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Digital rights faltering amid political, social unrest: What now?
The SEE Network of civil society organisations is inviting all interested participants to join the first online discussion and knowledge share on the state of digital rights in Southern and Eastern Europe on July 1.
At the July 1 event (3pm – 4.30pm, CET) BIRN and SHARE Foundation will discuss its annual digital rights report, together with other members of the newly established SEE Network; an online public event will be held at 3pm, where key trends concerning the digital ecosystem will be discussed.
In August 2019, BIRN and SHARE foundation started a unique monitoring process of the state of digital rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Hungary, North Macedonia, Romania and Serbia, collecting more than 1500 cases of digital rights violations in a public regional database.
In Southern and Eastern Europe, where online disinformation campaigns are endangering guaranteed individual freedoms, and while the decline in internet safety has become a worrying trend, citizens with poor media and digital illiteracy have been left without viable protection mechanisms.
The event will cover some of the most important trends mapped during the monitoring period, such as: the position and threats posed to the vulnerable groups, particularly focusing on gender perspectives; freedom of speech and online hatred; the effects of state propaganda and fake news on the right of citizens to receive accurate information; and (ir)responsibility of big tech companies in the region.
The event will gather representatives of CSOs, experts (both tech, legal and sociological), students, activists, tech enthusiasts and other interested parties in order to open a broad discussion on the growing challenges we face and the steps we need to take to counter the further deterioration of citizens’ digital rights, and press for policy change.
The event aims to provide space for diverse voices to be heard and we are delighted to invite you to join us by filling in this online registration form.
Upon registration you will receive a confirmation email and the agenda.