Join this 2-day conference where speakers will focus on the main themes linked to Internet accountability and digital rights.
Free, open, safe and unfragmented internet is the cornerstone of today’s digital societies. It provides opportunities for economic growth, development, and supports people around the globe in reaching their aspirations and full potential. However, governments along the democratic spectrum, from authoritarian regimes to democracies, are using the Internet in ways that undermine its open, free, safe and secure character. In trying to understand these trends, their intensity and sophistication, we have seen growth in research and technologies that aim to unmask such practices or counter their proliferation.
Rationale
The Global Initiative on the Future of the Internet (GIFI) – implemented by the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies (EUI) – organises a two-day conference focused on exploring the theme of Internet accountability. The Forum aims to strengthen digital transformation and global digital governance that respects, promotes and protects universal human rights, democracy and sustainable development, and puts people and their universal human rights at the centre, in line with the international law and the commitments under the UN Global Digital Compact, among others.
The conference's aim is to define, with expert advice and evidence-based analysis, actionable policies to strengthen and promote Internet accountability against the background of the escalating trend of digital authoritarianism and its impact on global, open, free, safe and secure use of the Internet. There is a clear need to create a better connection between the research and policy communities, especially regarding the policy and political aspects of using the Internet, the various models of online censorship and information suppression, automated surveillance systems, and the use of information technologies for purposes of social control more broadly.
Format
The conference will be organised over two days and will bring together policymakers, researchers, the private sector, and civil society representatives. Funds available through the GIFI project will facilitate participation of senior government officials from other countries and regions.
Multistakeholder Forum (2 October), organised in cooperation with the Brussels Institute for Geopolitics, is an opportunity to bring together leading experts and institutions to explore topics ranging from geopolitics of disinformation, strengthening resilience of the internet freedom ecosystem, or responsibility and accountability of AI systems. This part of the Forum is by invitation only.
High-Level Forum, (3 October), will host panel discussions focused on the main themes linked to Internet accountability and digital rights. It will feature speakers from different regions and stakeholder groups, and be open to registration.
Please note that by submitting the registration, via the form and the link below, you express your interest in joining the conference.
Registration for this part of the Forum is open to the public and free of charge.
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and are subject to capacity constraints. If you have any questions regarding this process, please send an email to gifi@eui.eu.
This event is part of the Global initiative on the future of the internet, a project funded by the European Union under the service contract no. NDICI/2023/447-807