Date and Time: March 28, 1PM – 2:15PM Bangkok time (UTC+7)
Room: Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 814 6485 8512
Passcode: 335822
Description:
In East Asia, advanced digital development and a thriving economy coexist with growing authoritarian challenges. This underscores the crucial need to explore how civil societies view digital rights risks, protect citizens from state violations, and promote digital democracy. The Open Culture Foundation conducted research delving into how civil society actors in East Asia devise advocacy strategies to address emerging privacy risks stemming from the implementation and governance of digital technologies by the state. This includes initiatives like the rollout of digital transformation policies, the establishment of digital public services, and the utilization of surveillance technologies.
The research aims to chart the landscape of activism centring on digital rights and privacy in East Asia. It intends to showcase how pivotal civil society actors within each region cultivate distinctive focal points and strategies, allowing them to adeptly navigate the intricate social, political, and technological landscapes.
The research aims to raise international awareness of the digital rights situation in East Asia and, by highlighting common concerns and topics across the region, to foster transnational connections among activists and civil society organisations.
Guest Speakers:
Charles Mok (Research Scholar, Global Digital Policy Incubator/Stanford University): Charles is a Research Scholar at the Global Digital Policy Incubator of the Cyber Policy Center at Stanford University, a member of the Board of Trustees of the Internet Society, and a board member of the International Centre for Trade Transparency and Monitoring. Charles was an elected member of the Legislative Council in Hong Kong, representing the Information Technology sector, from 2012 to 2020. He has more than 36 years of experience as an entrepreneur in the tech industry, as well as an organizer and participant in civil society and global digital governance.
Byoung-il Oh (President, Korean Progressive Network Jinbonet): Byoung-il Oh is the president of the Korean Progressive Network Jinbonet, an organization based in South Korea that advocates for human rights in the information society, especially the rights to communication, free speech, and privacy. He is a founding member of Jinbonet and has been working as a full-time staff member since its founding in 1998. He has been the organization’s president since 2019. He is also a board member of IPLeft, a nongovernmental organization that has criticized the strengthening of intellectual property and promoting A2K, and a research fellow at the Institute for Digital Rights.
Chia-Shuo Tang (Research Manager, Open Culture Foundation): Chia-Shuo Tang is the research manager at Open Culture Foundation Taiwan. With a background in sociology, anthropology, and science and technology studies, his current main area of work involves digital rights, governance, and civil society safety in Taiwan.
Szu-Hui Huang (Project Manager, Open Culture Foundation): Szu-Hui Huang is the project manager at Open Culture Foundation Taiwan. With a background in social work and international development studies, she has over 8 years of working in women’s rights and capacity building for CSOs, now focusing on digital rights and civil society safety in Taiwan and East Asia.
Resources:
To learn more about the topic prior to this discussion, check out the following resources:
