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RightsCon Silicon Valley is the only conference dedicated to exploring the relationship between the technology sector and human rights. With so many of our interactions, transactions, and experiences facilitated by digital tools, the opportunities, responsibilities, and liabilities for the tech sector are increasingly at the center of the discussion. While the rights to information, expression, association, health, and education are facilitated by technology, so too are major concerns involving privacy, state surveillance, jurisdictional issues, and accountability. Â Use code EZB25Â when you purchase tickets @RightsCon to save 25%.
From March 3-5, 2014, at Mission Bay Conference Center in San Francisco, we will feature thought leaders, highlight emerging voices, host strategy and implementation sessions, and provide opportunities to showcase new strategies and initiatives. And once again, we’ll organize unique off-the-record roundtables that allow representatives of the private sector to meet face-to-face with government decision-makers, civil society, activists, and academics.
You can view a mashup video of Human Rights Silicon Valley 2012 which includes Alaa Abd El-Fatah, blogger & political activist (Egypt); Mike Posner, US Ass Sec State, Democracy, Human Rights & Labor; Liza Gross, Exec Director IWMF; Chiranuch “Jiew” Premchiporn, Leading Opposition Journalist (Thailand); Bob Boorstin, Director Public Policy Google; Elliot Schrage, Â VP of Global Communications Marketing and Public Policy Google; Bennett Freeman, Senior VP Calvert Investments; Rosebell Kagumire, Rosebell’s Blog (Uganda); Van Jones, Co-founder RebuildTheDream; Nathan Freitas, Founder The Guardian Project; Mohamed Najem, CoFounder SMEX Beirut; Mary Catherine Wirth, Sr Legal Counsel Global Online Services Adobe Systems; Lauren Compere, Managing Director Boston Common Asset Management; Robert Scoble, Chief Learning Officer Rackspace; Â Karmal Sedra, Managing Director Dev & Institutionalization Support Center Egypt; Patrick Ball, PhD Chief Scientist & VP Human Rights Programs Benetech; Peter Fein, Agent Telecomix; Sokeel Park, Research & Policy Analyst LiNK (North Korea); Jeffrey H. Dygert Exec Director, Public Policy AT&T; Bram Cohen, Founder & Chief Scientist BitTorrent & Miriam Abu Sharkh, Gaza
HOST: Access is an international NGO that defends and extends the digital rights of users at risk around the world. By combining innovative policy, user engagement, and direct technical support, we fight for open and secure communications for all.
PROGRAM: Next year’s RightsCon Silicon Valley marks the first year Access is opening up conference programming to the experts: our participants. As such, we are currently accepting and reviewing (at RightsCon) proposals for innovative, thought-provoking, and outcome-oriented sessions. To help focus the expertise, interests, and creativity of the community, we’re taking submissions under the following five working themes:
Measuring and preventing risk in the ICT sector
Tech solutions for human rights challenges
Innovations in digital rights
Internet governance reform
Restoring rights in the age of surveillance
PARTICIPANTS: We’ve confirmed a diverse group of attendees and speakers, including John Donahoe (President & CEO, eBay); Alaa Abd El Fattah (one of Egypt’s most respected activists and software engineers (currently detained)); Jim Cowie (CTO, Renesys); Rebecca MacKinnon (Ranking Digital Rights Project); Brad Burnham (Union Square Ventures); Colin Crowell (Head of Global Public Policy, Twitter); Michael Posner (NYU Professor of Business and Society); Eileen Donahoe (former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Human Rights Council); Jillian York (Director for International Freedom of Expression, EFF); Moez Chakchouk (Founder of Tunisia’s IXP and 404Labs); Richard Stallman (Founder GNU Project and Free Software Foundation); David Gorodyansky (CEO & Founder, AnchorFree); Mitchell Baker (Chairperson, Mozilla Corporation) and many more.
