Article by Chloé Berthélémy, EDRi Policy Advisor
In EDRi's series on COVID-19, COVIDTech, we will explore the critical principles for protecting fundamental rights while curtailing the spread of the virus, as outlined in the EDRi network's statement on the virus. Each post in this series will tackle a specific issue at the intersection of digital rights and the global pandemic in order to explore broader questions about how to protect fundamental rights in a time of crisis. In our statement, we emphasised the principle that states must “defend freedom of expression and information". In this second post of the series, we take a look at the impact on freedom of expression and information that the measures to fight the spread of misinformation could have. Automated tools, content-analysing algorithms, state-sponsored content moderation, all have become normal under COVID-19, and it is a threat to many of our essential fundamental rights.

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemns an op-ed by a pro-government military commander in Fiji defending curbs on freedom of expression and freedom of the press in order to enforce the lockdown imposed by the government to combat the coronavirus pandemic.

Journalists covering the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States and their journalistic sources have faced access denials and retaliation for their reporting on the virus, press freedoms watchdog Reporters Without Borders reports.

By Joy Hyvarinen, EDRi observer Index on Censorship, the United Kingdom
The Counter-Terrorism and Border Security Act 2019 became law in the United Kingdom in February, after passing through UK parliament with less debate than many had hoped, while Brexit dominated the political agenda.

By María Rosón, EDRi intern
In September 2016, the European Commission proposed a controversial draft for the new Copyright Directive that includes de facto mandatory automated upload filters for every internet user in the EU. 

by Diego Naranjo, EDRi
Discussions on the censorship machine continue at the level of the Council of the European Union
After the “compromise” text that Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Axel Voss presented to the European Parliament Committee on Legal Affairs (JURI), the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council held a meeting after which they published new text on Article 13 of the copyright Directive.

By David Swanson
The University of California is seeking to ban criticism of Israel. This is a widespread phenomenon in the United States, as attested by two new reports and cases like that of Steven Salaita, author of Uncivil Rights: Palestine and the Limits of Academic Freedom.

By Reporters Without Borders
Turkey’s national assembly passed two last-minute amendments today expanding the grounds under which the High Council for Telecommunications (TIB) can temporarily block websites without a court order, and allowing it to gather Internet user connection data independently of any ongoing investigation.

I refer to an article by Reporters Without Borders : Australia - Clarence House block Australian satire of wedding – 29/04/2011 18:15:34 – For correct edification I include above a link to the source.

China boasts by far the largest population of any country. As Chinese authorities implement yet greater censorship over news and information regarding external events, the question must be asked: Will China become the first far eastern country to rise and rebel in the wake of the Middle East uprisings? Despotic censorship of information by those who fear its impact on their own security of tenure is nothing less than dictatorial tyranny, regardless of any professed 'well intent' of the repression.