16 Nov 2025 Building digital resilience and rights in the Middle East

Kamal Sedra

In the early days of the Arab Spring, digital platforms lit up with the voices of citizens reclaiming their space in history. Mobile phones turned into tools of truth, livestreams outpaced official narratives, and hashtags transcended borders. It was the dawn of what many hoped would be a more open, participatory digital era in the Middle East.

A decade later, the same region finds itself navigating a far more complicated digital landscape, one where civil society actors, journalists, and rights defenders are squeezed between surveillance and censorship, cyberattacks and misinformation, shrinking budgets and shrinking spaces.

For those working on the ground, especially in civil society and independent media, digital transformation has become a double-edged sword: a potential driver of empowerment and connection, but also a gateway to new risks and fewer protections.

The Digital Shift and What’s at Stake

The Middle East is undergoing a rapid digitization of governance, media, and everyday life. Countries are investing in AI technologies, smart surveillance, and cybersecurity frameworks, often in the name of progress, national security, or modernization. Yet for many civic actors, this transformation has ushered in a new era of vulnerability.

Authoritarian-style cybercrime laws, vague content regulations, and opaque algorithmic moderation have become standard tools of control. Activists in several countries have faced arrest for online speech. Journalists have had their phones infected with spyware. Entire media outlets have been deplatformed or throttled.

Take, for instance, the 2024 Citizen Lab report that revealed how Pegasus spyware was used against journalists and activists across the region. One veteran investigative journalist described discovering their phone had been infected, leading to months of self-censorship and disrupted reporting. Such incidents highlight how advanced surveillance tools are weaponized to intimidate and silence critical voices, making digital security training an existential need for independent media.

Even more alarming, Arabic remains underrepresented in global tech ecosystems, from AI to content moderation. This leaves Arab users at the mercy of tools that often fail to understand, categorize, or protect their digital speech. And in places where state-backed AI is advancing, will these tools be used to enhance engagement or entrench surveillance?

Structural Barriers to Digital Rights

Digital exclusion in the region isn’t just about censorship. It’s also about access, and the lack of it. Internet services remain prohibitively expensive in many countries, especially in rural areas. Bandwidth is often poor. Software subscriptions, cloud tools, and security services are priced in foreign currencies, out of reach for many freelancers and grassroots NGOs.

Language, too, creates a wall. Arabic AI tools are either lacking or controlled by regimes that don’t prioritize rights and freedoms. Global platforms struggle to moderate Arabic dialects, let alone grasp their nuances, leading to over-censorship or unchecked hate.

And then there’s the funding problem. After the Trump administration slashed large parts of U.S. international aid, including support for media and civil society, a chilling effect rippled across the region. Programs that once trained journalists in digital safety or supported fact-checking initiatives disappeared almost overnight. Today, further pressure on European aid budgets, especially as defence spending rises, could make the situation worse. Civic actors are not just under threat, they’re increasingly under-resourced.

Civil Society: Resilience in the Face of Risk

Despite mounting challenges, civil society across the Middle East continues to show remarkable resilience. While the digital space has become increasingly monitored and restricted, NGOs, independent journalists, and human rights defenders are adapting and finding ways to protect themselves and their communities.

Localized cybersecurity initiatives are emerging across the region. For instance, IWPR’s Cyber Arabs programme organized a “Digital Security Awareness Week” in Syria, reaching over 5,500 users and training 100+ activists and journalists in secure digital practices like encrypted communication, phishing prevention, and safe messaging.

Another effort comes from Algeria, where I have been involved in developing a cybersecurity toolkit designed specifically for human rights defenders on the ground as part of a bigger effort to support civil society. The toolkit created entirely in Arabic includes practical advice on safe communication, device protection, and risk assessment. Its focus is on actionable solutions that individuals and small organizations can apply immediately in their local context.

These initiatives highlight the critical role of Arabic-language resources. Too often, global cybersecurity training and materials fail to consider local languages and cultural nuances, leaving significant gaps in accessibility. By developing content in Arabic, civil society groups are not only increasing awareness but also making digital protection tools more practical and relevant for those most at risk.

Cybersecurity events like Black Hat MEA, while primarily corporate-driven and government-supported, also, show a growing recognition of the importance of cyber resilience across the region. However, the most impactful innovations often arise from grassroots networks, where collaboration and shared expertise bridge the gaps left by larger, international initiatives.

Yet, the ecosystem remains fragile. Without sustainable funding, access to affordable technology, or strong legal protections, many civil society actors remain vulnerable. Their resilience is inspiring, but it requires consistent support and investment to truly flourish.

AI: Promise and Peril

Artificial intelligence is changing the rules of the game in the Middle East. Some governments, especially the rich Arab gulf area, are investing heavily in AI-powered systems, from predictive policing to smart city infrastructure, while media organizations cautiously experiment with generative AI for content production and translation.

But for civil society, AI is a double-edged sword. On one hand, fact-checking initiatives like Fatabyyano and Misbar are using AI to detect deepfakes and false information, providing a critical line of defence against disinformation. On the other, AI-driven surveillance and data collection pose serious threats to privacy, especially in places where human rights safeguards are weak or absent.

Arabic is a particular challenge. Most global AI models are designed with English or other widely used languages in mind. As a result, Arabic-language content often gets misclassified, flagged, or overlooked, a problem that directly impacts the freedom of expression for millions of users. Meanwhile, regional AI projects that cater to Arabic often lack transparency or independent oversight, raising concerns about whether they are being designed to empower or to monitor.

The Governance Gap

Policies on digital rights and AI across the Middle East remain fragmented and inconsistent. While global frameworks like the UN Global Digital Compact emphasize inclusive governance, ethical AI, and universal connectivity, these commitments often remain abstract at the national level.

At the WSIS+20 High-Level Event in Geneva (July 2025), attended by over 11,000 participants from more than 160 countries, global leaders reaffirmed the importance of the multistakeholder model. The event called for greater civil society inclusion, especially voices from the Global South, in shaping post2025 digital governance and ensuring WSIS action lines continue to guide diverse stakeholder participation and ethical AI debates. Similarly, the Internet Governance Forum (IGF 2025) highlighted citizen trust, information integrity, and closing the digital divide as core priorities, even as debates emerged over potential future venues posing risks to open participation.

Despite these global dialogues, implementation at the country level lags. In Tunisia, efforts to align data protection laws with international standards continue, and while promising, remain vulnerable to political shifts. In Morocco, early steps toward open data initiatives show potential for transparency but still lack stronger public accountability mechanisms. At the regional level, the Arab Digital Agenda (2023-2027) offers a cooperation framework; yet its agenda is tilted more toward economic and cybersecurity priorities, paying limited attention to communication rights.

Regional civil society groups are pushing back. They’ve used WSIS+20 processes and IGF input mechanisms to advocate for ethical AI frameworks, open-internet policies, and inclusive governance, yet without stable donor funding or institutional buy-in, their influence remains marginal.

These global deadlines and dialogues matter, but unless civil society gains real influence in national policy spaces, the governance gap will persist. The challenge is not only to talk about rights, but also to embed them.

What Needs to Happen Now

The challenges are complex, but they are not insurmountable. Based on my work with NGOs, journalists, and digital rights groups, here are some practical steps that could make a real difference.

For example, a coalition of North African NGOs recently developed a low-bandwidth security toolkit in Arabic, tailored for activists with limited internet access. Such initiatives demonstrate how localized solutions can make a tangible difference. Similarly, cross-border training networks, inspired by WSIS+20’s emphasis on collaboration, are starting to emerge to help journalists and human rights defenders tackle AI-driven disinformation and online harassment.

Investing in digital literacy and local capacity: Civil society and media workers need ongoing training to stay ahead of emerging threats, from phishing scams to AI-generated misinformation.

Supporting open-source and Arabic-friendly tools: Affordable, accessible technologies built with privacy and security in mind are vital for those who cannot afford expensive, foreign-currency-priced subscriptions.

Building cross-regional solidarity networks: Shared knowledge, joint advocacy, and pooled resources can help counter both repression and technical challenges.

Prioritizing low-bandwidth, low-cost solutions: Tools that work even on slow or costly internet connections can dramatically reduce digital exclusion.

Re-engaging international donors: Funding cuts must be addressed by demonstrating the critical link between free, secure digital spaces and broader democratic stability. Development partners should be encouraged to prioritize digital rights as part of peacebuilding and governance programs.

Reclaiming Digital Space

The Middle East’s digital future is being shaped right now by governments, tech giants, and a growing AI industry. But the people who depend most on open and secure online spaces; activists, journalists, marginalized communities are often the ones left without a voice or resources.

Civil society actors have proven their resilience. They have adapted, innovated, and found ways to keep the digital space alive despite surveillance, disinformation, and financial pressure. But resilience alone is not enough. What they need now is solidarity from international organizations, tech developers, and policymakers who believe that communication rights are human rights.

As WACC has long reminded us, communication is not just about technology; it is about power, participation, and dignity. The challenge for the Middle East is to ensure that this digital era does not leave its most critical voices behind. ν

Sources & Further Reading

WACC Global. Media Development 4/2024: A Global Vision of Digital Justice. 2024.
https://waccglobal.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/4-2024.MD_.final_.pdf

Citizen Lab. Confirming Large-Scale Pegasus Surveillance of Jordan-based Civil Society. 2024.
https://citizenlab.ca/2024/02/confirming-large-scale-pegasus-surveillance-of-jordan-based-civil-society/

Time Magazine. The Heirs of the Arab Spring. 2021.
http://www.time.com/5927349/heirs-of-the-arab-spring

TahawulTech. 80% of Cyberattacks in the Middle East Lead to Confidential Data Breaches. 2024.
http://www.tahawultech.com/insight/80-of-cyberattacks-in-the-middle-east-lead-to-confidential-data-breaches

Seceon. Cybersecurity for Critical Infrastructure in the Middle East. 2024.
http://www.seceon.com/cybersecurity-for-critical-infrastructure-in-the-middle-east-why-a-proactive-ai-driven-approach-is-essential

Digital violence in MENA: impunity and internet shutdowns in 2024. 2025.
https://www.accessnow.org/press-release/mena-keepiton-internet-shutdowns-2024-en/

Kamal Sedra is a cybersecurity and digital rights consultant based in Switzerland. He is the founder and managing director of eduCYBER Sàrl, supporting NGOs and media outlets with digital resilience training, threat assessments, and secure innovation strategies across the MENA region and Europe. Kamal has consulted for prestigious organizations including the World Bank, UN IOM, Global Journalists Security, CRS, USAID, and the ICT4Peace Foundation, among others. He is a member of the WACC MENA Executive Committee and a former member of the Multistakeholder Advisory Group (MAG) of the Arab Internet Governance Forum (IGF).