Human testing: Militarised technology across Southwest Asia and North Africa

This week we're talking to Marianne from SMEX about their new report looking at the differing dynamics of producing, testing, and deployment of militarised technology across the Southwest Asia and Northern African region (SWANA).

Links

* Report - Produced, tested, deployed: the Miltarisation of technology in the SWANA region

* Vodafone in Egypt story: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2011/jul/26/vodafone-access-egypt-shutdown

* Lebanon and Israel leaflet drop: https://english.alarabiya.net/News/middle-east/2026/03/13/israeli-warplanes-drop-leaflets-over-beirut-causing-panic-

* More about QR code leaflet drop: https://smex.org/smex-warns-of-risks-related-to-scanning-qr-codes-on-israeli-leaflets/

* More about the data security problem in Lebanon: https://smex.org/lebanons-data-security-problem-explained/

* Open Season - PI's old report on Syria: https://privacyinternational.org/report/1016/open-season-building-syrias-surveillance-state

* PI's Militarisation of Tech project: https://privacyinternational.org/campaigns/militarisation-of-tech