Africa IGF | “The FOC Presents: Collective Efforts to Counter the Misuse of Surveillance Technologies”

In the past decade, the potential of a free, open, interoperable, secure, and reliable Internet has been increasingly under threat in numerous regions around the world. The growing risk of fragmentation, the use of state-sponsored disruptions and shutdowns, content moderation and censorship, the spread of disinformation online, and the growing misuse of digital technologies, threaten the potential for digital technologies to promote and protect human rights, both online and offline. The Freedom Online Coalition (FOC) is an intergovernmental coalition of 38 Member States spanning from Africa to Asia, Europe, the Americas, and the Middle East, deeply committed to the human rights and fundamental freedoms proclaimed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

As it advances into its second decade, the role of an intergovernmental coalition that enables like-minded democracies – supported by civil society, academic, and industry expertise – to advance strategies that promote and protect human rights has never been more vital in this evolving landscape. This session will explore the challenges and opportunities facing human rights online in 2023 and beyond, with a focus on collective efforts to counter the misuse of surveillance technologies.

To learn more and register your attendance, visit www.igf.africa/2023-program/.