Policy Considerations Given the wide variety of political, economic, and cultural nuances that exist even within South Asia, it is imperative to have policies that are contextualized to the themes and patterns addressed above. The logic behind these policies must be informed by the perspective of users from each of these countries, instead of imposed frameworks borrowed from the Global North. Specifically, new policies should consider the following: Addressing the erosion of trust: As evidenced repeatedly in the overreaching, power-hoarding tech policies being passed in each country, there is a long history of distrust between civil society and the institutions which govern them. Yet, Western-centric models of global governance rarely, if at all, account for this critical power imbalance. Instead, they often assume a level of institutional accountability that does not exist in many contexts. New policies must account for the risk of state exploitation as carefully as they do for private sector exploitation. Technology as a relative construction: A common misconception is that technological challenges can be addressed through isolated policy interventions or by introducing new technologies as quick fixes. It is imperative to understand that technology is embedded within the fabric of historical, political, and institutional structures that have gone through their fair share of scrutiny and reform. Effective digital policy must therefore move beyond treating technology as an unprecedented phenomenon. Instead, frameworks should be grounded in local legal precedents and governance experiences, learning from past successes and failures to create policies that are both contextually relevant and structurally sound. Deeper engagement with civil society: Though consultations with lawyers, journalists, technologists, and activists are often promised and claimed to have been carried out, these always fall short due to personal and political resistance to incorporating dissenting views, or a lack of technical expertise among stakeholders at the table. Effective governance requires an ongoing, structured relationship between policymakers and CSOs that study the implications of emerging technologies in real time. However, engagement must be a two-way process—civil society must also ensure that its advocacy is cohesive, accessible, and actionable for policymakers to translate into stronger, rights-driven legislation. Adaptive and dynamic framework: As technology rapidly evolves, regulations must be equally responsive to emerging innovations and their societal impacts. Rigid, static policies 25