The Asia Pacific Policy Observatory is a digital-native think tank offering insights into the governance of the Internet and evolving technologies. With a network of budding policy analysts across Asia and the Pacific, APPO equips young leaders with the necessary skills to engage more meaningfully in the multistakeholder discourse while making the development of digital policy discussions more accessible and comprehensible to all. APPO is part of NetMission.Asia’s many digital governance capacity-development programs for university students and youth.
At APPO, our primary goal is to monitor digital and public policy developments across various jurisdictions in the Asia Pacific region. Our vision is to democratize access to policies and regulations through youth-led reports and content, making this information more accessible to everyone.
We strongly believe that the research process can be a transformative experience for senior youth leaders as it advances their knowledge and understanding of complex issues. Ultimately, the outputs generated by our team will enable young people to participate meaningfully in the critical discourse on Internet governance, shaping the future of this domain.
Our reports
- Asia Pacific Policy Observatory November 2025 Report – Asia Pacific’s Digital Governance in the Age of Artificial Intelligence: A Youth-Led Analysis
- Asia Pacific Policy Observatory June 2025 Report – Asia Pacific’s Digital Governance in the Age of Artificial Intelligence: A Youth-Led Analysis
- Asia Pacific Policy Observatory December 2024 Report – Elections, Governance, and Digital Transformation: Insights from 2024
- Asia Pacific Policy Observatory May 2024 Report – Polls, Politics, and Policies: Assessing Impact of 2024 Elections on Digital Development and Internet Governance
- Asia Pacific Policy Observatory Report – December 2023: A Fight for Online Safety and Digital Rights: An Overview of Recent Policy Developments in Australia, Nepal, and Myanmar
- Asia Pacific Policy Observatory Report – April 2023: Rights, Privacy, and Freedom in the Digital Age: An Overview of Online Safety Regulations in Australia, Nepal, and Myanmar
Our Submission for Consultation
- February 2024 – OHCHR Call for Input on Study on Solutions to Promote Digital Education for Young People and to Ensure Their Protection from Online Threats
Our Team
APPO 2025 – November Report Team
Advisor & Research Director: Kenneth Leung (Hong Kong/ UK)
Chief Editor & Project Manager: Jenna Manhau Fung (Hong Kong/ Canada)
Editors: Aviral Kaintura, Ankita Rathi
Acknowledged Contributors: Ankita Rathi, Amrita Tiwari, Archit Lohani, Aviral Kaintura, Joysa Kaushik, Kenneth Leung, Mahee Buddhika Bandara Kirindigoda, Pham Thu Ngan, Rohan Sachdeva, Sana Nisar, Songo Nore
APPO 2025 – June Report Team
Advisor & Research Director: Kenneth Leung (Hong Kong/ UK)
Chief Editor & Project Manager: Jenna Manhau Fung (Hong Kong/ Canada)
Lead Editors: Stella Teoh (Malaysia/ Japan), Yi Teng Au (Singapore)
Editors: Aviral Kaintura (India), Gyan Prakash Tripathi (India), Jasmine Ko (Hong Kong), Joysa Kaushik (India), Muhammad Umair Ali (Pakistan)
Acknowledged Contributors: Amelia Sabrina (Indonesia), Amrita Tiwari (India), Angelina Dash (India), Ankita Rathi (India), Archit Lohani (India), Aviral Kaintura (India), Dikchya Raut (Nepal), Rupam Barui (India), Jasmine Ko (Hong Kong), Maheeshwara Buddhika Bandara Kirindigoda (Sri Lanka), Pham Thu Ngan (Vietnam), Rohan Sachdeva (Australia), Sameer Gahlot (India), Sana Nisar (Pakistan/ Germany), Songo Nore (Papua New Guinea), Suriya Krishna Balakrishnan Nair Suja Kumari (India)
Advisory Reviewers:
Dmitry Kuznetsov. Researcher at Critical Infrastructure Lab, University of Amsterdam
Athena Tong. Visiting Researcher, University of Tokyo
Katsuhiko Takeda. Executive Director of ChildFund Japan
Sriya Sridhar. Research Fellow, The Pranava Institute & Fellow, Shiv Nadar School of Law
Gyan Prakash Tripathi. Lawyer, and Technology Policy Researcher
Stella Teoh. Member of Southeast Asia Youth IGF Organizing Committee 2025
Tayyaba Iftikhar. Digital Policy & Governance Specialist
APPO 2024 Team
Kenneth Leung, Research Director & Advisor (Hong Kong)
Jenna Manhau Fung, Director of Editorial & Policy Analysis (Hong Kong)
Ankita Rathi, Policy Analyst (India)
Harisa Shahid, Policy Analyst (Pakistan)
Maheeshwara Buddhika Bandara Kirindigoda, Policy Analyst (Sri Lanka)
Songo Nore, Policy Analyst (Papua New Guinea)
Ananya Ramani, Policy Analyst (U.S.)
Hesam Nourooz Pour, Policy Analyst (Malaysia)
Saima Nisar, Policy Analyst (Malaysia)
Zahra Nur Aliya, Policy Analyst (Indonesia)
Sameer Gahlot, Policy Analyst & Editor (India)
Phạm Thu Ngân, Editor (Vietnam)
Charlotte Fang Hendro, Editor (Australia)
Qurra Tul Ain Nisar, Editor (Pakistan)
Luke Teoh, Editor (Malaysia)
Join the Research Team
If you identified yourself as a youth researcher, policy analyst, or writer, and want to join this initiative, please send an email to info@netmission.asia to express your interest. Please include your background and publications (if any), as well as mention briefly the key areas of your work or expertise.
If you’re an Industry expert and would like to support this youth initiative by advising and reviewing our work. Please feel free to reach out to us at info@netmission.asia.