In this episode of PGP Live at DRAPAC23, Tanka Aryal, President of Digital Rights Nepal, (DRN) shares insights into the organization's inception during the COVID-19 pandemic, addressing emerging digital rights issues in the country. The organization, comprising lawyers, social workers, social scientists, and technologists, engages in policy review, evidence-based advocacy, and research to address emerging issues, digital security, and the intersection of technology and law. --- Pretty Good...

In this episode of PGP Live at DRAPAC23, Journalist Monira Munni shares insights into her experiences as a senior reporter at The Financial Express, the only business daily in Bangladesh, focusing on trade, economics, and business issues. Monira delves into the challenges she faces as a journalist during fieldwork, emphasizing the importance of data and information verification, particularly in the context of online and digital platforms. --- Pretty Good Podcast Live at DRAPAC23 is a...

In this PGP Live episode at DRAPAC23, Ivan, Programs and Operations Director at Security Matters, discusses their mission to promote digital security in Southeast Asia, focusing on Thailand and Malaysia. Ivan covers their role as a first responder, research center, and provider of localized training materials and threat analysis. --- Pretty Good Podcast Live at DRAPAC23 is a special episode series of Pretty Good Podcast, recorded live at the Digital Rights Asia Pacific Assembly in Chiang...

In this episode, Ranking Digital Rights' Global Partnerships Manager, Leandro Ucciferri, discusses their collaboration with EngageMedia on the Greater Internet Freedom project, emphasizing their commitment to sharing a methodology rooted in international standards while actively seeking ways to apply it to local contexts. --- Pretty Good Podcast Live at DRAPAC23 is a special episode series of Pretty Good Podcast, recorded live at the Digital Rights Asia Pacific Assembly in Chiang Mai,...

In this episode of PGP Live at DRAPAC23, Jonnah Morado, legal officer and project coordinator at the Initiatives for Dialogue and Empowerment through Alternative Legal Services or IDEALS, sheds light on their work providing legal assistance to human rights CSOs and digital rights advocates in the Philippines. Navigating the intersection of digital rights and legal aid, Jonnah discusses their commitment to offering access to justice, including legal advice, fact-checking, and addressing...

In this episode, Kristine Tan Chan, President of Filipino Freethinkers, discusses their advocacy for human rights, emphasizing freedom of expression, women's and LGBTQIA+ rights, and digital rights. As a member of the Philippine Safe Abortion Advocacy Network, Kristine addresses the stigma around abortion, advocating for decriminalization. --- Pretty Good Podcast Live at DRAPAC23 is a special episode series of Pretty Good Podcast, recorded live at the Digital Rights Asia Pacific Assembly...

In this episode, Pyrou Chung, Director of Open Development Initiative at East-West Management Institute, shares their work in strengthening data governance with indigenous communities. The conversation underscores the substantial contributions of these communities, especially women, to discussions on climate change and environmental issues. --- Pretty Good Podcast Live at DRAPAC23 is a special episode series of Pretty Good Podcast, recorded live at the Digital Rights Asia Pacific Assembly...

In this episode SzuHui Huang, Programme Manager at Open Culture Foundation, explores the intersection of open technology and digital rights in Asia, emphasizing capacity building and research within civil society organizations, while addressing resource challenges in the digital era and touching on OCF's research in East Asia on privacy and personal data rights within CSOs. --- Pretty Good Podcast Live at DRAPAC23 is a special episode series of Pretty Good Podcast, recorded live at the...

In this PGP Live episode at DRAPAC23, Sinar Project's Kelly Koh and Siti Nurliza Samsudin explore the Internet Monitoring Action Project (iMAP). Learn about iMAP's goal to uncover censorship across 10 countries on platforms like websites, messaging apps, and virtual private networks. Gain insights into their efforts to build a digital rights activist network, enhance transparency, and provide capacity-building for local partners. --- Pretty Good Podcast Live at DRAPAC23 is a special...

In this episode, Shruti Trikanad from the Centre for Internet & Society shares about the Greater Internet Freedom project, sharing insights on global digital rights policies, digital IDs, and strategies learned from early implementers. --- Pretty Good Podcast Live at DRAPAC23 is a special episode series of Pretty Good Podcast, recorded live at the Digital Rights Asia Pacific Assembly in Chiang Mai, Thailand, last May 22 to 26, 2023. Check out the accompanying blog post that provides...

In this episode of PGP Live at DRAPAC23, Global Voices Advox Editor Ameya Nagarajan shares about the rise of digital authoritarianism and other digital rights trends in the Asia-Pacific monitored through the Advox and Unfreedom Monitor project. Ameya shares how governments are using laws to curb digital rights and impede press freedom. She also talks about Global Voices’ future pursuits to advance digital rights – from spyware research and digital rights workshops to interactive games for...

In this episode of PGP Live at DRAPAC23, Numun Fund’s Information and Knowledge Systems Choreographer Syar S. Alia delves into the organisation's exploration of feminist tech and prioritising equitable, accessible, and safe technology for all. Syar also discusses highlights from the organisation’s research uncovering shared concerns in the global south, such as freedom from online gender-based violence, knowledge accessibility, and tech infrastructure development. Pretty Good Podcast Live...

In this episode of PGP Live at DRAPAC23, Bradley (pseudonym), a social technology researcher, discusses the alternative communication methods used in Myanmar in response to the internet shutdowns and destroyed infrastructure following the February 2021 coup. Zeroing in on digital safety and security, Bradley highlights the challenges faced by the people of Myanmar and emphasises the need for viable alternatives. He also talks about why digital rights activists, civil society organisations,...

Pretty Good Podcast Live at DRAPAC23 is a special episode series of ⁠Pretty Good Podcast⁠, recorded live at the Digital Rights Asia Pacific Assembly in Chiang Mai, Thailand, last May 22 to 26, 2023. In this episode of PGP Live at DRAPAC23, Athan - Freedom of Expression Activist Organization Director Zee Pe shares how her youth-led group is countering the numerous digital rights violations committed by Myanmar’s military dictatorship through research, documentation, and amplifying local...

In this episode of Pretty Good Podcast, Htaike Htaike Aung discussed about the updates on digital rights issues in Myanmar, and how the international community can support digital rights advocates in fighting the digital coup  and human rights violations happening in the country.

In the final 2022 episode of Pretty Good Podcast, EngageMedia Executive Director Phet Sayo shares his take on the current issues surrounding Big Tech globally and how these affect the challenges of disinformation and freedom of expression in the Asia-Pacific. Phet also discusses his vision for the future of digital rights, which centres on building alliances and moving towards open and distributed forms of technology. Learn more: Pretty Good Podcast Episode 25: Envisioning the Future of...

Lecturer Dr. Samsul Maarif and Project Multatuli membership manager Devina Heriyanto return to expound further on the various ways mainstream media and other stakeholders can collaborate to challenge myths surrounding indigenous communities,reclaim development projects, and bridge the gap between indigenous communities and academics, activists, government officials, and the general public. Check out the accompanying blog post that provides additional references and relevant links to this...

In this two-part series, Pretty Good Podcast tackles how and why these mainstream narratives perpetuate discrimination against marginalised religious communities, and what can be done to address the issue. Dr. Samsul Maarif, head of the graduate school program at Universitas Gadjah Mada’s Center for Religion and Cross-cultural Studies, expounds on the politics of religion that fuels the stigma against indigenous religions. Devina Heriyanto, a former Jakarta Post journalist and now Membership...

In this episode of Pretty Good Podcast, Imam Ardhianto, lecturer and chair of the University of Indonesia’s Media, Culture, and Research Center for Anthropological Studies, discusses the transformation of religious social media movements in Indonesia and how they shaped the socio-political landscape of the country, adapting into hyperlocal spaces online and offline. The episode is part of the Association for Progressive Communications’ (APC) Challenge project, with the aim of “Challenging...

In this episode of Pretty Good Podcast, two South Asian contributors of EngageMedia’s Pandemic of Control series elaborate on how the digital technologies used for pandemic management have infringed on human and digital rights. Harindrini Corea, legal consultant of Hashtag Generation, shares more about the criminalisation of people’s movements and peaceful protests amid the economic decline in Sri Lanka. Filmmaker and human rights advocate Zayed Siddiki discusses how the state used the legal...

In this episode of Pretty Good Podcast, Asia-Pacific analyst and Access Now’s Myanmar lead Wai Phyo Myint sheds light on the current situation and the ongoing efforts of Myanmar’s digital rights actors, individuals, and organisations to restore democracy in the country. She calls on the international community to provide concrete support, such as providing means for the people of Myanmar to access secure and affordable internet, and providing digital security training and safety resources...

In this episode of Pretty Good Podcast, research consultant Dr Diani Citra and EngageMedia Digital Rights Program Officer for Indonesia Pradipa Rasidi share key insights from the report “The Techno-politics of Data Justice in Indonesia and the Philippines”. They discuss how civil society, technology groups, and affected communities in both countries understand data justice, as informed by their lived experiences, as well as the paths forward for future research and data governance strategies.

In this episode of Pretty Good Podcast, author, filmmaker, and activist Noor Huda Ismail discusses the strategic online dissemination of extremist ideology in Southeast Asia. He zeroes in on how social media algorithms influence online radicalisation, and how using the same technology can help targeted individuals reintegrate back into society.

Southeast Asia has historically been consumers of technology instead of providers. This often  leaves the region at a disadvantage in adapting to and governing the technologies that it needs for growth, such as artificial intelligence (AI). In this episode of Pretty Good Podcast, AI researcher Dr. Jun-E Tan expounds on her 2021 research with EngageMedia on AI governance in Southeast Asia, emphasising the importance of contextualising this technology based on what the region needs. Jun-E also...