Published 01 November 2021 in News
Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria
Octavia Roodt creates 'Disconnect' comic as part of #Tech4Rights Academic Seminar
#Tech4Rights Expo
26 - 29 October 2021
The Expression, Information and Digital Rights Unit at the Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria hosted the #Tech4Rights Expo, which was held online from 26 to 29 October 2021.
The Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria launched the #Tech4Rights campaign in 2020. This campaign focuses on the impact of new technologies on different aspects of human interaction including: businesses, democratic development, children’s rights, persons with disabilities, electronic evidence, strategic litigation and other key areas of human rights that intersect with new technologies. As part of this campaign, the Expression, Information and Digital Rights Unit of the Centre will host an online #Tech4Rights Expo from 26 to 29 October 2021.
About the Expo
Join academics, civil society, human rights defenders, state and private sector representatives, artists, and many more in exploring how technology influences human rights.
Let us as stakeholders collectively find ways to leverage digital technologies for the advancement of human rights in Africa.
Among the themes featured in the Expo include business, education, democratic development, artificial intelligence, children’s rights, and persons with disabilities.
Objectives
- To facilitate the sharing of knowledge, experiences and lessons learnt in harnessing new technologies for the advancement of human rights, and combating challenges;
- To provide a platform for engagement with duty bearers on adoption of human rights approaches to implementation of digital technologies in Africa;
- To build stronger regional partnerships for advocacy on the effective use of digital technologies for human rights protection; and
- To provide a space for creative minds to showcase innovative tools, applications and strategies for the promotion and protection of human rights in the digital age.
'Disconnect'
This five-page mini-comic explores the consequences of digital disconnection. Through the comic, I aim to demonstrate how vulnerable individuals may become when they are wholly reliant on technology for information, relationship and, therefore, survival.
The comic demonstrates the importance of fair, safe and accessible digital spaces. As countries become industrialised, social isolation and loneliness increase (Pietrabissa & Simpson 2020:[sp]). Communities that have previously functioned in physical spaces are migrating to the internet. These digital spaces can be understood as “sociomental” communities, meaning that a society transcends physical space “for its creation and maintenance” (Chayko 2017:39). Similar to the loss of a physical community, disconnection from a digital space may impede on an individual’s right to cultural, religious and linguistic communities, their freedom of association or their freedom of expression.
I wish to create a visual metaphor for digital, sociomental communities by visualising two South African characters trapped in spheres. These spheres are connected to other spheres through the internet, but never meet in physical space. When these spheres are suddenly disconnected, the two characters become desperate to reconnect. This story hopes to foster empathy for the loss of community and awareness of the importance of digital and human connection.
Sources consulted:
Chayko, M, 2017. Superconnected: The internet, digital media, and techno-social life. Los Angeles: SAGE.
Pietrabissa, G & Simpson, SG. 2020. Psychological consequences of social isolation during COVID-19 outbreak. Frontiers in Psychology 11(1).
For more information on the '#Tech4Rights' Expo please navigate to the Centre for Human Rights website here