IV. Inclusive online spaces

Today’s youth have come of age in an environment of unprecedented potential for their empowerment and engagement: they live in an interconnected world transformed by technological advances, which gives them the opportunity to participate in transformative actions beyond the communities in which they live.
 
The opportunities accessible on the Internet, often overshadow some of the challenges faced. Some existing safety risks have been transferred from the offline to the online world, allowing to address some of the problems that arise. For years, global civil society groups have viewed the internet as a powerful tool for their causes, but recently they have discovered how new online communication forums can be controlled, limiting access to information and freedom of speech. In addition, as more data is being generated, stored, transmitted and searched, threats such as gender-based harassment can be intensified in online spaces. There are also arising issues regarding privacy and freedom of expression.

Key entry points on this topic include (but are not limited to) the following:

• How can we balance between internet freedom and internet safety?
• What is the role of governments, intermediaries and civil society in this area?
• What is the state of digital rights in Asia and the Pacific and what is the impact of security agenda on those rights?
• How are young women discriminated online?
• What are the challenges and opportunities young people are facing when using online spaces?
• How is journalism/citizen journalism evolving or adapting to new opportunities and challenges presented by the internet?