Open Technology Fund

Applications to our Internet Freedom Fund are open and accepted on a rolling basis! Organizations or individuals are encouraged to submit a concept note -- the first step in a two-step process -- for innovative global internet freedom projects that counter censorship or surveillance that are focused on technology development, applied research, digital security, or events and community convenings. The @Open Technology Fund team evaluates applications based on: 1. Does the proposal fit within our remit? 2. Does the proposal solve an existing problem or pre-empt a rising problem? What is the real-world applicability? 3. Is it cost effective? 4. Will the project endure beyond the life of OTF's support? 5. Is the proposed project complementary to existing efforts? Learn more and apply. https://lnkd.in/dtBDmTs

What’s new Open Technology Fund? We released our Fiscal Year 2022 Annual Report! It catalogs the 60+ projects that OTF has supported over the past year, but more importantly, it captures the incredible effort and accomplishments of our partners. Yet, as Laura Cunningham explains, the fight for internet freedom is no longer simply a tactical cat-and-mouse game but rather a normative battle to define the future of free expression. What does this mean as we look ahead? The stakes have never been higher. As authoritarians become more dogged and ambitious, protecting and preserving a free and open global internet will be more difficult, more expensive, and far from guaranteed. We need to be prepared for evermore complex and challenging fights – and ready to take bold action. Most importantly, as digital authoritarians continue to unite in their efforts to undermine the very concept of a free and open global internet, so must we unite in dedication to its defense by supporting those in the vanguard. Because in the face of an increasingly uneven playing field, our combined creativity, shared vision, and tenacious commitment is our greatest strength. Sign up for our monthly newsletter to find out what’s new at OTF, and learn about program highlights and funding opportunities! https://lnkd.in/emHwSPJE

There has been a significant erosion of internet freedom in the last six years as even the most modestly-resourced authoritarians now have access to state-of-the-art censorship and surveillance technologies. Those working to counter this trend have met the moment with privacy-enhancing, secure solutions that enable people to safely access and share information online. But, how to get these solutions to the people who need them most? This is the mission of Open Technology Fund’s Impact and Engagement Lab. The Impact and Engagement Lab (formerly the “Learning Lab”) helps technology-focused internet freedom projects connect with audiences and improve adoption & socialization in the world’s most information-repressive contexts. OTF is soliciting proposals from service providers, organizations, and individuals interested in providing services to the lab, including: ✅ Audience and User Engagement Services ✅ Editorial Services ✅ Graphic Design Services Learn more and apply by September 13: https://ow.ly/8z9u50SCubo

Fear of retaliation is one of the top reasons would-be whistleblowers fail to share information. Science & Design, Inc.’s Hush Line is a secure, anonymous platform for disclosure that lets anyone share tips safely and privately. The free, text-only service (it’s not possible to send or receive potentially harmful files) doesn’t require tip-line owners to use any personally identifying information—not even an email address—and scrubs access logs of IP addresses and country codes. Tip submitters don’t need to create an account and the platform has an Onion service, which can be accessed via the Tor Browser—making connections and activity completely anonymous. This means whistleblowers can securely and privately disclose tips. Open Technology Fund’s Security Lab partner Subgraph recently conducted a security audit of the platform to ensure it’s as safe as possible for users. Overall, auditors found that Hush Line provides sound protection and security. The Hush Line team has implemented almost all of the recommended updates for enhanced security. Learn more https://ow.ly/3FQn50SwaMs

Yesterday, The Washington Post published an editorial on the scale of China’s app censorship, and Apple’s role, featuring a report from Open Technology Fund partners GreatFire.org’s AppCensorship project and ARTICLE 19. The editorial concludes: "But Apple could be more transparent about China’s direct requests for app takedowns from the App Store. Right now, Apple lists the totals but does not say which apps China tried to remove. Casting some sunshine on this information would be a useful step toward fulfilling the company’s declared commitment to openness." Many of our supported technologies have been removed from the App Store in China, Russia, Iran, and Myanmar, and others are learning from this tactic: leveraging an unsavory public-private partnership with considerable internet freedom implications. For example: - Global Consequences: Often, apps are removed on the basis that they violate “community standards” policies. As a result, they are removed not just in China, but globally – a significant extension of China’s soft power reach into other countries. - Chilling Effect: App developers who work in the internet freedom space risk jeopardizing their developer’s license if too many of their apps are removed. Corporate policy is therefore creating a disincentive for those working to counter state-censorship and surveillance. - Undermining U.S. Investments: The U.S. government has made bipartisan investments in internet freedom technologies in recognition of their necessity in closed information environments. App censorship erodes the value of this funding. Read more from the Washington Post’s Editorial Board: https://lnkd.in/gt55ebTF

What’s new at Open Technology Fund? We released our Fiscal Year 2022 Annual Report! It catalogs the 60+ projects that OTF has supported over the past year, but more importantly, it captures the incredible effort and accomplishments of our partners. Yet, as Laura Cunningham explains, the fight for internet freedom is no longer simply a tactical cat-and-mouse game but rather a normative battle to define the future of free expression. What does this mean as we look ahead? The stakes have never been higher. As authoritarians become more dogged and ambitious, protecting and preserving a free and open global internet will be more difficult, more expensive, and far from guaranteed. We need to be prepared for evermore complex and challenging fights – and ready to take bold action. Most importantly, as digital authoritarians continue to unite in their efforts to undermine the very concept of a free and open global internet, so must we unite in dedication to its defense by supporting those in the vanguard. Because in the face of an increasingly uneven playing field, our combined creativity, shared vision, and tenacious commitment is our greatest strength. Sign up for our monthly newsletter to find out what’s new at OTF, and learn about program highlights and funding opportunities! https://lnkd.in/emHwSPJE

📢 Today, the Open Technology Fund released its FY 2022 report, which covers the activities supported by OTF from January 2023 through December 2023. 🌐 OTF is a congressionally authorized, independent NGO that advances internet freedom in repressive environments by supporting open-source technologies that provide secure and uncensored internet access. 2 billion+ people around the world use OTF-supported technology every day, and 2/3+ of all mobile phone users have OTF-incubated technology on their devices. (I'm a member of the OTF's board of directors 👍🏼.) 🚩 According to OTF's president, Laura Cunningham, "[W]e see authoritarians going to extremes to impose on the global internet the same level of absolute control they expect to wield domestically. As a result, the fight for internet freedom is no longer simply a tactical cat-and-mouse game but rather a normative battle to define the future of free expression." ❗In 2023, global internet freedom declined for the 13th consecutive year. While conventional forms of censorship—such as the blocking of websites, VPNs, forced content removal, and internet shutdowns—remain widespread, AI-driven censorship is on the rise, as is collaboration among authoritarian regimes. ✅ In 2023, OTF's funds supported 40+ innovative projects to circumvent censorship and enhance digital privacy and security, 7 fellows engaged in cutting-edge research on information controls, and 19 rapid response interventions to address digital emergencies. OTF also offered services through various labs to improve the security, usability, and accessibility of internet freedom tools and promote increased adoption and greater community trust. The report contains lots of useful details about these OTF-supported efforts. Please take a look at the full report and share it with friends and colleagues interested in digital human rights issues. 👇🏼

The fight for internet freedom is no longer simply a tactical cat-and-mouse game—it’s a normative battle to define the future of free expression. Open Technology Fund President Laura Cunningham writes in this year’s annual report: There is no longer a meaningful distinction between digital authoritarianism and authoritarianism of any other kind as online information control has become foundational to illiberal governance. Internet freedom cannot be wholly differentiated from the broader fight for human rights and free expression, because it is an integral part of how these will be actualized. What does this mean as we look ahead? The stakes have never been higher. As authoritarians become more dogged and ambitious, protecting and preserving a free and open global internet will be more difficult, more expensive, and far from guaranteed. We need to be prepared for evermore complex and challenging fights – and ready to take bold action. Most importantly, as digital authoritarians continue to unite in their efforts to undermine the very concept of a free and open global internet, so must we unite in dedication to its defense by supporting those in the vanguard. Because in the face of an increasingly uneven playing field, our combined creativity, shared vision, and tenacious commitment is our greatest strength. Our annual report catalogs the 60+ projects that OTF has supported over the past year, but more importantly, it captures the incredible effort and accomplishments of our partners. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/eFWB2yGD

Iran is one of the most repressive information contexts in the world. People there need safe, reliable censorship circumvention solutions to access independent news and other information. In fact, approximately 90% of United States Agency for Global Media networks’ Persian-language audience relies on OTF-supported circumvention tools. To better meet the demand for circumvention tools – which has quadrupled since 2021 –Open Technology Fund’s Surge and Sustain Fund is supporting additional users in Iran through Rostam VPN. The VPN doesn’t require account creation (protecting users’ privacy) and relies on the open source Wireguard protocol, which enables fast connection times and more responsive performance. https://ow.ly/2SgA50SuH0s Learn more

More and more people living in information-repressive contexts need censorship circumvention tools so they can access independent news and other information. However, without additional resources to meet growing demand, circumvention tool operators would be forced to throttle or limit usage of their tools in these countries at a time when they are needed most. That’s why Open Technology Fund supports the user carrying costs of large-scale, censorship circumvention tools through the Surge and Sustain Fund. GreatFire.org’s FreeBrowser is a new Surge and Sustain Fund circumvention provider with a proven track record of user engagement in China, Iran, Turkmenistan, and other authoritarian contexts. FreeBrowser’s significant user base will contribute to the digital audience reach of independent media outlets like Radio Free Asia, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, and Voice of America. Learn more https://ow.ly/bTFq50Sqt6x