Freedoms in Decline and the Rise of Digital Authoritarianism

Freedom around the world is in decline. With few exceptions, democracies face threats from autocratic actors from within while established autocracies continue to fortify their hold on power. While authoritarianism evokes imagery of strong men using force to suppress resistance, nowadays it finds itself encroaching more and more on the digital sphere. The phenomenon is not exclusive to one region of the world. The tactics of digital authoritarianism of the states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) are  often the same as those in the United States.

The rise of digital authoritarianism is not a new phenomenon, but has taken a more prominent role in efforts to thwart or subvert democracies or suppress political discussion within a state. It entails the use of a variety of means in the digital space in order to suppress dissidents or opponents. Akin to the gulf, the US has embraced increasingly autocratic measures in the digital sphere. Spyware and digital censorship are two such means that the United States can suppress dissent. Though a democracy, the United States and actors within are taking an increasingly more authoritarian approach to the rights of its citizens in the digital world. 

Pegasus Spyware

The use of Pegasus spyware is one such way that the United States has flirted with digital authoritarianism. Developed by the NSO Group, this sophisticated spyware is purportedly used to allow governments to track and spy on criminals and terrorist organizations. It allows for remote access to a phone’s data including such things as the phone’s call logs, videos, photos, messages, and contacts. In practice, authoritative governments often abuse the spyware’s capabilities to spy on journalists, dissidents, and activists. As we have previously documented this tactic is widespread amongst the GCC states.

The United States has long been interested in the capabilities of the spyware with several agencies making a concerted effort to use the spyware. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of the United States is in charge of domestic intelligence and security service. The FBI purchased a license of the software in order to gauge its capabilities and has used the software. The agency has a long history of violating civil liberties through its surveillance programs. Other agencies have also purchased the spyware. The bureau in charge of foreign intelligence, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), also had interest in the capabilities of the spyware. The CIA allegedly purchased the spyware for Djibouti, which has a poor human rights record. Furthermore, while former President Biden blacklisted the NSO Group in 2021, the company is actively lobbying the Trump administration and lawmakers in an effort to overturn the ban. The ban must not be overturned. The spyware is prone to misuse and abuse due to its advanced capabilities. The US intelligence community must not become victims to the same pitfalls that afflict the Gulf’s various intelligence communities. The spyware is still legal in the Gulf and used to spy on dissidents. Thus, by not standing against digital authoritarianism in the Gulf, the US may be heading towards its own digital-autocratic future.

The Role of Social Media

American social media companies also play a role in the spread of digital authoritarianism. Through the suppression of content through digital censorship, social media companies in the United States can actively suppress dissent. Social media platform X has taken a stronger stance against the freedom of expression on its platform. X has complied with an estimated 80% of government requests to censor content on the website. The requests are often focused on removing content that governments find to be subversive. The removal of dissident posts or those unflattering to authorities is not an issue limited to the Gulf; similar tactics have been used to limit dissident opinions in the US. Take for example, the disappearance of the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter. A systematic censorship of tweets with the hashtag has happened since Elon Musk became the owner of the platform. This tactic amounts to little more than political censorship. The misuse of social media platforms and the negligence of its owners has real world consequences for the users of X from the Gulf. With the huge reach of X and other social media platforms, with Saudi Arabia alone having an estimated 15.7 million people in X’s advertising audience, it is important that these social media platforms protect users from government oversight and allow for free political discussion, whether they live in the Gulf or the US. 

Past Lessons and the Future of America’s Role
The United States has a dominant role in international politics and thus has an obligation to protect freedoms in our ever-digitizing world. Its interests in the procurement and the dissemination of sophisticated spyware is of great concern. Though spyware enables governments to track those who would carry out heinous acts of violence, its capacity for misuse is severe. When given such surveillance capabilities, actors within the intelligence community have proven time and time again the potential to misuse intelligence-gathering tools. The covert distribution of such spyware to US allies, especially those with egregious human rights records, only enables the rise of digital authoritarianism. The US has already taken a role in building spy agencies within the Gulf states, who then misuse these resources to spy on journalists and activists. It is not too late for the US to take a firmer stance against the misuse of US-supplied intelligence and capabilities in the region. In terms of non-governmental actors, the United States still plays a dominant role in the digital sphere through the overwhelming popularity of American-owned social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and X. The aggressive censorship of peaceful but dissenting voices suppresses political freedoms of expression throughout the world. The ever-growing compliance to the whims of autocratic governments only make these social media platforms a tool of suppression. The United States and entities within need to take a firmer stance on the protection of digital rights not only within the United States but throughout the Gulf.