Civil Society Co-Opting The efficacy of CSOs was another prevalent theme. Several factors determine the strength of a country’s civil society landscape, including financial stability, technical expertise, and strategic coordination with other CSOs. However, many CSOs operate under significant constraints, including restrictive funding environments, dependency on third-party resources, and external political pressures. U.S. funding cuts, for example, have severely weakened digital rights advocacy by reducing financial support for grassroots initiatives. Reliance on foreign donors with conflicting interests further forces CSOs into procedural engagement rather than substantive advocacy, as funding conditions often prioritize diplomatic and geopolitical interests rather than local advocacy needs. These limitations create a compliance-driven civil society landscape, where CSOs struggle to mount meaningful resistance against state overreach. As a result, rather than acting as an effective counterbalance to government control, CSOs often find themselves constrained within frameworks that reinforce, rather than challenge, oppressive digital policies. Ultimately, the cumulative effect of these themes results in a digital landscape shaped not by inclusivity and innovation but by exclusion, coercion, and centralized power. 24