On November 20, 2013, Cyber Steward Network partner Tibet Action Institute (TAI) participated in a panel discussion and tech session titled “Safe Travels Online: Tech Meet” hosted by Students for a Free Tibet Canada in Toronto. The discussion revolved around online targeted threats against activists, members of the Tibetan diaspora community, and their supporters. In attendance were Citizen Lab’s Research Manager Masashi Crete-Nishihata, Nathan Freitas, the Director of Technology of TAI & The Guardian Project, Lhadon Tethong, Director of the TAI, and Lobsang Sithar, the Field Coordinator of the TAI.
The TAI held a similar “Safe Travels Online” event in Dharamsala in June 2013, where representatives from the TAI and the Citizen Lab spoke of the dangers of online threats against the Tibetan community and the importance of digital security. The TAI website also hosts an ongoing “Safe Travels Online” video series starring Tibetan comedian Sonam Wangdue promoting security best practices for users of digital technology.
The TAI has long supported digital privacy. The Institute is a partner in the Guardian Project, a program designed to create apps, open-source software, and smartphone solutions designed to prevent online intrusion and guard the privacy of activists, journalists, humanitarians, and ordinary citizens.