SMEX is seeking a part-time researcher to work on a project analyzing the threats to internet access and digital privacy faced by Syrian refugees in Lebanon. The mixed methods research project will combine interviews with relevant stakeholders, a survey, and desk research. The ideal candidate should be comfortable conducting interviews[...]
SMEX is seeking a part-time researcher to work on a project assessing the Lebanese government’s technical response, or lack thereof, to the Covid-19 crisis. The project is part of a comparative study analyzing the implications of the technical measures governments adopted, with a particular focus on the adoption of contact-tracing[...]
(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[...]
Report any telecommunications outage that happens in Lebanon by filling out this form. We will use this information to update the map. Lebanon is experiencing a financial crisis that is damaging all sectors in society, including telecommunications. In addition to an increase in power cuts across the country, SMEX has[...]
The blog-publishing service Blogger (*.blogspot.com) is blocked in Lebanon on the 3G networks of both mobile operators, Alfa and Touch. The Ministry of Telecommunications’ continues to block websites without warning, which constitutes a violation of citizens’ right to free expression and access to information. On June 2, we were alerted[...]
The safety of the digital rights community is always our first priority. That’s why, with so much uncertainty about the trajectory of Covid-19, we’ve decided that Bread&Net 2020 will be held virtually. While we won’t be hosting an in-person gathering, we look forward to once again bringing the community together[...]
On April 30, 2020, The Lebanese General Prosecutor ordered the Ministry of Telecommunications to compel all internet service providers to block 28 applications, claiming that these applications were spreading false information about the “unofficial” exchange rate between the dollar (USD) and the Lebanese Lira (L.L). We condemn the General Prosecutor’s[...]
With the continuing crises that Lebanon and the world are facing, we at SMEX have sought ways in which free knowledge, which is an integral part of the ecosystem of digital rights, can contribute to addressing the emerging problems. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, SMEX has invested in[...]
As the Covid-19 virus continues to spread across the world, governments are adopting surveillance measures to track patients, raising privacy concerns. Lebanon, like many other countries, has launched digital tools to help diagnose and monitor the spread of the outbreak. The tools launched by the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health[...]
We Demand Ministry of Telecommunications Open the Fixed and Mobile Internet Capacity and Reduce Prices During the COVID-19 Crisis. (Sign the petition here). In a decision to encourage citizens, including students, to stay home during Coronavirus crisis, the Lebanese government announced on Thursday, March 12, that Ogero, the national internet[...]
