Welcome to the twelfth issue of NetMission’s news and policy digest, where we transform recent tech news and policy into a bit-size reader for you. In this edition, we will have a summary of recent policy developments in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and online safety, as well as the elections in Asia.
Artificial Intelligence
The initial months of 2024 were particularly prolific in the realm of AI governance and policy. Notably, the European Union (EU) made significant strides with the passing of the EU AI Act on March 13. This risk-based legislation outlines the classification and potential prohibition of AI systems, the obligations of providers (developers), and the governance mechanisms for General-purpose AI (GPAI), with the protection of “fundamental rights, democracy, the rule of law and environmental sustainability from high-risk AI”. Meanwhile, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a United States-led draft resolution on March 21 that emphasizes the ‘“promotion of ‘safe, secure and trustworthy’ artificial intelligence (AI) systems that will also benefit sustainable development for all.”
In Asia, Singapore’s Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC) published Advisory Guidelines on Use of Personal Data in AI Recommendation and Decision Systems on March 1. On the same day, the Indian government issued an advisory on March 1, asking platforms to seek “explicit permission” from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) before deploying any “unreliable” AI models. Two weeks later, on March 15 MeitY issued a revised advisory concerning the deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) models by Intermediaries. This revised advisory superseded the previous advisory issued on March 1, 2024, and removed the previously proposed obligation of obtaining explicit government permission before deploying AI Technologies.
Online Safety
In January, CEOs of Meta, Tik Tok, Snap and Discord testified on online child sexual exploitation at the U.S. Senate hearing. Following this, February saw the culmination of efforts surrounding the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), introduced more than two years ago, which has gathered enough votes to pass in the U.S. Senate. Despite its progress, the bill faced criticism from digital rights groups like Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), and certain LGBTQ+ groups, who argued its provisions were overly ambiguous and appeared to lean toward a stance of “censorship.”
In Asia, Sri Lanka passed a controversial Internet safety law on January 24 by 108-62 votes, which grants a five-member commission appointed by the president broad powers to assess and remove “prohibited” content. The Online Safety Act has sparked protests among activists in Sri Lanka as people fear the law will become an instrument for the government to silence dissent and undermine freedom of expression.
Elections in Asia
As the general election in India draws near, the country has turned into a battleground of information war with misinformation, deepfakes, and memes as weapons. With Artificial Intelligence (AI) gaining popularity globally, political parties in India are also increasingly leveraging AI’s capabilities to not only discredit adversaries but also bolster their own standing. Besides, social media influencers have also morphed into de facto “election campaigners” as political parties compete to connect with their base among the country’s staggering 800+ million Internet users, especially the younger audience. Similar phenomena can also be seen across Asia, Indonesia, Pakistan and Taiwan, as social media influence on politics and elections continues to soar with the rocketing number of deepfakes – a 1,530%-surge recorded across APAC by just comparing 2022 and 2023 numbers.
Make Your Voice Heard
From the inception of NetMission Digest, our vision has been clear: to keep our audience abreast of developments in global and regional digital policies, and to empower and inspire youth leaders, fostering their ability to effect change and amplify their voices on the international policy stage. Now, the opportunity is yours to seize as the Asia Pacific Regional Internet Governance Forum (APrIGF) and the United Nations Internet Governance Forum (IGF) are calling for workshop proposals. Visit their website for more information:
- APrIGF 2024 call for proposals (Deadline: April 19, 2024)
- IGF 2024 call for proposals (Deadline: April 30, 2024)
What are we reading?
You may be familiar with “1984” by George Orwell, but if you’re drawn to dystopian stories, Aldous Huxley’s “Brave New World” should definitely be the next on your reading list. Penned in 1931, this sci-fi masterpiece stands as an all-time classic and a must-read for anyone pondering the intricacies of human existence. Whether you believe true humanity hinges on the presence of freedom or contend that happiness is intricately defined by self-sufficiency, Huxley’s work offers profound insights. Remarkably prescient, it resonates particularly strongly today amidst the resurgence of authoritarianism and populism within ostensibly democratic societies; and it reveals what may seem utopian to some can, in reality, be a dystopian nightmare for others. So, I ask you: What does freedom mean to you?
Written by Jenna Manhau Fung (Reviewed by Nawal Munir Ahmad, Kenneth Leung)