Session
Organizer 1: Zens Svetlana , ARTICLE19
Speaker 1: Chew Fei Phang, Civil Society, Asia-Pacific Group
Speaker 2: Vi Tran, Civil Society, Asia-Pacific Group
Speaker 3: Zens Svetlana , Civil Society, Asia-Pacific Group
Classroom
Duration (minutes): 60
Format description: We are planning to have three speakers from diverse backgrounds and fields of expertise. This will require a classroom setting. Based on last year's ETIF events, there was a high level of interest among participants in practical tools, so we want to accommodate as many interested parties as possible.
1.How can civil society organizations (CSOs) effectively assess and engage tech and telecom companies on human rights risks, particularly in restrictive environments in Asia? 2.What mechanisms can ensure that tech sector policies align with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) and uphold freedom of expression and privacy? 3.How can access to transparent research and collaborative networks like ETIF strengthen governance and digital rights advocacy in the Asia-Pacific region?
What will participants gain from attending this session? Participants will gain exclusive access to updated research data on tech sector activities and hands-on training in CLARITI, a community-led Human Rights Impact Assessment (HRIA) tool for tech and telecom accountability. They will also join the ETIF community, benefiting from ongoing knowledge sharing and networking. The session will provide key insights into digital rights challenges, including privacy, surveillance, misinformation, and governance issues, equipping participants with tools for advocacy, government and corporate engagement, and policy recommendations. Attendees will also gain access to documents, case studies, and reports on tech accountability, along with guidance on using CLARITI findings for advocacy, governance recommendations, and publications. By the end, participants will be empowered to assess tech companies, generate HRIA reports, and drive real impact in their advocacy efforts—leveraging data, networks, and strategies to hold tech and telecom companies accountable for human rights violations.
Description:
Engaging Tech for Internet Freedoms (ETIF) is an initiative dedicated to strengthening stakeholder capacity, fostering meaningful tech engagement, and ensuring compliance with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) in the Asia-Pacific region. Building on insights from ETIF, ARTICLE 19 Asia proposes an innovative approach to civil society engagement with the private sector through Human Rights Impact Assessments (HRIAs) in the telecom and tech industries worldwide. At IGF 2025, we plan to host a 60-minute workshop introducing CLARITI, a community-led HRIA tool designed for civil society organizations (CSOs) to assess telecom and tech companies. The session will be conducted in a classroom-style setting, featuring a short presentation on the findings from CSOs in Vietnam and China, who were among the first to pilot the tool. CLARITI was developed in alignment with the UNGPs, empowering CSOs—particularly those without deep ICT expertise—to conduct assessments of telecom and tech sector activities for freedom of expression (FoE) and privacy violations. The tool allows civil society to generate HRIA reports that can serve as a basis for engagement with companies and policymakers. To increase accessibility, CLARITI is planned to be available in Burmese, Mandarin, and Vietnamese. CLARITI helps address key digital rights challenges by assessing data governance, privacy, and accountability risks, including surveillance, algorithmic bias, and misinformation. It evaluates corporate transparency, sustainability impacts, and the geopolitical influence of tech companies while integrating ethical considerations in emerging technologies. The tool also plays a critical role in safeguarding democracy by examining platform governance, digital manipulation, and undue influence in public discourse. Through this workshop, we aim to demonstrate how CLARITI enables civil society and human rights defenders to hold tech companies accountable while fostering sustainable and responsible innovation.
We are expecting CLARITI users to continue to engage with ETIF and produce globally the report, which can be used for meaningful cooperation with multiple stakeholders to learn about the assessment principles and why it is important and to elevate a variety of digital space issues which prevent reaching the Global SDGs.
Hybrid Format: We have already tested various formats while piloting CLARITI and are confident that it is engaging and suitable for both hybrid and offline participation. We will use Teams, Zoom, or any digital conferencing platform suggested by IGF for online participants. CLARITI is accessible via a website, allowing you to join from your home office and listen to our presentation.