by digiright | May 5, 2024 | Our work, Updates
Digitally Right is delighted to launch Digital Safety School. The objective of this school is to empower individuals and organizations with the skills to navigate current and emerging digital threats. Through this initiative, Digitally Right aims to support civil society, media and the private sector as well.
This school offers one free access and two on-demand services. The school will organize a monthly two-day free access training which interested candidates can apply for. The training will be administered by Digitally Right’s expert team. Apart from that, the school will also offer on-demand services such as training packages based on the needs of different organizations and digital safety audits for small to mid-sized organizations. In the near future, the school aims to launch a resource center which will provide tailored tips and advice on emerging digital trends and threats.
If you are a journalist, or editor or fall within the broader civil society, please apply for our free access training using the form. The training is expected to be held on the third week of each month and candidates will be selected on a rotational basis.
The Digital Safety School is a collaborative initiative and we welcome partnerships and collaborations from organizations who share our vision of a safer digital future. For inquiries regarding collaboration opportunities, please do not hesitate to reach out to us via email at dss@digitallyright.org.
For further information and to stay updated on the latest developments, explore our website at https://digitalsafetyschool.com.
Join us on this journey towards a safer and more secure digital future.
by digiright | May 5, 2024 | Digital Rights, Updates
On April 29, Digitally Right, in collaboration with ICNL, held a workshop focused on legislative issues titled “Understanding the Draft National AI Policy.” The session was attended by 17 participants, including representatives from media outlets, environmental organizations, human rights defenders, and gender activists. The workshop aimed to raise awareness, strengthen advocates’ capacity, encourage in-depth discussions, and develop strategies to influence changes to the Draft Policy. Shabnam Mojtahedi, Legal Advisor for Digital Rights at ICNL, delivered a presentation on the Draft AI Policy and its implications, followed by a discussion on strategies for engaging with the government on the issue. Participants also shared their individual concerns regarding the Policy.
During the workshop, ICNL’s presentation highlighted common concerns about AI and its potential impact on human rights. Shabnam then discussed best practices for consulting and engaging with the government on AI-related issues. She also pointed out that the lack of a globally accepted definition of AI has resulted in the Draft Policy being vague and broad. Since no jurisdiction has established standalone AI laws, there are no clear precedents for treating AI as a separate legal issue.
Participants at the workshop agreed that the government should base the AI Policy on international best practices, with civil society organizations (CSOs) playing a key role in bridging the gap between the government and global partners. They emphasized the need for effective and diverse engagement in the policy process. It was noted that the Draft Policy lacked impact assessment, monitoring, and evaluation mechanisms, which need to be addressed. While national security carve-outs are common in AI policies worldwide, participants stressed the importance of strong oversight in this area to prevent data abuse.
Following the presentation and Q&A session, participants held an open discussion to identify strategies for influencing the government to amend the Draft AI Policy. Three strategies emerged. The first is to file a Right to Information (RTI) request, seeking details on which CSO representatives were involved in the consultation and drafting process, and to challenge the legality of the Policy, as it is required by law to be drafted in Bangla rather than English. The second strategy involves rallying public support to delay the Policy’s implementation, eventually pushing for its repeal on the grounds that it is not functional. Some participants suggested pursuing both strategies simultaneously.
The third strategy proposed is the creation of a national alliance consisting of CSOs and AI experts. This alliance would engage with grassroots communities, gather their feedback, and present it to international forums.
by digiright | Feb 15, 2024 | Digital Security, Updates
Digitally Right hosted its first Digital Safety Training under the fourth year of the Greater Internet Freedom (GIF) project, a global initiative supported by USAID, on February 10-11, 2024. As part of this effort, Digitally Right collaborated with Internews and EngageMedia to implement the program in Bangladesh. The training was attended by 12 journalists, including 8 male and 4 female, who spent two days learning critical skills for navigating the digital space securely.
The training began with an ice-breaking and introductory session, followed by an overview of the internet, its functioning, and the associated risks. Participants voiced their security concerns, including fears of being surveilled or having their locations tracked through digital devices. These concerns set the stage for the next session, which focused on information security, both online and offline.
After each session, participants practiced using the relevant tools, allowing them to apply what they had learned. The session on tools for safely capturing photos and videos was of particular interest to the group, marking the conclusion of the first day of training.
The second session started with a recap of the previous day’s lessons. Participants then learned about securing communication on both emails and mobile phones. However, they found the mobile phone security training more relevant, as they generally do not use email for confidential information.
Participants then took part in a group activity where they were presented with a scenario and tasked with creating an action plan using the tools they had learned. Following this, they were introduced to the risks associated with digital footprints and instructed on how to protect their privacy while browsing the internet. The session ended with a review of the entire training.
by digiright | Feb 12, 2024 | Our work, Updates
Eight young professionals from law, academia, media, and civil society organizations in Bangladesh have joined Digitally Right in its flagship annual Tech Policy Fellowship program of 2023. The diverse set of fellows aims to explore various issues arising from technology and related policies, affecting different communities.
The six-month program provides a unique opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of technology-related policies in Bangladesh and the region, along with their implications for everyday life. The goal is to develop the next generation of advocates to shape the legal and policy domain in Bangladesh for a more open and free internet space.
The fellowship includes residential training, deep-dive sessions, mentoring, and research production on a contemporary issue related to technology and society. It also facilitates engagement and networking with the global and regional digital rights community. Access Now, an international non-profit promoting digital rights worldwide, is a knowledge partner in this fellowship program.
The fellowship program commenced in January of this year with a five-day residential training in Kathmandu, Nepal, in collaboration with Access Now. Representatives and experts from six organizations in civil society, technology, and academia joined the fellows to discuss the legal and policy environment shaping internet governance in Bangladesh and beyond.
Each fellow will pursue research under this fellowship program in the next couple of months and will have the opportunity to share their work with the digital rights community in the region and globally.
Meet the Fellows
Dilshad Hossain Dodul, a Senior Lecturer in the Media Studies and Journalism Department of the University of Liberal Arts, has a broad research focus on digital media, migration, and political communication. With a background in Mass Communication and Journalism, including international exposure through the Erasmus Plus Scholarship, Dodul has worked on impactful projects promoting digital awareness and safety, particularly among teenagers and female journalists.
Nazia Sharmin, a Course Contract Faculty at BRAC University, focuses on Digital Sociology, emphasizing socio-cultural aspects of misinformation. With a master’s degree from Stockholm University, Nazia believes that effective tech policies are crucial for defending society against the threats posed by misinformation.
Nowzin Khan, a graduate from BRAC University’s School of Law, is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Peace and Conflict at Dhaka University. An independent researcher with a keen interest in the convergence of technology, governance, and human rights, Nowzin aspires to contribute to comprehensive and unbiased tech policies through active engagement in the Tech Policy Fellowship.
Nusrat Jahan Nishat, currently serving as an Advocacy Manager at ANTAR, Dhaka. With a background in law, she has actively participated in Moot Court Competitions and contributed to human development training programs, workshops, and human rights-related research. Nusrat aims to explore various facets of digital technology and policy issues during her fellowship.
Rashad Ahamad, a journalist with over 13 years of reporting experience in reporting labor and human rights. Currently working at ‘New Age,’ Rashad has covered a wide range of topics, including migration, disinformation, health, climate, and labor rights. His commitment to public-interest reporting has earned him awards and fellowships, and he remains interested in the intersection of data, labor rights and technology.
Shoeb Abdullah is a fact-checker, researcher, and digital rights advocate. Currently engaged with Internews, Shoeb’s career spans nearly five years, contributing to combating disinformation, and advancing digital rights. His expertise includes internet Freedom, digital safety, and anti-internet shutdown activism.
Suhadha Akter Afrin, a staff reporter of Prothom Alo, is a technology journalism enthusiast covering ICT and digital security issues. Actively following upcoming digital laws and policies, she is keen to understand the impact of these policies on society. Suhadha aims to keep the people informed about the developments in the digital sector.
Suparna Roy, a legal professional dedicated to justice and equality, serves as a Legal Expert to ensure basic human rights for SOGIESC and marginalized communities in Bangladesh. Beyond her professional roles, Suparna is a passionate human rights activist advocating for gender equality and societal transformation.
by digiright | Dec 28, 2023 | Our work, Research
With the rapid rise of the internet and the adoption of new technologies in our everyday life, we see different technology-related laws and policies emerge at home and across the world. To understand the trends in these policies and their role and impact on society, Digitally Right launched Bangladesh Tech Policy Fellowship 2022. The programme aimed to empower the citizen’s voices with the essential skills and knowledge to become an advocate for a free and open digital space.
The fellowship spanned for a period of six months where fellows from diverse backgrounds in academia, law, media, and civic advocacy were engaged in thorough training, and virtual deep-dives and produced research/papers under expert supervision.
In their research, fellows have focused on different areas of concern. For instance, while one of the papers emphasised on today’s youth’s interaction with the internet and their awareness of the rights and liabilities that come with it, another paper focused on how the Rohingya refugees are utilising the internet and the difficulties they face while doing so. It has also been found that the existing laws in terms of election are not sufficient to deal with the risks stemming from the digital space.
Two of our fellows attempted to assess the impact of the draft Data Protection Bill on internet-driven businesses, which is set to make data localization mandatory. Another time appropriate research flags concerns around Facebook’s Bangla content moderation due to the language’s ethno-linguistic diversity.
We hope this publication and the reports by our fellows contribute to the existing knowledge and inform arguments, discussions, and debates for future actions in the tech policy space.
Read the papers here.
