By: Christopher Tuckwood, The Sentinel Project
Presented at Toronto Net Tuesday, June 4 2013.
Event recap & recording: https://www.techsoupcanada.ca/en/community/blog/human-rights-technology-and-movement-building-around-the-world
The document discusses the evolution and adoption of communication technologies over time according to several influential theories. It begins with an overview of the umbrella perspective on communication technology, including its focus on hardware, software, infrastructure and social systems. It then examines Rogers' diffusion of innovations theory and Moore's innovation adoption rate model. The document also summarizes critical mass theory, uses and gratifications theory, media systems dependency theory, and social learning theory. Finally, it provides examples of the theories by analyzing the adoption of smartphones and the development of the Internet.
Crisis Information Management: A Primer, presentation by Sanjana Hattotuwa, Special Advisor, ICT4Peace Foundation. Prepared for ISCRAM Summer School 2011 - http://www.iscram.org/live/summerschool2011.
This was a brief PPT presentation I made for US Consulate's (Mumbai) prog. on Media Literacy. I've kept my presentation in line with UNESCO's work on MIL.
Global and mobile internets are created locally but have become global technologies. While the internet is imagined differently in various places, understanding its local contexts and histories is important to comprehending its role in globalization. Debate around internet freedom emerged as the internet became a mass medium, with different countries and activists promoting open or regulated visions of the internet.
The document discusses various threats facing organizations including natural disasters, terrorism, cyber attacks, and domestic threats. It summarizes views from the US government on improving protection efforts against threats like nuclear weapons and discusses the increasing risk of homegrown terrorism. The document also outlines how cyber attacks have become more advanced, widespread, and pose serious economic and national security risks.
Sma case study - arab media influence report 2011Anochi.com.
1. Increased role of religion in politics. Groups like the Muslim Brotherhood and Salafi movements gained influence and supporters during the Arab Spring uprisings and will likely continue expanding their role in governments and shaping public policy.
2. Rise of populist, socialist economic policies. There is strong public support for larger government intervention in the economy through policies like subsidizing basic goods, increasing wages and jobs.
3. Growing pan-Arab nationalism. The uprisings sparked dreams of greater unity among Arab countries and people. While a full union may not be imminent, sentiments of Arab solidarity and opposition to foreign influence will remain powerful
Presentation eLearning and ICT4D changing realities and challengesInge de Waard
Short presentation that was used to start a discussion on new educational technologies and approaches for ICT4D. Given for the Deutsche Welle Akademie (DW Akademie), which offers media training for journalists and activists around the world.
The document discusses the evolution and adoption of communication technologies over time according to several influential theories. It begins with an overview of the umbrella perspective on communication technology, including its focus on hardware, software, infrastructure and social systems. It then examines Rogers' diffusion of innovations theory and Moore's innovation adoption rate model. The document also summarizes critical mass theory, uses and gratifications theory, media systems dependency theory, and social learning theory. Finally, it provides examples of the theories by analyzing the adoption of smartphones and the development of the Internet.
Crisis Information Management: A Primer, presentation by Sanjana Hattotuwa, Special Advisor, ICT4Peace Foundation. Prepared for ISCRAM Summer School 2011 - http://www.iscram.org/live/summerschool2011.
This was a brief PPT presentation I made for US Consulate's (Mumbai) prog. on Media Literacy. I've kept my presentation in line with UNESCO's work on MIL.
Global and mobile internets are created locally but have become global technologies. While the internet is imagined differently in various places, understanding its local contexts and histories is important to comprehending its role in globalization. Debate around internet freedom emerged as the internet became a mass medium, with different countries and activists promoting open or regulated visions of the internet.
The document discusses various threats facing organizations including natural disasters, terrorism, cyber attacks, and domestic threats. It summarizes views from the US government on improving protection efforts against threats like nuclear weapons and discusses the increasing risk of homegrown terrorism. The document also outlines how cyber attacks have become more advanced, widespread, and pose serious economic and national security risks.
Sma case study - arab media influence report 2011Anochi.com.
1. Increased role of religion in politics. Groups like the Muslim Brotherhood and Salafi movements gained influence and supporters during the Arab Spring uprisings and will likely continue expanding their role in governments and shaping public policy.
2. Rise of populist, socialist economic policies. There is strong public support for larger government intervention in the economy through policies like subsidizing basic goods, increasing wages and jobs.
3. Growing pan-Arab nationalism. The uprisings sparked dreams of greater unity among Arab countries and people. While a full union may not be imminent, sentiments of Arab solidarity and opposition to foreign influence will remain powerful
Presentation eLearning and ICT4D changing realities and challengesInge de Waard
Short presentation that was used to start a discussion on new educational technologies and approaches for ICT4D. Given for the Deutsche Welle Akademie (DW Akademie), which offers media training for journalists and activists around the world.
This document provides an introduction to information and communications technology (ICT). It defines ICT as the diverse set of tools used to generate, store, process, spread and share information, including computers, the internet, broadcasting technologies and telephony. The document then discusses ICT in the Philippines, noting its role in business process outsourcing and the government agencies responsible for ICT development. It also outlines trends in ICT like technological convergence, social media, mobile media and assistive technologies. The document concludes by discussing online systems, functions and platforms.
Australia sociedad de la informacion carloscarlos sornoza
The World Social Forum concluded in Mumbai, India with a large closing march and rally celebrating cultural diversity and the hope for another possible world with social justice for all. Over 10,000 participants from around the world joined together speaking 13 different languages but united in their vision of alternatives to inequality and a world where basic human rights are ensured for dignity. The event highlighted the role of communications and information as fundamental rights in bringing people together from different backgrounds towards common goals of social and economic justice.
There are three main types of digital divides discussed in the document. First, the divide between those who have access to digital technology and those who do not. Second, the divide between those who use technology regularly and those who do not, known as the "new digital divide". And third, a divide in levels of digital literacy and participation, even among those who have access. Barriers to closing these divides include socioeconomic factors, lack of awareness or relevance of technology, and fears related to privacy and security. Reducing these divides requires expanding access to technology, increasing media literacy education, and addressing concerns of digital immigrants and "conscientious objectors".
Change IT!
S. Revi Sterling, University of Colorado Boulder
Voices 2015 - www.globaltechwomen.com
Session Length: 1 Hour
Dr. Revi Sterling founded and directs the only Information and Communication Technology for Development graduate program in the United States. This talk would demonstrate how IT (ICT as the rest of the world calls it) has given a quantum boost to international development efforts, and will give examples of what works and what doesn’t when technologists turn humanitarians. This talk will open avenues for technologists of all types and levels to truly make impact with their ideas, while promoting collaboration rather than competition. Sterling will point audiences to helpful resources while catalyzing their creativity.
The document discusses the digital divide, which refers to unequal access to information and communication technologies (ICTs) between individuals, households, businesses and nations. The digital divide exists due to differences in access to the internet, skills to use digital technologies, and ability to afford ICT services. Lower income households are much less likely to have internet access compared to higher income households. Reducing the digital divide requires improving access to affordable broadband, increasing digital literacy, and ensuring online content is relevant and accessible to underserved groups.
Technology and politics digital marketing v5Nick Hodge
This document summarizes the shift from traditional one-way communication models to new dialogic models enabled by social media and user-generated content. It notes that people have moved from being passive content consumers to active participants through various social platforms. This fundamental change means marketing must also shift from command-and-control to connecting and collaborating with customers engaged in open conversations. The new model prioritizes transparency, inclusion, authenticity and being customer-driven over control and exclusivity. Examples are given of how politicians like Obama have successfully utilized these new approaches.
There are three main types of digital divides discussed in the document. First, the divide between those who have access to digital technology and those who do not due to socioeconomic barriers. Second, the divide between those who actively use technology, known as digital natives, and those who do not due to a lack of digital literacy skills. And third, the divide caused by policies that restrict access to technology through filtering and blocking in schools and libraries. Bridging these divides requires expanding access, increasing media literacy education, and reducing restrictions on technology use.
This is the talk I gave at the CONSEGI 2011 conference in Brasilia, in May 2011, about Digital Citizenship Basic Education: an urgent social need of all contemporary societies, regardless of their industrializations. The talk also includes some proposals to achieve it.
Smart Power, Mobile Phone Technology and Philanthropocapitalism in Africa & M...Laurence Allard
conférence au Colloque International Democracy Promotion and Nation Building in United States Foreign Policy. The U.S. Model Reconsidered, From the Post-Cold War Balkans to the Arab Revolts, 18 Octobre 2012, Université Paris 3/The German Marshall Fund of the Unites States
This document discusses several challenges facing signals intelligence (SIGINT) collection systems, including rapid changes in technology, the vast quantity of data collected, the need for skilled linguists, and issues around ethics, privacy, information sharing, and politicization of intelligence. Some of the key challenges mentioned are the rise of encryption tools, social media monitoring, maintaining foreign language capabilities, and balancing national security needs with privacy concerns.
Freedom Trends and Assumptions - A Global Assessment of Internet and Digital ...Freedom House
Freedom Trends and Assumptions
Net Freedom: A Global Assessment of Internet and Digital Media
Cyber Dissidents: Global Successes and Challenges
George W. Bush Institute, Dallas, Texas
April 19, 2010
This document discusses bridging the digital divide between education and technology in Haiti versus the United States. It outlines the types of media available in each country and how they are sponsored. While American schools utilize technology extensively to enhance learning, Haitian schools struggle with basic access to education and lack of resources. Efforts are being made through donations to rebuild Haiti's communication infrastructure and improve access to technology to support education.
This document discusses trends in media and technology in 2011. It covers the growth of social media and mobile internet usage globally. Key points discussed include China's increasing influence in Africa, the disruptive impact of new technologies on traditional media industries, and the rise of mobile applications and internet access through smartphones. Emerging trends highlighted include mobile payments, environmental monitoring through mobile devices, and wireless internet access on airplanes and in urban areas.
This document discusses challenges related to the free flow of information and censorship. It begins by defining key concepts like networks, digital divide, and literacies. It explains how networks enable access to information but also how censorship laws can restrict information flow. It describes the role of libraries in accelerating digitalization efforts and improving literacy. Overall, the document examines tensions between open access to information versus government restrictions and censorship.
Strategies for Managing Disparate Devices in Your Mobile FleetChristopher Hunt
Chances are, your firm’s fleet of mobile devices is by no means a uniform one. It may work, but that doesn’t mean that the hodge-podge environment of disparate devices is easy to manage. This session will explore how to allow multiple vendors into your mobile environment, as well as how to handle staff leaving, touchscreen versus QWERTY, carrier contracts, and integration options such as Good, BES, ActiveSynch and Notifylink.
The document discusses the digital divide, which refers to the gap between those who have access to modern information and communication technologies (ICTs) like the internet, and those who do not. It notes that while access to ICTs has spread rapidly in industrialized countries, the growth has been uneven in developing nations. This can further widen socioeconomic divides. Some key points made include that over 40% of people live on less than $2 per day, making basic internet access unaffordable, and that disparities exist between countries in areas like number of scientists and engineers, which influence technological development. The true significance of the digital divide is its potential economic effects, as access to ICTs and information is increasingly important
This platform is a public space to facilitate the compilation, processing and dissemination of information on serious concerns about media freedom and safety of journalists in Council of Europe member States, as guaranteed by Art. 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
It aims to improve the protection of journalists, better address threats and violence against media professionals and foster early warning mechanisms and response capacity within the Council of Europe.
The Platform shall enable the Council of Europe bodies and institutions to be alerted on time, in a more systematic way and to take timely and coordinated action when necessary. It shall help the Organisation identify trends and propose adequate policy responses in the field of media freedom.
Visit the Platform website: www.coe.int/fom
This presentation slide was used for Information and Media Course for the 24th Ship for World Youth Program (http://www.shipforworldyouth.org/), taken place at Yoyogi, Olympic Center, Japan | Jan. 26, 2012
This document provides an introduction to information and communications technology (ICT). It defines ICT as the diverse set of tools used to generate, store, process, spread and share information, including computers, the internet, broadcasting technologies and telephony. The document then discusses ICT in the Philippines, noting its role in business process outsourcing and the government agencies responsible for ICT development. It also outlines trends in ICT like technological convergence, social media, mobile media and assistive technologies. The document concludes by discussing online systems, functions and platforms.
Australia sociedad de la informacion carloscarlos sornoza
The World Social Forum concluded in Mumbai, India with a large closing march and rally celebrating cultural diversity and the hope for another possible world with social justice for all. Over 10,000 participants from around the world joined together speaking 13 different languages but united in their vision of alternatives to inequality and a world where basic human rights are ensured for dignity. The event highlighted the role of communications and information as fundamental rights in bringing people together from different backgrounds towards common goals of social and economic justice.
There are three main types of digital divides discussed in the document. First, the divide between those who have access to digital technology and those who do not. Second, the divide between those who use technology regularly and those who do not, known as the "new digital divide". And third, a divide in levels of digital literacy and participation, even among those who have access. Barriers to closing these divides include socioeconomic factors, lack of awareness or relevance of technology, and fears related to privacy and security. Reducing these divides requires expanding access to technology, increasing media literacy education, and addressing concerns of digital immigrants and "conscientious objectors".
Change IT!
S. Revi Sterling, University of Colorado Boulder
Voices 2015 - www.globaltechwomen.com
Session Length: 1 Hour
Dr. Revi Sterling founded and directs the only Information and Communication Technology for Development graduate program in the United States. This talk would demonstrate how IT (ICT as the rest of the world calls it) has given a quantum boost to international development efforts, and will give examples of what works and what doesn’t when technologists turn humanitarians. This talk will open avenues for technologists of all types and levels to truly make impact with their ideas, while promoting collaboration rather than competition. Sterling will point audiences to helpful resources while catalyzing their creativity.
The document discusses the digital divide, which refers to unequal access to information and communication technologies (ICTs) between individuals, households, businesses and nations. The digital divide exists due to differences in access to the internet, skills to use digital technologies, and ability to afford ICT services. Lower income households are much less likely to have internet access compared to higher income households. Reducing the digital divide requires improving access to affordable broadband, increasing digital literacy, and ensuring online content is relevant and accessible to underserved groups.
Technology and politics digital marketing v5Nick Hodge
This document summarizes the shift from traditional one-way communication models to new dialogic models enabled by social media and user-generated content. It notes that people have moved from being passive content consumers to active participants through various social platforms. This fundamental change means marketing must also shift from command-and-control to connecting and collaborating with customers engaged in open conversations. The new model prioritizes transparency, inclusion, authenticity and being customer-driven over control and exclusivity. Examples are given of how politicians like Obama have successfully utilized these new approaches.
There are three main types of digital divides discussed in the document. First, the divide between those who have access to digital technology and those who do not due to socioeconomic barriers. Second, the divide between those who actively use technology, known as digital natives, and those who do not due to a lack of digital literacy skills. And third, the divide caused by policies that restrict access to technology through filtering and blocking in schools and libraries. Bridging these divides requires expanding access, increasing media literacy education, and reducing restrictions on technology use.
This is the talk I gave at the CONSEGI 2011 conference in Brasilia, in May 2011, about Digital Citizenship Basic Education: an urgent social need of all contemporary societies, regardless of their industrializations. The talk also includes some proposals to achieve it.
Smart Power, Mobile Phone Technology and Philanthropocapitalism in Africa & M...Laurence Allard
conférence au Colloque International Democracy Promotion and Nation Building in United States Foreign Policy. The U.S. Model Reconsidered, From the Post-Cold War Balkans to the Arab Revolts, 18 Octobre 2012, Université Paris 3/The German Marshall Fund of the Unites States
This document discusses several challenges facing signals intelligence (SIGINT) collection systems, including rapid changes in technology, the vast quantity of data collected, the need for skilled linguists, and issues around ethics, privacy, information sharing, and politicization of intelligence. Some of the key challenges mentioned are the rise of encryption tools, social media monitoring, maintaining foreign language capabilities, and balancing national security needs with privacy concerns.
Freedom Trends and Assumptions - A Global Assessment of Internet and Digital ...Freedom House
Freedom Trends and Assumptions
Net Freedom: A Global Assessment of Internet and Digital Media
Cyber Dissidents: Global Successes and Challenges
George W. Bush Institute, Dallas, Texas
April 19, 2010
This document discusses bridging the digital divide between education and technology in Haiti versus the United States. It outlines the types of media available in each country and how they are sponsored. While American schools utilize technology extensively to enhance learning, Haitian schools struggle with basic access to education and lack of resources. Efforts are being made through donations to rebuild Haiti's communication infrastructure and improve access to technology to support education.
This document discusses trends in media and technology in 2011. It covers the growth of social media and mobile internet usage globally. Key points discussed include China's increasing influence in Africa, the disruptive impact of new technologies on traditional media industries, and the rise of mobile applications and internet access through smartphones. Emerging trends highlighted include mobile payments, environmental monitoring through mobile devices, and wireless internet access on airplanes and in urban areas.
This document discusses challenges related to the free flow of information and censorship. It begins by defining key concepts like networks, digital divide, and literacies. It explains how networks enable access to information but also how censorship laws can restrict information flow. It describes the role of libraries in accelerating digitalization efforts and improving literacy. Overall, the document examines tensions between open access to information versus government restrictions and censorship.
Strategies for Managing Disparate Devices in Your Mobile FleetChristopher Hunt
Chances are, your firm’s fleet of mobile devices is by no means a uniform one. It may work, but that doesn’t mean that the hodge-podge environment of disparate devices is easy to manage. This session will explore how to allow multiple vendors into your mobile environment, as well as how to handle staff leaving, touchscreen versus QWERTY, carrier contracts, and integration options such as Good, BES, ActiveSynch and Notifylink.
The document discusses the digital divide, which refers to the gap between those who have access to modern information and communication technologies (ICTs) like the internet, and those who do not. It notes that while access to ICTs has spread rapidly in industrialized countries, the growth has been uneven in developing nations. This can further widen socioeconomic divides. Some key points made include that over 40% of people live on less than $2 per day, making basic internet access unaffordable, and that disparities exist between countries in areas like number of scientists and engineers, which influence technological development. The true significance of the digital divide is its potential economic effects, as access to ICTs and information is increasingly important
This platform is a public space to facilitate the compilation, processing and dissemination of information on serious concerns about media freedom and safety of journalists in Council of Europe member States, as guaranteed by Art. 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
It aims to improve the protection of journalists, better address threats and violence against media professionals and foster early warning mechanisms and response capacity within the Council of Europe.
The Platform shall enable the Council of Europe bodies and institutions to be alerted on time, in a more systematic way and to take timely and coordinated action when necessary. It shall help the Organisation identify trends and propose adequate policy responses in the field of media freedom.
Visit the Platform website: www.coe.int/fom
This presentation slide was used for Information and Media Course for the 24th Ship for World Youth Program (http://www.shipforworldyouth.org/), taken place at Yoyogi, Olympic Center, Japan | Jan. 26, 2012
Social movements are group actions focused on political or social issues in order to create or resist social change. They involve networks of individuals and organizations engaged in political or cultural conflicts based on shared identities. There are various definitions but they generally involve sustained interactions between ordinary people and those in power to make collective claims. Social movements employ tactics like protests, demonstrations, and petitions. They have historically emerged alongside broad economic and political changes. Key processes that facilitated their growth include urbanization, industrialization, education, and new communication technologies. Social movements can be classified based on their goals, methods, targets, and whether they aim to reform or radically transform society. Theories have attempted to explain their emergence and development. In India, new social movements emerged
Define the concept social movement
Discuss the characteristics of social movements
Explain why social movements arise
Discuss in detail the requirements for an effective social movement
Indicate in what ways resistance can be offered against social movements
Social movements are defined as collective efforts by individuals or groups organized to promote or resist social change through persistent and organized collective action. They aim to bring about or resist fundamental changes to existing social groups or societies by establishing a new social order. Some important social movements include globalization which breaks down national barriers, women's movements which fight for equal rights as men, and industrialization which introduced mechanization in manufacturing.
Crisis Mapping and the Middle East: revolutionizing the technologyAnahi Iacucci
Crisis mapping combines information collection, visualization, and analysis on an interactive map. Ushahidi is a crowdsourcing crisis mapping platform used in over 30 countries for applications like monitoring elections and violence. The document discusses case studies using Ushahidi in Egypt and Sudan during protests in 2011. In Egypt, the "Bee Project" mapped reports of electoral violations, while in Sudan the "Jan30 Crowdmap" mapped protests but was shut down after two weeks due to lack of local organization and an oppressive regime. The conclusion emphasizes building local capacity in technology use, data protection, security, and understanding limitations to prevent potential harm.
ICT as Platform for Change - Empowerment TechnologiesMark Jhon Oxillo
The document discusses the role of information and communication technologies (ICT) in advocacy and social change. It provides examples from the Philippines of how social media and ICT were used during protests like the People Power Revolution and Million People March to organize large numbers of people and raise awareness of issues. The document also discusses concepts like digital citizenship, the global digital divide, and how social media can empower citizens in developing countries by giving them a platform to voice their concerns and perspectives.
The document discusses the role of information and communication technologies (ICT) in advocacy and social change. It provides examples from the Philippines of how social media and ICT were used during protests like the People Power Revolution and Million People March to organize large numbers of people and raise awareness of issues. The document also discusses concepts like digital citizenship and how citizens can engage positively online, know their online world, and choose their online actions consciously. ICT are presented as important tools for advocacy that can help give citizens a voice and achieve economic and social goals, but they also present new responsibilities for users.
The document discusses the role of information and communication technologies (ICT) in advocacy and digital citizenship. It provides examples of how social media was used in political movements in the Philippines, such as the People Power Revolution and Million People March, to organize large demonstrations. Digital citizenship comprises nine elements: access, commerce, communication, literacy, etiquette, rights and responsibilities, health, security, and law. Being a good digital citizen involves engaging positively online, knowing your digital world, and choosing online behaviors consciously. ICT can empower citizens and support advocacy when used responsibly and in accordance with the principles of digital citizenship.
The document discusses the role of information and communication technologies (ICT) in advocacy and social change. It provides examples of how social media and online platforms have enabled citizens in developing nations to express their views and organize protests. Specifically, it describes how radio, Facebook, and Change.org were used to coordinate large protests in the Philippines that helped oust corrupt leaders and raise awareness of important issues. The document also covers concepts like digital citizenship and how people can safely and responsibly engage in commerce, communication and civic participation online.
The document discusses the role of information and communication technologies (ICT) such as social media in advocacy and digital citizenship. It provides examples of how social media was used in political movements and disasters in the Philippines to spread information and organize citizens. The concepts of digital citizenship principles like engaging positively, knowing your online world, and choosing consciously are explained. The nine elements of digital citizenship including access, communication, literacy, etiquette, and security are also outlined.
The document discusses the role of information and communication technologies (ICT) such as social media in advocacy and digital citizenship. It provides examples of how social media was used in political movements and disasters in the Philippines to spread information and organize citizens. The concepts of digital citizenship principles like engaging positively, knowing your online world, and choosing consciously are explained. The nine elements of digital citizenship around access, commerce, communication, literacy, etiquette, law, rights and responsibilities, health, and security are also outlined.
The document discusses the role of information and communication technologies (ICT) such as social media in advocacy and digital citizenship. It provides examples of how social media was used in political protests and disasters in the Philippines to spread information and organize citizens. The concepts of digital citizenship principles like engaging positively, knowing your online world, and choosing consciously are explained. The nine elements of digital citizenship around access, commerce, communication, literacy, etiquette, law, rights and responsibilities, health, and security are also outlined.
The document discusses the role of information and communication technologies (ICT) such as social media in advocacy and digital citizenship. It provides examples of how social media was used in political protests and disasters in the Philippines to spread information and organize citizens. The concepts of digital citizenship principles like engaging positively, knowing your online world, and choosing consciously are explained. The nine elements of digital citizenship around access, commerce, communication, literacy, etiquette, law, rights and responsibilities, health, and security are also outlined.
The document discusses the role of information and communication technologies (ICT) such as social media in advocacy and digital citizenship. It provides examples of how social media was used in political protests and disasters in the Philippines to spread information and organize citizens. The concepts of digital citizenship principles like engaging positively, knowing your online world, and choosing consciously are explained. The nine elements of digital citizenship around access, commerce, communication, literacy, etiquette, law, rights and responsibilities, health, and security are also outlined.
The document discusses the role of information and communication technologies (ICT) such as social media in advocacy and digital citizenship. It provides examples of how social media was used in political movements and disasters in the Philippines to spread information and organize citizens. The concepts of digital citizenship principles like engaging positively, knowing your online world, and choosing consciously are explained. The nine elements of digital citizenship including access, communication, literacy, etiquette, and security are also outlined.
Social Media Activism (SMA) is the use of web-based platforms, applications and technologies to bring about political or social change and has the power to disseminate information rapidly and globally. It has played a central role in recent worldwide movements for change.
We discuss current trends and limitations, the main players and their changing market share, and innovations in the on-line activism arena.
Traditional players like Twitter, Facebook and YouTube are now being challenged by new tools and activist specific spaces.
Security concerns have led to the creation of tools such as Pidder, Crabgrass and OTR.
SMA is not always a force for good. Users must be responsible, evaluate the veracity of information and understand the potential to propagate crime.
Ultimately, SMA can only be a part of the movement for change - it still needs brave people on the streets to challenge the status quo.
This document discusses press freedom and challenges facing journalism. It begins by providing background on World Press Freedom Day, noting its origins and purposes of evaluating press freedom nationally and globally and defending media from attacks. It then discusses how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted media through issues like fake news and regulating social media. The document outlines perspectives from Nepal and beyond, including challenges of limited gatekeeping on digital platforms, misinformation, and political influences overwhelming professional values in some countries. It calls for increased transparency from tech companies and legal protections for journalists.
This document discusses the political influence of social media. It defines social media as new information networks that allow for interactive and user-generated content through communication forms like blogs, social networking sites, and online communities. Social media enables more democratic participation through opportunities for public commentary and organization, but it can also lead to "flame wars" and spread of misinformation. It influences politics by allowing politicians to engage more directly with citizens, but it also risks encroaching on personal privacy as political leaders have less separation between their public and private lives. Moving forward, both greater use of social media by governments and new technologies threaten to further damage concepts of privacy.
Media and information literacy first lectureNor-ain Ali
The document discusses the evolution of traditional media to new media. It describes four ages: the pre-industrial age where communication was through cave paintings, clay tablets, and printing presses using wood blocks; the industrial age where the printing press allowed mass production of newspapers and books; the electronic age which brought transistor radios, televisions, and computers; and the information age characterized by the internet, social media, smartphones, and digital technologies. Key developments that defined each age are provided as examples.
The document discusses how information and communication technologies (ICTs) like social media can empower citizens and enable social change in developing nations. It provides examples of how platforms like Facebook and online petitions were used to disseminate information and garner support during important events in Philippine history like the EDSA Revolution and in the aftermath of disasters like Typhoon Yolanda. The document also outlines the concepts of digital citizenship, digital access, and online safety and ethics that are important for citizens to practice when using digital tools and platforms.
Empowering People and Transforming Society InSTEDD
This document introduces the World Economic Forum's Technology Pioneers of 2011. It discusses how technology companies like Twitter are empowering individuals and transforming society by allowing people to raise their voices, organize more easily, and share information. The 2011 class of Technology Pioneers addresses challenges like water management, internet security, disease treatment, and promoting sustainable energy use. They represent one of the most geographically diverse groups yet.
SOCIAL MEDIA - BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOUArshad Sharif
How Social media applications like google, facebook, twitter etc are compiling data
Uses of data for manipulating elections
Military uses of social media data
ICT played a vital role in important events in Philippine history such as the EDSA People Power Revolution and recent protests. During EDSA I in 1986, radio was used as a communication technology to spread information beyond the reign of Ferdinand Marcos. The Million People March in 2013 against the pork barrel scam saw Filipinos express anger on social media like Facebook and Twitter. ICT also enabled communication during disasters like through the Yolanda People Finder website during Typhoon Haiyan in 2013.
This document discusses the challenges of using information and communication technologies (ICTs) for peacebuilding and crisis mapping based on the author's extensive experience working in Sri Lanka. It summarizes that two years after the end of the civil war in Sri Lanka, systemic violence and lack of political reconciliation remain issues. The author has a long history of using ICT tools like websites, social media, and wikis to monitor elections and human rights, help rural communities, and archive important information that is otherwise censored. However, the author notes that crisis mapping faces challenges like ensuring information actually contributes to stronger democracy, accounting for systemic violence beyond visible events, developing open standards to facilitate collaboration, understanding local contexts and audiences, integrating global volunteers effectively,
Similar to Technology, human rights & movement building around the world (20)
In response to COVID-19, Together Project's staff and volunteers had to quickly adapt and pivot their programs in order to continue providing social support to newcomers in Canada. While their new model is only a few months in the making, Together Project has learned a great deal about how to set up an online volunteering program.
In this presentation, Anna Hill and Andrew Lusztyk (from Together Project) share with us their insights, including:
- How to get started setting up an online volunteering program;
- Tips and tools to develop a greater capacity to onboard and train volunteers remotely;
- Benefits and challenges of online volunteering;
- How online volunteering can help vulnerable demographics––from equipping volunteers to tackle new challenges
View the webinar recording here: https://youtu.be/NEm0Vu-IhpA
Power BI is a powerful data visualization and reporting tool that allows nonprofits to leverage their data. The webinar provided an overview of Power BI and how nonprofits can get started using it. Attendees learned about Power BI licensing, how to connect data sources, and tips for creating basic visualizations and reports. Nonprofits can use Power BI to validate and analyze data, answer questions, identify trends, drive cultural change, and better communicate with constituents.
Google Ads 101: Increase Your Nonprofit’s Presence With $10,000 a month Of AdsTechSoup Canada
This slidedeck is from a webinar hosted by TechSoup Canada featuring Simon and Lily of ConnectAd. They will help you understand how to register, access & use your Google Ads account to grow your nonprofit’s online presence. They'll show you how Google Ads can help your nonprofit connect to and engage with donors, volunteers, and supporters.
You will learn:
- How the Google Ads Grant can be useful to nonprofits
- How to apply for your Google Ads Grant account
- Step by step how to create your first campaign inside your Google Ads Grant account
The webinar is for beginners looking to learn how to access & use the main features of Google Ads. To see the webinar recording and other resources please visit http://bit.ly/GoogleAdsWebinar
Note that you must be a registered nonprofit in Canada to be eligible for Google Ad Grants. To apply for Google Suite for Nonprofits please visit http://bit.ly/2UGtfbw
Growth Strategies To Scale Up Your Small NonprofitTechSoup Canada
This document discusses strategies for scaling up small nonprofits. It outlines reasons why nonprofits often don't scale, such as focusing only on their core mission. The document then presents organic and inorganic growth strategies. Organic strategies involve leveraging existing stakeholders, acquiring new stakeholders, utilizing new channels, and modernizing processes. Inorganic strategies include collaboration, joint ventures, mergers, acquisitions, and sales. Finally, the document provides tips for mitigating risk when scaling up, such as testing concepts and engaging advisory boards.
Ten Years of TechSoup Canada: Insights, ideas, and tips from a decade of #nptechTechSoup Canada
In 2019, TechSoup Canada turns 10! The past decade has taught us a lot about using technology as a tool for social impact, and we are eager to share that knowledge with you.
In our team's special 10 Year Anniversary webinar we explore the lessons of the past decade, trends shaping nonprofit technology today, and tips and tricks for making the most of your TechSoup Canada membership.
What you will learn:
-Key lessons from a decade of helping Canadian nonprofits use tech more effectively
-Tech trends to embrace and which ones to approach more cautiously
-Tips and tricks for maximizing your TechSoup Canada membership
How to be CASL & GDPR Compliant for the New Year 2019TechSoup Canada
In this webinar, Antoine Bonicalzi, Marketing Director* for Cyberimpact, will talk about how you can comply with CASL &GDPR by taking a few simple steps. All in simple plain English, no legal jargon guaranteed! Antoine will cover exactly what CASL & GDPR are, and how they apply to your nonprofit so that you’ll be ready to make 2019 your best data privacy & consent driven year yet.
In this webinar you will learn:
- How to handle your contacts’ personal data
- How to obtain & handle meaningful consent
- The types of software to help you stay compliant
- The channels of communication (e-mail & other digital communication) you can use to promote your work while remaining compliant
* Please note that Antoine is not a lawyer, the content of this webinar does not constitute legal advice. For legal advice, please consult legal experts.
Phil Downe - Avoiding Shady IT Vendors (final version)TechSoup Canada
In this webinar, IT contract specialist Phil Downe of Relations Management Group explains how to do cloud-based software negotiations with confidence.
The webinar answers the following questions:
How can you avoid vendor captivity and software traps?
How can you prepare for a negotiation, including leveraging and timing the deal?
How can you draft a contract and prevent contract ambiguity?
This document provides guidance on negotiating cloud software deals to maximize value and leverage. It highlights key risks like opaque pricing, overbuying, eroding discounts, and agreement traps. Strategic preparation is important as vendors have formal sales strategies and expertise. Negotiation opportunities exist around pricing structures and discounts, future price protection, implementation costs, agreement terms, and leveraging vendor quarterly and annual deadlines. The document provides advice on negotiating various contract elements like storage costs, shelfware, ramp-ups, services, audits, and true-ups.
Digital Storytelling: Understanding Social Media and Visual Storytelling Tool...TechSoup Canada
This presentation will explore how digital storytelling, through visuals, videos, and live stories can amplify and better communicate your nonprofit story. This presentation will also show how some nonprofits are using social media platforms for digital storytelling, with examples of successful campaigns on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat.
In this presentation you will learn:
- How to tailor content and visuals to your organization’s social media platforms;
- Tools you can use to create images, infographics, and fonts to build your visual storytelling elements;
- Tangible ways to employ ethical practices into sharing digital stories.
nonprofits to find effective and creative ways of sharing their stories.
With so much communication happening between family, friends, businesses, and organizations – we can’t rely on the same old year-end fundraising practices to grow our year-end revenue.
In this webinar, Brady Josephson will walk you everything we’ve learned about year-end fundraising, and share key fundraising techniques that will help you cut through the clutter and grow your year-end revenue.
In this webinar you’ll learn:
- Some of the best days and times to send their emails to stand out in the overcrowded inboxes.
- How to send highly relevant emails that will get opened and help raise more money in December
- How to create high converting, year-end donation pages to make the most of this high traffic season.
Creating a Content Strategy for your Nonprofit WebsiteTechSoup Canada
Planning a new website for your nonprofit organization? A website content strategy will serve as a guide for many of the decisions you’ll make. You'll know what content you need to develop, what you can reuse or re-purpose, and what content is most important. Because it creates clarity about your site's purpose, audience and the outcomes you’re seeking, a content strategy will also guide specific decisions about website design and development.
What you'll learn:
- During this webinar, we’ll explore the benefits (which go far beyond content planning) of creating a clearly defined and documented website content strategy.
We will look at:
- Why you need to develop your content strategy before you start any website design or development work.
- The elements to include in a website content strategy – along with the steps involved in building one.
- Specific and productive ways to include internal stakeholders in the planning process.
Avoiding "Shady" IT Vendors: Doing Cloud-based Software Deals with ConfidenceTechSoup Canada
In this webinar, IT contract specialist Phil Downe of Relations Management Group explains how to do cloud-based software negotiations with confidence.
The webinar answers the following questions:
How can you avoid vendor captivity and software traps?
How can you prepare for a negotiation, including leveraging and timing the deal?
How can you draft a contract and prevent contract ambiguity?
Strategies for Donor Retention Using Your CRM SoftwareTechSoup Canada
CRM software can be a great tool to help you report and communicate effectively in your fundraising efforts. Philip Manzano of Keela.co will teach you how to show donor impact and retain donors by creating reliable reports and data. This webinar is for nonprofit professionals with essential fundraising skills who are looking to improve their craft with the use of CRM software.
In this webinar you will learn:
· Meaningful ways to connect with your donors and promote relationship building in your fundraising activities;
· To create reliable reports and ways to share information, case studies or stories with donors;
· To leverage your data with reports for donor retention, including how to create and customize reports.
How Your Nonprofit Can Avoid Data Breaches and Ensure Privacy Part 2TechSoup Canada
Part 1 of this webinar series provided an overview of cybersecurity and explained the cyber risks and legislation affecting nonprofits. In part 2 of the series, Imran Ahmad of Miller Thomson, LLP returns to answer your questions on cybersecurity and to delve deeper into cybersecurity maintenance and best practices to avoid data breaches. This includes the implementation of measures to prevent data breaches in the pre-attack phase, to the implementation of security best practices in the event of a cyber attack or breach.
What you will learn:
· How to develop key cybersecurity-related documents;
· How to maintain an internal matrix of when to notify affected individuals;
· How to review contracts from a cybersecurity compliance perspective.
How your nonprofit can avoid data breaches and ensure privacyTechSoup Canada
Increasingly, nonprofits hold large quantities of digital assets (such as donor information, grant application details, financial records, etc.). Organizations of all sizes and industries are being targeted by cyber criminals. Cyber-attacks will often devastate an organization’s operations and have significant financial, legal and reputational consequences.
In this webinar, Imran Ahmad of Miller Thomson, LLP will explain how implementing best practices from a pre-breach standpoint can go a long way to mitigate the negative consequences of a cyber-attack.
What you will learn:
- what the cyber threat landscape looks like
- how to ensure privacy of your digital assets
- steps to take in the aftermath of a cyber-attack
#nptech 2018: Trends, Insights, and PossibilitiesTechSoup Canada
This document discusses trends in nonprofit technology for 2018. It covers topics like reconciliation, marketing and communications, web development, data mining, and data rights/cybersecurity. For each topic, it lists trends and insights, and provides contact information for experts who can discuss each topic in more depth. The document also includes logistics for an accompanying webinar, noting how participants can interact through the webinar platform.
There are many accounting platforms aimed at helping nonprofits achieve compliance, and QuickBooks is one of the most popular. In this presentation, Jean Elwell and Bob Wang of Legacy Advantage discuss using QuickBooks to ensure that your nonprofit is audit-proof. Join us!
Finding Meaning in the Numbers: Making Data-Informed Decisions Across Your Or...TechSoup Canada
Does your nonprofit track vital data -- but lack the time and resources to make sense of it? Don't worry! TechSoup Canada is here to help make your data work for you.
Join us to learn how to create a reasonable and manageable data strategy, and how to foster a culture of data-informed decision making across your entire organization.
In this webinar, you will learn how to:
-harness the potential of business intelligence and Big Data
-create and implement an integrated data strategy
-overcome institutional resistance and foster a culture of data-informed decision making
-use dashboards to gain insight into a variety of data sources
In this webinar, we get an overview of the comprehensive set of cloud services (Office 365, Azure, and Dynamics) that Microsoft donates to eligible nonprofits through TechSoup Canada. We also hear from local nonprofit Dixie Bloor Neighbourhood Centre about how migrating to Office 365 transformed their operations.
Update on Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation for Nonprofits and CharitiesTechSoup Canada
Back by popular demand, Maanit Zemel from Zemel van Kampen LLP (http://www.canadatechlaw.com), will walk nonprofits through Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL) for nonprofits and charities, and what's involved in the next deadline for CASL that will come into effect on July 1st, 2017.
What you will learn in this webinar:
- How CASL applies to nonprofits and charities
- What's changing in the next deadline, July 1st, 2017*: transition period for implied consent ends
- How to be compliant with the legislation
*Update as of June 7th 2017: CASL Private Right of Action indefinitely suspended and will not take effect on July 1st, 2017. Read more: https://www.the-cma.org/resource/newsroom/2017/casl-pra-suspension
केरल उच्च न्यायालय ने 11 जून, 2024 को मंडला पूजा में भाग लेने की अनुमति मांगने वाली 10 वर्षीय लड़की की रिट याचिका को खारिज कर दिया, जिसमें सर्वोच्च न्यायालय की एक बड़ी पीठ के समक्ष इस मुद्दे की लंबित प्रकृति पर जोर दिया गया। यह आदेश न्यायमूर्ति अनिल के. नरेंद्रन और न्यायमूर्ति हरिशंकर वी. मेनन की खंडपीठ द्वारा पारित किया गया
13062024_First India Newspaper Jaipur.pdfFIRST INDIA
Find Latest India News and Breaking News these days from India on Politics, Business, Entertainment, Technology, Sports, Lifestyle and Coronavirus News in India and the world over that you can't miss. For real time update Visit our social media handle. Read First India NewsPaper in your morning replace. Visit First India.
CLICK:- https://firstindia.co.in/
#First_India_NewsPaper
Essential Tools for Modern PR Business .pptxPragencyuk
Discover the essential tools and strategies for modern PR business success. Learn how to craft compelling news releases, leverage press release sites and news wires, stay updated with PR news, and integrate effective PR practices to enhance your brand's visibility and credibility. Elevate your PR efforts with our comprehensive guide.
Youngest c m in India- Pema Khandu BiographyVoterMood
Pema Khandu, born on August 21, 1979, is an Indian politician and the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh. He is the son of former Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, Dorjee Khandu. Pema Khandu assumed office as the Chief Minister in July 2016, making him one of the youngest Chief Ministers in India at that time.
3. To actively assist people worldwide wherever and
whenever they are threatened by mass atrocities.
Innovative use of
technology
Cooperation with
threatened
communities
3
4. Ongoing Work
• Monitoring several situations of
concern such as...
– Azerbaijan
– Burma
– Colombia
– Iran
– Kenya
– Indonesia
4
9. Why is technology relevant to human rights?
Opportunities Risks
Defenders Violators
9
10. Activists need to know...
• How to use new tools to achieve their goals
• Adapt existing tools to be used in new ways
• Recognize vulnerabilities that certain tools create
• Understand how technology can be used against them
Remember the 10/90 rule
10
11. It’s all about information and communication
• Ultimately, everything we discuss during this course will have
something to do with gathering, storing, manipulating, and moving
information
• This was true even in past centuries to mobilize movements
• Key term: ICT = information and communications technology
One-to-many | Many-to-one | One-to-one | Many-to-many
11
12. Technology can be used to...
• Mobilize populations
• Document abuses
• Maintain freedom of speech
• Understand a crisis
• Give a voice to the voiceless
...and much, much more.
12
13. Communication, coordination, and liberation didn’t
begin with Twitter
• Oppressed populations have always employed available technology to
support the cause of liberation
• “Technology” is a broad category of tools
• The tools change but the objectives tend to stay the same
13
14. French Liberation (1940-44)
• Under German occupation,
the French resistance
published underground
newspapers and
broadsheets with
circulations approaching
500,000
• Underground book
publishers were founded
to evade state censorship
of controversial topics
• Communication inside and outside the country, when not
delegated to couriers or face-to-face contact, was accomplished
using wireless (radio)
Source
14
15. Quit India (1942)
• Widespread civil disobedience was
prefaced by the publication of
Allama Mashriqi’s telegram to
leaders of the Indian independence
movement
• In the wake of police crackdowns,
the movement went underground,
communicating by means of
underground radio stations and
presses
• Congress Radio
Source
15
16. The Velvet Revolution (1989)
• Under communist rule, Czechoslovakian
dissidents relied on samizdat
(underground publications) to distribute
censored information
• As the government weakened in 1989,
protest organizers used posters affixed
in public places to rally opposition
forces and organize widespread strikes
• Forced to loosen its grip on radio, TV,
and print, the government ceded
airwaves to limited opposition media
coverage
Source
Source
16
17. Cyber-utopians vs. Cyber-skeptics
• Some think technology is
a silver bullet
• Others say it’s all hype
• “How the Internet
Strengthens
Dictatorships” by Evgeny
Morozov
So who’s right?
17
18. Gladwell vs. Shirky
“Just because innovations in communications
technology happen does not mean that they
matter”
Social media platforms are built around “weak
ties”
“The Facebook page of the Save Darfur
Coalition has 1,282,339 members, who have
donated an average of nine cents apiece.”
Witness the 2001 Philippine impeachment,
2008 South Korean beef protests, 2009
communist defeat in Moldova.
“Do social media allow insurgents to adopt
new strategies? And have those strategies
ever been crucial? Here, the historical record
of the last decade is unambiguous: yes, and
yes.”
18
19. Social media and other liberation technologies can…
• Connect oppressed populations for purposes of information sharing,
discussion, analysis, and coordination
• Decentralize opposition leadership structures, making repression more
difficult
• Alert the outside world to human rights abuses
• Push governments to implement social change both large and small
19
20. Social media cannot…
• By itself topple a government
• Reliably protect oppressed populations from surveillance or
physical harm
• Replace real-world action
20
22. A little harsh but worth remembering
• Don’t abandon social media and other technology
• Just understand what it can and can’t do
• Make sure that you use it correctly
• It has to make sense for you and your campaign
Remember some fundamental principles.
22
23. 1 - Consider your audience
• What technologies do they use?
• How much to they trust them?
Source Source
23
24. 2 - Behaviour is more important than tools
(remember the 10/90 rule)
• You have the technology, but what
about a strategy?
• How will it be used?
• Will people know about it?
• Will the understand what it can and
cannot do?
• Think of it like marketing
Source
24
25. 3 - Assess and manage risks
• Does a tool create more danger than
benefit?
• Do you understand the vulnerabilities?
• How will users be protected?
25
26. 4 - Take a people-centred approach
• Is the community at the heart of your campaign?
• Are you thinking of how it fits into their lives?
URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZJS7btg0R426
27. 5 - Link technological tools to real-world action
• Is this a “feel good”
campaign or actually
effecting change?
• Don’t just facilitate
slacktivism
Source
27
28. 6 - Ensure redundancy, safety, and security
• Are users, data, and the
system as a whole protected?
• Something will go wrong,
whether it’s malicious or just
plain accidental
Source
28
32. SMS
• The biggest advantage to SMS over
other mobile technologies is its
ubiquity… Cheap, limited-functionality
cellular phones are everywhere!
• SMS can be one-to-one between
originator and recipient, or one-to-
many using group SMS technologies
like Frontline SMS
• In rural areas, tweets are sometimes
redistributed from urban areas as SMS
Meet the Nokia 1100,
the world’s most
popular telephone
32
33. Crisis Mapping - Kenya
• Kenya 2007-2008
• Post-election violence
• Ushahidi
• Blogger and developers created
tool to visualize the situation
33
35. Camera Phones and Social Media - Iran
• President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad stood for re-election
• Two main opposition candidates from the reformist camp
• Major street demonstrations after Ahmadinejad
unexpectedly won
35
36. Crackdown
• Iran’s government has always
discouraged and often punished
dissent
• As protests continued for weeks, the
death toll mounted
• Amnesty International estimates
80 people killed
36
37. Twitter – Citizen Journalism
• Dual use: an organizing tool and a reporting tool
• Became the focus of a lot of Western media attention
• spread news of events in real-time as they unfolded
• Not only internal communication with Iran but also worldwide
37
38. Advantages
• Link from opposition activists to the outside world
• Helped direct people to opportunities for participation in protests
• Relatively easy for activists to conceal their identities
• Supporters worldwide changed information to confuse censors
“We have no national press coverage in Iran,
everyone should help spread Moussavi’s
message. One Person = One Broadcaster.
#IranElection”
- Example tweet during protests
Retweets as % of Overall Volume of Tweets
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
Normal Major Events Iran Protests
38
39. Disadvantages
• Some argue that the protests were too large and well-organized to be
the “flash mob” style result of Twitter
• Small number of Iranians on Twitter but their influence was exaggerated
• Creation of information elites
Twitter Users in China (2010)
Gender 87% male 13% female
Age 70% between 21-29
Education Majority - at least one degree
Economics 67% from 6 major, wealthier cities
Occupation 30% students 27.5% IT workers
39
40. Cell Phone Cameras – Eyes Everywhere
• Sharing information means first capturing and then communicating it
• Cell phones with cameras already available to Iranians for several years
• Worldwide, 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami first use of these for major
event
• Iran was the first use in a human rights abuse situation
Number of Iranian Mobile Subecribers by Year
0
10,000,000
20,000,000
30,000,000
40,000,000
50,000,000
60,000,000
70,000,000
80,000,000
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Data source: ITU (http://chartsbin.com/view/1880) 40
41. Egypt – Use of Technology
• February 2011
• More than 21 percent (of 80 million population) had access to
internet
• More than 4.5 million used Facebook
• More than 70 percent had mobile phones
Source Source
Source
41
42. Egypt - Developments in Technology:
Arrest Notification with Etmasakt
• Smartphone availability allowed for more complex functionality than
usual SMS
• Example is arrests of activists who disappear without explanation
• Etmasakt and similar apps notify
specified contacts during arrest
• Greatly improves their odds of
being found and receiving legal aid
or other support
42
45. Predictive Analytics and “Big Data”
• Some efforts have met with mixed results, such as the company
Recorded Future
– If proven, concept has great applications for human rights purposes, though
also potential for abuse
Activity related to Hassan Nasrallah (Hezbollah leader) 45
46. Now it’s time to...
• Take the full course!
– 5 weeks, all online, only $49
• Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/stopgenocide
• Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/sentinelproject
• Register for Hatebase: www.hatebase.org
• Volunteer
46
47. What risks do we face as activists when using
technology to achieve social change not only in
repressive countries but also here in Canada or even
specifically in Toronto?
How can we mitigate these?
47
48. Is there value in what has been criticized as
"slacktivism" or "clicktivism"?
How do we transform small symbolic online
actions into real change?
48
Editor's Notes
[BEGINNING OF VIDEO 1]
First of all, understand what technology really does for human rights activists
This is really all about information, how we get it, how we move it, and what we do with it
Even communication is just the act of transmitting information from one person or place to another (or more likely others)
Consider the ways that information can flow between entities, whether these are individuals, organizations, leaders, populations, governments, the media, or any other possible actor
Regardless of the technology used – whether the printing press or Twitter – this movement of information has always been essential to human rights defenders, with tools ideally making that transmission more efficient and secure
First of all, understand what technology really does for human rights activists
This is really all about information, how we get it, how we move it, and what we do with it
Even communication is just the act of transmitting information from one person or place to another (or more likely others)
Consider the ways that information can flow between entities, whether these are individuals, organizations, leaders, populations, governments, the media, or any other possible actor
Regardless of the technology used – whether the printing press or Twitter – this movement of information has always been essential to human rights defenders, with tools ideally making that transmission more efficient and secure
First of all, understand what technology really does for human rights activists
This is really all about information, how we get it, how we move it, and what we do with it
Even communication is just the act of transmitting information from one person or place to another (or more likely others)
Consider the ways that information can flow between entities, whether these are individuals, organizations, leaders, populations, governments, the media, or any other possible actor
Regardless of the technology used – whether the printing press or Twitter – this movement of information has always been essential to human rights defenders, with tools ideally making that transmission more efficient and secure
There tends to be a perception that activists and human rights defenders using technology is something new
Also that technology is a “silver bullet” solving all problems for activists
These points are not entirely true since…
1 – Activists have always used available tools to further their cause
2 – Technology creates both opportunities and risks for activists
3 – Technological tools tend to simply facilitate and augment activities that would be (and continue to be) carried out by other means
The printing press is one of the oldest forms of liberation technology, and remains a popular means of disseminating intelligence and coordinating resistance when other forms of communication are inaccessible
This has remained true in the modern era, as seen by the emphasis placed on the role of photocopiers and fax machines within the Soviet Union and even more recent protests in the Arab world – it’s all about getting out a message, when on paper or electronically
What the printed word can achieve over large distances, radio can also accomplish at greater speed… As we’ll shortly, radio remains a prevalent social media technology in parts of the world which don’t have easy access to other means
Indian nationalists who managed to keep their jobs within the British bureaucracy smuggled out carbon copies of important documents
The most notable example of the underground communication following the crackdown was Congress Radio, the official broadcaster of the Indian National Congress, which went online in August 1942 and operated for three months
Congress Radio’s main goal was to provide the Indian people with uncensored news in order to stay informed about the independence struggle and crimes by the authorities trying to suppress it
This was intended to serve the higher-level objective of maintaining a sort of “leaderless movement”
The machine on the bottom right is called a cyklostyl, which was a form of simple printing press used for clandestine publication of banned literature
Samizdat was also produced simply using typewriters and carbon paper
The value and impact of samizdat is open to debate but while some observers may exaggerate its importance (publications alone do not overthrow governments), it should not be neglected either since sharing information is essential for mobilizing and organizing other types of action
The answer is in the middle
As always, it depends
What is it being used for?
How is it being used?
Who is using it?
What is their goal?
The Malcolm Gladwell / Clay Shirky dispute is a good example of exactly this polarization between pro-technology activism and social media skepticism
Gladwell has a good brief article on this in The New Yorker called “The Revolution Will Not Be Tweeted,” which is in your recommended resources list and a great introduction to some of the more dissenting or skeptical views on social media
As you look at the quotes by these two people who are so often cited on this topic, consider that while they both make good points and are technically correct, they are also talking about fundamentally different types of action and uses for technology
In all of the examples that Shirky mentions, the people using the technologies in question were mobilized within the countries where change was sought. The protestors brought out into the streets of the Philippines, South Korea, or Moldova by tweets and Facebook posts were almost certainly Filipinos, South Koreans, and Moldovans. They were people living in a society who wanted change and used technology to organize themselves to change the system from the inside out.
In Gladwell’s example of the Save Darfur Facebook page, we’re looking at something more akin to slacktivism, where people “liked” a Facebook page as a sort of feel-good demonstration of solidarity. I’m willing to bet that almost none of the members of that page were people who lived in – or anywhere near – Darfur. Thus, it had very minimal value in terms of effecting change on the ground on the other side of the world, whether by donating money or other means.
If you read anything about social media in the human rights community, it’s guaranteed you’ll come across these and other arguments – as well as the pejorative term “slacktivism”
There’s a lot of skepticism about the efficacy of technology – and while some of it is justified, and there’s a good argument to be had about what works and what doesn’t, much of the criticism is ill-informed or uses “straw man” arguments
In fact, there’s data to suggest that online activism is closely tied to real-world activism – and that those who engage with an issue electronically are twice as likely to engage offline
1 – Quite simply, if your target audience uses one platform and you launch a campaign using another, you’re not going to reach them. For example, if you decide to use Facebook because you’re familiar with it but you’re targeting people in a country where a locally-built social network is more popular, you’re limiting yourself and asking for failure.
2 – Using technology for human rights or any other humanitarian initiative ultimately is less about the technology itself than it is about what people will be doing with it. The 10/90 Rule essentially states that any campaign is 10% about the technology and 90% about the people, planning, strategy, and communication surrounding that technology. It’s essential that you have a plan and make sure that people know what a given technology can do, what it can’t do, how to use it, and, of course, just that it even exists in the first place. Tools without users don’t improve anything.
3 – No tool comes without risks and sometimes the dangers of using a given tool outweigh the opportunities and benefits that it creates. This is especially true anytime that a user’s private data is involved. For example, a given tool used for circumventing censorship might contain flaws that actually enable repressive regimes to identify users, thus endangering the people it is meant to protect.
4 – Ensure that people are always at the centre of your campaign. Ultimately, it’s people who we’re trying to help here and the technology is a means to do that. This principle really encapsulates a lot of the others in this list. People are the ones who help other people to build a movement or respond to a crisis. Make sure that your technology enables and empowers people rather than trying to replace them.
5 – Continuing the theme, ensure that your campaign is actually changing something. It doesn’t have to solve every problem in the world but it should be trying to solve at least one of them and it should be doing that in a smart, logical way. As we said earlier, technology is all about gathering and moving information around, but we don’t gather and move information just for the sake of doing that. Online activism has to support people taking real actions in the real world. For example, think of a map. That’s a basic technology for capturing and presenting information about the world. We don’t create maps just for the sake of creating maps though – they’re intended to aid people trying to accomplish things in that world.
6 – Similarly, you will always face unseen and sometimes unknown threats so do your best to mitigate them. This really depends on the situation you’re operating in and some will be more dangerous than others. Organizing a protest in Belarus using blogs is very different from surveying workers in Brazil using SMS. Some governments have no restraints when it comes to online surveillance and causing real-world suffering for people’s online actions. Users need to be protected, data needs to be protected and backed up, and whatever system you’re using needs to be strengthened against attack.
According to the World Bank, Africa now leads the world with 650 million mobile phones, which is a bigger mobile marketplace than either the US or the EU
India, Indonesia, Brazil, Pakistan, and Nigeria are five of the world's top ten mobile markets. Bangladesh and Mexico are within the top twenty.
This has great significance for not only human rights but also disaster response, development, healthcare, governance, and the economy.
Less-developed countries are hotbeds of innovation as they have to “do less with more” and get creative with simple tools like basic mobile phones
[BREAK FOR NEXT VIDEO]
As we take a quick break in this lesson, I want to highlight just how significant that technology is becoming all around the world. Even traditionally less-developed countries are becoming hotbeds of innovation as technology becomes more accessible, education increases in quality, and people find creative ways to overcome disadvantages in their society.
Even though most of this innovation is happening in the economic realm it’s not all business since it creates and refines new tools that can be used for humanitarian purposes as well.
Interestingly, the same thing is happening in the Western world – in areas where government has proven ineffective or cost-prohibitive (e.g. low-orbit space travel), private industry is taking over.
Although smartphones have yet to achieve significant traction in the developing world, cellular networks already exist in many remote communities because they are easier to set up than the heavy infrastructure needed for traditional landline phones
That’s why the Nokia 1100 pictured here has sold 250,000,000 units… It’s not a great phone – it’s got a small keyboard, a monochrome display, an annoying ringtone, a clunky outdated interface… but it’s rugged, it’s easy to carry, it’s dust-proof and it’s water-resistant
In the developed world, we use both SMS (“short message service,” i.e. text) and MMS (“multimedia message service”, e.g. pictures and videos) – in the developing world, many phones might be capable of MMS but low bandwidth plans often make these sorts of messages impractical for wide distribution
The political situation in Kenya is quite precarious with unprecedented violence following the disputed 2007 presidential election causing the deaths of 1,200 people and the displacement of more than 500,000 others. In response, the international community encouraged negotiations racilitated by former UN secretary general Kofi Annan, which led to the establishment of a coalition government. This deal, which created the role of prime minister in addition to the president, was dubbed the National Accord.
The current president is Mwai Kibaki and the prime minister is the leader of the opposition, Ralia Odinga. Both leaders originate from different ethnic groups, which contributed to much of the 2007 violence. Kibaki is a Kikuyu, the largest ethnic group in Kenya, while Odinga is the head of Luo, a group which makes up 13% of the population.
Similarly to other African countries, political instability and violent demonstrations in Kenya are exacerbated by ethnic tensions, with disagreements over political representation and equitable land distribution at the centre of most conflicts. According to a major study conducted by the Minority Rights Group, social exclusion was established during the colonial era by the British divide-and-rule policy, which included forced settlement.
Under British rule, profitable land was claimed by the foreign colonizers who displaced native Kenyans and set the stage for land reform disputes following independence from British rule. Minority groups in Kenya currently experience chronic poverty and many reside in areas with poor sanitation, limited access to clean water, and limited educational opportunities.
Similar to the DRC, the Kenyan constitution guarantees the freedom of speech. Other democratic improvements include a recent bill to establish a senate as means to regulate the presidency and the parliament. The constitution also includes a Citizen’s Bill of Rights which protects the populace from the government.
One of the most exciting areas in which SMS has really given people a voice is with the relatively new field of crisis mapping, which takes crowdsourced data from a given area and puts it in geographical context
The most famous tool for doing this is Ushahidi, a crisismapping tool that we’ll discuss in more detail later in the course
Ushahidi has found uses all around the world, with one of the most recent being HarassMap, which is a means for people in Cairo to anonymously report incidents of sexual harassment. In HarassMap’s own words:
“It is a tool for victims and witnesses all over Egypt to anonymously share their experiences of harassment, and to report it. The map collects all reports, and each report appears on the map as a red dot. When you click on it, the full text of the report is displayed… We also use the map to break stereotypes about where, when, and to whom harassment happens. Our community action volunteers always bring a copy of the map with them out into their neighborhoods: the map and the eye witness stories documented on it help them show that harassment does in fact happen on their very streets. People are often shocked and angered when they realize how common harassment really is, that it happens on their streets and to all kinds of people, and that it involves everything from ogling to groping and more.”
Note how the description of their work specifically mentions that HarassMap volunteers use the map during their field work directly with the populations where harassment takes place. That ties back to the principles of linking technology to real-world action. This map does not just exist for the sake of recording data. People are supposed to use it to actually do something. Similarly, this also links to the principle of taking a people-centred approach.
Take some time to go explore HarassMap and think about it more in the context of the 12 principles. Which ones does it apply? Which ones are missing? This will come up during our weekly discussion.
Ahmadinejad stood for re-election in 2009 with several reformists opposing him including the frontrunner, former prime minister Mir Hussein Moussavi, whose support base was largely concentrated within the capital, Tehran
The election took place on June 12 with reformist supporters anticipating a victory
As the protests grew, so too did the level of violence as the police and the Basij paramilitary forces began to crack down on protestors with often lethal force, resulting in death toll estimates ranging from 30-150 people killed, with Amnesty International estimating 80 people killed (http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/iran-must-bring-nedas-killer-justice-2010-06-20)
Some cases of “slacktivism” (such as people outside of the affected country changing profile pictures to green ribbons, or joining certain social network pages in order to demonstrate some supposed solidarity with the oppressed), which is not the focus of this course
Dual use: an organizing tool and a reporting tool
Twitter initially received a lot of positive attention and enthusiasm from the traditional media, which started to publicize (perhaps to overstate) the impact of Twitter while starting to use the term “Twitter Revolution,” which had actually been coined earlier that year in reference to protests in Moldova (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/08/world/europe/08moldova.html, http://neteffect.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2009/04/07/moldovas_twitter_revolution)
Many people worldwide changed their locations to Tehran in an effort to confuse Iranian authorities tracking down dissidents
This has obscured the truth about how many Iranians were actually Twitter users, which therefore makes it difficult to come up with a completely accurate picture of the part that the social network played
Nonetheless, thanks to the media attention paid to social media, Western observers perceived the role of Twitter in Iran (whether justified or not) to be very important, even to the point where the US government interceded with the company to reschedule server maintenance so that the service could be kept active for the benefit of Iranians (http://www.reuters.com/article/2009/06/16/us-iran-election-twitter-usa-idUSWBT01137420090616)
One observer coined the term “civic technology” to describe technology that is not only created for civic purposes but which is also more effective when it is popular and adopted by large numbers of people (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8104318.stm)
This certainly applies to social networks like Twitter, which are only effective if large numbers of people use them, or blogs, which need to be read and shared in order to have impact (just like a paper publication, if no one reads it then there is no impact)
Some (e.g. Morozov, 2009) argue that the protests were too large and seemingly well organized to be spontaneous “flash mob” type events
Twitter users are actually a very small portion of the Iranian population and the story presented in the West may exaggerate the role the website played (verify exact usage numbers if possible)
One source indicates that in June 2009 there may have been as few as 8,600 Twitter users in Iran and that this number would have shrunk even further once the government began blocking the site
Acted as a link from the opposition to the outside world allowing for “street-level citizen journalism”
For example, one tweet encouraged people to spread the opposition’s message using appeals to popular reporting: “We have no national press coverage in Iran, everyone should help spread Moussavi’s message. One Person = One Broadcaster. #IranElection.” (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/16/world/middleeast/16media.html?_r=2)
Allowed information to continue flowing outside of the country when foreign (especially Western) media were banned from reporting in Iran during the protests
Accounts are unverified and not necessarily personalized so activists can conceal their identities more effectively
What did work is that although the value of Twitter as an actual protest organizing tool is questionable, it was undeniably effective for getting the story to the outside world
This effectiveness may, however, have been just as much a result of the Western media’s fixation on Twitter’s supposed role than its actual intrinsic value as a communication tool within the movement (see BusinessWeek article)
This is also shown by the large number of retweets that made up the overall volume of messages about the Iran protests (1-in-3 vs. normal average of 1-in-20 and 1-in-5 for other major events)
Completely public forum which also clearly broadcast opposition activities to the regime, which could then use them to identify and locate activists
Massive information flow which could have overwhelmed observers and led to the “shouting chamber” effect often seen on Twitter where everyone is talking and no one is listening
Much of the initial value of Twitter as a source of information was eventually lost due to the deluge of people around the world expressing support for the protestors and therefore overwhelming legitimate reports from Iran (http://www.economist.com/node/13856224)
Sharing information outside of Iran required the ability to capture that information in the first place and then communicate it easily
Cell phone cameras had already been available to consumers for several years by this point and had once before played a role in a prominent mass event with the Indian Ocean Tsunami of 2004. However, this was the first time that they had been used to document major human rights abuses.
The cost of owning a cell phone had dropped dramatically prior to the protests, going from $1,000 for a SIM card in 2004 to only $5 today (2009 prices therefore being somewhere in the middle) and most major models of cell phones are available (http://www.merip.org/mero/mero050312)
According to the internet marketing research firm Internet World Stats, more than 21 percent of the Egyptian population (of 80 million) had access to the internet and more than 4.5 million used Facebook in February 2011. More than 70 percent had a mobile phone subscription.
Many bloggers and activists have been arrested since the beginning of the Arab uprisings.
Notable examples from Syria are Rima Dali, Safana Bagleh, Ali Mahmoud Othman, and Razan Ghazzawi.
In Egypt, Maikel Nabil Sanad, Alaa Abd El Fattah, and Amr Gharbeya were just a few of those arrested.
Many more were either detained or arrested in countries such as Tunisia, Bahrain and Egypt.
While some were later released, they did not have the ability to tell their friends, family, lawyers what was happening at the time of their actual arrest.
“Etmasakt” is one of several applications that have been developed to alert a specified contact list when a person is arrested.
“Etmasakt” is an Arabic word that means “I’ve been arrested.” It sends an SMS to multiple recipients along with the exact location of the user – retrieved using the phone’s GPS – with a single click.
Other similar applications include “Byt2ebed 3alia” and “I’m Getting Arrested” - the latter being older and having a larger user base.
The existence of these apps all basically doing the same thing demonstrates a clear demand for them.
Satellite imagery is probably the most audacious new area opening up to activists though it still requires large amounts of money so except for a few high-profile NGOs it is still mostly inaccessible to activists
Once the exclusive preserve of states, which use it to achieve their own goals by gathering intelligence on national adversaries
Commercial services are now available which can provide increasingly detailed imagery, though these services are still very expensive unless discounted or donated to humanitarian organizations
Not equivalent to military grade but still very high quality and sufficient for human rights purposes, especially when compared to alternatives
Provide more locally-controlled and faster-response imagery than satellites, which makes them ideal for putting directly into the hands of activists on the ground for “tactical-level” use in early warning, documentation, and possibly even deterrence
Far more affordable than satellite imagery, with the potential to build very capable units for only hundreds of dollars
Assets available are not at military level of capability but still offer a huge advantage and their capabilities are more than sufficient for use by activists
Relatively cheap and easy to build so therefore essentially disposable
Large hobbyist community worldwide with many off-the-shelf products offered to consumers as well so technology is already available but needs to be adapted
Need to make it more accessible and appropriate for use in human rights defence contexts: cheaper, more robust, more capable
Some efforts focused on political and economic events have met with mixed results, such as the company Recorded Future
Seeking to organize all of the data on the internet for predictive purpose in various realms including political, economic, social, and natural
Initial investors were Google and the CIA, indicating significant private sector and government interest in this type of capability
If the concept is proven, it has great applications for human rights purposes, though also great potential for abuse
Governments could use it to predict unrest and then heighten their security posture accordingly
Activists and NGOs could use it to gauge public sentiment and time their actions effectively, while also possibly anticipating government actions and planning a response