The 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly is in full swing, and digital rights are taking center stage at Protecting Human Rights During the COVID-19 Crisis and Beyond: Digital Pandemic Surveillance and the Right to Privacy co-organized by Access Now, UN Global Pulse, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). The session is co-sponsored by the European Union, France, Finland, and the Republic of Korea.
This high-level multi-stakeholder panel — composed of thought leaders from government, international organizations, civil society, and the private sector — will delve into the implications of increased surveillance on human rights during COVID-19 and beyond, focusing on: contact tracing; the use of biometric and health-related data; and other tech interventions.
This will be a unique opportunity for the media and other participants to watch and actively take part — by asking questions in real-time — as international experts brainstorm efforts to work towards the protection of personal data and the promotion of digital rights across the globe.
In case you missed it
Joseph Steele, Acting Executive Director at Access Now, spoke at the UN’s 75th anniversary celebration, and discussed what it will take to defend human rights in the digital age. Watch via Access Now’s YouTube channel.