Kian Vesteinsson
Research Analyst, Technology and Democracy
Kian is a Research Analyst for Technology and Democracy. He covers Asia for Freedom on the Net, Freedom House’s annual assessment of internet freedom, and previously covered sub-Saharan Africa and western Europe for the publication. Before joining Freedom House, Kian was Senior Law and Tech Policy Officer at Human Rights Watch, where he staffed the office of the General Counsel and contributed to research and advocacy on human rights and technology around the world, focusing on surveillance in the United States. Previously, he worked on digital privacy, police technology, and national security surveillance at the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. Kian holds a B.A. in Politics and Religious Studies from Pomona College.
Selected publications
Rejecting the past, Marcos Jr. must uphold free speech in the Southeast Asia Globe (with Lisa Garcia) - May 23, 2022
Digital distortion presents an electoral threat in the Philippines in the Southeast Asia Globe - April 5, 2022
Der Traum von freden Netz ("The Dream of a Free Internet") in Kulturaustausch - January 2022
Zambia’s ‘New Dawn’ should extend to digital rights in the Daily Maverick (with Bulanda T. Nkhowani) - December 1, 2021
Nigeria's Twitter Ban is a Bellwether Case for Internet Freedom in Just Security - June 24, 2021
India’s TikTok Ban Tightens the Government’s Grasp on the Internet in the Diplomat - July 30, 2020
