Writing
Selected writing
Unpacking Digital Bangladesh
04 January 2022 for Himal Southasian
In 2021, Bangladesh’s digital policy is being used for connection, repression and surveillance.
The UN’s refugee data shame
21 June 2021 for The New Humanitarian
‘There is no way the personal data of nearly a million European people would ever be treated like this.
Yes, digital IDs are efficient. But they’re a threat to our very identities
10 January 2020 for The Correspondent
Identity cards – and, increasingly, digital identification – don’t just satisfy a bureaucratic function, they also play a role in shaping how we see each other and ourselves – if we let them.
Ethics in Open Source Investigations
19 December 2019 for Digital Witness Using Open Source Information for Human Rights Investigation, Documentation, and Accountability
A book chapter I co-wrote with Gabriela Ivens on the ethics of OSINT in human rights investigations.
More writing
- Bangladesh’s upcoming Data Protection Act may suppress, not protect, citizens rights on 23 October 2021 for Global Voices. (es, it, pt)
- Black Lives Matter protesters aren’t being tracked with Covid-19 surveillance tech. Not yet on 03 June 2020 for The Correspondent.
- Avoiding the Trap of the Singular Data Story on 17 March 2020 for Bot Populi.
- We know what’s wrong with digital identification. Here’s what works on 04 February 2020 for The Correspondent.
- Bangladesh cuts access to mobile phone services for the Rohingya on 03 September 2019 for Global Voices. (es, el, mg)
- Can data ever know who we really are? on 16 May 2019 for Deep Dives.
- Searchable Databases as a Journalistic Product on 01 December 2018 for Data Journalism Handbook.
- The problem with emoji skin tones that no one talks about on 23 November 2018 for The Daily Dot.
- Free speech advocates say Bangladesh's new Digital Security Act is ‘ripe for abuse’ on 28 September 2018 for Global Voices. (es)
- Bangladesh blasts off with their first ever satellite launch into space on 13 May 2018 for Global Voices. (mg, fr, es, ar, sw)
- Biometrics in the Humanitarian Sector on 27 March 2018 for The Engine Room.
- Ties That Bind: Organisational Security for Civil Society on 08 March 2018 for The Engine Room. (es)
- After 113 Days Behind Bars, #Istanbul10 Human Rights Defenders Are Released Pending Trial on 26 October 2017 for Global Voices. (es, fr, pa, ru)
- Irresponsible data? The risks of registering the Rohingya on 23 October 2017 for IRIN News. (it)
- #Istanbul10 Human Rights Defenders Have Been Behind Bars for 100 Days on 12 October 2017 for Global Voices. (cs, es, fr, ar, it, el)
- Human Rights Defenders Are Still Behind Bars in Turkey on 12 July 2017 for Global Voices. (mg, es, fr, el, ar)
- Digital Identification Systems: Responsible Data Challenges and Opportunities on 04 July 2017 for The Engine Room.
- My Manchester on 17 June 2017 for Real Life.
- Responsible Data at Oxfam: Translating Oxfam’s Responsible Data Policy into practice, two years on on 19 April 2017 for Oxfam.
- Where Are You Really From on 29 March 2017 for Real Life.
- The fine print: seeing beyond the hype in technology for human rights on 08 March 2017 for openGlobalRights.
- Close Calls on 26 January 2017 for Real Life. (it)
- 2016: A Year of Data-Driven Confusion on 12 December 2016 for Model View Culture.
- Technology Tools in Human Rights on 07 December 2016 for The Engine Room.
- Dangerous Data: The Role of Data Collection in Genocides on 21 November 2016 for The Engine Room.
- Internet politics: a feminist guide to navigating online power on 11 November 2016 for openDemocracy 50:50. (fr, es)
- Bangladesh Introduces ‘Smart’ National Identity Cards on 07 October 2016 for Global Voices. (es)
- When the Openwashing is Over: Protecting The Right To Know on 28 September 2016 for The Engine Room.
- Responsible Data in Agriculture on 16 September 2016 for The Engine Room.
- Feminist Tech Tools on 31 August 2016 for GenderIT.
- There's Finally a Programming Language in Bengali Script, Thanks to ‘Potaka’ on 30 August 2016 for Global Voices. (mg, ru, es)
- Bangladesh Shuts Down the Internet, Then Orders Blocking of 35 News Websites on 04 August 2016 for Global Voices. (mg, ru, es, sw, el)
- Civic Tech and Brexit: We Can Do Better on 28 June 2016 for The Engine Room.
- Brexit: Heartbroken, but not broken on 24 June 2016 for Global Voices. (es, it, ar, mg, ru, el, fr)
- Responsible Data Reflection Stories on 01 March 2016 for Responsible Data Forum.
- Five ways tech is crowdsourcing women’s empowerment on 03 February 2016 for The Guardian.
- The Potential Impact of Free Basics on SRHR Advocacy in Bangladesh [PDF] on 22 January 2016 for Arrow for Change (journal).
- Bangladesh Will Demand Biometric Data From All SIM Card Users on 22 December 2015 for Global Voices. (mk, es)
- Bangladesh Keeps Blocking Social Media, Threatens New Surveillance Tactics on 30 November 2015 for Global Voices. (mg, es)
- With Messaging Apps Still Banned, Bangladeshis Turn to Tor (and Twitter) on 25 November 2015 for Global Voices. (mg, mk, es)
- So you found a unicorn- what now? on 12 November 2015 for Data Journalism: Inside the global future.
- Citizen-generated Data and Governments: Towards a Collaborative Model on 26 October 2015 for DataShift.
- Getting Open Development Right on 01 March 2015 for The Fibreculture Journal.
- Women’s Victim Role & The Bangladeshi Liberation War on 14 December 2014 for The Aerogram.
- Shooting our hard-drive into space, and other ways to practise responsible development data on 01 October 2014 for Responsible Data Forum.
- Oil Contracts: how to read and understand them on 01 November 2012 for OpenOil.
- Exploring Oil Data: a Reporter's Handbook on 01 June 2012 for OpenOil.