For my Leadership in Action (LIA) project, I travelled to Melbourne, Australia, to volunteer for Electronic Frontiers Australia (EFA), an advocacy organisation working to ensure emerging technologies are governed in ways that protect privacy, democratic participation, freedom of expression, and public accountability. I was particularly drawn to EFA for its advocacy of rights-respecting regulatory approaches to AI deployment, algorithmic accountability, transparency, and public oversight as artificial intelligence becomes increasingly embedded in public and private decision-making. Through my project, I primarily wished to address Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, specifically by supporting the development of innovative, inclusive, and rights-respecting digital infrastructure through public-interest advocacy around AI governance.

After arriving in Melbourne and getting familiar with my accommodation and the city, my supervisor, John, gave me two main tasks for the duration of my stay. The first was writing a series of op-ed articles for EFA's public-facing website and newsletter, on both topics of personal interest and topics EFA requested specifically. I began with an article my supervisor had asked me to write in advance to mark the International Day of Democracy, about the importance of upholding democratic values in the digital sphere and the ways in which digital spaces can threaten democratic institutions. My article touched on algorithms, rage-baiting, and generative AI use on social media. For my second piece, I chose a topic I found fascinating and highly relevant at the time: AI and copyright. The article discussed major court cases and explored how well copyright law can protect against AI data training. Although I was interested in the topic, it required a lot of research into areas I do not usually engage with: law, the specifics of AI development, and digital ethics. Writing it was one of the most challenging and rewarding tasks of my LIA, as I had to immerse myself in an area that was previously mostly unknown to me. My last article was about the emergence of AI smart glasses, looking at them through the lens of women's safety and surveillance capitalism. This piece addresses SDG 9 most directly, examining whether "development" and "innovation" always serve as net positives for society at large, and highlighting the importance of rights-respecting digital infrastructure within innovation.

My second task was co-authoring a 36-page document drawing on materials from across EFA's databases. The document will serve as a reference point for EFA's core stances on 14 issues: censorship, biometrics, copyright and IP, digital ID, encryption, Freedom of Information law, misinformation and disinformation, online safety, the Privacy Act, children's privacy, employee privacy, AI regulation, AI governance, and wearable devices. It references academic journals, reports, and Australian Bills, Codes and Acts, and combines these with EFA's core talking points, as well as the executive summaries and recommendations of specific policy papers. Creating this document allowed me to engage with an incredible breadth of issues in digital policy and digital rights. Throughout the process, I learnt a lot about both the specific considerations of digital legislation and the process of policymaking itself, skills I am sure will benefit me in my studies and, hopefully, later in my career. One of the secondary SDGs my LIA sought to address was SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions): EFA's policy work promotes democratic oversight and transparency in technological governance, which is a key aspect of this goal. I hope the master document will make future paper drafting easier, allowing the organisation to collaborate with the Australian government, and hold it accountable, on an even larger scale.

My time in Australia also contributed significantly to my personal development outside of my work with EFA. Travelling to and from the country and learning to be independent on the other side of the world were valuable experiences in themselves. They came with unexpected challenges (such as cutting open my hand or having to complete the Australian census!), but I am grateful for every new experience. I am very glad to have learnt about Australia, a country I previously knew little about. In particular, visiting museums, national parks, and other landmarks taught me a lot about nature conservation, Australian colonial history, and the past and present realities of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Overall, my LIA project with EFA gave me the chance to contribute to the public debate on AI and digital rights while building research, writing, and policy skills I had not previously developed. Beyond the work itself, living and working independently in Melbourne broadened my understanding of Australia and of myself. I leave the project with a stronger commitment to ensuring that technological innovation remains accountable, inclusive, and respectful of people's rights.