Experts across fields and sectors will converge in Sydney on 24 July for the Human Rights and Technology conference hosted by the Australian Human Rights Commission to discuss the impact of technology on human rights.
I am among those the government has invited to share perspectives. In advance of my participation, we have prepared a report on the status of human rights in Australia from the international perspective. The report covers five core issues: encryption, government surveillance, data protection, cybersecurity, and infrastructure and connectivity.
These are not abstract questions or issues. What Australia decides to do will hurt, or help, real people, both in Australia and around the world. We are especially concerned about the most vulnerable in this increasingly hostile environment. Journalists. Activists. Dissidents. Human rights defenders. Those of us in marginalized or oppressed communities, who face attacks based on who we are or what we believe.
The paper advances a set of key policy recommendations that are necessary to put Australia back on the path to respecting and protecting human rights. Our hope is that this paper and the discussions that we undertake in Australia will help leaders rise to the challenges of our digital world and put new momentum behind building a future that supports fundamental rights instead of violating them.
Mr. Solomon discussed the release of this report with ABC. You can hear the interview here.