Stronger together: civil society and the private sector as partners in cybersecurity awareness 

For activists, journalists, human rights defenders, and other members of civil society, cybersecurity is a concrete matter that relates to the real-world risks and threats we face as a consequence of our work. Yet in the global conversation about cybersecurity, a dual emphasis on geopolitics and the tech industry has put the focus on specific countries or technologies, such as AI, rather than on the individuals and communities at risk of attack. This leaves everyone more vulnerable. 

Registration is available here.

Speakers: 

Nighat Dad, Executive Director, Digital Rights Foundation Pakistan

Nighat Dad is the founder and Executive Director of the Digital Rights Foundation. She was a member of the UN Secretary-General’s High-Level Advisory Board on AI (HLAB) and a founding member of Meta’s Oversight Board. Her organization works on the cutting edge of the intersection of human rights and technology. Nighat has won numerous accolades, including the Dutch Human Rights Award, and has been a TED Fellow since 2017. She is a staunch advocate for digital rights and women’s rights for the global majority.

Alexander Corbeil, Trust & Safety Policy Leader, Bluesky

Alexander Corbeil is a Trust and Safety leader with more than 15 years of experience at the intersection of international security and online safety. In his current role as Bluesky’s Trust and Safety Policy Lead, he specializes in creating and implementing policies that underpin the platform’s Community Guidelines, including developing proactive moderation tools. He was previously TikTok’s Head of Regional Policy for the U.S. and Canada and served with the Government of Canada.

Gabrielė Dačkaitė, Social Impact Lead, Surfshark

Gabriele leads Surfshark’s social impact strategy, including collaborations with nonprofits and support for journalists and activists facing digital security risks. She also leads Surfshark’s Cybersecurity Advocacy Fund, a new initiative supporting innovative projects that advance cybersecurity awareness, digital rights and online privacy.

Beatrice Martini, Education and Communities Manager, Digital Security Helpline

Beatrice Martini (she/her) is the Education and Communities Manager of the Access Now Digital Security Helpline. Previously, Beatrice led the Human Rights Technology program at the nonprofit Aspiration, and worked at the Open Knowledge Foundation and on several projects leveraging open source technology in support of justice and rights endeavors.

She has also been a research fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School and Stanford Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society exploring the implications of Internet infrastructure design on human rights, and serves in a formal advisory role with the Center for the Cultivation of Technology and OpenArchive.

Moderator: Namrata Maheshwari, Asia Pacific Policy Manager, Access Now

Namrata Maheshwari serves as the Asia Pacific Policy Manager and Encryption Policy Lead at Access Now. She leads Access Now’s policy and advocacy work across the Asia Pacific region. She also leads the organization’s work on encryption policy globally. Namrata engages with stakeholders including industry, civil society, and governments to promote rights-respecting approaches to internet governance. She holds an LL.M. from Columbia Law School where she focused on technology policy and digital governance, and is an India-qualified lawyer. Prior to her current role, she worked with the Center for Democracy & Technology, and practiced law in India.