Taiwan is set to host the international conference on digital human rights, “RightsCon” for the first time next year. On Tuesday, the Digital Affairs Ministry signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the event’s organizer, Access Now, to facilitate discussions on key topics such as artificial intelligence, technological human rights, digital governance, and freedom of expression.
RightsCon will take place from February 24 to 27 next year and has already attracted nearly 2,000 proposals from 125 countries, covering issues such as misinformation, election interference, and AI's role in civic engagement. More than 3,000 professionals from 150 countries are expected to participate.
Digital Affairs Ministry Deputy Minister Yi-jing Lin (林宜敬) emphasized the significance of hosting the conference as global democracy faces threats from authoritarian regimes exploiting the internet, social media, and AI technologies. Lin stressed the importance of preserving democracy and freedom in the digital age and added that RightsCon is an opportunity to showcase Taiwan as a model for digital governance and human rights.
Access Now Senior Program Coordinator Adriana Fernandez says that since its inception in Silicon Valley in 2011, RightsCon has grown into a leading global summit on human rights in the digital age, expanding in both scope and scale.
Raman Jit Singh Chima, Access Now Asia-Pacific Policy Director says that Asia has become a central hub for the development of internet and ICT hardware and software. He expressed his excitement about hosting RightsCon in Taiwan for the first time and working together to advance policies and digital governance in Asia and globally.