Call for Consultants: Update of Training Modules and Design Advanced Modules on Digital Rights and Freedom of Expression in Latin America

Purpose of the consultancy contract

The purpose of the consultancy contract is to update twelve existing summary modules and draft five advanced modules on digital rights and freedom of expression in Latin America.

Background

Media Defence’s vision is a world where journalists no longer face legal challenges that threaten their ability to report freely and independently on issues of public interest, allowing citizens to be better informed, able to hold those in power to account.

Media Defence’s mission is to ensure legal protection of journalists and media workers under threat for reporting on issues of public interest, in the belief that freedom of expression is essential.

One of Media Defence’s core activities is the delivery of litigation surgeries. These litigation surgeries aim to increase the knowledge, skills and confidence of lawyers to litigate digital rights and freedom of expression cases at national and regional courts. Media Defence has developed a Training Resource Hub containing a set of summary modules and advanced modules on digital rights and freedom of expression online for different regions which are the core content for the litigation surgeries. These modules have been designed to introduce practicing lawyers to key concepts relevant in litigating digital rights cases and to be used as reference guides on comparative and international law.

Training Modules

As freedom of expression is increasingly under threat in Latin America, Media Defence would like to update its current materials and expand its training materials on Latin America to include a set of advanced modules to provide lawyers in Latin America with the knowledge and tools to take on these cases.

Media Defence is looking to hire a consultant to update twelve existing summary modules and draft five advanced modules on various legal issues around digital rights and freedom of expression in Latin America. The modules should set out the applicable regional and international standards and include case law from national, regional and international courts, relevant comparative law, and guidance. This is a fast-developing area of law; where relevant, the consultant should provide an overview of current status of litigation and potential opportunities or strategies for lawyers.

The summary modules would then be updated and the advanced modules added to the Training Resource Hub to ensure that both lawyers who have participated in a litigation surgery and those who have not are able to deepen their knowledge of litigating cases in Latin America.

Deliverables

(1) Update Summary Modules

As Media Defence’s summary training for Latin America were designed at the end of 2022, Media Defence is looking to hire a consultant to review and update the content. The update will be focused on updating the existing modules by updating relevant case laws and information, including international and comparative law and adding recent emerging trends. Specific modules to be updated:

Serie de módulos sobre la defensa de la libertad de expresión en América Latina

• Módulo 1: Principios de derecho internacional y libertad de expresión
• Módulo 2: Introducción a los derechos digitales
• Módulo 3: Acceso a internet
• Módulo 4: Privacidad digital y protección de datos
• Módulo 5: Difamación y reputación
• Módulo 6: Discursos de odio
• Módulo 7: Cibercrímenes
• Módulo 8: Noticias falsas, desinformación y propaganda
• Módulo 9: Seguridad nacional
• Módulo 10: Violencia contra periodistas
• Módulo 11: Introducción al litigio sobre libertad de expresión en América Latina
• Módulo 12: Introducción al sistema universal de protección de los derechos humanos

(2) Design Advanced Modules

1. Applicable international human rights law – The prohibition online and offline

2. Protection of the source

3. Scope

4. Online and offline threat

5. Lawfare vs SLAPPs

6. Concepts

7. Trends in Latin America

8. Inter-American Jurisprudence against SLAPPs

9. Government advertising and discriminatory allocation of official publicity

10. Broadcasting regulation

Module 2: State and Public Officials’ Communication  

1. Scope

2. General duties to which the exercise of freedom of expression is subject or part of public officials

3. The duty of confidentiality of certain types of information

4. The right and duty of public officials to report human rights violations

5. The particular situation of members of armed forces

6. Accessibility for the Public/Use of Social Media

7. Limits

8. Stigmatisation

9. Hate speech, incitement and democracy

Module 3: Freedom of Expression and New Technologies and Artificial Intelligence

1. Concepts

2. Applicable legal frameworks

3. International human rights law

4. Moratorium in Latin America and national regulations

5. Automatised Content Moderation

6. Algorithm and Speech

7. Collection of biometric data and facial recognition

8. Collection of evidence of the violations of freedom of expression online

Module 4: Freedom of Expression and Social Media

1. Applicable legal frameworks

2. Social media companies’ policies to protect journalists

3. Challenging social media companies’ decisions within their appeal system

4.  Meta – Oversight Board

5.  Google

Module 5: Freedom of Expression and Public Policy  

1. Trends in Latin American: attempts to restrict foe alleging children’s rights, migrants, women, etc.

2. Public broadcasting system

3. Media concentration

(2.1) A glossary

(2.2) PowerPoint presentations for each module

Expected timeline

4 December 2023: Deadline for submission of proposal

11 December 2023: Successful proposal will begin

5 February 2024: Review by Media Defence’s Legal Team

4 March 2024: Final submission

Expected profile

– At least 3 years’ experience drafting resources on digital rights and freedom of expression, ideally for practicing lawyers.

– Demonstrated knowledge of international/comparative law on the right to freedom of expression, digital rights, and internet freedom, with a particular focus on Latin America and the Inter-American System of Human Rights.

– Availability to provide the deliverables within the expected timeline.

How to apply

Please submit the following documents to hanna.uihlein@mediadefence.org:

1. A one-page proposal including key dates and timelines for the project.

2. CV of those working on the project.

3. Quotation/itemised budget in GBP (£).

4. Example of relevant previous work undertaken.

If you have any questions regarding the Terms of Reference or would like a copy of our existing training modules, please contact hanna.uihlein@mediadefence.org.