26 Policy Brief No. 93 Toda Peace Institute The Data Detox Kit provides the public with basic digital safety tips to prevent hacking or surveillance. 109 Frontline Defenders offers tools for human rights groups, bloggers, journalists, and social change activists, including a digital first aid kit to help prevent data loss and security breaches. 110 In Syria, SalamaTech supports civilian safety online by providing emergency tech support to Syrians who have been hacked or imprisoned for their online communications. SalamaTech offers “digital safety audits” and a network of “digital technology first responders” to help empower civilians, particularly women and youth, to feel empowered to communicate safely about the conflict and their work for peace.111 Recommendations Digital technology offers opportunities to build social cohesion, civic engagement and improved human security at a scale impossible with analog tools or in direct person-toperson communication. Both opportunities and challenges remain for the future of digital peacebuilding. 112 In March 2020, Peace Direct convened a global consultation on digital peacebuilding113 and the Toda Peace Institute held an in-person workshop to further map the work still needed to maximise digital peacebuilding. These recommendations emerge from all of these efforts. 1. Access Digital technologies are widespread, but many people still do not have access to mobile phones, computers, or the internet. Increasing digital access to all people is necessary for the continued growth of digital peacebuilding. 2.Training Digital knowledge is necessary to use new technologies to support peacebuilding goals. Even governments and larger peacebuilding organisations are slow to maximise the use of technology to improve peacebuilding. There is still relatively low awareness of the potential contributions that technology can make to peacebuilding. Tech Change offers courses to improve awareness of the potential for technology to contribute to social and political goods.114 3. Innovations in Digital Peacebuilding Over the last two decades, some of the most impactful and creative digital peacebuilding efforts have emerged from countries with low levels of technology. Digital peacebuilding For more information on the Data Detox Kit see their website at https://datadetoxkit.org/en/home For more information on Frontline Defenders see their website at https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/en/digital-security-resources 111 For more information on SalamaTech see their website at https://en.salamatech.org 112 Orna Young and Enda Young. “Technology for Peacebuilding in Divided Societies: ICTs and Peacebuilding in Northern Ireland.” Northern Ireland: Transformative Connections, 2015. 113 Dimitri Kotsiras with Joel Gabri. “Digital Pathways for Peace: Insights and Lessons from a Global Online Consultation.” Peace Direct. 6 August 2020. Available at: https://www.peacedirect.org/us/publications/digitalpathways-for-peace/ 114 For more information on Tech Change see their website at https://www.techchange.org 109 110