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March 27, 2018 - Comments Off on Review: NACTA introduces app “Chaukas” to counter hate speech

Review: NACTA introduces app “Chaukas” to counter hate speech

In a bid to fight hate speech and encourage civil society to step up and curb its spread, the National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) has created an app by the name of Chaukas.

Hate speech, as per Express Tribune, is defined as any spoken or physical action that negatively targets a person or group of people based on their ethnicity, gender or religion, and has been legislated upon under the Anti Terrorism Act 1997 (ATA) and the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016 (PECA), where the ATA defines ‘terrorism’ as use or threat of an action that, inter alia,  

‘incites hatred and contempt on religious, sectarian or ethnic basis to strip up violence or cause internal disturbance;’

as well as making the printing, publishing and disseminating of any material to incite hatred.

PECA, through s.11 criminalizes hate speech by stating the following:

‘Whoever prepares or disseminates information, through any information system or device that advances or is likely to advance interfaith, sectarian or racial hatred shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to seven years or with fine or with both.’

The app, launched by the Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal in early March 2018, is the latest initiative taken under NACTA’s Tat’heer Drive, which is its cyber counter terrorism initiative and is available at the Google and Apple App Stores, free of cost. In order to fully assess the efficacy of the app, it was downloaded and taken for a test drive.

Chaukas 1

Once installed, the user is asked to register themselves by using either their email address or phone number. This is potentially troublesome with regards to the concept of anonymity and may serve as a deterrent for those members of society who do not wish to expose themselves. However a counter-argument could be that the potential for misuse is greatly heightened when the requirement to declare oneself before registering a possibly mischievous complaint is not present.

Once registered, you will come across the home page which lists the four options you have with which to report any untoward discourse, namely audio recording, photographic evidence submitted via camera, URL and text.

Chaikas 2

Whilst the app does provide a substantial range of avenues to record the user's complaint, what is woefully missing are any guidelines or definition as to what constitutes a hate crime, or any examples to demonstrate it, in order to ensure that only relevant data is sent NACTA’s way instead of hordes of ineligible complaints being churned out and gumming up the works. This would impact not only the efficiency on the government's end but also allow for minimisation of loss of time between the report of a bona fide case of hate speech and action taken on it by the authorities, which as per the app include the police, FIA and other law-enforcement and regulatory authorities in Pakistan, as the prologue states.

The DRF’s recommendations to NACTA would be to strengthen the mechanism to ensure anonymity as well as the mechanism to protect user data, once it has been submitted to the app. There is also a noticeable lack of any privacy policy being implemented in terms of the data that is being collected, which should most definitely be made a part of the application after consultation with tech and privacy experts from both the government and civil society organisations.

Another critical and hitherto lacking feature would be to present the user with a definition of what hate speech is, exactly, to ensure that anyone who wishes to lodge a complaint is cognizant of the nature and severity of an allegation under this ambit. Also to be considered is the addition of possible sections of the law that could protect the victims of hate speech and provide them with security under the law, as well as those sections which penalize false allegations should be prominently displayed and easily accessible on the app itself. Lastly, we feel the app should have a PSA promoting peace and tolerance, to ensure that people don’t take the law in their hands.

In summation, the verdict would be that the app, while a commendable effort on the Authority’s part, is not without its pitfalls and it is our recommendation that the feedback that NACTA is receiving through us and other channels should be utilized to fine-tune it to turn this in to a platform that could potentially play a pivotal role in eradicating the growing intolerance and hate speech from the country.

Author: Zainab Durrani

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March 26, 2018 - Comments Off on Digital Rights Foundation was at the Internet Freedom Festival 2018

Digital Rights Foundation was at the Internet Freedom Festival 2018

Digital Rights Foundation attended the 5th Annual Internet Freedom Festival held on March 5 through March 9, 2018 in Valencia, Spain. The festival addresses the issues pertaining to digital rights from around the world and seeks to formulate solutions as a community towards safe and inclusive online spaces.

Gendering surveillance: from the point of view of marginalised groups:

The panel discussion organised by DRF ‘Gendering surveillance: from the point of view of marginalised groups’ was moderated by Hyra Basit from DRF, and consisted of Nayanatara Ranganathan from the Internet Democracy Project (India), Marianne Diaz, a Venezuelan lawyer, and Joanna Varon, a Brazilian researcher and digital rights advocate. The discussion centered around the various forms of surveillance that take place in various settings, and its gendered nature which ultimately affects women in a more nuanced manner. The session was attended by approximately 35 participants.

The session started off with an introduction of the topic, linking it with some of the findings that DRF has researched. Both state and societal surveillance occurs all over the world, but affects different minority groups, such as women and LGBTQ groups particularly strongly because it brings them under even harsher scrutiny and under potential danger. Hyra exerted that surveillance is oftentimes seen as something that only affects political actors such as politicians, diplomats, activists and the likes, but in fact it can influence the everyday lives of all citizens, from how they behave in public, to who they are allowed to interact with, eventually leading them to change certain behaviors to avoid the watchful gaze of either the state or other members of society. The surveillance experienced by female journalists and then the numerous women and girls who seek help from the Cyber Harassment Helpline was explained to set some grounding for the panelists to share their experiences.

Nayanatara presented the research conducted by the Internet Democracy Project on the various safety and tracking apps in India, especially those that sprung up after the Nirbhaya incident in 2012. They found that these apps were actually undermining the safety and autonomy of women and instead of empowering them, were encouraging already set gender norms and structures. Another example is the use of cell phones by women in rural India which led to widespread anxiety because they became a way to counter the surveillance that they faced. She also talked about the Aadhaar system and the collection of information on all citizens by the state, an attempt at mass surveillance.

Marianne brought in the perspective from Venezuela and explained how the economic and political crisis there has led to a shortage of all daily necessities including food and medicines. More than a million have fled the country and those who stay back get their food and other essentials any way they can - which means if they get it from government sanctioned stations, they need to hand over all their information to the state, enabling mass surveillance in an already troubled state. This is also problematic because each person is designated a fixed quantity of ration, and so requires anyone who needs anything to be forced to come out themselves to collect it. This surveillance then affects those seeking medical help as well, especially those women looking to get an abortion. This system puts the lives of women at risk, because their activities get reported.

Joana then rounded up the discussion by talking more generally about the various policy discussions taking place to counter this gendered surveillance. She brought a wider perspective on this issue by referring to an earlier discussion held on gendered surveillance involving the Brazilian and German representatives to the UN. After having discussed the types of surveillance faced by gendered minorities, and what legislation measures and changes are taking place, she then concluded the panel discussion by offering some of the resources and projects that have been established to make women more aware of the surveillance that they face, and how they can protect themselves. Initiatives like Chupadados.com and Safer Nudes were discussed.

The audience too, expressed their interest in the gendered nature of surveillance and hoped to add on to the statistics and research presented in the session. There was also a call to appreciate the many measures that have sprung up focused on protecting people’s privacy, in comparison to a few years ago when there were practically none. It is always easy to point out the problems but much more difficult to draw up solutions, and the impact that just spreading awareness among people can have was also pointed out.

It is important to recognize surveillance, especially gendered surveillance, not just because private information is being given out to someone or some organization that you wouldn’t want to have control over you, and because it ultimately affects behavior, but also because it reinforces prevalent power structures. As Nayanatara pointed out, when surveilled, the more privileged you are, the less you have to fear. Minority groups, such as women and LGBTQ groups are eventually the ones whose identity, appearance, mobility, freedom of expression is curtailed and controlled the most.

Strategizing around online gender-based violence documentation and accompaniment practice:

Hyra was also invited to speak by Indira Cornelio of Ciberseguras in a panel entitled ‘Strategizing around online gender-based violence documentation and accompaniment practice’. The purpose of the panel was to discuss how information around online VAW is being gathered and presented for advocacy and raising awareness. Hyra discussed the process of gathering non-personally identifiable information, the categories under which the Cyber Harassment Helpline identifies the harassment that callers face, and how they choose to present that information. The panelists and audience expressed their interest in how the Helpline operates and coordinates with law enforcement agencies and policy makers by asking several questions.

Sexing the data: surveillance, gender and sexuality in the global south:

As surveillance is a rising concern over the world especially with the growth of surveillance technologies, it was also a topic of much concern at the IFF. Shubha Kayastha from Nepal moderated the session ‘Sexing the data: surveillance, gender and sexuality in the global south’ where Hyra spoke about the gendered nature of surveillance in the context of Pakistan. The contrast in surveillance of male and female journalists was discussed, as well as the surveillance of the LGBTQ community and the data breaches in NADRA’s database.

Author: Hyra Basit

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March 22, 2018 - Comments Off on Aurat March backlash and the Continuum of misogyny from the street to Facebook Pages

Aurat March backlash and the Continuum of misogyny from the street to Facebook Pages

The Aurat March was held on March 8, 2018 to mark International Women’s Day. The March was held in Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad. It was organized and attended by a collective of activists, organisations and groups to celebrate the feminist movement, while at the same time highlighting the oppressive patriarchal structures that allow for marginalisation of women. It was unfortunate however that in the aftermath the March itself turned into an example of how women’s voices are stifled, ridiculed and dismissed when they try to raise their concerns. The reactions to the March, particularly some posters displayed in the procession, have exemplified the daily offline and online harassment that women face.

We, at the Cyber Harassment Helpline, have seen a lot of cases of misogyny and gendered harassment of women in online spaces. However, after the deluge of complaints immediately in wake and directly related to the Aurat March, we saw a different kind of harassment take hold of online spaces.

Several pages have been identified to us by complainants that have engaged in a concerted campaign to target those who attended the Aurat March, especially the women photographed with signs and posters. Particularly two posters have attracted the ire of people on the internet-- “khud khana garam kar lo!” (“Re-heat the food yourself”) and “Mera Jism, Meri Marzi” (“My body, my choice”). Not only have the women holding these posters directly been targeted, the images have been used to target the organisers of the march and the Pakistani feminist movement in general. Women have been receiving death and rape threats, with their faces broadcast on social media.

The unfortunate incidents lay bare some uncomfortable truths about Pakistan and the level of misogyny that pervades our systems and everyday lives. It also highlights the risks activists and outspoken rights advocates face given the ubiquitous nature of digital technologies. The boundaries regarding consent in public spaces have always been misunderstood, and this takes on a more complicated shape in online spaces.

The continuum between online and offline spaces is highlighted by the backlash to the Aurat March. While the March took place in an offline public space, the backlash found expression mostly in online spaces. Posts have appeared revealing personal details of the protestors (a phenomenon known as “doxing”), ridiculing them and threatening them with gendered violence. These responses are specifically geared towards silencing voices of women. The Aurat March was the first public procession for a lot of women, thus targeting them is akin to pushing them out of these spaces and creates an additional burden for women who want to raise rights issues through peaceful protest which is a fundamental and constitutional right of every citizen.

The Aurat March 2018 was part of a continued struggle by women for a more equal, just and inclusive society. Earlier feminist movements in Pakistan have faced backlash from different groups, especially beneficiaries of patriarchal structures, however this instance highlights that that online spaces can be weaponized to target and silence activists, women and minorities in new and dangerous ways.

If you or anyone you know is being targeted online for their opinions, views and stances, please reach to us at the Cyber Harassment Helpline through our toll-free number (0800-39393) and email address ([email protected]). We will help with speedy content removal and legal advice. Don’t let your voice be silenced, there is support out there.

Author: Hyra Basit

March 20, 2018 - Comments Off on Cambridge Analytica Scandal and How to Secure Your Data

Cambridge Analytica Scandal and How to Secure Your Data

This weekend news broke that a data breach of 50 million Facebook profiles was used by the data analytics firm, Cambridge Analytica, to assist the Donald Trump campaign. The news is worrisome for several reasons, and it speaks to a problem that digital rights and privacy advocates have been advocating against for years--the need for stronger user data protections and accountability for social media companies.

Facebook users’ personal information, such as likes and status updates, were used to build profiles of users in order to predict their electoral behaviour. The data breach happened through a personality test app called “thisisyourdigitallife”. Like most apps we connect to our social media, it was far from innocuous as the intrusive application, once given permission, harvested personal data of users. Furthermore, the application also collected information of the test-takers’ Facebook friends. The ostensible justification for collecting the data was to improve the user experience and was allowed by Facebook’s “platform policy”.

We all volunteer a lot of information on social media, however there is a serious lack of transparency on how this information is being collected, stored and used. One of biggest sources of data breaches are the applications we give permissions and access to--they are a source of constant collection and surveillance.

The following is step-by-step guide on how to secure your social media accounts and prevent third-party applications for harvesting your data:

  1. Login to Facebook with your username and password

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  2. Click the drop down icon next to the Help icon

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  3. On left side Click Apps. You will be presented with apps that are currently using your Facebook credentials to sign in

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  4. Clicking on any app you will be presented with the settings of that app. In this example, we will use Careem and see what sort of settings are available

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The options presented by Careem are as follows. Some details of these options are:

  • App Visibility. This setting simply allows the audience for the app. In the screenshot it’s selected to “Only Me” meaning only the owner of the profile can see that the app is being used. If changed to “Friends” then only friends will be able to see that the owner of this profile uses this app

  • Public Profile. This app is currently accessing my Name, Profile Picture, Age, and Gender which is required by the app for registration purposes. You can see this information in Careem app as well. Your basic info is being picked directly from your profile when you sign up for the app using your Facebook credentials.

  • Email Address: Email address accessed by the app for signing in purposes.

  • Notifications are enabled if I use Careem directly from Facebook app.

    5. To revoke access simply click the “x” sign and click on remove button

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Authored by Shmyla Khan and Hamza Irshad

March 12, 2018 - Comments Off on February 2018: Mobile Networks Shutdown declared Illegal in Pakistan

February 2018: Mobile Networks Shutdown declared Illegal in Pakistan

Islamabad High Court Ruled Mobile Network Shutdowns Illegal

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On February 26, 2018, Islamabad High Court (IHC) in a landmark judgement ruled mobile network shutdowns, including mobile based internet suspension, illegal. The judgment indicates that access to telecommunication services is a fundamental right of the citizens of Pakistan, and any attempt to suspend said services is a violation of their constitutional rights.

Read the update by Hija Kamran for Digital Rights Foundation in this blog post.

Civil Society condemns inhumane treatment of Sajid and Patras Masih by law enforcement officers

Civil society organisations and concerned citizens have issued a strong condemnation of the torture, inhumane treatment and sexual abuse of Patras Masih and Sajid Masih by the Cyber Crime Wing, FIA in Lahore. The statement in its entirety can be found here. In a statement signed by more than 180 collectives, civil society organisations and concerned citizens, serious concerns were raised regarding the treatment of marginalised groups by law enforcement agencies, specifically religious minorities. Press release can be found here.

Feminist Icon Asma Jahangir's death is an irreparable loss - DRF pays tribute

Photo: Wolfgang Schmidt

Photo: Wolfgang Schmidt

We are shocked and saddened by the death of Pakistan’s foremost human rights activist and feminist lawyer Asma Jahangir. Her death is not just a loss for the entire country, but a personal blow for younger activists who have always looked to her as their role model and leader in trying times. Read the tribute by DRF here.

Expert workshop on the right to privacy in the digital age - organised by OHCHR

Nighat Dad at OHCHR

Digital Rights Foundation was invited to be part of the expert workshop on the right to privacy in the digital age, organised by the United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner (OHCHR) on February 19-20, 2018 in Geneva, Switzerland. The workshop gathered government representatives, lawmakers, civil society organisations and individuals, and businesses to identify and clarify principles, standards and best practices regarding the promotion and protection of the right to privacy in the digital age, including the responsibility of business enterprises in this regard. The objective of the workshop was the exchange of international, regional and national experiences and practices concerning the protection and promotion of the right to privacy in the digital age. The concept note for the workshop can be found here [PDF].

Nighat Dad represented DRF on the panel titled "Processing of personal data by individuals, governments, business enterprises and private organisations", and discussed the absence of a privacy law or a data protection legislation in Pakistan. In her opinion, telecommunication operators starting to work in Pakistan benefit from the fact that there are no local laws to protect users, and in practice these companies do not observe the same procedures as they do elsewhere, where legislation is in force. Nighat also discussed the system of mass surveillance in cities – sometimes in the ‘safe city’ projects that are being rolled out. There is no transparency about the collection, processing and distribution of data in ‘safe cities’, and in the absence of any data protection legislation, the data of 200 million Pakistanis is constantly at risk. Watch the recorded discussion here (01:46:10 mark).

Safer Internet Day

Safer Internet Day

Digital Rights Foundation conducted a session on cyberbullying with students of grade 6, 7, 8 and 9 on account of Safer Internet Day at the Iqra Education Centre, Lahore. The session raised awareness amongst the students regarding the safer usage of the internet and also emphasized on the importance of reporting bullying in schools and online.

Youth Summit hosted by Punjab Commission on Status of Women

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Nighat Dad participated in a plenary discussion organised by the Punjab Commission on the Status of Women (PCSW) as part of the Youth Summit at University of Lahore on February 12. The panel was titled  Means to Enhance Women's Political, Social and Economic Participation'. The discussion shed light on women’s participation and Nighat highlighted the digital aspect of that participation.

Lecture on Cyber Crime and Digital Evidence at Lahore Bar Council

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This lecture was part of a series at the Lahore Bar Council. On February 15, Nighat Dad briefed practicing lawyers in the nascent issues relating to digital rights, cyber crime and the law of evidence in digital contexts. The session was interactive and raised several pertinent questions regarding the law and digital spaces.

Women in Law Seminar

In partnership with LEARN Pakistan, DRF helped organize a seminar for female lawyers focusing on issues of technology, harassment and participation in digital spaces. The speakers at the event shared their experience as well as offering solutions to misogyny faced by those in the field.

District Peace Seminar organised by Rotary Club, Lahore

Nighat Dad spoke at the District Peace Seminar organised by Rotary Club Lahore to promote peace in the region. Nighat spoke about the prevailing trend of online media as the primary means of communication among youth and how this platform can be used to promote peace within communities and societies. She also emphasised on the importance of making online spaces safe for everyone by taking individual and collective efforts while ensuring their own online presence is secured through various online safety measures in place.

Empowering Women for Growth & Prosperity: From Evidence to Policy

Nighat Dad spoke at the conference titled “Empowering Women for Growth and Prosperity: From Evidence to Policy” organised by Lead Pakistan on February 8, 2018 in Islamabad. The aim of the conference was to discuss the many issues faced by women that actively hinder their growth in the society. Nighat’s intervention was based on highlighting the role of digital media in transforming people’s lives and how this can be effectively used in favour of women’s success in today’s world. Nighat focused on creating safe spaces for women, both online and offline, and emphasised that their participation in the economic growth is as important as anyone else’s.