The Amnesty International briefing frames Big Tech as a human rights threat, but a closer reading suggests a deeper structural issue. A small group of companies, Google, Meta, Amazon, Microsoft, and Apple, now dominate the infrastructure of the digital world, effectively setting the terms of participation for billions. Amnesty describes them as “digital landlords,” emphasizing their control over information flows and public discourse. However, the critique risks stoppin

As digital technologies expand, Big Tech is no longer just enabling communication, it is shaping the conditions under which rights are exercised. Platforms now influence how billions of people access information, express opinions, and participate in economic life. This shift raises a deeper question: when technology structures everyday life, what happens when accountability does not keep pace? The UN Global Compact report highlights that digital systems increasingly car

The 2025 Ranking Digital Rights report reveals a critical imbalance at the center of the digital world: Big Tech companies hold immense power over information and communication, yet remain weak in protecting human rights. The index evaluates 14 major platforms across governance, freedom of expression, and privacy, showing that companies are still operating with a “business as usual” approach despite rising global risks. What is most striking is the lack of progress. For

This week’s Field Notes highlight a clear pattern: education empowers girls economically, but only when it connects to real opportunities. Global data shows that educating girls can generate trillions in economic gains, while women’s labor participation remains around 53%, revealing a gap between learning and earning. In other words, education builds potential, but systems decide whether that potential becomes income. Cases like Somalia show what happens when that gap i

The case of Lao PDR illustrates how education functions as a gateway to economic opportunity, but only when structural barriers are addressed. Targeted support programs have helped hundreds of girls (around 800) remain in secondary school, particularly in vulnerable regions where dropout rates are high. What this example makes clear is the role of education in shaping life trajectories. In Laos, around 30% of girls leave school due to early marriage, showing how limited