NRIs Collaborative Session on Human Rights

NRIs Collaborative Session: Human Rights on the Internet: national and regional priorities

Theme: Data Governance; Digital Inclusion; Security, Safety, Stability & Resilience
Sub-theme: Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, Data Protection, Internet Ethics, Regulation and Cooperation, Internet Security, Privacy online, Freedom of expression online, Fair elections

Policy Questions: 

  • What are the priorities regarding the human rights for local communities?
  • How do we protect the privacy and free speech on the Internet?
  • Should national approaches to regulation be internationally harmonized and how?
  • Are there concrete examples of digital cooperation on national and regional levels for protecting human rights on the Internet?

Relevance to Theme and Internet Governance: Human rights, especially the right to privacy and freedom of expression are very much connected with using digital technologies. Data protection is central in many countries, as well as the protection of online stored information. This brings implications with illegally accessing other user's services, to using publicly available information on users for commercial purposes. The privacy online is with this endangered. Consequences could be massive, as some communities reported that with manipulation of publicly available data, algorithms were adjusted to navigate the interests of online users in activities of global importance, such for example are political elections. In addition to these issues, many communities face restrictions posed on free speech on the Internet. 

Description: This session will focus on concrete case study examples of what are the online human rights concerns for involved countries and regions, what has been done so far in regard to addressing these and providing solutions. All participants will focus on modes of digital cooperation for the safe and secure Internet.

Format of the Session: Interactive roundtable discussion

Expected Outcomes:  The session aims to showcase concrete issues local communities have related to human rights, and will produce a set of concrete messages on what are the issues and how to potentially resolve them.

Discussion Facilitation: The moderator will follow the agreed set of policy and will allow for introductory, case study remarks by the NRIs speakers. This will be followed by engaging other present participants into developing an interactive discussion.

Online participation: A dedicated online moderator will be placed next to the onsite moderator. All participants will be using the online speaking queue to be treated equally in their requests for interventions. All input presentation will be made available at the IGF website and links will be shared via the online tool.

Co-Organizers:

  1. Argentina IGF
  2. Haiti IGF
  3. Lebanon IGF
  4. Malawi IGF
  5. France IGF
  6. Mauritius IGF
  7. Togo IGF
  8. Italian IGF
  9. South Sudan IGF

​Speakers: Speakers to be delegated through an open, bottom-up process by the NRIs multistakeholder organizing committees.

Connection to SDGs: