freedom of expression
Feminist talk
We are Sisters in Islam
In 2019 the High Court of Malaya (Malaysia) upheld a fatwa ruling that bans the organisation Sisters in Islam for going against Islamic teachings. In particular, this ruling limits their use of social media. Read more to hear about the complexities of activism and speech in Malaysia for feminist groups and individuals.
In depth
Are we any better at judging right from wrong? Automation in content moderation
Censorship has been replaced online by a system of content moderation controlled by companies, and these rely on both automation as well as human moderators employed to sift through content. The choice is not between the alleged neutrality of the impersonal machine and the errors and finiteness of human moderation, as both work in tandem.
Feminist talk
Advocating for better ICT laws at the Asia Pacific Internet Governance Forum
The Asia Pacific Internet Governance Forum just completed in July 2019 and it took place in Russia. There were very few sessions that dealt with either gender or human rights and none that addressed sexuality. At one session there were discussions on the ICT related-laws and particularly on the broad and unclear provisions that deal with online censorship.
Lets go beyond ticking boxes: gender and sexuality in internet policy
Between the crisis brought about by the anti-gender backlash, the strength of new voices speaking about intersectionality and gender expression from the LGBTI communities in different parts of the world - NOW marks a moment when we should look at what should be our priorities and concerns in relation to internet and technology.
In depth
How Tiktok is a platform for performance and play for women in Sri Lanka
Tiktok is a wildly popular short video platform and has led to a myriad form of creative and playful expressions. This article explores the videos from Ceylon in relation to heteronormativity, gender, and how the boundaries between the personal and public are blurred.
Feminist talk
Turning from Tumblr: Where is sex positivity on the internet going?
The Tumblr porn ban reveals how laws in one country against sex trafficking can be used to police content online, and especially has an impact on queer, trans and other sexuality related content. Here Tiffany Mugo talks about what that does to the discourse around sex positivity online.
Publication
Offline and Out of Pocket: The Impact of the Social Media Tax in Uganda on Access, Usage, Income and Productivity
What is the impact of the social media tax in Uganda on the lives of ordinary people - including their productivity and income, access and usage of social media and the internet. Through interviews and discussions, the report explores how people are affected by the tax on the use of platforms such as Whatsapp, Facebook, Twitter.
Feminist talk
5 thoughts on online content moderation from an insider
What does content moderation on social media actually entail - how much artificial intelligence and human labour is being used, who is responsible for decisions around the removal of content or about what complaints to ignore? An insider from social media companies shares 5 concise insights on how social media giants actually work.
Feminist talk
My Little Corner of The Internet: The Role of Finstas in The Lives of Queer, Black Africans
The internet is made up of many kinds of spaces knitted together - from the public to somewhat private to the many grey zones in between. Here is how queer black people find public corners for celebrating and self-care through Finstas.
We can be heroes: Towards public and legal recognition of online gender-based violence
Online violence, bullying, harassment, theft of identity, non-consensual circulation of intimate images - are now being recognised as offences in most countries, and acknowledged in public discourse as misogyny and attempts to silence women and gender-diverse people from participation in public life and denying them their rights to free expression and association, especially online. This...
