FREEDOM ON THE NET 2023 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • The Repressive Power of Artificial Intelligence Iceland: Arnaldur Sigurðarson, independent researcher Indonesia: Southeast Asia Freedom of Expression Network (SAFEnet) Iran: Mahsa Alimardani, University of Oxford, Oxford Internet Institute Iraq: Hayder Hamzoz and Assia Abdulkareem, INSM Foundation for Digital Rights Italy: Philip Di Salvo, postdoctoral researcher, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Universität St. Gallen and Antonella Napolitano, independent researcher Japan: Hamada Tadahisa, Japan Computer Access for Empowerment Lebanon: Marianne Rahme, SMEX Libya: Jabir Zain, Libyan Center for Freedom of the Press Malawi: Jimmy Kainja, University of Malawi Malaysia: Kelly Koh, Sinar Project Mexico: Vladimir Cortés, independent researcher Myanmar: Oliver Spencer, independent researcher Nicaragua: IPANDETEC Nigeria: Adeboro Odunlami, independent researcher Philippines: Vino Lucero, independent researcher Serbia: Mila Bajić, Asja Lazarević, Bojan Perkov, SHARE Foundation Singapore: Kirsten Han, independent researcher South Africa: Tshepiso Hadebe, PPM Attorneys South Korea: Yenn Lee, SOAS University of London Sudan: Digital Rights Lab - Sudan Taiwan: Ming-Syuan Ho, independent researcher Thailand: Emilie Pradichit and Letitia Visan, Manushya Foundation The Gambia: Nasiru Deen, independent researcher Tunisia: Yosr Jouini, independent researcher Turkey: Gürkan Özturan, Media Freedom Rapid Response Coordinator at the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom Ukraine: Olga Kyryliuk, independent researcher United Kingdom: Dr. Edina Harbinja, Aston University United States: Rachel Lau, independent researcher Uzbekistan: Ernest Zhanaev, doctoral researcher, University of St Andrews Venezuela: Raisa Urribarri, Universidad de Los Andes Vietnam: Trinh Huu Long, Legal Initiatives for Vietnam Zambia: Bulanda T. Nkhowani, independent researcher Zimbabwe: Nompilo Simanje, Africa Advocacy and Partnerships Lead, International Press Institute Researchers for Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, China, Egypt, Ghana, India, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Morocco, Pakistan, Russia, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Uganda, and the United Arab Emirates wished to remain anonymous. 44 @freedomonthenet Advisers • • • • • • • • • • • Elwaleed Ahmed, independent researcher Eto Buziashvili, Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab Alejandra Caraballo, Harvard Law School Cyberlaw Clinic Hakeem Dawd Qaradaghi, independent researcher Renee DiResta, Technical Research Manager, Stanford Internet Observatory Piseth Duch, human rights lawyer Katie Harbath, Founder and CEO, Anchor Change Daphne Keller, Director of the Program on Platform Regulation at Stanford Cyber Policy Center Jumana Musa, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers Peace Oliver Amuge, Africa Regional Strategy Lead at The Association for Progressive Communications Qiang Xiao, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of China Digital Times and research scientist at the School of Information, University of California Berkeley A NOTE ON ADDITIONAL SOURCES AND DATA For this report’s main essay, Freedom House identified several ways in which AI exacerbated digital repression during the coverage period and collected the relevant information across 70 countries covered by Freedom on the Net. The essay’s analysis and data points were partly informed by the individual Freedom on the Net country reports, written by external report authors that are listed above. Freedom House staff also conducted additional research and drew on the important work of various media groups, civil society organizations, and other experts, including but not limited to the Artificial Intelligence Incident Database, the Center for Democracy and Technology, the Center for European Policy Analysis, Cloudflare, Graphika, NewsGuard, the Open Observatory of Network Interference (OONI), and the OECD AI Policy Observatory. Research and analysis from experts including Robert Chesney, Danielle Citron, Alex C. Engler, Steven Feldstein, Matt Fredrikson, J. Zico Kolter, Odanga Madung, Brian Obilo, Grigore Pop-Eleches, Margaret E. Roberts, Zifan Wang, Lucan A. Way, Samuel C. Woolley, Eddie Yang, and Andy Zou also influenced the essay. Freedom House furthermore wishes to acknowledge the academics, researchers, and civil society activists who have worked to document, respond to, and mitigate AI-driven harms, including those not addressed in this report. #FreedomOnTheNet