Placing digital technology at the service of democracy and human rights (3D2)
by the URG team December 7, 2021 Contemporary and emerging human rights issues, In focus: democracy, Policy reports, Reportes
From 16-17 November, a high-level meeting of State representatives, UN officials, technology company representatives, and civil society, took place in Montreux, Switzerland, as well as online, to consider the challenges and opportunities posed by digital technology to the integrity and vitality of democracy, and to the enjoyment of civil and political rights. The rapid evolution and spread of digital technology …
DemocracyDigital technologyelectionsHate SpeechNew technologies and human rights
Human rights in the digital age: Making digital technology work for human rights
by Geneva June 24, 2021 Contemporary and emerging human rights issues, In focus: democracy, Policy reports, Reportes
The seventh Glion Human Rights Dialogue (Glion VII), organised by the Governments of Switzerland and Liechtenstein, and the Universal Rights Group (URG), in partnership with the Permanent Missions of Fiji, Iceland, Mexico, the Seychelles and Thailand, was held on 3-4 December 2020 and considered the topic: 'Human rights in the digital age: Making digital technology work for human rights.' In particular the Glion VII …
Civil and Political RightsDemocracyDigitalDigital DivideDigital RightsDigital technologyelectionsESC RightsFreedom of ExpressionHate SpeechNew technologiesNew technologies and human rights
Sisyphean endeavours and unfinished business: UN Secretary-General Guterres lays out his vision for a second term, including a conference on human rights and renewed focus on prevention
by Danica Damplo, Universal Rights Group NYC May 11, 2021 Blog, Blog, Universal Rights Group NYC
On 8 January 2021, UN Secretary-General António Guterres notified the General Assembly (GA) President Volkan Bozkir and Security Council President for January Tarek Ladeb of his intentions to run for re-election. On 23 March, Guterres sent his Vision Statement to Bozkir, and on 7 May, engaged in an informal dialogue with the GA. Given that Guterres will likely succeed in securing a second term, his …
Cambio climáticoDigital technologyHuman rights in the UNPreventionSecretary-GeneralUNGA
DemocracyDigital technologyelectionsHuman Rights and ElectionsNew technologies and human rightsSocial mediaUSA
How do you solve a problem like WhatsApp? The complicated role of messaging apps in the fight against disinformation and for free speech
by Tess Kidney Bishop, Universal Rights Group NYC April 2, 2021 Blog, Blog, Contemporary and emerging human rights issues, Universal Rights Group NYC
Much of the debate around the spread of misinformation and online harassment has been focused on the biggest social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube and, more recently, TikTok. Messaging apps, like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and WeChat, and the increasingly popular Telegram and Signal, have nearly as many users as these platforms and are also rife with disinformation, hate …
DemocracyDigital technologydisinformationelectionsNew technologiesNew technologies and human rightsSocial media
Facebook vs. Australia–the latest dispute over the digital space
by Amanda Gu, Universal Rights Group NYC March 11, 2021 Blog, Blog, Contemporary and emerging human rights issues, Universal Rights Group NYC
On 18 February, after three years of negotiations over the Australian Media Bargaining Code, Facebook took the controversial decision of implementing a broad ban on all Australian publishers and prevented people in Australia from viewing or posting links to news stories . The ban lasted five days, and was only lifted after the Australian government made concessions. This ongoing disagreement between Facebook and the Australian government is only the latest in …
DemocracyDigital technologyFacebookSocial media
New corporate 'Treaty Body' gears up to consider Facebook's decision to bar Donald Trump
by Marc Limon, Executive Director of the Universal Rights Group February 5, 2021 Blog, Blog, Contemporary and emerging human rights issues
As reported in the New York Times , its members include two people who were reportedly on presidential shortlists for the US Supreme Court, a Yemeni Nobel Peace Prize laureate, a British Pulitzer Prize winner, a former UN Special Rapporteur, Colombia's leading human rights lawyer, and a former prime minister of Denmark. Welcome to the Facebook Oversight Board, operational since October 2020 (Mark …
Digital technologyFacebookFake newsFreedom of ExpressionHate SpeechNew technologies and human rightsSocial media