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 UK aims to carve out a niche as a tech thought leader between the US and Europe. It’s a difficult balancing act.
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January 7, 2025
TikTok Tiktok: The Clock is Ticking on a Ban
The US is poised to ban the Chinese social media platform TikTok this month. It should be a straightforward legal case – but it isn’t.
November 27, 2024
US Tech Antitrust Crusade Outdoes Europe
The US Department of Justice wants to break up Google. In contrast, Europe looks timid.
November 15, 2024
AI Safety Summit
Ahead of the first meeting of the International Network of AI Safety Institutes, CEPA experts provide insights and analysis on efforts from governments, the private sector, and civil society to not only innovate but also regulate artificial intelligence in both Europe and North America.
November 14, 2024
US Approves UN Cybercrime Convention That Legitimizes Censorship
Over objections from business, civil society, and senior Democratic lawmakers, the Biden administration is moving to join authoritarian regimes to support a new United Nations cybercrime treaty. It’s a mistake.
November 12, 2024
Trump and Transatlantic Tech: A Ticking Time Bomb
The Biden administration agreed with much of the recent European crackdown on large US tech firms. President Trump might not.
November 12, 2024
Russia’s Google ‘Joke’ Is Sourer Than it Looks
The Russian enthusiasm for the use of foreign courts against its enemies is undiminished by war.
October 29, 2024
UN Avoids Surrendering the Internet to Russia and China — For Now
The United Nations has adopted a Global Digital Compact to regulate the Internet. Authoritarians are fuming.
October 28, 2024
US AI Regulation: States Take the Lead
US federal lawmakers are at a standstill, depending on limited executive orders. Europe and US states are racing ahead.
October 16, 2024
A German Recipe for Defeating Russia’s Disinformation
The Kremlin targets Germany with dangerous disinformation. Berlin needs to bolster its defenses, writes the former NATO Assistant Secretary General.