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持続可能な地方行財政のあり方に関する研究会（第7回）

　　昨年12月４日、韓国の尹(ユン)錫(ソン)悦(ニョル)大統領が突然、非常戒厳布告したのには、誰しも度肝(どぎも)を抜かれたに違いない。　民主国家において、国内や周辺地域で特段の危機的状況が起きていないにもかかわらず、非常事態を宣言して軍隊を動かそうとしたのだ。だがそれは民衆の抵抗により阻止された。そして尹氏の逮捕、弾劾裁判、大統領失 職。いったい何が起きたのだろうか？　私は本棚の「積読(つんどく)コーナー」から、いつか読も うと思いながら、埋もれていた本書を探し出してきた..

U.S. sanctions on Syria have for several decades not only restricted trade and financial transactions, they’ve also severely limited Syrians’ access to digital technology. From software development tools to basic cloud services, Syrians were locked out of the global internet economy—stifling innovation, education, and entrepreneurship.

EFF has for many years pushed for sanctions exemptions for technology in Syria, as well as in Sudan, Iran, and Cuba. While civil society had early wins in securing general licenses for Iran and Sudan allowing the export of communications technologies, the conflict in Syria that began in 2011 made loosening of sanctions a pipe dream.

But recent changes to U.S. policy could mark the beginning of a shift. In a quiet yet significant move, the U.S. government has eased sanctions on Syria. On May 23, the Treasury Department issued General License 25, effectively allowing technology companies to provide services to Syrians. This decision could have an immediate and positive impact on the lives of millions of Syrian internet users—especially those working in the tech and education sectors.

A Legacy of Digital Isolation

For years, Syrians have found themselves barred from accessing even the most basic tools. U.S. sanctions meant that companies like Google, Apple, Microsoft, and Amazon—either by law or by cautious decisions taken to avoid potential penalties—restricted access to many of their services. Developers couldn’t access GitHub repositories or use Google Cloud; students couldn’t download software for virtual classrooms; and entrepreneurs struggled to build startups without access to payment gateways or secure infrastructure.

Such restrictions can put users in harm’s way; for instance, not being able to access the Google Play store from inside the country means that Syrians can’t easily download secure versions of everyday tools like Signal or WhatsApp, thus potentially subjecting their communications to surveillance.

These restrictions also compounded the difficulties of war, economic collapse, and internal censorship. Even when Syrian tech workers could connect with global communities, their participation was hampered by legal gray zones and technical blocks.

What the Sanctions Relief Changes

Under General License 25, companies will now be able to provide services to Syria that have never officially been available. While it may take time for companies to catch up with any regulatory changes, it is our hope that Syrians will soon be able to access and make use of technologies that will enable them to more freely communicate and rebuild.

For Syrian developers, the impact could be transformative. Restored access to platforms like GitHub, AWS, and Google Cloud means the ability to build, test, and deploy apps without the need for VPNs or workarounds. It opens the door to participation in global hackathons, remote work, and open-source communities—channels that are often lifelines for those in conflict zones. Students and educators stand to benefit, too. With sanctions eased, educational tools and platforms that were previously unavailable could soon be accessible. Entrepreneurs may also finally gain access to secure communications, e-commerce platforms, and the broader digital infrastructure needed to start and scale businesses. These developments could help jumpstart local economies.

Despite the good news, challenges remain. Major tech companies have historically been slow to respond to sanctions relief, often erring on the side of over-compliance to avoid liability. Many of the financial and logistical barriers—such as payment processing, unreliable internet, and ongoing conflict—will not disappear overnight.

Moreover, the lifting of sanctions is not a blanket permission slip; it’s a cautious opening. Any future geopolitical shifts or changes in U.S. foreign policy could once again cut off access, creating an uncertain digital future for Syrians.

Nevertheless, by removing barriers imposed by sanctions, the U.S. is taking a step toward recognizing that access to technology is not a luxury, but a necessity—even in sanctioned or conflict-ridden countries.

For Syrian users, the lifting of tech sanctions is more than a bureaucratic change—it’s a door, long closed, beginning to open. And for the international tech community, it’s an opportunity to re-engage, responsibly and thoughtfully, with a population that has been cut off from essential services for too long.

富士通クライアントコンピューティング株式会社が提供するアップデートナビには、意図しないエンドポイントとの通信を拒否しない脆弱性が存在します。

スウェーデンに住む筆者のまわりにも、国際養子縁組によって赤ん坊のころに海をわたってやってきた人はたくさんいる。韓国からだったり、インドネシアからだったり、コロンビア、チリ、アフリカなどなど…　実の親が育てることができず、国際養子としてはるばるスウェーデンまでやってきたわけだが、養子の受け入れを希望する家庭はかなり厳しい審査を受けて決定され、財政的にも相当の余裕をもっている事が多い。

Join us for our next EFFecting Change livestream this Thursday! We're talking about emerging laws and platform policies that affect the digital privacy and free expression rights of the LGBT+ community, and how this echoes the experience of marginalized people across the world.

EFFecting Change Livestream Series:
Pride in Digital Freedom
Thursday, June 12th
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM Pacific - Check Local Time
This event is LIVE and FREE!

Join our panel featuring EFF Senior Staff Technologist Daly Barnett, EFF Legislative Activist Rindala Alajaji, Chosen Family Law Center Senior Legal Director Andy Izenson, and Woodhull Freedom Foundation Chief Operations Officer Mandy Salley while they discuss what is happening and what should change to protect digital freedom.

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We hope you and your friends can join us live! Be sure to spread the word, and share our past livestreams. Please note that all events will be recorded for later viewing on our YouTube page.

Want to make sure you don’t miss our next livestream? Here’s a link to sign up for updates about this series: eff.org/ECUpdates.

State, federal, and international regulators are increasingly concerned about the harms they believe the internet and new technology are causing to users of all categories. Lawmakers are currently considering many proposals that are intended to provide protections to the most vulnerable among us. Too often, however, those proposals do not carefully consider the likely unintended consequences or even whether the law will actually reduce the harms it’s supposed to target. That’s why EFF supports Rep. Sara Jacobs’ newly reintroduced “My Body, My Data" Act, which will protect the privacy and safety of people seeking reproductive health care, while maintaining important constitutional protections and avoiding any erosion of end-to-end encryption. 

Take Action

Tell Congress to Protect Reproductive Health Data

Privacy fears should never stand in the way of healthcare. That's why this common-sense bill will require businesses and non-governmental organizations to act responsibly with personal information concerning reproductive health care. Specifically, it restricts them from collecting, using, retaining, or disclosing reproductive health information that isn't essential to providing the service someone requests.

The bill would protect people who use fertility or period-tracking apps or are seeking information about reproductive health services.

These restrictions apply to companies that collect personal information related to a person’s reproductive or sexual health. That includes data related to pregnancy, menstruation, surgery, termination of pregnancy, contraception, basal body temperature or diagnoses. The bill would protect people who, for example, use fertility or period-tracking apps or are seeking information about reproductive health services. 

We are proud to join Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Reproductive Freedom for All, Physicians for Reproductive Health, National Partnership for Women & Families, National Women’s Law Center,  Center for Democracy and Technology, Electronic Privacy Information Center, National Abortion Federation, Catholics for Choice, National Council for Jewish Women, Power to Decide, United for Reproductive & Gender Equity, Indivisible, Guttmacher, National Network of Abortion Funds, and All* Above All in support of this bill. 

In addition to the restrictions on company data processing, this bill also provides people with necessary rights to access and delete their reproductive health information. Companies must also publish a privacy policy, so that everyone can understand what information companies process and why. It also ensures that companies are held to public promises they make about data protection and gives the Federal Trade Commission the authority to hold them to account if they break those promises. 

The bill also lets people take on companies that violate their privacy with a strong private right of action. Empowering people to bring their own lawsuits not only places more control in the individual's hands, but also ensures that companies will not take these regulations lightly. 

Finally, while Rep. Jacobs' bill establishes an important national privacy foundation for everyone, it also leaves room for states to pass stronger or complementary laws to protect the data privacy of those seeking reproductive health care. 

We thank Rep. Jacobs and Sens. Mazie Hirono and Ron Wyden for taking up this important bill, H.R. 3916, and using it as an opportunity not only to protect those seeking reproductive health care, but also highlight why data privacy is an important element of reproductive justice. 

Take Action

Tell Congress to Protect Reproductive Health Data

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