From the United Nations’ Committee on Civil and Political Rights (CCPR) raising concerns over internet shutdowns in Pakistan to the finalisation of new rules for social media platforms in the European Union (EU), here’s everything we covered at Digital Rights Monitor (DRM) this week.
PAKISTAN: UN body expresses concern over internet disruptions
The United Nations (UN) Committee on Civil and Political Rights (CCPR) has raised concerns over internet shutdowns, social media disruptions, and online surveillance in Pakistan.
The issues related to continuing internet woes and the threats to free speech and expression in the country were raised at a meeting held on Friday, October 18, in Geneva.
The committee’s chairperson said that the legislative frameworks at both federal and provincial levels create “unnecessary barriers” to the right to freedom of association, which falls under Article 17 of the Constitution of Pakistan.
“We have seen in many areas the NGOs have their finances and plans inspected and all this is being used to interfere in the work of some NGOs,” she said, citing information received by the committee. “There are many reports that national as well international NGOs are subjected to constant investigation and harassment on the part of security operators and govt officers.”
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PAKISTAN: Sahafi Summit 2024 announced
Media Matters for Democracy (MMfD) has announced the second edition of the Sahafi Summit, which is set to take place from November 21-23, 2024, in Lahore.
The conference, facilitated by MMfD, is being organised in collaboration with the Association of Media and Communication Academic Professionals (AMCAP) and the Beaconhouse National University (BNU).
The event will bring together journalists, editors, digital rights advocates, tech and media sustainability experts, and students. The three-day summit comprises panel discussions, workshops, power talks, tech demonstrations, lightning talks, and various capacity building sessions.
The overarching theme for Sahafi Summit 2024 is “Youth Leadership for a Resilient Media Ecosystem”. The call for proposals for breakout sessions is now open. Submission can be made under various sub-themes.
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EU: New rules against ‘harmful content’ finalised for tech companies
Ireland’s media and internet regulator has finalised a new set of rules for tech companies to contain “harmful content” on social media platforms, according to an official statement.
The regulatory framework, titled the “Online Safety Code”, lays out binding rules that will apply to video-sharing platforms whose European Union (EU) headquarters are based in Ireland. The Code will mark a significant departure from “self-regulation”.
The rules will come into force next month, with the Irish watchdog Coimisiún na Meán supervising their implementation. They will be applicable to ByteDance’s TikTok, Microsoft’s YouTube, and Meta’s Instagram and Facebook.
“The code sets binding rules for video-sharing platforms to follow in order to reduce the harm they can cause to users,” says the watchdog’s online safety commissioner.
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Global Media and Information Literacy Week 2024 kicks off
The Global Media and Information Literacy Week, initiated by UNESCO, has kicked off for the year 2024. The thematic week, which reiterates the importance of media literacy for individual and collective growth, is celebrated from October 24 to 31 every year.
The 2024 theme for the Global MIL Week is “The New Digital Frontiers of Information: Media and Information Literacy for Public Interest Information”. The theme sheds light on the importance of media and information literacy in navigating the rapidly evolving landscape of information creation, its dissemination and consumption, according to the concept note published by UNESCO.
The theme calls for the facilitation of a safer, more inclusive, and empowering digital future for everyone. The feature conference for the Global MIL Week 2024 is scheduled for October 30 to 31 in Amman, Jordan. The conference will be to open to public online.
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