The EDRi network has released its latest bi-weekly digest of digital rights developments across the continent and beyond, covering surveillance threats, platform accountability, and emerging technologies that challenge Big Tech dominance.
Togolese Activists Face Meta Censorship as Regime Tightens Digital Control
A six-decade authoritarian government in Togo has weaponised digital platforms to suppress dissent, employing surveillance tools including Pegasus spyware, coordinated troll networks, and selective account removals targeting opposition voices. On June 6, Togolese activists mobilised online to call for the release of political detainees and an end to authoritarian rule. With internet blackouts anticipated, international support for digital rights defenders like Sénamé Koffi Agbodjinou and Weaving Liberation has become critical to amplifying awareness of the country's digital repression.
Paragon's Graphite Spyware Confirmed Targeting Italian Journalists
Citizen Lab has published research documenting the use of Graphite, a sophisticated iOS spyware developed by Paragon, against a journalist in Italy. The forensic analysis adds to mounting evidence of systematic spyware deployment across Europe, with multiple confirmed cases of infection and targeting now documented. The report consolidates incident data and technical evidence showing a broader pattern of abuse.
Fediverse Emerges as User-Controlled Alternative to Corporate Social Media
Elena Rossini has produced a four-minute explainer on the Fediverse, a decentralised, open-source social network architecture that returns data ownership to users. Unlike platforms controlled by technology giants, the Fediverse operates as a community-driven ecosystem designed to eliminate algorithmic manipulation and exploitative design patterns. The model demonstrates how interconnected, user-governed systems can reshape digital communication and social connection.
Press Freedom Requires Digital Security in an Age of Data Extraction
Cindy Cohn of the Electronic Frontier Foundation has interviewed Harlo Holmes, Director of Digital Security at the Freedom of the Press Foundation, on strategies for protecting independent journalism from digital threats. Holmes discusses methods for maintaining source anonymity in data-intensive environments and addressing burnout among journalists confronting constant surveillance risks. The conversation underscores that protecting press freedom is inseparable from defending democratic institutions.
