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Asia Pacific Regional Internet Governance Forum

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Welcome to APrIGF 2026 Town Hall 2

Kathmandu, Nepal (Hybrid)

Tuesday, 6 October 2026

Local Host

Secretariat

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Drafting Committee Co-Chairs

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Local Host

Secretariat

Elizabeth Pollard

Graduate Officer

.au Domain Administration (auDA)

Dr Syed Sultan Kazi

Director

Council for Social and Digital Development

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Local Host

Secretariat

Townhall Guidance:

  • We will go through each session in order
  • ~5 minutes for discussion per session
  • Additional comments can be submitted via the commenting platform for the Synthesis Document: https://comment.rigf.asia/

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Sessions on Day 2, 6 October 2026

From Barrier to Enabler: Rethinking Policy for Community-Driven Internet Access

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Local Host

Secretariat

All participants are expected to follow the APrIGF Code of Conduct: igf.asia/CodeofConduct

Sub-themes:

  • Universal and Meaningful Connectivity
  • Future of APrIGF & Multistakeholder Ecosystem
  1. What is stopping community networks from growing?
  2. How can governments better support community networks?

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Building the Next Generation of Pacific Cybersecurity Professionals: Partnerships, Skills and Regional Resilience

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Local Host

Secretariat

All participants are expected to follow the APrIGF Code of Conduct: igf.asia/CodeofConduct

Sub-themes:

  • Digital Resilience and Building of Trust
  • What is the biggest challenge in building cybersecurity skills in the Pacific?
  • How can Pacific and other countries work together to build this workforce?
  • How can we keep skilled people in the region?

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Drawing the Line: Online Harm, Queer Expression, and Platform Governance in Asia-Pacific

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Local Host

Secretariat

All participants are expected to follow the APrIGF Code of Conduct: igf.asia/CodeofConduct

Sub-themes:

  • Digital Resilience and Building of Trust
  • Who should decide what counts as harmful content?
  • How can we make the Internet safer without limiting free expression?

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Closing the Last-Mile Gap: A Civil Society Approach to Internet Quality Measurement in Rural Indonesia

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Local Host

Secretariat

All participants are expected to follow the APrIGF Code of Conduct: igf.asia/CodeofConduct

Sub-themes:

  • Universal and Meaningful Connectivity
  • Digital Resilience and Building of Trust
  • Are we measuring Internet access in the right way?
  • How can we ensure access & connectivity data reflects the real-world experience of rural communities?

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From Compliance to Confidence: How Asia's Startups Are Shaping the Future of AI Governance

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Local Host

Secretariat

All participants are expected to follow the APrIGF Code of Conduct: igf.asia/CodeofConduct

Sub-themes:

  • AI Governance for Good
  • Digital Resilience and Building of Trust
  • What kinds of AI-related regulations may inadvertently stifle startups? Is the tradeoff worth it?
  • How can APAC countries make their AI rules more consistent?

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EcoInternet Index (EII): APAC Leads the Way

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Local Host

Secretariat

All participants are expected to follow the APrIGF Code of Conduct: igf.asia/CodeofConduct

Sub-themes:

  • Digital Resilience and Building of Trust
  • AI Governance for Good
  • How should we balance the need for resilient connectivity with environmental impacts?
  • Are there APAC-specific issues to consider when advocating for a greener Internet?

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From Local Evidence to Regional Dialogue: Trust, Inclusion, and an Open Internet in the Age of AI

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Local Host

Secretariat

All participants are expected to follow the APrIGF Code of Conduct: igf.asia/CodeofConduct

Sub-themes:

  • Future of APrIGF & Multistakeholder Ecosystem
  • What local experiences from your country could other countries in the region learn from?
  • How can we encourage better cross-regional collaboration and knowledge sharing?

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Community Wi-Fi and Cyclone Alert Systems for Marginal Fisher Villages Barguna, Coastal Bangladesh to Improve Internet and Save Lives

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Local Host

Secretariat

All participants are expected to follow the APrIGF Code of Conduct: igf.asia/CodeofConduct

Sub-themes:

  • Digital Resilience and Building of Trust
  • Universal and Meaningful Connectivity
  • What steps should be taken before, during, and after a disaster to preserve resilient connectivity for at-risk communities?
  • Who should be responsible for funding resilient Internet infrastructure?

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When An Energy Crisis Becomes a Connectivity Crisis

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Local Host

Secretariat

All participants are expected to follow the APrIGF Code of Conduct: igf.asia/CodeofConduct

Sub-themes:

  • Digital Resilience and Building of Trust
  • Universal and Meaningful Connectivity
  • How can we make digital infrastructure more resilient?
  • Should connectivity be prioritised during energy crises?
  • What factors should determine sustained energy supply for a lower resource economy to meet rising digital society and economy needs?

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Governing Generative AI for Electoral Integrity: Building Resilient and Trustworthy Digital Spaces in South and Southeast Asia

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Local Host

Secretariat

All participants are expected to follow the APrIGF Code of Conduct: igf.asia/CodeofConduct

Sub-themes:

  • AI Governance for Good
  • Digital Resilience and Building of Trust
  • How can we protect elections from AI-generated misinformation?
  • Who should be responsible for dealing with AI-generated political content?
  • Do we need more regional cooperation on this issue?

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Assistive Technology for Meaningful Participation and Successful Integration in Education and the Workplace

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Local Host

Secretariat

All participants are expected to follow the APrIGF Code of Conduct: igf.asia/CodeofConduct

Sub-themes:

  • AI Governance for Good
  • Universal and Meaningful Connectivity
  • How can we raise the bar for accessibility across all kinds of technology?
  • What does meaningful digital inclusion look like for people with disabilities?

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Surveillance by Design: Digital ID, Data Protection and the Trust Crisis in South Asia

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Local Host

Secretariat

All participants are expected to follow the APrIGF Code of Conduct: igf.asia/CodeofConduct

Sub-themes:

  • Digital Resilience and Building of Trust
  • Universal and Meaningful Connectivity
  • How do we prevent digital ID from becoming a tool for surveillance?
  • What safeguards should governments and communities put in place?

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Connected but Not Safe? Rethinking Digital Inclusion Through the Experiences of Young Women in Taiwan

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Local Host

Secretariat

All participants are expected to follow the APrIGF Code of Conduct: igf.asia/CodeofConduct

Sub-themes:

  • Digital Resilience and Building of Trust
  • Universal and Meaningful Connectivity
  • Is Internet access enough to achieve digital inclusion?
  • How should online safety be included in digital inclusion policies?

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AI in the Kill Chain: Accountability, Human Control, and the Case for a Binding Regime in Asia Pacific

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Local Host

Secretariat

All participants are expected to follow the APrIGF Code of Conduct: igf.asia/CodeofConduct

Sub-themes:

  • AI Governance for Good
  • Digital Resilience and Building of Trust
  • How do we keep humans accountable for AI-assisted military decisions?
  • Should military AI have its own international rules?
  • How can the Asia-Pacific region have a stronger voice on military AI?

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Any other thoughts on yesterday’s sessions?

(Time permitting)

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Local Host

Secretariat

All participants are expected to follow the APrIGF Code of Conduct: igf.asia/CodeofConduct

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See you tomorrow at Town Hall 3

Wednesday, 7 October at 09:00 UTC / 14:45 NPT

Local Host

Secretariat

APrIGF Synthesis Document

Participate and put in your comments at: comment.aprigf.asia

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