Alliance for Universal Digital Rights (AUDRi)

Specific issue areas require specific responses and safety-by-design practices. When it comes to health advice, the consequences of mis- and disinformation being shared and amplified on social media platforms are predictable and troubling, and the companies behind these platforms should mitigate against this at all stages - from development, to algorithmic design, to content moderation. The The Hippocratic Post outlines the issue and latest findings about the proliferation of unregulated or harmful medical contenh online, with commentary from Equality Now’s Niki Kandirikirira. “This research makes clear that the harm is not incidental to how these systems work. It is a consequence of how they are designed to manipulate behaviours for profit and ideological capture. The burden of responsibility sits with the platforms and governments that should hold them to account.” Read more: https://lnkd.in/dGUZkyEg

AUDRi founder Equality Now is at the #TechAbuseConference taking place this week in London. Looking forward to seeing what emerges from these urgent conversations and hearing from survivors of #TFGBV to guide policy and legal advocacy efforts.

Technology should never be used to cause harm, but too often the legislation that would prevent this or bring justice to survivors of tech-facilitated abuse is weak, outdated or absent. We’re pleased to see decisive action being taken to protect women and children who are disproportionately affected by emerging harms in the digital space. #TFGBV #AI Equality Now Women Leading In AI

Following the cancellation of #RightsCon2026, Equality Now’s CEO, Sharmila (Mona) Sinha, shares this statement: “The cancellation of RightsCon, the biggest platform for global discussion on human rights in digital space, is a chilling reminder that no forum or discussion space is safe from political scrutiny, interference or silencing. “Equality Now has been tracking the pushback faced by human rights advocates globally, particularly those working to advance gender equality and better laws against misogyny and gender- based violence. It is devastating that RightsCon, where we were due to join others in crucial conversations about how to address harms in the digital realm, has become a casualty of this pushback. “We need to ensure that those fighting against online exclusion and abuse, including members of the LBGTQI+ community and other vulnerable minorities, along with those calling for an end to surveillance and interference from oppressive governments, have safe opportunities to do so. We stand with the global digital rights community as we all find ways to mitigate against this loss and forge safe spaces where we can continue these vital conversations.”

Trust in AI is not a feature. It’s a design decision. Ivana Bartoletti, VP and Global Chief Privacy & AI Governance Officer at Wipro, explains what it takes to build AI systems people can trust, from governance and accountability to the challenge of scaling AI across global organisations. Drawing on her experience across policy, law and consulting, Ivana makes one point clear: governance must be built into AI from the start, not added later. “You cannot do serious governance work without understanding the policy environment.” If you’re working with AI at scale, this is essential reading. Read the full interview in the latest AI Magazine 👉 https://lnkd.in/ev4sQBYg #AI #AIGovernance #DataEthics #EnterpriseAI

#RightsCon2026 was cancelled just days before it was about to begin. RightsCon is critical as the only global civil society focused convening for digital rights activists. Other global digital rights summits are mostly UN-led multilateral processes where governments and tech companies are the priority. For us at the Alliance for Universal Digital Rights (AUDRi), this was a significant platform to connect with allies and strategize solutions to digital harms that disproportionately target women and girls. The cancellation is not an isolated incident but instead represents an alarming global pattern of shrinking civic space in parallel with the growth of a highly organized and networked international anti-rights agenda. Without civil society-led spaces that center human rights in digital technologies it is harder for all of us to develop intersectional and integrated movements to advocate for and secure our human rights in digital spaces. Participants and civil society organizations have invested a large amount of resources including time and money to plan their in-person and online engagements at RightsCon, including organizing official events, paying for booths, securing visas, and arranging flights and hotels. Those from the Global Majority who are already dealing with reduced and restricted budgets, will be hit the hardest. For many, this is not just a missed event, it is a loss of access to networks, visibility, and critical opportunities to sustain their work. This is a devastating blow, compounded by the fact that we have been calling for more convenings to be held in Global Majority countries to enable greater representation from around the world and ease of travel. We are worried about the harmful precedent that cancelling RightsCon - and at such short notice - sets for future digital and human rights based convenings. Despite the cancellation, we remain committed to addressing Tech-facilitated Gender-based Violence and other digital harms, securing digital rights for all women and girls, and continuing to engage in other spaces. This is a moment for the digital rights community to come together and reimagine our convening spaces, keeping in mind freedoms, human rights, and the pressing reality of the anti-rights movement.

For those of us who have spent weeks and months preparing for this key strategic moment, the cancellation of #RightsCon2026 is an upsetting anticlimax. And for the digital rights community across the world,particularly the global majority, it's a critical loss of a key forum for building relationships, finding strength in partnerships, sharing ideas and solutions, and finding support from donors. The financial impact is particularly hard on smaller organisations for whom RightsCon attendance is a major investment, and we also think of the Zambian businesses and individuals who had planned to work on the sidelines of this massive event. But above all, this cancellation is a devastating reminder that no human rights forum or discussion space is safe from political scrutiny, interference, and silencing. We stand in solidarity with our partners and allies in the digital rights space as we all try find ways to minimise this loss. Equality Now

Wise words from Ivana Bartoletti on AI, bias, and the importance of ensuring potential bias and other harms are addressed at the earliest stage of development. At RightsCon next week, we will be there focusing on safety-by-design and finding ways to work together to make this the global standard. See you there! Equality Now Women Leading In AI Access Now

Proud to see one of AUDRi’s founders at Women Leading In AI sharing her insights on responsible AI governance and the intersection of reponsible AI, business and society. LEAP East Ivana Bartoletti

Landmark rulings against Meta in the US are reinforcing a critical point: platform design decisions are not without consequence. Digital platforms are not neutral spaces, and the companies behind them must be held accountable for how their systems enable harm. Two recent rulings highlight that the consequences of persuasive, exploitative and addictive design choices, which prioritise engagement over safety, are borne by real people, particularly women and girls. Equality Now urges policymakers globally to act by strengthening legal frameworks to ensure technology companies are required to embed safety-by-design throughout the life cycle of their products, and to uphold human rights across digital platforms and services. Read more about the cases in these BBC News stories: 🔗 https://lnkd.in/eZmVGzx4 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dZpSbMP9 #Meta #DigitalHarm #OnlineSafety #HumanRights #GenderEquality #SafetyByDesign Alliance for Universal Digital Rights (AUDRi)