Access and Inclusion
The full potential of the socio-economic benefits that internet mediated technologies enable can only be realised if access to internet infrastructure is accessible to all. Asia Pacific may be home to more than half of global internet users but more needs to be done to bridge the digital divide and barriers to access. This includes ensuring access to infrastructure, access to information and local content, digital skills and literacy, affordability, and ensuring inclusion and diversity, among others.
Internet Freedom and Civil Liberties
The Arab Spring showed the world the power of the internet and social media platforms for resistance and activism and a number of protests and social movements have erupted online ever since. However, online censorship and human rights violations have increased as States and private players resist to the new order. How can we preserve the participatory nature of the internet? How can we use the affordances of social media to promote human rights, equality and enable rights based solutions? How can civil society preserve and improve the Internet?
Data Privacy, Encryption, and Security
Privacy and security concerns online have become critical concerns as States, corporate bodies, and citizens grapple with increasing privacy and security threats at a time when technology is developing rapidly. How can we ensure that privacy and fundamental rights are not sacrificed for innovation and development? How can we demand more of platforms? Are current regulatory norms enough? How do we demand for greater protections?
Feminist Internet
The gender divide exists online just as it does offline. But feminists all over the world have used the Internet to bridge the digital divide and attempt to level the playing field. Feminist voices are thriving on the internet amid vicious trolling and attempts to silence. How can the internet be leveraged to bring about gender equality? What are policy and social hurdles that keep women offline? How can we build an Internet that is fluid, genderless, intersectional and multicultural?
Online Media, Misinformation and Fake News
Online media has transformed the way we consume and produce news and information. In the past few years we have seen the polarization of politics and opinions, growing intolerance and the proliferation of fake news and misinformation in the media ecosystem. What can we do to deal with this growing threat to democracy?
Digital Citizenship and Accountability
Digitalisation has no doubt simplified a lot of processes. ICTs have changed the way and scale at which we communicate and disperse information. How can we continue to harness the potential that the internet and emerging technologies hold? How can we deal with issues of accountability? How can we engage with each other and institutions and become active citizens using the Internet?
Innovation and Sustainable Development Goals
Technology has grown in leaps and bounds and has contributed to alleviating poverty and contributed to development in some areas around the globe. Technology and Internet have permeated all aspects of modern life and the need for responsible tech and infrastructure is at an all-time high. Accessible digital tools, tools that promote inclusivity and plurality, responsible infrastructure that minimise risk and threats need to be developed.