This report tracks recent trends in internet use in Nepal, incorporates findings from a survey administered to 196 individuals from the Kathmandu valley and surrounding areas, and recommends a way forward to build a more inclusive, tolerant and feminist internet.

In the second and last part of this in-depth article, the author unpacks the persistence of rape myths in judicial reasoning, even veiled under the promises of neutrality and accuracy of digital evidence.

Twenty-four digital rights defenders will convene from 20 to 24 September for the “Internet Rules: Unboxing digital laws in Southeast Asia” workshop. Over the course of the week, the participants will explore a variety of topics including ICT laws and jurisprudence, access, infrastructure and internet shutdowns, freedom of expression, gender and vulnerable groups, and legal methodology and process, among others.

I’ve spent some time reflecting on the way we’ve thought about the internet and digitalisation over three decades, and how we may need to think differently in future. What assumptions have we made; and what assumptions should we make, about its relationship with politics and geopolitics?

The Asia Pacific Regional Internet Governance Forum (APrIGF) serves as a platform for discussion, exchange and collaboration at a regional level. This year will be a hybrid event in Kathmandu and the overarching theme is “Towards an Inclusive, Sustainable and Trusted Internet".

How are APC partners improving their communities’ lives? Murambinda Works is fostering digital inclusion and literacy while building the link between internet access and other fundamental rights, such as education, in Zimbabwe.

Joint letter, signed by a coalition of civil society and industry stakeholders, raises concerns about the human rights risks of internet fragmentation and setting out principles for an open, interconnected and interoperable internet.

This insightful piece highlights how digital evidence is overwhelming the legal and judicial imagination by looking specifically at cases of rape trials in India.

Aid agencies, humanitarian organisations and other international actors operating within Afghanistan, as well as private sector vendors who supply and service digital identity, are urgently called to safeguard digital identity and biometric databases created in Afghanistan.

How are APC members improving their communities’ lives with the support of APC subgranting? With South Korea actively responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, Jinbonet has worked on analysing the country’s epidemic prevention policies and systems, and their effects on human rights and privacy.

We are proud to be nominated, along with several other members of the APC network, for this year’s #GoodID Awards, convened by the Omidyar Network.

The Roberto Arias Connectivity Programme seeks to address urgent demands in regions of Argentina affected by digital exclusion.

The successful candidate will join the technical team in APC’s virtual office and help maintain the technical infrastructure and services needed for global hybrid events, combining online and offline components. The deadline for applications is 22 September.

How are APC members improving their communities’ lives with the support of APC subgranting? With the global health crisis brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately impacting vulnerable communities, VOICE works on the ground to deliver critical communications and local support.

KICTANet held a virtual meeting to share the findings of its recent research on the extent to which the public participated in three recent policy and law-making processes related to information and communications technologies.

Eleven groups, including APC, call on Indian authorities to immediately, independently and credibly investigate the government’s alleged use of advanced spyware to target activists and apparent opponents.

We are pleased to announce the launch of the Feminist Internet Research Network (FIRN) website. The site's goal is to gather in one place the results of FIRN research projects, which aim to provide evidence to drive change in internet policy and law, and a feminist approach to internet rights.

APC considers disinformation to be a complex and multifaceted problem that cannot be properly addressed by a fragmented approach. It is also a multistakeholder challenge that requires dialogue between different sectors. In this document, APC explains why, where and how we work on this issue.

Welcome to the 39th monthly round-up of developments impacting your local access networks.

Internet connectivity is becoming part and parcel of humans’ lives all over the globe, but the story in underdeveloped countries is different and not encouraging. With persistent engagement and advocacy visits by CITAD, progress on setting up community networks in Nigeria has been made.