Specific Issues for Discussion:
Accountability of social media and user-to-user communication platforms (“platforms”) around their speech and privacy practices is a longstanding, albeit contested, issue. Countries have adopted different approaches to holding platforms accountable— from legislation (Singapore) to coalition-led voluntary commitments (Australia). On the other hand, India has taken platforms to court, demanding more transparency and safety against hate speech for their communities. Efficacy measurements around these approaches are fragmented, therefore, it is difficult to identify what works and doesn’t, and subsequently, how to make more concerted efforts based on learnings. This panel discussion brings together experts from Bangladesh, Nepal, Philippines and South Korea to understand the varied approaches to accountability and making online spaces safer, discuss what works, and provide recommendations on specific interventions that civil society and policymakers can adopt based on shared, cross-regional experiences.
The panel discussion is built on a series of civil society-led conversations in the Asia Pacific and the Global Majority that increasingly recognised that accountability efforts are fragmented. As a result, the uneven power dynamic between private entities, policymakers and non-governmental voices is exacerbated, and communities are left unsafe and unheard. There is a growing urgency to de-duplicate efforts and share learnings, ideally contributing towards coalition-building in APAC and globally. The panel is both a culmination of these discussions to bring in a wider audience, as well as a starting point towards more cross-regional learning and coalition-building.
