Amnesty Tech

AccessNow confirms that China is likely to be behind Zambia’s decision to cancel RightsCon, the largest human rights gathering. The statement is self-explanatory. @Amnesty calls on all States that have supported RightsCon in such a difficult moment, all those that believes in the protection of civic space and NGOs to rise to the moment. We need your actions. We need you to support finding an alternative venue and offer all necessary support to participants and to Access Now so that we can get together, work and plan for a better world. You have an opportunity to do the right thing for the 1000s of civil society actors and the millions of people whose rights they serve and protect. You have an opportunity to stand up to Chinese trans-national repression and to all trans-national repressions whatever their origin. rightscon.org/rc26-statement/

China’s pressure silenced the world’s largest digital rights conference. #RightsCon2026 was reportedly canceled after the Chinese government pushed Zambia to block discussions on Beijing’s global digital influence and exclude Taiwanese participants. This kind of interference is no surprise, given China’s long‑documented human rights record and its repeated use of transnational repression to silence critics beyond its borders. Governments must resist this intimidation and defend civic space, online and offline. wired.com/story/the-chin…

Following our April 29 announcement, we believe it's important to be transparent about the context that led to the decision. We want to explain, where we can, why this was made on such short notice, only days before we were set to host RightsCon. Read: rightscon.org/rc26-statement/

This last-minute backtracking raises serious concerns about a closing civic space, trust, transparency, and Zambia’s commitment to civil society engagement and international agreements.

The government cited “the need for comprehensive disclosures” to align with “national values, policy priorities, and broader public-interest considerations”. But those disclosures were not made public undermining the rationale for such a drastic decision.

"We condemn the government’s actions that led to the cancellation of #RightsCon in Zambia.” @amnesty has joined 132 other organisations in condemning the Zambian government’s decision to abruptly postpone #RightsCon at the eleventh hour. paradigmhq.org/press-statemen…

We are confronting the most challenging moment of our age. Humanity is under attack from transnational anti-rights movements and predatory governments determined to assert their dominance through unlawful wars and brazen economic blackmail. What marks this moment as fundamentally different is that we’re no longer documenting erosion around the system’s edges. This is a direct assault on the foundations of human rights and the international rules-based order by the most powerful actors for the purpose of control, impunity and profit. For the sake of humanity, the time to make history is now. #HumanityMustWin

What is the State of the World’s Human Rights today? Our report examines 144 countries and paints a picture of States playing with a fire that threatens to scorch the future for generations to come. Read more: amn.st/6012B6A1yC

.@amnesty with over 133 organisations has previously called on the @EUCommission not to reopen AI Act, and instead focus on strong implementation that protects fundamental rights in Europe and elsewhere in the world. amnesty.eu/news/open-lett…

This seriously risks undermining the rights of people in the EU, leaving them more exposed to high-risk AI uses like biometric identification and AI deployment in schools.

Together with others civil society partners @amnesty is calling on the @EUCOmmission, @Europarl_EN and the @EUCouncil to reject the AI Omnibus or legislative proposals to change the implementation of the AI Act.

People in Iran have lived under digital darkness for 1000 hours. Authorities have cut off 90+ million from the outside world since 28 February, preventing people from accessing essential information and contacting loved ones. Authorities must immediately restore internet access.

The proposals presented under the guise of “simplification” amount to an unprecedented rollback of rights that protect us from corporate & state surveillance, discrimination at the hands of AI systems, & much more.

It's a false dichotomy between regulation & innovation, championed by Big Tech, who seek a rules-free environment that prioritizes profit at any cost. True innovation means finding ways to ensure that the benefits of new technologies are shared by society & not just Big Tech.

The @EU_Commission launched a drive to simplify existing EU laws on artificial intelligence (AI) & data protection to ostensibly “boost competitiveness” and “cut red tape.” At stake here are rules that protect us on and offline. amnesty.org/en/latest/news…

.@Amnesty is really excited to present an epic live stream conversation on "AI literacy" on March 29, 5 PM London time. The panel will feature members of the cast of @sundancefest documentary "Ghost in the Machine." You can register here: notaidoc.com/literacy

Rather than using blunt tools like banning young teens from social media, States must require a fundamental  overhaul of how these platforms operate, including addressing their addictive design. This is the only path to a truly safe social media. amnesty.org/en/latest/news…

A US court has ruled that the addictive-by-design nature of Meta & YouTube harmed a young woman and worsened their mental health. In response @ErikaGuevaraR said, "this court decision is clear: these platforms are unsafe by design & meaningful change is urgently needed.”