Human testing: Militarised technology across Southwest Asia and North Africa

<p>This week we&#39;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). </p><p><br></p><p><strong>Links</strong></p><p>* Report - <a href="https://smex.org/new-report-on-the-militarization-of-tech-in-the-swana-produced-tested-deployed/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">Produced, tested, deployed: the Miltarisation of technology in the SWANA region</a></p><p>* Vodafone in Egypt story: <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2011/jul/26/vodafone-access-egypt-shutdown" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://www.theguardian.com/business/2011/jul/26/vodafone-access-egypt-shutdown</a></p><p>* Lebanon and Israel leaflet drop: <a href="https://english.alarabiya.net/News/middle-east/2026/03/13/israeli-warplanes-drop-leaflets-over-beirut-causing-panic-" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://english.alarabiya.net/News/middle-east/2026/03/13/israeli-warplanes-drop-leaflets-over-beirut-causing-panic-</a></p><p>* More about QR code leaflet drop: <a href="https://smex.org/smex-warns-of-risks-related-to-scanning-qr-codes-on-israeli-leaflets/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://smex.org/smex-warns-of-risks-related-to-scanning-qr-codes-on-israeli-leaflets/</a></p><p>* More about the data security problem in Lebanon: <a href="https://smex.org/lebanons-data-security-problem-explained/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://smex.org/lebanons-data-security-problem-explained/</a></p><p>* Open Season - PI&#39;s old report on Syria: <a href="https://privacyinternational.org/report/1016/open-season-building-syrias-surveillance-state" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">https://privacyinternational.org/report/1016/open-season-building-syrias-surveillance-state</a></p><p>* PI&#39;s Militarisation of Tech project: <a href="https://privacyinternational.org/campaigns/militarisation-of-tech" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">https://privacyinternational.org/campaigns/militarisation-of-tech</a></p>