Governments, armed groups, and conflict entrepreneurs are increasingly turning to digital technologies to attack civil society opponents. These attacks undermine actors who can play important roles in promoting human rights, democracy and peace. The digital vulnerability of civil society may therefore affect Canadian foreign policy objectives in repressive states and conflict zones. It is also an issue of national security and public safety, since digital attacks can cross borders.

This panel brings together three people to discuss these challenges and how they might be addressed.

Panelists:

Deirdre Collings is the Executive Director of the SecDev Foundation, which has spent five years working with non-violent civil society groups in Syria to address the pervasive threats of hacking and surveillance, and to help them securely use the internet to advance their work.

Tara Denham is the Director of the Democracy Unit in Global Affairs Canada’s Office of Human Rights, Freedoms and Inclusion. She will discuss government engagement with civil society in environments such as Syria, the promotion of human rights online and offline, and initiatives in supporting engagement and assist civil society where democratic deficits exist.

Chris Tenove is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Toronto’s Centre for Ethics and Munk School of Global Affairs, and is overseeing a project that brings together journalists and experts to investigate people’s digital vulnerabilities to war and repression.

Moderator: Stephanie Carvin, Assistant Professor, Norman Paterson School of International Affairs.

Sponsored by the Faculty of Public Affairs, the School of Public Policy and Administration, and the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs.