Lebanon
In Lebanon, the legal framework for privacy and data protection is in limbo, cybersecurity is minimal to non-existent, and citizens’ rights are neglected. SMEX has been following these issues closely, and now, it is expanding its work to serve as a watchdog over citizens’ digital data.
With the onset of the economic crisis and the pandemic, education in Lebanon changed dramatically with the distinctive rise of e-learning, whereby teaching is taking place remotely on digital platforms. This abrupt shift to the digital realm has significant academic and social implications.
On 30 August, Lebanese internet users reported an internet disruption that made it almost impossible to access platforms like Twitter. This outage affected many websites and services globally, but not all internet service providers nor all internet services in Lebanon were affected the same.
The Lebanese government announced on 12 March that Ogero, the national internet service provider (ISP), will double the speed and capacity for users until the end of April, but it did not clarify whether the decision includes other privately owned ISPs.
Bread&Net is a three-day, participant-built “unconference” organised by SMEX, where activists, technologists, lawyers, artists, trainers, journalists, researchers, entrepreneurs and others from across the MENA region will come together in Beirut, Lebanon from 15 to 17 November.
APC’s subgranting programme, now in its third year, has so far awarded a total of USD 291,534 to support its members in achieving APC’s vision. Sixteen member organisations have been recipients of 17 grants. The call for campaign and research grants is still open.
Social Media Exchange (SMEX) is a registered Lebanese NGO that works to advance self-regulating information societies in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Its work encompasses media development programmes as well as internet policy research and digital rights advocacy in support of more accessible, participatory and just enabling environments for civil society across the MENA region. Whi...
Social Media Exchange (SMEX) is a registered Lebanese NGO that works to advance self-regulating information societies in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). APCNews interviewed Jessica Dheere and Mohamad Najem, the co-directors of SMEX, which just joined the APC network.
“The gay rights movement in Lebanon would not be anywhere near where it is today if it weren’t for the internet”. In the midst of strongly censored neighbours, Lebanon enjoys online freedom that is hampered only by very slow and very expensive internet connections – but is that freedom there to stay? In a country where homosexuality is punishable by upto two years in prison, Nadine Moaw...
