The first of Digital Asia Hub’s Seminar Series, this event was co-hosted by the Law & Technology Centre and the Journalism & Media Studies Centre (JMSC), both at the University of Hong Kong (HKU).
Event Description: In a world of insecure systems, data breaches and ubiquitous surveillance, digital defence is no longer the domain of specialists. The recent Apple v FBI debate highlights the risks of backdoors and vulnerabilities, and the position of private companies who stand between users and governments. Censorship battles the world over raise concerns about online safety and free speech. Do we trust intermediaries to protect human rights? Do companies have a duty to hardwire privacy and trust into the design of platforms and services? What can journalists, civil society and lay users do to exercise control over their devices and data?
The event consisted of two sessions:
Session 1: Are you Part of the Problem or Part of the Solution?
In this session, panelists presented on the landscape for access and interception, and structural issues with platforms, design and the law. Speakers included Ian Brown, Professor of Information Security and Privacy, Oxford Internet Institute; Marcelo Thompson, Assistant Professor of Law & Deputy Director, Law and Technology Centre, HKU and Stacy Baird, Chair, Data Sovereignty, Asia Cloud Computing Association. The discussion was moderated by Anne Cheung, Faculty of Law, HKU.
Session 2: Resistance is Futile. Or is it?
In this session, the panelists presented on tools and strategies that can empower citizens, push for social and legal reform, mainstream issues of security and privacy, and enhance the public discourse. The speakers included: Malavika Jayaram, Executive Director, Digital Asia Hub & Fellow, Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard; Masashi Crete-Nishihata, Research Manager, Citizen Lab, University of Toronto and Fieke Jansen (replacing Stephanie Hankey), Project Lead, Politics of Data, Tactical Technology Collective, Berlin. The discussion was moderated by Doreen Weisenhaus, JMSC, HKU.
If you are interested in collaborating with Digital Asia Hub to host an event, or inviting its Executive Director as a speaker, please email Julianne Chan(jchan@digitalasiahub.org).
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2,142 thoughts on “Who’s Got Your Back? Securing Trust and Agency in a World of Backdoors & Gatekeepers”