Governments across the Asia-Pacific are increasingly restricting freedom of expression through internet shutdowns, laws criminalising defamation, and vaguely-worded policies weaponised against journalists and activists. Such restrictions have been applied to online civic spaces, limiting people’s use of the internet as a platform for discussion. Civil society plays a critical role in raising awareness on these issues and collaborating against internet censorship.
The Internet Monitoring Program (iMAP) is a three-year collaboration among civil society organisations in the Asia-Pacific advocating for freedom of expression on the internet. The program measures network interference and restrictions of freedom of expression online in Cambodia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam.
EngageMedia is coordinating internet censorship measurements from the Open Observatory of Network Interference (OONI), research analysis, and engagement with local digital rights advocates in Indonesia and the Philippines. To this end, EngageMedia will maintain internet censorship monitoring test lists and probes in the two countries. The implementation of iMAP also includes a series of workshops and annual reports on the state of internet censorship.
These initiatives will contribute towards building the capacity of digital rights advocates in the region, enabling them to strengthen ongoing efforts on internet censorship monitoring and reporting.
iMAP is supported by the Sinar Project and the Open Observatory of Network Interference.
