past couple of weeks, state agencies, international organizations, and local initiatives have launched applications to track housing damage, provide food assistance, and offer health services in the wake of the Beirut explosion. These are incredibly important initiatives, but they should also take the necessary steps to protect users’[...]
SMEX is interested in recruiting a part-time English editor. This person will be leading the English editing process under the direction of the digital content manager. Key Responsibilities: Editing and proofreading different types of content for errors and inconsistencies. Creating compelling headlines and body copy that will capture the attention[...]
The recent, mass protests in the region have challenged the closing of online and offline civic space by governments and companies who, through their policies and other means, restrict online speech, limit access to the internet, expand surveillance, and contribute to the spread of hate speech and disinformation online. SMEX[...]
(Beirut, June 7, 2020) – 14 Lebanese and international organizations announced on July 13, 2020 the formation of a “Coalition to Defend Freedom of Expression in Lebanon” to oppose the Lebanese authorities’ attempts to stifle free speech and opinion in the country, the organizations said today. Members of the[...]
