Freedom Online Coalition

FOC Task Force on Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights Monthly Call
2022-07-14 15:00 - 16:00, 2022-05-12 16:00 - 17:00, 2022-04-21 15:00 - 16:00 UTC

FOC Task Force on Digital Equality Monthly Call
2022-06-30 15:00 - 16:00, 2022-05-26 15:00 - 16:00, 2022-04-28 15:00 - 16:00

FOC Friends of the Chair Monthly Call
2022-06-29 14:00 - 15:00, 2022-04-27 14:00 - 15:00

FOC Advisory Network Monthly Call
2022-06-15 15:00 - 16:00

FOC Silicon Valley Working Group Monthly Call
2022-06-14 17:00 - 18:00, 2022-04-14 18:00 - 19:30

RightsCon: Joining Forces Against Shutdowns, with the Freedom Online Coalition’s Task Force on Internet Shutdowns
2022-06-10 17:00 - 18:00
Many actors are working to counter Internet shutdowns from a variety of angles. Governments, activists, media, and civil society groups build social and diplomatic pressure on the authorities responsible, while researchers, private industry, and other technical experts in the measurement community gather essential data about network disruptions and their effects. Despite overlapping goals and methods, however, these stakeholders are not always able to share information or collaborate effectively.
Hosted under the umbrella of the Freedom Online Coalition (FOC) Task Force on Internet Shutdowns (TFIS), this community lab will call on all stakeholders – centering on grassroots perspectives, particularly from the technical and measurement communities – to learn from each other’s experiences, to identify avenues for TFIS to help coordinate, and to find ways different communities could fill gaps in each other’s expertise and advocacy. We will focus particularly on how Internet measurement work and advocacy and diplomacy work can complement and learn from each other.
An excellent complement for this community lab is the UK Government’s session “How can governments, civil society and industry better collaborate to address Internet shutdowns?” That session will focus on identifying key obstacles and actions for governments, civil society, and industry, whereas this one will explore opportunities for ongoing collaboration with the measurement community.
Launched in December of 2021, TFIS is chaired by the United States Department of State, alongside FOC Advisory Network members Access Now and the Global Network Initiative (GNI). The Task Force aims to improve coordination among like-minded countries, civil society, and the private sector to anticipate, address, and respond to internet shutdowns.

RightsCon: Advancing Digital Inclusion Through the Freedom Online Coalition: Upholding Democracy and Human Rights in the Digital Age
2022-06-07 17:30 - 18:30
The Freedom Online Coalition (FOC) is a partnership of 34 countries and counting committed to helping ensure that international rights and freedoms hold fast online. Since the FOC’s inception in 2011, digital technologies and the Internet have acted as an accelerant for political, social, and economic change. While advancements in digital tech have enriched society, they have also reinforced and even accelerated inequalities and eroded our democratic institutions. The rapidly evolving digital landscape has revealed that the Internet and digital technologies can undermine peace, prosperity, and individual freedom. Last year marked the sixteenth consecutive year of decline in global freedom and the tenth consecutive year where Internet freedom declined worldwide. Digital authoritarianism continues to proliferate, as evidenced by rising internet shutdowns, pervasive disinformation, and more sophisticated tactics to surveil, repress, and manipulate both domestic and foreign audiences.
This hour-long panel will provide RightsCon participants with the opportunity to learn about Canada’s 2022 Chairship of the FOC with a focus on digital inclusion, as the starting point for redefining democracy and human rights in the digital age. It will officially launch the FOC’s global social media campaign to highlight the importance of digital inclusion. A substantial number of the world remains unconnected and unable to participate in the digital public square, connectivity is needed to bridge digital divides worldwide. Digital literacy and diversity of content are vital to empower the public to navigate online spaces. Meaningful digital inclusion also demands a digital environment that enables civic participation. And governments and technology companies need to safeguard users’ data and privacy to ensure safety and trust in technology.
This panel will bring together Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, senior officials and multistakeholder experts from civil society, academia, and industry to discuss the FOC’s vision for tackling the leading human rights issues in the digital age.

RightsCon 2022
2022-06-06 - 2022-06-10

FOC Task Force on Internet Shutdowns Monthly Call
2022-05-31 13:30 - 14:30, 2022-04-11 13:30 - 14:30

14th International Conference on Cyber Conflict (CyCon) 2022
2022-05-31 - 2022-06-03
For more information, please visit the following link.

UN ODC Ad-hoc Committee to Elaborate a Comprehensive International Convention on Countering the Use of Information and Communication Technologies for Criminal Purposes, 2nd Session
2022-05-30 - 2022-06-10

World Summit on the Information Society Forum 2022
2022-05-30 - 2022-06-03

FOC In-Person Strategic Retreat
2022-05-24 - 2022-05-25

FOC-AN Monthly Call
2022-05-18 15:00 - 16:00, 2022-04-20 15:00 - 16:00

World Telecommunication and Information Society Day
2022-05-17

International Conference and Opening for Signature of the 2nd Additional Protocol to the Convention on Cybercrime
2022-05-12

World Press Freedom Day Conference Panel Session: Digital Authoritarianism and technology-facilitated threats to journalists and human rights defenders
2022-05-03 13:30 - 14:30
On May 3, the Freedom Online Coalition and Media Freedom Coalition hosted a joint panel session during the UNESCO World Press Freedom Day Conference on rising digital authoritarianism and its impact on media freedom and the safety of journalists, media workers, and human rights defenders.
This year’s Conference, hosted by UNESCO together with the Government of Uruguay, focused on the theme “Journalism Under Digital Siege” and the digital era’s impact on freedom of expression, the safety of journalists, access to information and privacy.
Lea Kaspar of the FOC’s Support Unit moderated the panel featuring initial remarks by Wopke Hoekstra, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, followed by a discussion with:
• Can Yeginsu, Deputy Chair of the High Level Panel of Legal Experts on Media Freedom
• Irene Khan, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression
• Jeffrey Marder, Executive Director of the Human Rights and Indigenous Affairs Policy Division, Global Affairs Canada
• Quinn McKew, Executive Director, ARTICLE 19
• Veronica Ferrari, Global Policy Advocacy Coordinator, Association for Progressive Communications
During the session, panelists discussed the threats posed by digital authoritarianism and the role governments and industry should play in defending freedom of expression in online and offline contexts.
The Conference took place in a hybrid format, and the panel session recording is available to view for registered participants via the Conference event platform.

UN HRC Working Group on the Issue of Human Rights and Transnational Corporations and other Business Enterprises, 32nd Session
2022-05-03 - 2022-05-06

World Press Freedom Day Global Conference 2022
2022-05-02 - 2022-05-05

Joint FOC & FOC-AN Roundtable Meeting
2022-04-06 15:30 - 17:00

FOC Strategy & Coordination Meeting
2022-04-04 14:00 - 15:30

Inaugural Meeting of the Committee on Artificial Intelligence
2022-04-04 - 2022-04-06
