Govt expected to push amendments to expand PECA powers this week
December 15, 2024Bill to centralise citizen’s data tabled in the National Assembly
December 16, 2024
DRF—in collaboration with the Center for Studies in Freedom of Expression and Access to Information (CELE), 7amleh, WHAT TO FIX, The London Story Foundation, Citizens’ Association (CA) “Zašto ne (Why not)”, and Myanmar Internet Project—set up the Global Majority House on 15 November to drive critical dialogue and collaboration between the Global South and Europe on digital governance. According to DRF Executive Director Nighat Dad, “We hope to contribute to conversations on systemic risks and crisis protocols while engaging with the broader ‘Brussels effect’ to shape global standards that resonate with the values and realities of the Global Majority.” Read more here.
Policy Initiatives:
Meeting with President Macron on tech and human rights
DRF’s Executive Director Nighat Dad participated in the Paris Peace Forum as part of the tech leaders cohort. The Paris Peace Forum is a platform that puts global governance, rule of law and peace on the international agenda. Ms Dad met with President Emmanuel Macron and other industry leaders to discuss the human rights implications of emerging technologies like AI, and challenges to digital governance.
Asia-Pacific Civil Society Consultation Report for Beijing+30
The Beijing+30 Asia-Pacific Civil Society Steering Committee, of which DRF is part, released a report titled Forging Gender-Just Futures ahead of the Beijing+30 proceedings in November. This report highlights priority areas of action to advance women’s human rights and gender equality based on the lived experiences of civil society members in the region. Read the report here.
Campaign on International Day to End Impunity Against Journalists (2 November)
On International Day to End Impunity Against Journalists, DRF called attention to the lack of implementation of the Protection of Journalists and Media Professionals Act, specifically regarding the non-establishment of a Commission for investigating, prosecuting and penalising rights violations against journalists. See our explainer here.
Campaign on International Day for Tolerance (16 November)
To mark International Day for Tolerance, DRF reshared the story of Laila, a trans femme TikTok influencer who experiences a unique form of online gender-based violence. See the English version here, and the Urdu version here.
Campaign on 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence (25 November to 10 December)
DRF kicked off its campaign on 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence with ‘Stay Cybersafe’ daily tips. Women and girls also shared their vision of what Pakistan would look like free from gender-based violence, a fitting reminder on International Day to End Violence Against Women (25 November). On 29 November, DRF marked International Women Human Rights Defenders Day by saluting women activists who raise their voices to help others, and raising awareness about psychosocial support for their emotional wellbeing.
View this post on Instagram
Blogpost on Platform Accountability
As part of DRF’s new series on Platform Accountability, DRF analyzed a case of online gendered violence against trans community member Dolphin Ayan Khan, in which a video containing sensitive images of her was posted non-consensually on Facebook, X and YouTube. Did these platforms act to take the video down, or suspend accounts posting malicious web links that claimed to offer full access to the video? Read DRF’s analysis here.
Press Coverage:
CII decree against VPN usage criticized
Along with other rights activists, DRF’s Executive Director Nighat Dad responded to the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) decree against VPN use. She pointed out that the move to block VPNs conflicts with our fundamental right to privacy, and aims “only to target certain social media users”. Read more here.
A study on AI generation of hyper-realistic images
Commenting on a study on AI, DRF’s Executive Director Nighat Dad highlighted inclusivity issues and the potential misuse of hyper-realistic AI images. She said, “Including local skin tones within a predominantly white dataset is an essential step toward building inclusive AI models.” She also expressed concern about AI’s accelerated progress, particularly in Pakistan where such technology is still a new phenomenon and has been used for exploitation and scams. Read more here.
DRF was also cited in the following press coverage:
Events:
DRF participates in this year’s Beijing+30 review
DRF participated in the final review of the Beijing Platform for Action (BPfA), of which Pakistan is signatory, known as the Beijing+30 review. As a member of the Beijing+30 Asia-Pacific Civil Society Steering Committee, DRF was honoured to work together with civil society groups around the region to advance Beijing+30 gender equality goals.
DRF representative Irum Shujah, participated in the Young Feminist Forum on 16 November, where over 135 young feminist leaders from the Asia-Pacific shaped key demands for the Beijing+30 review. Their collective statement highlighted systemic oppressions rooted in colonialism, patriarchy, and racism, calling for transformative, intersectional, and inclusive feminist actions to reclaim rights and address the lived realities of youth in diverse contexts.
Ms Shujah also attended the preparatory CSO Forum held on 17-18 November, which brought together diverse voices from across the region to drive civil society engagement in the process.
Finally, Ms Shujah participated in the Ministerial Conference on the Beijing+30 Review, held on 19-21 November. This high-level forum, organized by the Asia Pacific Forum on Women in collaboration with UN Women, convened ministers, officials, and key stakeholders to evaluate the region’s progress under the BPfA, address legal and policy challenges, and strengthen commitments to gender equality and women’s empowerment.
Digital Literacy & Citizenship Bootcamp in Bagh, Azad Kashmir
DRF conducted its fifth Digital Literacy and Citizenship Bootcamp for 58 students at the Women University in Bagh, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, with the support of the U.S. Embassy, Islamabad. The students learnt about cyber harassment, online safety safety, disinformation and misinformation in today’s digital ecosystem, as well as the emergence of AI and what tools they can use to optimize the use of digital technology.
Other events:
- As part of the Beijing+30 process, the DRF legal team attended an online info session titled Road to Beijing+30 and Beijing 101 organized by the Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law, and Development (APWLD) on 5 November.
- The DRF legal team participated in a UNESCO webinar titled “AI in the Courts: Transforming Justice with Practical Applications and Use Cases” on 21 November. The webinar brought together representatives from various countries to share insights on integrating AI into judicial processes. The discussion highlighted innovative approaches to leveraging AI for enhancing judicial efficiency, while emphasizing the importance of safeguarding justice, protecting human rights, and ensuring ethical, responsible implementation.
- DRF took part in the iMap’s Community Of Practice, a regular gathering of those who are affected by network interference and where regular updates are discussed among iMap’s community of civil society organizations.
Tech trends and tips
New tech and platform developments:
Unregistered VPNs are being blocked in Pakistan
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has started its second trial to block unregistered VPNs ahead of a nationwide crackdown starting December 1, citing security risks and misuse concerns. Over 25,000 VPNs have been registered so far, with the PTA streamlining the process to ensure compliance.
Tip of the month:
Every time you post on social media, send an email or do a Google search, you leave a trace. These traces are actually permanent data trails which are tracked, analyzed and used to construct your ‘profile’. Your profile is then used by businesses to bombard you with offers and adverts. This trail, consisting of information you leave and activities you do on the Internet, is called digital footprint.
You can reduce your digital footprint by:
- Self-Doxxing: Google yourself first and then contact the relevant sites to take down your personal information
- Setting up Google alerts: Set up a Google alert to keep yourself updated if your name is being mentioned somewhere on internet
- Deactivation of unwanted accounts: Delete or deactivate any of your accounts which are no longer required otherwise your profile will still be visible to others
- Privacy Policy: Always read the terms and condition before subscribing to online services
- Don’t be fooled by surveys: Never fill out any survey that pops-up while browsing because someone is collecting your data
- Clearing cookies and caches: Always make sure to clear cookies and remove caches to prevent site tracking
DRF Resources:
Cyber Harassment Helpline:
The Cyber Harassment Helpline received 186 complaints in total in November 2024, around 80% of which were related to cyber harassment.
If you’re encountering a problem online, you can reach out to our helpline at 0800-39393, email us at helpdesk@digitalrightsfoundation.pk or reach out to us on our social media accounts. We’re available for assistance from 9 am to 5 pm, Monday to Sunday.
IWF Portal
DRF in collaboration with Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) and the Global Fund to End Violence Against Children launched a portal to combat children’s online safety in Pakistan. The new portal allows internet users in Pakistan to anonymously report child sexual abuse material in three different languages- English, Urdu, and Pashto.
StopNCII.org
Meta along with Revenge Porn Helpline (RPH) has launched a portal to support victims of Non-Consensual Intimate Image Abuse (NCII). NCII is a free portal for reporting cases of sensitive or sexual content existing online. Once you report a case, the necessary steps will be taken to block the images from the platform.
