Date and Time: November 26, 2PM-3:30PM Bangkok time (UTC+7)
Room: Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 841 1729 1646
Passcode: 029415
Description:
Different models of platform regulation are evolving across the globe. The United States, the European Union, and the United Kingdom have emerged as major examples of regulatory approaches. However, the evolution and impact of social media regulation in many Global South countries remain understudied.
In the South Asian region, Sri Lanka, India, and Bangladesh have been witnessing major regulatory and policy debates on social media regulation for the past few years. In order to understand the regulatory trends in this region, the Centre for Communication Governance (CCG), in collaboration with LIRNEasia and the School of Law at BRAC University, is releasing a report on ‘Social Media Regulation and the Rule of Law: Key Trends in Sri Lanka, India and Bangladesh’(November 2023). This report has been supported by Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS).
The report examines the social media regulatory frameworks in Sri Lanka, India, and Bangladesh, focusing on intermediary liability, cybersecurity, ICT regulations, and key speech laws. It highlights that social media governance in these countries is heavily geared towards regulating online information, primarily through mechanisms like internet shutdowns, content blocking, law enforcement access to user data, and criminalizing online speech. The report notes the centralization of power with the executive, the frequent invocation of state security imperatives to justify restrictive measures, and the lack of judicial and parliamentary oversight, resulting in a concerning impact on civil liberties and the democratic rule of law. The overarching conclusion is that current frameworks are overly focused on controlling information flow in the name of national security, often at the expense of citizens’ rights and online safety.
Guest speakers:
Archit Lohani is engaged in the International Innovation Corps Fellowship with the University of Chicago Trust, his work focuses on the intersection of health data governance and innovation policy. Previously, Archit was a Project Officer at the Centre for Communication Governance, researching platforms governance and online harms. He also worked as a Research Assistant at the Observer Research Foundation, focusing on tech’s role in countering violent extremism.
Tavishi Ahluwalia is a Programme Officer at the Centre for Communication Governance, National Law University Delhi. Her research interests include platform regulation, online speech and democracy and global digital cultures.
Helani Galpaya is the CEO of LIRNEasia, a pro-poor, pro-market think tank working on digital and other infrastructure policy issues across the emerging Asia Pacific. She researches and engages in public discourse on topics related to meaningful digital access, human rights online, changes to labor and skills in light of technology and climate change, and governance of platforms, data, and algorithms.
Mr. Md. Saimum Reza Talukder is currently an Adjust Faculty at the School of Law, BRAC University in Bangladesh.
