Citizen Lab submission warns of growing digital repression targeting activists abroad
A submission to the UN human rights process highlights how governments use digital tools to surveil, intimidate and silence human rights defenders across borders.
The Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto has submitted evidence to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) for a report on protecting human rights defenders in the digital age, warning of the rise of ‘digital transnational repression’.
The submission, published on 9 March 2026, describes how governments increasingly use digital technologies to monitor, target and silence activists living in exile or diaspora communities, extending repression beyond their national borders.
According to the report, common tactics include online surveillance, hacking of devices and accounts, harassment campaigns and coordinated disinformation, often aimed at discrediting individuals or isolating them from their communities. These practices are frequently supported by commercial spyware and other surveillance technologies.
The document also highlights the growing role of AI, which enables large-scale data analysis, automated profiling and the creation of realistic manipulated content, including deepfakes used to spread false narratives or harassment.
Beyond digital threats, the submission notes that online targeting can lead to offline consequences, including intimidation, physical surveillance and risks to personal safety.
The report argues that these practices undermine fundamental rights, including freedom of expression, privacy and association, and calls for stronger international responses, including clearer legal standards, improved oversight of surveillance technologies and greater accountability for both states and technology companies.
