Digital threats and attacks are impacting the work of human rights defenders and members of at-risk communities in South and Southeast Asia. Simultaneously, internet freedom is being undermined by restrictive cyber laws, and further eroded through the policies of telecommunications companies that do not protect privacy rights.
The report titled “Through The Looking Glass: Digital Safety and Internet Freedom in South and Southeast Asia” looks into the current digital safety and internet freedom challenges – and potential interventions or solutions – in select Asia-Pacific countries.
EngageMedia collaborated with the Oxen Privacy Tech Foundation, Ranking Digital Rights, and digital rights organisations in six countries to produce this report that aims to understand internet freedom issues and identify gaps in the digital safety capacity of human rights defenders and at-risk communities, as well as gaps in the public policies of telecommunications companies related to freedom of expression and privacy.
The report consolidates research from Cambodia, Indonesia, the Maldives, Nepal, the Philippines, and Sri Lanka, produced by the following organisations:
- Cambodian Center for Independent Media (Cambodia)
- The Institute for Policy Research and Advocacy – ELSAM (Indonesia)
- Society for Peace and Democracy (Maldives)
- Digital Rights Nepal (Nepal)
- Out of The Box Media Literacy Initiative Inc. (Philippines)
- Hashtag Generation (Sri Lanka)
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The overall findings of this report provide an informed picture of the regional situation, with many human rights defenders and at-risk communities vulnerable to digital attacks. As the title suggests, the report also serves as a self-reflection for advocates and civil society organisations as to the local digital safety and internet freedom situation in their respective countries, and how we can work together in improving the digital safety situation and strengthening the local internet freedom community.
This report has been produced by EngageMedia, in partnership with the Oxen Privacy Tech Foundation, as part of the Greater Internet Freedom Program.
