A 10-country research project led by the International Resource for Impact and Storytelling (IRIS) has found that civil society organisations across Latin America, the Arab region, Africa and Asia are developing distinct strategies to navigate the growing influence of AI and algorithm-driven platforms on democracy and human rights. The study identified three broad responses: co-opting technology for advocacy purposes, actively countering state surveillance, and innovating with new forms of storytelling and organisation — illustrated by examples ranging from Brazilian group Fogo Cruzado using AI to challenge public support for police violence, to Hong Kong activists evading surveillance through humour and short-lived informal collectives. Researchers emphasised that flexibility, decentralised networks and cross-border solidarity are now essential tools for social justice advocates operating in environments where authoritarian governments increasingly harness the same technologies civil society depends upon.