You know how sometimes you get an email that just changes the trajectory of your week, or even your year? For me, that was the notification confirming my DRAPAC Open Tech Camp fellowship.
When I joined DRAPAC 2025, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but that I wanted to be part of something bigger. Surrounded by students, activists, and researchers from across Asia-Pacific, I quickly realized how deeply digital rights affect everyday life: from protecting personal data to speaking freely and ensuring access to technology. DRAPAC didn’t just give me knowledge, it gave me tools, confidence, and a community that showed me I can help shape the digital world, not just live in it.
My DRAPAC Adventure: Where Learning Met Liberation
From the moment I stepped into DRAPAC25, the energy was electric. Hundreds of human rights defenders under one roof, exchanging stories and shaping the digital future. This being my first-ever official conference, I was blown away by the diversity of thought and the collective determination to make a difference.
I have to admit, much of the confidence I carried into DRAPAC came from my work as a NetMission Ambassador. NetMission is a network of young changemakers in the Asia-Pacific dedicated to empowering youth in internet governance, and our conversations are always so rich and inspiring. That constant exposure, combined with the encouragement to speak up and contribute, truly prepared me for the dynamic environment of DRAPAC. It’s one thing to read about digital rights; it’s another to discuss them with a community of peers who are equally passionate about making a tangible impact. Thank you, NetMission, for building a foundation that allowed me to not only attend, but truly engage.
One thing that stood out at DRAPAC was its commitment to privacy and participant safety. Some sessions were explicitly “no photos allowed,” creating space for sensitive conversations. This mirrored the very principles we were there to defend trust, safety, and well-being in digital spaces.
The plenaries were eye-opening. We heard stories of activists in Thailand facing doxxing, legal erasure of “rights” in Malaysia, and deepfakes targeting women. These realities were heavy, but they were met with youth-led creativity: from TikTok campaigns to intergenerational collaboration pushing back against digital harms.
Workshops That Opened My Eyes to New Realities
The “Feminist Helplines for Online Gender-Based Violence (OGBV) Survivors” workshop was incredibly moving and eye-opening. We dove deep into the complexities of setting up helplines, especially for marginalized communities – people with disabilities, those in rural areas. It’s not just about setting up a phone line; it’s about regional languages, audio-visual support, data security, and tackling the huge stigma survivors face. Connecting with organizations like DRF Pakistan, and hearing about their collaborations with tech giants like Meta, showed how crucial these networks are.
Then came the mind-bending sessions on “Neurotech, Surveillance, and the Future of Sovereignty” and “Dead Data: Who Owns Our Digital Remains?” Seriously, these sessions were like something out of a sci-fi novel, but it’s happening now. The idea that our very thoughts could become data, and that our digital echoes could be monetized after we’re gone – it brings up such profound ethical questions. My friend’s LinkedIn post perfectly captured the feeling, asking: “What kind of digital future do we truly want? Are we ready to shape it ourselves, or will we simply accept the one handed to us?” It really drove home the urgency of protecting cognitive liberty and posthumous privacy.
And the “Decoding Global AI Indexes” panel gave a much-needed critical perspective. It’s easy to just look at rankings, but they often overlook the unique cultural and economic realities of developing nations, perpetuating a “tech elite” narrative.
My Moment in the Spotlight: Prototyping a Post-Platform Internet
My workshop, nestled within the Open Tech Camp side event, was called “Imagining the Post-Platform Internet: Building a Federated, Community-Governed Digital Ecosystem.” And let me tell you, it was such an exhilarating experience.
The Open Tech Camp itself was fantastic – a true “unconference” where we built the agenda together. My 60-minute workshop was all about dreaming up and actually prototyping alternatives to the centralized power of Big Tech. We kicked things off by exploring the Fediverse – platforms like Mastodon, PeerTube, Pixelfed – and understanding their open-source, privacy-first, community-governed models. It’s truly inspiring to see these real-world alternatives already flourishing. We also looked at Bluesky’s AT protocol as a fascinating case study in building interoperable, customizable, and decentralized social networks.
The core of the session was collaborative prototyping. Developers, activists, researchers – everyone got into small groups, grabbing sticky notes and flipcharts, brainstorming new tools and frameworks. We talked about leveraging ActivityPub and Solid pods, and how platform co-op structures could genuinely empower digital self-determination. The room was buzzing with ideas, people sketching out their visions for a more equitable online world.
We wrapped up by mapping out actionable steps. How could local communities, tech co-ops, or policy advocates actually pilot these ideas? We discussed feasibility, governance, sustainability, and crucially, how to adapt them to regional contexts. It wasn’t just theoretical; it was about building a roadmap. It was incredibly rewarding to see that collective energy directed not just at critiquing the status quo, but at actively constructing a better one.
Final Thoughts: The Journey Continues
For me, DRAPAC 2025 was not just a conference but a turning point. It brought together voices, ideas, and struggles that showed both the urgency and the possibility of reimagining our digital future. From hard conversations on surveillance and online violence to bold visions of community-driven technologies, I saw how knowledge and solidarity can become tools for change. I leave with a deeper commitment to ensure the internet remains a space that empowers, protects, and includes all. The question now is not just whether we will shape our digital future? but what kind of future are we willing to imagine, build, and fight for?
Written by Rupam Barui (Edited by Nawal Munir)