ICT policy

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated concerns on public life. Among the conditions faced in the Philippines during this period is gender-based violence, influenced by the quality of gender-responsive measures in times of crises.

In response to national security challenges related to terrorism, ethnic conflict and organised crime, Niger promulgated a new law on the interception of communications, with surveillance implications that threaten the right to free speech and privacy online.

On 30 August, Lebanese internet users reported an internet disruption that made it almost impossible to access platforms like Twitter. This outage affected many websites and services globally, but not all internet service providers nor all internet services in Lebanon were affected the same.

The Foundation for Media Alternatives organised a webinar on digital rights in the Philippines, discussing the exacerbation of the digital divide during the lockdown, freedom of expression and the effects of the controversial Anti-Terror Law.

The fifth session of the African Internet Resilience webinar series took place on 30 July. The focus of the session was to foster a deeper understanding of complementary networks and address the need for internet services in rural and underserved areas across the continent.

Over 400 organisations signed this open letter demanding respect for the autonomy of the Inter-American Commission. The OAS Secretary General’s decision undermines the IACHR’s institutionality and puts its autonomy and independence at risk.

Welcome to the 28th monthly round-up of developments impacting your local access networks.

On 17 July, the Tanzania government issued new Electronic and Postal Communications (Online Content) Regulations. These new regulations repress online speech, privacy and access to information.