On Friday, March 4 the US Mission will sponsor “Internet Freedom: Promoting Human Rights in the Digital Age,” a panel discussion at the United Nations during the the 16th Session of the Human Rights Council on the impact of the Internet and digital connectivity on the struggle for human freedom and progress.
Participants will join in a discussion with panelists Michael Posner, Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy and Human Rights, Richard Allan, Director of Policy for Facebook, Peter Barron, Google’s Director of Communications and Public Affairs for Northern Europe, and Brett Solomon, Executive Director of Access.
The Internet and other digital technologies enable an unprecedented level of communication and connection among individuals. Yet just as people use these technologies to express themselves and advance freedom worldwide, numerous governments seek to deny the rights they enable. Repressive regimes are censoring search results, jailing journalists and activists, and imposing laws that restrict online discourse and access to information. The United States has made the defense of a free, open, and interconnected Internet a foreign policy priority. But advancing Internet freedom is a challenge that governments cannot tackle alone – we look forward to a productive discussion March 4 with human rights defenders, technology experts and the general public.
Click here for invitation and more details (PDF 217 KB)