At a time when online surveillance, disinformation, and digital threats increasingly target marginalized communities – journalists, refugees, and young activists – the Digital Shadows: Take Back Control! event offered a day of learning, creativity, and empowerment in Kampala. Organized by Streaming Asylum, in partnership with Media Challenge Initiative (MCI) and Nothing2Hide, the event brought participants together for interactive workshops, participatory dialogues, and practical resources to help them take back control of their digital lives.
A space to learn, create, and resist
The goal of Digital Shadows was clear: equip participants with concrete tools to strengthen their digital security while raising awareness of the political stakes of privacy.
Program
- 3:00 PM – 3:20 PM – Official opening: welcome remarks from MCI, Nothing2Hide, and Streaming Asylum
- 3:20 PM – 4:00 PM – “Our Stories, Our Shields”: a participatory dialogue where journalists, young refugees, and activists shared their experiences navigating a hostile digital environment safely.
- 4:00 PM – 4:30 PM – “Why Privacy is Political”: a presentation by Eleza RDC exploring the links between surveillance, censorship, and power, and their impact on vulnerable communities.
- 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM – Workshops: participants could choose between:
- Hacker Escape Tent (Nothing2Hide): An immersive simulation to learn how to outsmart digital traps and bypass online censorship, featuring the PiGuard tool.
- DIY Posters & Murals: Creating artistic posters to promote digital security.
- “My Digital Minute” (MCI Radio): Recording one-minute audio clips sharing security tips or personal reflections.
- Digital Security Bootcamp: Hands-on workshops on password management, two-factor authentication, encrypted messaging, and recovering from a hack.
- 6:30 PM – 9:00 PM – Screening & discussion, and closing: Screening of Citizenfour or Coded Bias, followed by discussions on digital rights, in a friendly atmosphere with popcorn and coffee.
- Cocktail & Networking: An informal moment to build connections and imagine future collaborations.
What’s next?
The event marked the start of an ongoing momentum, with several initiatives launched on the occasion:
- The Living Wall of Digital Tips, an online gallery combining visual art and audio tips.
- The creation and broadcast of a dedicated podcast about the event on Streaming Asylum’s online radio.
- The setup of secure communication channels for participants to keep the conversation going.
Digital Shadows is part of Digital Security Month (October) and is supported by Nothing2Hide through its PiGuard initiative, which aims to strengthen the security, freedom, and resilience of digital communities across Africa.