RightsCon
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| RightsCon | |
|---|---|
Most recent | May 5-8, 2026 (postponed) |
| Organised by | Access Now |
RightsCon is an annual conference on digital rights hosted by Access Now.[1]
2026 postponement
In 2020, RightsCon was to be held in San José, Costa Rica, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the meeting took place in an online format.[2] In 2021, the 10th edition of RightsCon was again held online from Monday, June 7 to Friday, June 11, 2021 due to the continued global COVID-19 pandemic which altered several digital rights physical meetings.[3][4] The topics for RightsCon2021 included: Artificial Intelligence (AI), automation, data protection and user control, digital futures, democracy, elections, new business models, content control, peacebuilding, censorship, internet shutdowns, freedom of the media and many others were discussed by several digital rights organizations and individuals.[3]
In 2022, the 11th edition of RightsCon took place entirely online across all time zones from Monday, June 6 to Friday, June 10, 2022.[5][6]
In 2023, the 12th edition of RightsCon took place in San José, Costa Rica, from Monday, June 5, to Thursday, June 8, 2023.[7]
In 2025, the 13th edition took place in Taipei, Taiwan, from Monday, February 24 to Thursday, February 27, 2025.[8]
The 14th edition of RightsCon was scheduled to take place in Lusaka, Zambia from Tuesday, May 5, 2026 to Friday, May 8, 2026 but was cancelled on April 29 after being initially postponed by the Zambian government to “ensure full alignment with Zambia’s national values, policy priorities, and broader public interest considerations.”[9][10]
The 14th RightsCon was scheduled to be held in Zambia from May 5 to 8, 2026.[11] On April 29, 2026, the Zambian government postponed the conference, writing in a statement that the postponement was "necessitated by the need for comprehensive disclosure […] relating to key thematic issues proposed for discussion during the Summit."[11]
On May 1, 2026, Wired reported that the postponement had been cancelled due to pressure from the Chinese government.[12] In a statement the same day, Access Now wrote that it was “told that diplomats from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) were putting pressure on the Government of Zambia because Taiwanese civil society participants were planning to join us in person."[13]
References
- ↑ "Beijing likely forced cancelation of rights event in Zambia, HRW says - Taipei Times". www.taipeitimes.com. 2026-05-02. Retrieved 2026-05-01.
- ↑ "Home - RightsCon Summit Series". RightsCon Summit Series. Archived from the original on 2019-06-16. Retrieved 2019-06-16.
- 1 2 "RightsCon 2021 | Digital Watch". dig.watch. Archived from the original on 2021-06-04. Retrieved 2021-06-04.
- ↑ "RIGHTSCON – WORLD'S LEADING SUMMIT ON HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE DIGITAL AGE". [BETA] Global Forum for Media Development (GFMD). Archived from the original on 2021-06-04. Retrieved 2021-06-04.
- ↑ "RightsCon - Experience". RightsCon Summit Series. Archived from the original on 2017-01-25. Retrieved 2022-04-03.
- ↑ "Nica.team - Registration for the 11th edition of RightsCon is now open". University Ranking. Archived from the original on 2022-02-17. Retrieved 2022-04-03.
- ↑ "RightsCon Outcomes Report". RightsCon Summit Series. Retrieved 2025-10-04.
- ↑ "RightsCon Outcomes Report". RightsCon Summit Series. Retrieved 2025-10-04.
- ↑ Hendrix, Justin (2026-04-30). "RightsCon Canceled After Zambia Requires 'Full Alignment' With 'National Values'". Tech Policy Press. Retrieved 2026-04-30.
- ↑ "World's Largest Digital Human Rights Conference Suddenly Canceled". 404 Media. Retrieved 2026-04-29.
- 1 2 "Zambia: Summit on Human Rights, Technology Effectively Canceled | Human Rights Watch". 2026-05-01. Retrieved 2026-05-01.
- ↑ Elliott, Vittoria. "The Chinese Government Just Got the World's Largest Digital Rights Conference Canceled". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Retrieved 2026-05-01.
- ↑ Whelan, Igor Campos, Nikki Gladstone, Ben (2026-05-01). "A statement to our community about why RightsCon 2026 will not take place in Zambia". RightsCon Summit Series. Retrieved 2026-05-01.
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