RightsCon

??? Registration is now open for #RightsCon2025! Get your ticket today to: ??? Benefit from early bird rates (up to 50% off!) ?? Showcase your work & strategize with experts ?? Access 450+ community-sourced sessions over 4 days https://lnkd.in/ewKBQUfr

?? Here are our highlights from the #RightsCon2025 Opening Ceremony: 1?? We were warmly welcomed by Bi-khim Hsiao, Vice President of Taiwan: “Welcome to Taipei, welcome to RightsCon, and may this summit be a catalyst for change, and may our collective experts inspire a more open, inclusive and rights respecting digital future for all.” 2?? Access Now’s Zhixin Liu and Raman Jit Singh Chima set the tone for our return to the region after a decade: “The Asia Pacific region [...] arguably, [...] is already the present of our internet. We are the global majority, and the Asia Pacific region is the majority of the global majority. It’s time to ensure we have a proportionate say in the resolution of issues impacting each and all of us.” 3?? “In this digital era, are we moving toward a more tolerant, democratic, and open society, or are we moving backward? Those who live in conflict, are they going to be more liberalized or are they facing more restrictions because of technology?" asked Cheng Li-Chiun, Vice Premier of Executive Yuan. 4?? “We all are very enraged with the current situation in the world, and this is the time we have to shift from our shared rage to actions and our solidarity into strategies. The people of Myanmar are still standing after 4 years, but we shouldn’t be standing alone. The people of Palestine shouldn’t be standing alone. The people of Sudan shouldn’t be standing alone.” (Htaike Htaike Aung, ED at Myanmar Internet Project) 5?? Laila Souif, mother of Alaa Abd El Fattah, activist and blogger, joined us on day 149 of her hunger strike, as RightsCon’s participants echoed Laila’ s plea to ‘Never give up on Alaa's freedom.' As always, we call to #FreeAlaa immediately. 6?? Maha Hussaini, award-winning journalist from Palestine, spoke about the accountability of social media platforms in the genocide in Gaza: “we also need to advocate against the illegal practices and restrictions imposed by social media companies against victims by silencing their voices and contributing to these war crimes imposed against them.” 7?? Marwa Fatafta, MENA Policy and Advocacy Director at @AccessNow, spoke with Htaike Htaike Aung and Sadaf Khan (lead of Safety for Voices project @apc_network), on (AI) technologies during war and military conflict and platform accountability. Watch the replay now: ?? https://buff.ly/3D5CuhM 8?? “The challenges we face are shared with the world. [...] Maybe after RightsCon, we could initiate new ways to change the world.” (Singing Li, CEO at Open Culture Foundation) 9?? & ?? Last but not least, Abao and the Chorus of Indigenous Voices blew us away with their performance of Indigenous Taiwanese music. Were you as inspired as we were? What was your favorite moment at the Opening Ceremony? Let us know using the #RightsCon hashtag.

I’m broadcasting This Week in Cyberspace live from Taipei at RightsCon with my co host Nell Schofield. We’ve selected 24 leaders from across the world to interview. Listen in and subscribe.

?? Ready for RightsCon 2025? Pick up your badge nice and early on Sunday! Avoid the long lines, and enjoy a walk in the bustling Xinyi District. ?? Sunday, Feb 23 | 8:30 am to 6:00 pm ?? RightsCon booth, main hall of the Grand Hyatt Hotel From Monday onwards, you can pick up your badge at the venue, the Taipei International Convention Center (TICC).

? Satellite Events: taking place on Feb 24 at TICC, before Opening Ceremony ? ?? Surveillance Tech Copaganda: Help Build a Toolkit for Creators Help create a resource for storytellers to depict technology in ways that strengthen community justice and individual autonomy in the face of abusive power. Organized by Fight for the Future and COMPOST Magazine. ??? 9 AM – 12:30 PM｜??Joy Lounge, TICC ??https://buff.ly/4gUk1Th ?? Digital Human Rights and Data Protection: Shaping Taiwan’s future policies Listen to a roundtable talk about Taiwan’s digital rights policies, data protection workforce, and global best practices for privacy professionals. Organized by the Department of Human Rights and Transitional Justice, the Executive Yuan, and the Preparatory Office of the Personal Data Protection Commission. ??? 9 AM – 11:15 AM｜??Room 201A, TICC ??https://buff.ly/3XcAECr ?? SplinterCon: Ecosystems of Digital Resilience Learn from Cloudflare, Jigsaw, OONI, ICANN, and more as they explore decentralized, censorship-resistant tech through expert talks and tool demos. Hosted by eQualitie. ??? 10 AM – 3 PM｜??Room 101B, TICC ?? https://buff.ly/3ELaReq ?? Leadership, Partnerships, and Reducing Online Harms Brainstorm a few questions like “How can we expand our leadership and partnerships to further reduce online harms, both as individuals and collectively?” ???2 PM – 3 PM｜??Room 201E, TICC ??https://buff.ly/3DeAaVz

?? Make the most of #RightCon2025 with our Expanded Programming! Do you want to deepen your engagement at the summit, beyond our 550+ sessions? Explore Side Events and Satellite Events, organized by trusted partner organizations! Our Expanded Programming offers the best ways to connect with peers and explore Taipei further. ? Side Events: Taking place across Taipei at various times ? ?? G0V Hackathon: How Ukraine Uses Digital Tech for Resilience Join g0v, Taiwan’s biggest civic tech community, to collaborate on open-source solutions, reflecting on three years of the Russia-Ukraine War. ??? Feb 22, 9:30 AM – 5:30 PM｜??NTU Innovation Hall ?? https://buff.ly/41pZLUJ ?? Digital Human Rights International Workshop Explore key digital rights challenges, including threats to human rights defenders, AI’s impact on human rights, and more. Hosted by the National Human Rights Commission of Taiwan (NHRC Taiwan) and the Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines(CHRP). ??? Feb 24, 10 AM – 12:30 PM｜??Grand Hyatt Taipei ?? https://buff.ly/3EGRvHk ?? Art Exhibition: "They Told Me It's Not Your Fault. And I Told Them Everything Will Be Fine." Step into an immersive exhibition that sheds light on the challenging realities of tech-facilitated gender-based violence, curated by the FNF Global Innovation Hub. ??? Feb 22 – Mar 16, 12 PM – 7 PM (Closed on Mondays)｜??Taiwan Contemporary Culture Lab ??https://buff.ly/4bbwnF3

?? Last day to join #RightsCon2025 from anywhere in the world! Online registration closes at 23:59 (PST) on February 21. Don't miss out on: ?? 550+ sessions over 4 days to move forward your work in human rights and technology ?? 24-hour sessions with no travel required and no time zone barriers–Attend live or catch up on sessions at your convenience ?? Connect through in-platform chat and community spaces We’re committed to making RightsCon accessible to all—make use of the free online Community ticket! ?? Join us: https://buff.ly/40f0iqR

? #RightsCon2025 Opening Ceremony ? The #RightsCon2025 Opening Ceremony will set the stage for critical discussions on the challenges facing digital rights today. Let’s unite in solidarity and spark conversation & action as civil society grapples with interconnected struggles in times of war and crisis. Join us in shaping a future where digital rights are protected and accessible for all. We will share welcome remarks from honorable and distinguished guests: ?? Hsiao Bi-khim, Vice President of Taiwan ?? Cheng Li-Chiun, Vice Premier of Executive Yuan ?? Singing Li, Chief Executive Officer, Open Culture Foundation Followed by a conversation on (AI) technologies during war and military conflict and platform accountability: ? Marwa Fatafta, MENA Policy and Advocacy Director ? Maha Hussaini, Palestinian journalist and human rights activist ? Htaike Htaike Aung, Executive Director, Myanmar Internet Project ? Sadaf Khan, lead of Safety for Voices project at Association for Progressive Communications and Co-Founder Media Matters for Democracy Closing with a special performance by: ?? Abao and the Chorus of Indigenous Voices ?? Register before 23:59 PST on February 21, and add this session to your calendar! https://buff.ly/41nflk3

?? We’re excited to introduce Faydah M. Dumarpa (https://buff.ly/432FLsM), Human Rights Commissioner of the Philippines (Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines), who will be joining us for #RightsCon2025! ?? Curious who else you will be hearing from next week? Check out the full program and sign up for sessions: https://buff.ly/4k20VNJ

?? We’re excited to introduce Faydah Dumarpa, Commissioner at Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines, will be joining us for #RightsCon2025! ?? Curious who else you will be hearing from next week? Check out the full program and sign up for sessions: https://lnkd.in/e3P25H33