The Global Network Initiative (GNI) is thrilled to announce that the National Democratic Institute (NDI) has joined GNI as a civil society member. 

As we reach the midpoint of an unseasonably hot summer, we at DemTech are reflecting on how we can apply the new ideas we’ve learned and experiences we’ve had to further the advancement of democratic ideals. With digital authoritarians finding new ways to circumvent democracy and human rights seemingly everyday, innovation in the democracy technology space is more important than ever.

On Tuesday, Twitter filed  a lawsuit against the Indian government with the aim of overturning orders to remove content injurious  to the Modi administration.

The Taiwan National Communications Commission has approved the draft Digital Intermediary Service Act, legislation which would require platforms to improve content moderation, transparency, and localization.

21 June

Hackers linked to the Chinese Communist Party are exploiting a recently discovered Microsoft vulnerability to target external dissident groups, most notably the Tibetan government in exile.

Persian language content moderators for Instagram have come forward alleging that Persian language content moderation is biased due to pressure from the Iranian government.

The UN Security Council (UNSC) convened a technology and security briefing on Monday this week. The briefing  particularly focused on technology’s application to maintaining international peace and security.

To address a spike in online child sexual abuse material(CSAM) during the pandemic, the European Commission has published a proposal that would allow courts to order internet service providers to block sites containing CSAM. The law would also require platforms to scan content to detect and remove CSAM and report annually on how much content they remove, while also increasing their obligations to prevent online grooming.