Latin America & the Caribbean
A number of journalists, activists, politicians, and public figures in Latin America have been targeted by a large-scale hacking campaign since 2008, according to a new report from the University of Toronto’s Citizen Lab.
The Media Democracy Fund, in conjunction with the Ford Foundation and Open Society Foundations, selected Cyber Stewards Network partners Asociación por los Derechos Civiles (ADC) and Derechos Digitales as recipients of the Quantified Society Grants.
Governments’ use of biometric systems have raised privacy concerns and the need for greater transparency and accountability. This is because these systems collect and store individuals’ physical traits such as fingerprints, facial recognition, iris scans, and other personal characteristics. Biometric identification has been criticized as being error-prone and unreliable, as well as being fundamentally detrimental to privacy, free expression, and the right to anonymity, especially with regards to vulnerable individuals such as dissidents, whistleblowers, and journalists. Members of the Cyber Stewards Network are active in efforts to raise awareness on the use of biometric systems and surveillance technologies.
While the Mexican government has long been suspected of purchasing surveillance equipment, the frequency of these purchases and the level of public funds allocated to them are rapidly increasing. Last February, New York Times published an investigative report on a USD 355 million outlay by the Mexican Ministry of Defense for sophisticated surveillance equipment. Six months earlier, Carmen Artistegui, a renowned investigative journalist in Mexico, published a report documenting five contracts from the Secretariat of National Defense for the purchase of surveillance technologies. All five contracts were confidential and granted to a single company headquartered in the state of Jalisco called Security Tracking Devices, Inc.
Cyber Steward Network partner Renata Avila details her efforts to bring legal action against FinFisher in Mexico.
A new article in Wired magazine as part of the joint project by Privacy International, Agentura.Ru and the Citizen Lab on Russia’s surveillance state.
Luis Horacio Nájera spoke about the youth movement known as YoSoy132 and their activities during the presidential campaign.
Citizen Lab Research Fellow Luis Horacio Nájera was interviewed after 49 dismembered bodies were found in northern Mexico.
Citizen Lab Research Fellow Luis Horacio Najera’s commentary was featured in today’s Globe and Mail about World Press Freedom Day.