DamarJuniarto

Think tank Freedom House rates Indonesia a 48 out of 100 on internet freedom. But Damar Juniarto is an optimist. Since founding the nonprofit agency Southeast Asia Freedom of Expression Network (SAFEnet) in 2013, the digital rights activist has become one of the country’s few figures educating citizens on information literacy and online safety. Beginning his career as a copywriter at international advertising agencies, including Leo Burnett and McCann, Juniarto founded SAFEnet on the side and has since served as its executive director. He’s also an advisor at DigitalReach, a prominent digital rights organization in Southeast Asia. Juniarto has been on the forefront of Indonesia’s public debate on the internet’s use in criminal investigations, government censorship, misinformation, gender violence, and digital shutdowns after protests.