Taipei: Taipei has been chosen as the host city for the 2025 RightsCon, an international conference centered on digital rights, scheduled to take place in late February. This decision highlights Taipei’s robust commitment to democracy, freedom, and human rights, as stated by the event’s organizer.
According to Focus Taiwan, Alejandro Mayoral Baños, the executive director of Access Now, expressed that selecting Taiwan as the venue for the four-day summit was a natural choice. He acknowledged Taiwan’s dedication to safeguarding democracy, freedom, and human rights, as well as the momentum it has gained in recent years by hosting several significant human rights gatherings.
The 2025 summit will mark the first time RightsCon is held in East Asia since its inception in 2011. From February 24 to 27, more than 550 discussion sessions will take place both in Taipei and online. Participants, including activists, journalists, government representatives, and business leaders from around the globe, will convene to addr
ess critical issues related to human rights in the digital era.
This year’s notable speakers include former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, Australian Human Rights Commissioner Lorraine Finlay, OECD tech official Rashad Abelson, and Tanzanian Parliamentarian Neema Lugangira. While the summit will tackle global issues, it aims to emphasize East Asian perspectives by involving stakeholders and policymakers from the region, including Taiwan.
Several Taiwanese NGOs, such as Amnesty International Taiwan and the Taiwan Network Information Center, will participate in the event. Additionally, Taiwan’s National Human Rights Commission will co-host a workshop with its Philippine counterpart. Throughout the four-day forum, discussions will cover topics like personal data protection, sustainable development, and the challenges posed by artificial intelligence (AI), while exploring methods to protect communities at risk and bridge the digital divide.
Mayoral Baños emphasized the importance of these discussio
ns for the global digital rights movement, which has faced significant disruptions due to emerging technologies and shifts in the geopolitical landscape. While generative AI and space data have introduced positive changes, technology can also have negative consequences.
Mayoral Baños, a human rights campaigner trained in computer engineering, highlighted that technology can serve as both a tool for liberation and repression. He stressed that harnessing technology for positive outcomes requires raising public awareness, building capacity in at-risk communities, and fostering collaborations with tech companies.
Access Now, a New York-based NGO dedicated to promoting digital rights, is actively involved in these efforts. Mayoral Baños, who assumed leadership of the organization in October 2024, explained that capacity building involves working with communities, such as activists, journalists, and LGBTQI+ and Indigenous peoples, to enhance their digital literacy and equip them with tools to protect against surv
eillance and cyber threats.
Engaging with tech companies poses a more complex challenge, as human rights groups often have a tense relationship with the tech community. However, Mayoral Baños views collaboration with tech companies as crucial to advancing their mission. The goal is to identify human rights “champions” within these companies and work with them to advocate for ethical standards and human-centric policies.
Mayoral Baños acknowledged that recent political developments have made engaging with tech companies more challenging. He cited the “new political landscape” and figures like United States President Donald Trump as factors that have altered the dynamics of interactions with tech companies.
Despite these challenges, Mayoral Baños remains optimistic about engaging with both tech companies and civil society groups to promote human rights initiatives. The 2025 RightsCon, which will include participation from tech giants like Google Inc., exemplifies these efforts.
Describing himself as a “tran
slator” between the realms of technology and human rights, Mayoral Baños emphasized that excluding either side hinders progress. He believes that effective advancement of agendas requires collaboration between both sectors.