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During the World Social Forum (WSF) which took place in Tunis on 24-28 March, Alternatives and DSS 216, in collaboration with APC, Reporters Without Borders (RSF), Access Now and the alternative media outlet Nawaat, co-organised trainings and workshops on digital security in their Centre for Digital Security tent.
Despite the rain, the initiative attracted the attention of several hundreds of activists from different backgrounds. “We had a lot of people who came to see us and who were not familiar with the issue of digital security, and who afterwards grasped the magnitude of the increasing limitations on freedom of expression on the internet,” explained Jean-Marc Bourguignon, hacktivist and consultant for RSF. According to Feroz Mehdi, co-founder of Alternatives, 150 activists among the 600 people who visited the tent demonstrated an interest in receiving further training on means to secure their online activities. The popularity of this first joint initiative has encouraged these organisations to build a long-term partnership towards creating regional advocacy aimed at strengthening the rights to freedom of expression, digital security and protection of privacy on the internet.
Raising awareness through concrete examples
According to Bourguignon, the revelations of Edward Snowden and Wikileaks have helped to enhance awareness on internet surveillance. However, the vast majority of people still fail to acknowledge the full extent of the threat, as it remains abstract to them. Even at the WSF, one could easily hear the “I have nothing to hide” speech. In order to demystify this recurring idea, the four organisations realised that the demonstration of simple and concrete monitoring techniques is often the best way to raise awareness. “Once they are shown on their computer that anyone can very quickly gain access to the data on their iPhone, to their recently visited locations and their browser history, they begin to realise that fragments of their digital identity are everywhere and can easily be seized,” explained Bourguignon.
In addition, the event provided free training on how to increase security on digital devices to all activists, journalists, organisations and bloggers who wished to change their habits on the internet in order to secure their work and communications. Following the trainings, discussions were held at the Centre for Digital Security focusing on topics such as digital freedom in the world, the importance of using free/libre open source software, and the boundary between public and private spaces on the internet.
Building links towards collective advocacy for digital freedom
The attack on the Bardo National Museum in Tunis, a few days before the World Social Forum, has brought back to the forefront of the policy agenda the new anti-terrorist law that the Tunisian government wishes to adopt. DSS 216, Alternatives, Reporters Without Borders and Access Now all fear that this new law will trigger an increase in internet surveillance. Even if the details of this anti-terrorist law are still unspecified, the four organisations will not wait for the final version to react. They plan to quickly form a committee which will closely monitor the issue and promote collective advocacy for genuine digital freedom in Tunisia. The WSF provided a timely opportunity to openly discuss the establishment of the committee. All those who are interested are invited to join the initiative. Over the coming months, it will be vital to raise awareness within Tunisian society in order to counterbalance the growing voices that support a return of the control of the internet in order to fight terrorism.
