Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence needs to be tackled– Forbidden Topics
Women's rights and safety advocate enlightens young women on ways to prevent gender-based violence online.
Forbidden Topics (FT), a platform for advocating against gender-based violence held a 3-day virtual training program on digital safety and the prevention of technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV). The platform organized this training through its new project called the She Village Fellowship and garnered support from Safe Sisters and DefendDefenders. The training was facilitated by Oluwadamilola Akintewe, the founder and curator of Forbidden Topics.
The She-Village program is designed to equip young women with the requisite knowledge to identify and fight technology-facilitated gender-based violence. It was created to enable a large majority of young females who cannot clearly identify breaches of data security online. According to Akintewe, the program provides a platform for young women — especially undergraduates — to share their experiences with TFGBV and gives them the resources to push back against TFGBV.
The impact of the training was evident in the words of the participants. One of whom took to her LinkedIn to share details of what she learned.
Here are 3 takeaways from the training.
1. Women need to take mobile security seriously to prevent GBV and fraud
Akintewe emphasized the importance of mobile security due to the potential for it to facilitate gender-based violence and theft of personal information. She shared a personal anecdote of being scammed over Facebook, highlighting the risks of fraud and identity theft. She also mentioned how mobile devices have become a vital part of daily life and thus require increased focus on security to cater to the many privacy concerns and risks associated with them. A participant also highlighted the problem of content tracking and the potential for mobile phone producers to sell user data. Other areas were highlighted such as the collection of location data without the user’s consent and data loss through apps crashing. The need for mobile hygiene, antivirus, and encryption was also discussed.
2. Safety measures are needed to ensure data privacy online.
During the training, data privacy on the Internet was also discussed. An example was raised of a lady whose trip plans were made public from her email and internet activity. The facilitators and the participants viewed a transcript that highlighted how much data is collected about individuals online, including full names, search terms, travel plans, and more. This data is used for advertising and marketing purposes and can be accessed by law enforcement. Concerns about the safety and privacy of personal data online and the potential for data tracking and misuse were raised.
Akintewe suggested that the motive and the purpose behind data collection are equally important.
She also pointed out the risks of using Google to sign in to various website accounts, emphasizing that this makes an individual’s digital identity vulnerable to hackers. This point was illustrated by explaining how IP addresses can be used to track online activity, highlighting the potential dangers this poses, especially for those without robust digital security measures. She also shared a personal experience where a friend was targeted by an unknown individual via Facebook Messenger. They concluded by recommending the use of two-step verification to increase online security.
3. Evolving technology such as Artificial Intelligence poses a threat to privacy and can enable cyberbullying.
The facilitator shared a concern about the potential misuse of AI-generated photos, citing the example of American actress Jennifer Lawrence, whose images were once manipulated and shared widely without her consent. They highlighted the terms and conditions associated with AI photo platforms, which often require users to sign over ownership of their images. The conversation also touched on the idea that AI-generated photos could be used to create deepfakes, raising concerns about privacy and consent.
In response to a question raised by a participant, Akintewe discussed the potential risks associated with using AI-generated images and videos, particularly with regard to privacy and consent. They emphasized the importance of understanding the terms and conditions before agreeing to use such applications. They also discussed the potential misuse of AI-generated content, including its use in pornographic contexts. Akintewe cautioned about the potential dangers of sharing personal information online and the need for vigilance.
