Proposal

APrIGF 2024 Session Proposal Submission Form
Part 1 - Lead Organizer
Contact Person
Ms. Mamta Siwakoti
Email
Organization / Affiliation (Please state "Individual" if appropriate) *
The Digital Law and Policy Centre
Designation
Founder
Gender
Female
Economy of Residence
Malaysia
Primary Stakeholder Group
Private Sector
List Your Organizing Partners (if any)
Jasmine Ko, Internet Society Hong Kong, jasmine.ko@isoc.hk
Part 2 - Session Proposal
Session Title
Defending against Digital Deception: Strategies for Preventing Online Scams and Identity Theft ?
Session Format
Workshop (60 minutes)
Where do you plan to organize your session?
Onsite at the venue (with online moderator for questions and comments from remote participants)
Specific Issues for Discussion
Nowadays, the number and complexity of online scams has been increasing with the convenience of data access by Internet. Instead of being anonymous in committing crime, stealing identity from someone has become a very common criminal pattern. Almost all jurisdictions in Asia Pacific have started to implement policies to reinforce identity verification in the retail industry such as mandatory sim card purchase registration. The intention was to better regulate SIM card services and combat offenses, as criminals have made use of anonymous pay-as-you-go cards to evade detection. However, the criminals have found a way out of this policy by stealing identity – which implies much more difficult tracking on criminal activity because criminals can still register a sim card with another person’s information. When it comes to commercial trading, the retailer is less capable of verifying the person’s information without advanced technology or legal power. We would formulate this common online safety issue into problem statements that enable the audience to discuss and brainstorm a way out with design thinking methodology

The following topics will be covered during this workshop:
1. Overview of online scams and identity theft in the Asia-Pacific region
2. Common tactics and techniques used by scammers
3. Regional challenges and vulnerabilities specific to the Asia-Pacific context
4. Warning signs and red flags of online scams and identity theft
5. Practical strategies for preventing online scams and identity theft
6. Response mechanisms and actions to take if targeted by a scam
7. Role of cybersecurity awareness and education in enhancing digital resilience
8. Collaborative approaches for community protection and support
9. Resources and tools available for further learning and assistance
Describe the Relevance of Your Session to APrIGF
The workshop session directly aligns with the thematic track of Security and Trust within the Internet ecosystem, which emphasizes the evolving landscape of technology and the challenges posed by cybersecurity risks, data privacy concerns, and online safety. In the rapidly advancing world, new technologies integrate into people's lives, yet they also introduce risks such as identity theft and online scams. This is particularly prevalent in the Asia-Pacific region due to the lack of awareness among the general public and inadequate technology to protect against online scams.
By focusing on preventing online scams and identity theft, the workshop session addresses these critical issues head-on. Through a collaborative workshop-style approach, participants collectively brainstorm the primary reasons behind cybersecurity risks, leveraging diverse perspectives and experiences. Expert sessions then provide insights into preventive measures, equipping participants with practical strategies to safeguard themselves in the digital realm.
Ultimately, the workshop contributes to shaping responsible Internet governance by promoting awareness, fostering collaboration, and empowering individuals to navigate the dynamic and complex Internet ecosystem with confidence. By addressing cybersecurity risks, data privacy concerns, and online safety in a collaborative manner, the session underscores the importance of enduring principles in ensuring robust security measures and maintaining trust in the digital space.

Key Relevance with APrIGF 2024 theme:
Awareness on cybersecurity risks
Awareness on Data Privacy concerns
Protection of identity of vulnerable group e.g. children by identifying real life issues of identity theft of child
Raise awareness on importance of information integrity and increase trust in innovation for the public
Methodology / Agenda (Please add rows by clicking "+" on the right)
Time frame (e.g. 5 minutes, 20 minutes, should add up to 60 minutes) Description
5 minutes Welcome and Introduction to the session > Ice Breaker by asking participants to share one online safety tip or incident they faced
20 minutes Expert presentation on threat of identity theft in the Asia-Pacific Region 1) Overview of identity theft and online scams 2) Methods commonly deployed in APAC region for identity theft 3) Individual and Organizational precautionary and defensive measures 4) Response to cyberattack
30 minutes moderator in case participants have any confusions) Case Study and QA The facilitators will share the situations where online scam is potential and the participants will be engaged as problem solvers by Design Thinking tools to identify: 1) Kind of scam that can occur 2) Reason behind it 3) Ways to avoid such scam
5 minutes Closing remarks and Way forward
Moderators & Speakers Info (Please complete where possible)
  • Moderator (Primary)

    • Name: Jasmine Ko
    • Organization: DotAsia
    • Designation: Project Manager
    • Gender: Female
    • Economy / Country of Residence: Hong Kong
    • Stakeholder Group: Technical Community
    • Expected Presence: In-person
    • Status of Confirmation: Confirmed
    • Link of Bio (URL only): https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasmine-ko-ym/
  • Moderator (Facilitator)

    • Name: Mamta Siwakoti
    • Organization: The Digital Law and Policy Centre
    • Designation: Founder
    • Gender: Female
    • Economy / Country of Residence: Malaysia
    • Stakeholder Group: Private Sector
    • Expected Presence: In-person
    • Status of Confirmation: Confirmed
    • Link of Bio (URL only): https://www.linkedin.com/in/msiwakoti2/
  • Speaker 1

    • Name: Ummed Meel
    • Organization: Grant Thornton Bharat LLP
    • Designation: Associate Director
    • Gender: Male
    • Economy / Country of Residence: India
    • Stakeholder Group: Private Sector
    • Expected Presence: In-person
    • Status of Confirmation: Proposed
    • Link of Bio (URL only): https://www.linkedin.com/in/ummedmeel/
  • Speaker 2

    • Name: Ben Cheung
    • Organization: Internet Society Hong Kong
    • Designation: Board of Director
    • Gender: Male
    • Economy / Country of Residence: Hong Kong
    • Stakeholder Group: Civil Society
    • Expected Presence: In-person
    • Status of Confirmation: Invited
    • Link of Bio (URL only): https://www.linkedin.com/in/chpapa/
Please explain the rationale for choosing each of the above contributors to the session.
We carefully curate a diverse panel in gender, economy and stakeholder group.

Ummed Meel has trained thousands of police officers and local government officials in India, providing vital skills to combat cybercrime. His support to police and defense authorities in investigating over 200 significant cybercrime cases has been commendable.

Ben Cheung has several years experiences in providing cybersecurity training and has been serving as board member of Internet Society Hong Kong

Mamta Siwakoti is a lawyer currently based in Malaysia and she specializes in trust and safety. Her work is focused on digital laws, cybersecurity, intellectual property rights, among others. She also has a social media legal literacy campaign named The Digital Lawyer which has around 100k followers on TikTok. She can bring in a unique perspective and experiences faced by female online users around the world and how they are being the target of identity theft and scams.

Jasmine overview Internet Governance projects in Asia Pacific region and covers topics such as online safety and sustainability. Her daily work is to facilitate conversations and communication in a multistakeholder model, thus her expertise in facilitation as function and Trust Safety as knowledge domain. She personally is a victim of cybercrime cases which put herself into position who can truly understand the challenges of online scam and identity theft.
Please declare if you have any potential conflict of interest with the Program Committee 2024.
No
Are you or other session contributors planning to apply for the APrIGF Fellowship Program 2024?
No
Number of Attendees (Please fill in numbers)
    • On-site: 35
    • Online: 35
Gender Balance in Moderators/Speakers (Please fill in numbers)
  • Moderators

    • Male: 2
    • Female: 2
  • Speakers

    • Male: 1
    • Female: 1
Consent
I agree that my data can be submitted to forms.for.asia and processed by APrIGF organizers for the program selection of APrIGF 2024.