Access to information
The Association for Progressive Communications is outraged by the death in custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in Iran as well as deeply alarmed by the ensuing violent crackdown on protests, violations of women’s rights, and widespread internet shutdowns across the country.
Recent instances of the use of state surveillance apparatus for repressive purposes and prosecutions, compounded by a lack of data and online privacy protections and low internet penetration and usage, have heightened fears that the country is regressing in terms of safeguarding online rights.
The push for digitisation during the pandemic – whether for health management or to keep daily activities going amid lockdowns – deepened the digital divide in India, since escalated digital adoption without adequate policy protections can exclude the already marginalised even more.
In light of the illegal status of safe abortion, abortion seekers turn to the internet to access credible related information. Shruti Arora discusses how women in India and Poland challenge the abortion ban, and how online resources help them seek authentic information for safe abortion.
The Sri Lankan government has capitalised on the COVID-19 pandemic to further its authoritarian agenda, using digital technologies to reinforce a climate of fear and censorship.
This article by APC founder Carlos Afonso, now the director of Brazilian APC member Nupef, is both a tribute to recently deceased Brazilian internet pioneer Tadao Takahashi and a fascinating glimpse into some key chapters in the early history (and prehistory) of APC.
Two years ago, the assumption was that the pandemic and ensuing lockdowns would have lasting impacts on digitalisation – that they would accelerate the process by which offline turned to online, increase its pace and shift the way we do things towards digital alternatives. But has this happened as much as was expected?
Design justice principles call for the process and end result of design to challenge the matrix of domination through practices such as centring the voices of marginalised communities and using collaborative processes to sustain and empower those communities.
APC and other civil society organisations are concerned that the gateway will supercharge the government’s censorship capabilities, allowing it to scale up its website blocking, and could generate self-censorship online among critical voices and independent media outlets.
This joint submission to the 41st session of the UN Universal Period Review focuses on Brazil's fulfilment of human rights obligations in the digital context.
Association for Progressive Communications (APC) 2022
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