Dear John,

This week (8–12 October), ARTICLE 19 is at the UN Internet Governance Forum (IGF) in Kyoto, Japan, the theme of which is The Internet We Want: Empowering All People.

We are leading and participating in several sessions at the Forum, which you can watch, listen to, and read more about below.

As we watch the horror of extreme violence unfold in Gaza and Israel we can only hope that the forces at work can find a way to pull back from the brink. Our focus this week on the aims of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) feels less urgent in the face of what is fast becoming a huge humanitarian disaster in Gaza, as families on both sides of the conflict mourn the hundreds who have lost their lives so far.

Yet the concerns we share with partners at the IGF about the free flow of information during conflict are critical at this time. Disinformation, deep fakes, and propaganda serve to make complex situations even more polarised at a time when we must work to find solutions – genuine solutions – that serve the people.

That is why it is vital we understand threats to freedom of expression and access to information during conflicts.

During wartime, freedom of expression and the free flow of information must be vigorously defended: both are vital to ensure accurate reporting, address human rights abuses, and promote peace.

On 10 October at the IGF, digital security and risk experts, campaigners, and disinformation researchers discussed how important it is for people to access information and to contact their loved ones during conflicts. The panel also looked at the central role journalists play in disseminating accurate news to the public, including reporting on crimes committed by the warring parties – key to countering impunity.

Moderated by Chantal Joris, Legal Officer at ARTICLE 19.

Around the world, authoritarian governments are forcing tech companies to comply with internet restrictions and censorship, with debilitating consequences on civil society and on people using the internet to share information.

On 9 October, Suay Ergin-Boulougouris (ARTICLE 19 Europe’s Turkey Programme Officer) joined Elonnai Hickok (Managing Director of the Global Network Initiative), Trinh Huu Long (Co-founder and Co-director of Legal Initiatives for Vietnam), and Cagatay Pekyorur (Human Rights Policy Manager at Meta) to discuss what Big Tech can do to confront potential throttling and severe sanctions in Turkey and Vietnam.

On 8 October, Muthuri Kathure (ARTICLE 19 Eastern Africa Programme Officer for Civic Space) organised and took part in a session about discriminatory laws, public officials’ homophobic statements, and the authorities’ inadequate responses to violence against LGBTQ+ people in Kenya.

They discussed the importance of protecting data about people’s sexual orientation and gender identity, how this links with obligations under the Sustainable Development Goals, and how to achieve concrete solutions to ensure communities in Kenya are safe.

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development explicitly recognises that information and communication technologies have the power to bridge the digital divide. As such, governments are increasingly addressing connectivity expansion as part of their efforts to meet the Sustainable Development Goals.

On 10 October, Raquel Renno Nunes (Digital Programme Officer at ARTICLE 19), moderated a discussion about the limits of framing connectivity solely as a facilitator for social and economic growth – approaches that ultimately privilege the most powerful telecommunication industries. If all internet access is provided by the same few global telecommunication operators, many, including those living in rural or remote communities, will continue to be disconnected. This matters, as unequal access to the internet means unequal access to rights.