Themes

The Forum will address:

I. Fundamental freedoms in the digital sphere

• Oportunities for civil society and human rights defenders to increase online freedoms of association and of peaceful assembly.
• Identifying solutions to combat online threats such as combatting cyber-harassment, hate speech, violent extremism.
  
• Tackling disinformation while promoting media pluralism
• Defending freedom of speech online
• Step up action to combat internet shutdowns, to overturn shutdowns and artificial limitations on internet.

II. Technology, Business and Human Rights – how to engage with the private sector

• Dialogue with “big tech” companies including social media platforms on promoting and protecting human rights in the digital sphere.
• Mandatory human rights impact assessments in due diligence processes. Access to remedy and means of redress.

III. Privacy and surveillance

• How mass and targeted arbitrary surveillance threatens human rights defenders and civil society.
• Current methods of arbitrary surveillance: facial recognition and other biometric surveillance.
• Current uses and impact of mass surveillance: border management; social credit system.

IV. Artificial Intelligence Development – opportunities and risks

• Current international efforts to regulate AI in the area of human rights.
• Opportunities, risks, and technological reliability issues in the use of AI applications in the fields of justice and access to education. How can AI be used to promote and protect human rights.
• AI leading to discrimination or impeding the realization of human rights (digital divide, bias, discriminations in law enforcement of access to work and social services). Impact on individuals in vulnerable situations: migrants, ethnic and religious minorities, children.