Last week, voters in the United States elected Donald Trump to be their next president. This result will directly impact human rights in the U.S. and around the world. It also raises serious questions about the role of technology and social media in social and political discourse.
With this in mind, we are encouraging you to submit program session proposals that account for these developments. Has your agenda shifted after the election? What issues do you see requiring deeper, stronger collaboration among the people and organizations fighting for a free, open, and secure internet? How can the global RightsCon community help you reach your goals?
Here are a few ideas for sessions that we’d love to see at RightsCon Brussels, taking place March 29-31, 2017:
- Algorithms and echo chambers: what is social media’s role in polarizing society?
- How do we protect free expression in an era of populist authoritarianism?
- The Trump administration’s impact on the global surveillance regime
- Digital security imperatives for activism organizations
- Net Neutrality in the U.S. and around the world: what’s happening and what’s next
- The responsibility of tech platforms during elections and transition periods
The deadline to submit your session proposal is Friday, November 25th, so feel free to use these ideas as an inspiration, submit one as your own, or come up with something entirely different. We want to hear what you’re envisioning.
One more note: We have a RightsCon Share and Save plan. When you buy a ticket, you’re given a 10% off promo code that you can share with your colleagues and networks. Each time someone buys a ticket using your code, you get 10% refunded from your ticket purchase. This mean that if 10 people use your share code, you get your ticket for free. This social sharing plan will be active only until the end of the year.
We’ll be sharing more information soon, including updates on speakers, programming, partnerships, and new initiatives. Stay tuned, and if you know someone else who should be looped in to what’s happening at RightsCon Brussels, share with them this link.
Lastly, if your organization or company is interested in increasing its exposure or involvement at the intersection of human rights and technology, be sure to check out our sponsorship opportunities.
Thanks again for your support in RightsCon.