Resisting the Invisible: Lived Experiences of Human Rights Activists under Digital Repression in Authoritarian Regimes

Abstract

The expanding field of human rights law increasingly intersects with digital technologies, particularly in contexts where authoritarian regimes employ surveillance and censorship to suppress dissent. While legal and policy analyses have addressed these structural challenges, little is known about how human rights defenders experience digital repression at a personal and existential level. This study addresses the question: how do human rights activists interpret and navigate digital repression in authoritarian environments? Using an interpretative phenomenological approach (IPA), the study explores the subjective meanings that activists assign to their encounters with online surveillance, algorithmic censorship, and digital harassment. Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews with twelve activists and analyzed using IPA to identify emergent themes of fear, adaptation, and redefined advocacy. Findings reveal that activists experience digital repression not only as an external constraint but as an internal struggle that reshapes their emotional landscapes, social relationships, and ethical responsibilities. The study highlights how participants resist repression through subtle, relational forms of activism while maintaining agency and commitment. These results deepen our understanding of digital repression by foregrounding the human experience behind abstract policy frameworks. They also underscore the need for future interdisciplinary research to explore long-term psychological impacts and context-sensitive strategies of digital resistance.