Global

Global data volume has grown exponentially in recent years and experts expect this trend to continue. The wider trend towards the pervasive datafication of our lives is not one we can just sit out. Big data and the algorithmic decisions it feeds permeate citizenship, healthcare, welfare states, education, finance, law enforcement as well as the ways in which we shop, travel, and live our social…

In IGF 2015 gender report cards were completed for a total of 107 workshops – more than double the 51 regional workshops reported on in 2015. A summary and analysis of the discussion and comments are included here.

In this set of interviews, Smita Vanniyar speaks to Japleen Pasricha of Feminism in India, and Divya Rajgopal of WhyHate. In separate ways, both these are projects of passion that find ways to reclaim technology for women and also others marginalised on account of gender non-conformity, sexuality, caste, religion and class. They discuss the pros and cons of anonymity, how to address online VAW…

It is a sacred act to tell and to listen to stories. Some of our stories are rooted so deep in our cells, psyches and hearts, that it takes an act of courage to find the words to tell them. We each contain a multitude of stories that shape and make us who we are. It can also be a political act to tell a story. We conceptualise digital story telling as a recording and documentation method which…

This month's column by Sonia Randhawa looks at intersections between ICTs, gender and climate change through the lens of the women working in the software, rather than the hardware side of things. While many of the big companies in North America have taken steps to ensure that the energy for data processing comes from renewable sources, the question remains what is the environmental impact and…

Facebook's arbitrary policy on women's nipples has angered many, who find their content removed or accounts suspended or banned. Japleen Pasricha writes about being repeatedly 'punished' by Facebook for posting content on the social media platform that is feminist and bold, about young women growing up and even images of protest by women in Manipur against the oppression of the Indian army and…

Is the internet a playground for sexual identities, or also where new sources of shame and anxiety are found? Nadika in this month's column explores the complexity of different online labels or identities, including that of shemale. She writes about the inspiring journeys of trans women, how they came to adopt or reject labels and identities, and their idea of transgender femininity. Through…

What is the connection between labour unions, women workers and climate change? This monthly column on connecting the dots between climate change and gender, explores the exploitative conditions that are still prevalent in the electronics industry. While workers in Pearl River delta in China may no longer face sweatshop conditions, the production has shifted to other poorer parts and most often…

Interview with Coraline Ada Ehmke, best known for her exemplary work in setting up the Contributor Covenant - a code of conduct for open source projects. Coraline's life story is an inspiration for all those working for the rights of those marginalized, and their experience in free and open source software cultures. In this interview she describes the ways in which her transition has affected her…

Conflicts over lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights, similar to other social struggles, are increasingly materializing within technical functions of Internet governance and architecture rather than at the surface level of content.