Action Steps: A decade of civil society advocacy in the information society

The purpose of this review was to look back over the past decade of country reports published in Global Information Society Watch (GISWatch) and attempt to identify trends in civil society perspectives on what needed to be done to create a people-centred information society. The period for analysis was, more accurately, just over a decade: 2007-2017, during which a GISWatch report was produced each year – a total of 11 reports.

Themes

Access to educational materials
Internet governance
Access to libraries
Civil society participation
Climate change
Communications surveillance
E-waste
Environment and ICT
Freedom of association
Freedom of expression
Information and democracy
Information and livelihoods
Infrastructure
Intellectual property rights
Internet and corruption
Internet rights
Knowledge rights
Open culture
Open standards
Privacy
Sexual rights
Transparency and accountability online
Women's rights, gender

Launch and Panel Discussion “Unshackling Expression”: A discussion on decriminalising expression online in Asia (#FOEonline #Asia)

Regulations pertaining to online spaces have taken many forms. Information and communication technology (ICT) laws throughout Asia have provisions that seek to censor and criminalise speech online. These regulations pose a significant challenge to people’s freedom of expression and their ability to participate in democratic processes such as elections. Media and journalists along with human rights defenders are finding it increasingly difficult to engage in online spaces with the threat of prosecution looming large.

Themes

Freedom of expression