Governments and private sectors in West Asia and North Africa are calling to employ AI to strengthen their …

A Brief Overview of AI Use in WANARead More »

SMEX launched the inaugural Mariam Al-Shafei Fellowship on Technology and Human Rights in November 2022 to bring new …

SMEX Launches the Inaugural Mariam Al-Shafei Fellowship on Technology and Human RightsRead More »

For the fifth year in a row, UAE’s Etisalat and Qatar’s Ooerdoo have ranked in the bottom two …

Etisalat and Ooredoo: Ranking last for the fifth year in a row!Read More »

It’s been three weeks since the start of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, and even if …

Red Card on Digital Rights: A summary of Qatar’s foul playsRead More »

For the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, a plethora of technologies are being deployed including smart city …

Mandatory App, Opaque Policies: The Policy Void that Threatens the Privacy of Qatar World Cup Attendees [REPORT]Read More »

This SMEX research report was written by Sarah Cupler, an independent research consultant. It was funded by the …

Internet Shutdowns to Prevent Cheating During Exams: The Impact on Society and Economy in the MENA RegionRead More »

Editor’s note: In April 2022, the Lebanese Court of Audit issued a special report (No. 2/2022, based on …

Billions in Squandered Funds: Court of Audit Report on the Telecom Sector in LebanonRead More »

The Personal Data Protection Law (PDPL) is Saudi Arabia’s first comprehensive data protection law with the aim to …

Data Protection in Saudi Arabia: Comparative AnalysisRead More »

As part of an Oversight Board process to issue a policy advisory opinion reviewing Meta’s policies on the …

[Report] Doxxing of Residential Information Targeting Vulnerable Groups: Online and Offline Harms Read More »

This report analyzes the implementation of digital ID systems in countries of the Gulf Council Cooperation (GCC), also …

The Digital ID Landscape in the GCC: A Mapping of Programs, Regulations, and Human Rights Risks [Report 2021]Read More »

On October 26, 2021, the Libyan House of Representatives passed the “Cybercrime Law,” one day after approving the …

Libya’s New Cybercrime Law: Legislating RepressionRead More »

The Lebanese government’s response to Covid-19 was deeply affected by the failing economy and political unrest, both of …

Covid-19 and Social Control in Lebanon [Report]Read More »

This report analyzes data protection and privacy laws in Qatar, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and Kuwait. Joey …

Data Protection and Privacy Laws In MENA: A Case Study Of Covid-19 Contact Tracing Apps [Report]Read More »

We have witnessed in the last couple of years a striking increase in the number of devices seized …

Device Seizures in Lebanon: Assessing the Legal Framework concerning device seizures [Report]Read More »

In Lebanon, passports, drivers’ licenses, work permits, residency permits, and humanitarian aid all use systems that require biometric …

The Future of Biometrics and Digital ID in Lebanon: Assessing Proposed Systems for Elections and Social Assistance [Report]Read More »

SMEX recently conducted research to assess the transparency of Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in Lebanon. Upon gathering information …

Lebanese ISPs Lack TransparencyRead More »

Over the past four years, Lebanon has witnessed a crackdown against freedom of expression online. The state has …

New Report: ”Analyzing Freedom of Expression in Lebanon in 2018”Read More »

As part of the 16 Days Against Gender Based Violence, we are releasing our new report “Online Privacy …

Online Privacy Threats to Women and LGBTIQ Communities in LebanonRead More »

 Feature image via Oakla: The internet speed chart in August – Lebanon.  Yet, it is interesting that many of …

Mobile internet speeds up the Arab countries, but fixed broadband lags behindRead More »

 Feature image April 2018: A screenshot of the API used to track social media posts. SMEX and LADE …

New Elections Study Shows Less than 2% of Overall Electoral Speech on Social Media Was NegativeRead More »

  In the context of growing government control of mobile networks and a lack of transparency by both …

Dependent Yet Disenfranchised: The Policy Void That Threatens the Rights of Mobile Users in Arab StatesRead More »

Feature image via Bryce Durbin/TechCrunch: A large watchful eye observes as three laptops display information on their screens.  …

Human Rights Organizations Call for Investigation Into Arbitrary Surveillance Program in LebanonRead More »

Feature image via Citizen Lab: Tag cloud of bait content topics used by Stealth Falcon showing a strong …

Digital Citizen 4.4Read More »