Inclusive design is fundamental to localization and to Localization Lab’s values. Our newest area of work includes usability discovery services, which documents user experiences to drive innovation, inclusion, and improvements in digital freedom tools.  We are thrilled to deepen our work with local communities through usability discovery research. 

Localization Lab is developing an Internet Shutdown Assessment Tool that helps researchers and communities document the differentiated health impacts of Internet shutdowns. Our approach is unique in the Internet shutdown research space because we distinguish between access to connectivity and sudden loss of that connectivity, which are important to distinguish when developing research and advocacy toolkits. 

In fall 2023, Localization Lab in partnership with regional experts on migration and digital security conducted four weeks of fieldwork in Honduras and Mexico to document digital security risks and the impacts of surveillance and border externalization on migrants and asylum seekers, as well as the networks of people and organizations serving them.

Our report presents these findings in detail and discusses how translation impacts the entire value chain of content moderation and why localization is central to effective platform governance. This spans end-users’ ability to report content to moderators’ ability to detect harmful content and to regulators’ knowledge about the content that exists on the platform. The report includes recommendations for improving translation policies and processes, as well as for advancing best practices in translation across the industry.