Digital freedom is contested worldwide. Authoritarian states censor the web, deploy surveillance technology, and export tools of control, while democracies debate how to keep the online space open, secure, and rights-respecting. This hub follows that struggle: online censorship and its spread, state surveillance and its export, the resilience of the open internet under pressure, and the technologies that help citizens communicate and organize under repressive regimes. Defending open networks means countering both censorship and surveillance at once. Fellows and analysts examine how democracies can protect the open internet and counter digital authoritarianism from Moscow, Beijing, and beyond. Explore analysis and commentary on digital freedom, internet censorship, and online rights.
Digital Freedom
The Kremlin’s incessant, restrictive attack on the Internet has apparently scored some successes in limiting the population's usage.
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July 24, 2026
Kremlin Throttles the Internet
The Kremlin’s incessant, restrictive attack on the Internet has apparently scored some successes in limiting the population's usage.
June 25, 2026
Dissent Across Borders: Russian Human Rights Organizations in Exile
Despite the Kremlin's greatest efforts to silence Russian human rights organizations, they have adapted and continue to generate impact.
June 24, 2026
Putin Is Losing the Fight to Keep Russians Offline
Millions of Russians are bypassing Vladimir Putin’s attempts to block access to the internet, and his regime is struggling to keep up.
June 2, 2026
Who Will Govern AI?
Closing the gap between those who build AI and those who govern it is now a central challenge of the AI age.
April 28, 2026
Putin’s Censors Lashed by Popular Rage
Russians are willing to tolerate a lot, but there’s a limit. As the country’s internet regulators are discovering.
April 24, 2026
Russia Goes Mad MAX
The Kremlin wants to copy China by creating a superapp, MAX, to dominate Russian digital life. It can only succeed through coercion.
April 20, 2026
Why the Next UN Tech Election Matters
The US must mobilize and work with allies to prevent global Internet, cybersecurity, and AI regulation.
February 6, 2026
Three Decades of the 26 Words That Built the Internet
Section 230 turns 30. Do its lessons inspire regulating the AI future?
January 30, 2026
The Internet, Switched Off
Iran’s shutdown underlines how governments around the globe are restricting internet access.