Mapping Digital Freedom Violations

Posted on
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Hungary, North Macedonia, Romania and Serbia
2019 – 2020

BIRN Hub

The project aims to provide accurate information about digital threats, monitor changes, raise awareness and issue policy recommendations.

Summary

In cooperation with the SHARE Foundation, BIRN will determine who the key players are when it comes to disinformation and propaganda in Southern and Eastern Europe (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Hungary, North Macedonia, Romania and Serbia) through establishment of a Digital Monitoring database, continuous monitoring of digital threats and reporting on digital freedom violations.


Donor

Civitates


Main Objective

  • Monitoring

Organisation of training to boost the skills of 15 people who will conduct online monitoring of violations of digital rights and freedoms  (1 – 3 months).

The creation of comprehensive/result-oriented methodology and procedures for monitoring will be created, ensuring a successful monitoring process (3 – 5 months).

The newly-trained monitors will monitor the biggest violations of digital rights in Southern and Eastern Europe (6 – 18 months).

  • Design and Creation of Digital Monitoring Database (2 – 6 months).

The Digital Monitoring database will contain cases of violations of digital rights and freedoms, with descriptions of cases and corresponding sources. Monitors will map digital threats, identifying trends and assessing whether there are legal consequences to the threats. The database will be part of the broader BIRN Investigative Resource Desk, which is an online resource platform for investigative journalists.

  • Publishing (1 – 18 months)

One cross-regional report will be published, using the collected data to identify trends in digital violations and freedoms. Five regional investigative stories will be produced by BIRN journalists on digital rights and information warfare in a regional context.

  • Promotion Event (18 months)

The project envisages organisation of an event for the promotion of the cross-regional report, and an open debate where representatives of regional stakeholders will participate.


Specific Objectives

A key goal is to use the experience of producing the monitoring database, along with SHARE Foundation’s standardised rules for categorising violations of digital rights and freedoms, in other countries. This will be useful to target groups for emphasising the importance of the use of technology to highlight social issues, especially in countries and regions without a good human rights record.

Finally, the initiative aims to inform broader society about real digital threats and the ways in which digital rights can be violated, contributing to the overall fight against disinformation.

Target Groups

The project will target the general public in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Hungary, North Macedonia, Romania and Serbia.


Main Implementer

BIRN


Highlights

BIRN and SHARE Join Efforts to Counter Digital Freedom Violations

Outputs:

  • 15 monitors trained to track and report on digital freedom violations in the targeted countries
  • 1 digital database created and launched
  • 1 cross-regional report produced and published
  • 5 investigations produced and published

1 closing event for the presentation of the cross-regional report and overall project impact

Partners

BIRN and SHARE Join Efforts to Counter Digital Freedom Violations

Outputs:

  • 15 monitors trained to track and report on digital freedom violations in the targeted countries
  • 1 digital database created and launched
  • 1 cross-regional report produced and published
  • 5 investigations produced and published

1 closing event for the presentation of the cross-regional report and overall project impact